You know that moment in Arc Raiders where you've finally got a bag worth extracting—then a stranger appears and you're down before your brain even catches up. It feels unfair, but it usually isn't. The current PvP meta is blunt: your weapon choice decides a lot of fights before the first shot lands, and that's why people end up guarding their stash and even planning around stuff like ARC Raiders Coins when they're trying to keep their runs sustainable. Movement helps, sure, but if you're walking in with the wrong gun, you're basically asking to get sent back to the lobby.

1) Stitcher for Cheap, Dangerous Runs

The Stitcher is the one that keeps showing up in "I can't believe that worked" clips. It's affordable, fast-firing, and it rewards players who actually aim instead of praying. The big hook is the 2.5x headshot multiplier. That number changes how fights play out, because it lets a low-cost kit punch way above its weight. You'll notice good players take it on "no risk" drops, then suddenly they're deleting someone who brought premium gear. It's not magic. It's just headshots and confidence.

2) Il Toro and 3) Anvil: Two Different Kinds of Threat

At number two, Il Toro is the close-quarters problem-solver. A lot of real fights happen in cramped ruins, stairwells, and awkward little door frames where you don't get a clean retreat. That's where a shotgun that hits like a truck matters. Even an early-level Il Toro can end a push instantly, and it's the best answer to someone sprinting straight at you. Number three is the Anvil, and it's a totally different vibe. It's a hand cannon built for players who like to slow things down and take a clean shot. The headshot multiplier is the star here, but the downside is obvious the second you miss—your fire rate won't bail you out.

4) Renegade and 5) Venator: The Meta's Center of Gravity

Number four, the Renegade, is what a lot of people settle into once they're tired of being forced into one range. It's comfortable in mid-range fights, doesn't feel flimsy, and it's forgiving enough that you can take a duel without everything depending on a single perfect click. The 2.25x headshot multiplier helps it stay competitive, too. Then there's number five, the Venator, which is basically the reason the rest of this list exists. It's the streamer pick for a reason: huge damage, brutal time-to-kill, and it fires two rounds at once, so every peek can turn into a wipe if you're late by half a second.

Keeping Your Kit Alive

If there's one habit that actually carries across all five weapons, it's playing for headshots and building your loadout around fights you expect to take, not the fights you wish you'd get. Don't drag an Anvil into panic brawls, and don't pretend an Il Toro is going to solve open-field duels. Protecting your economy is part of the game, so plan your risk, rotate with intent, and treat gear like a tool. When you do need a quick top-up for a run—currency, items, the basics—it's worth knowing services like RSVSR exist, so you can spend more time extracting and less time scraping back from zero.