If you’re still sneaking round the outskirts hoping to sneak away with a backpack full of bolts, you’re missing the point of Arc Raiders. The big wins aren’t hiding in dusty crates—they’re sitting on other players just waiting to be claimed. After countless runs turning careful scavengers into walking loot drops, I can tell you the only way to really run the show is to flip the script and go on the hunt. Speed is king, so ditch those heavy shields. Yeah, they look solid, but in a real fight they make you slow and predictable. Being quick is your best armour, and getting kitted right with the ARC Raiders Coins you’ve hustled up will set you apart before the shots even start.
Loadouts That Actually Win Fights
Right now, the hot pick is rocking the Combat Mk. 3 augment—extra inventory slots plus health regen is massive. Go Medium Shield over Heavy so you’re not slogging around like you’re stuck in mud. For your primary, the Bettina AR lands shots where you want them, and if you throw on a recoil stabiliser, it turns into a laser. Close range? Bobcat SMG or Stitcher every time. They melt folks before they even aim down sights. You’ll want heavy fuze grenades in quick slots to flush enemies out and a Shield Recharger for instant resets. If you’re not stim-popping mid fight, you’re already at a disadvantage. Play fast, play aggressive.
Movement That Throws Off Their Aim
Guns win fights, but movement decides them. The top-tier players aren’t just jumping around—they’re chaining slides, rolls, and swaps to throw your tracking off completely. One trick to learn is the jump-slide weapon swap: hop into a slide, swap your gun mid-air, and you’ll look like a nightmare to hit. Binding dodge roll to a side mouse button makes chaining moves more fluid. When you break someone’s shield, push hard and don’t let them breathe. If yours gets cracked, focus on your actual health first—because shields run out but health keeps you alive.
Using The World To Your Advantage
Arc Raiders’ environment is full of opportunities to mess with other squads. If someone’s chasing me, I’ll drop a Snitch Core or Burner Core in their path, pulling ARC machines right into the fight. Suddenly, a clean 1v3 turns into chaos, and the bots do the dirty work. Learn to control maps by placing traps where players funnel through—Jolt Mines under ziplines are cheeky free kills, and a Door Blocker at an exit will cause panic long enough for you to flank. And if hunting blueprints feels like a drag, grabbing fully built gear from places that let you Raider Tokens buy means you can skip the farm and get straight back to breaking squads at extraction.