So, you’ve finally dropped an ARC… only to get third-partied by a squad waiting in the bushes.
Yeah, welcome to Arc Raiders.
Taking down ARCs isn’t the hard part — surviving the aftermath is.
But if you know their weaknesses and use the right tools, you can melt these robotic nightmares before anyone knows you were there.
Here’s a full breakdown of how to destroy each ARC type, what to use, and how to stay alive long enough to loot the wreck.
If you’re new to the game, you might want to check out my Arc Raiders First Impressions – Honest Review (2025) first — I break down how the game feels after hours of testing, what works, and what still drives us insane.
🔥 The Leaper (aka “Bison”)
- Weakness: Fire
- Best Tools: Blaze Grenades, Fireball Burner
This chunky beast is absurdly vulnerable to fire.
Two Blaze Grenades and it’s barbecue night.
Pro tip:
Aggro it, then run into a building and let it follow you to the doorway.
Once it’s stuck, drop fire at its feet.
You’ll have it down in seconds, and the driver loot is free for the taking.
Essential for:
➡️ Upgrading benches to level 3 — you’ll need its components.
🎯 The Sentinel
- Type: Stationary sniper turret
- Weakness: Cover and patience
These can two-shot you if you’re careless.
Usually found around Dam Battlegrounds or Bluegate.
Use:
- Silenced rifle or hairpin
- Or any mid-range rifle (5–6 hits do the trick)
Stay behind cover, take your shots between volleys, and collect the Sentinel Firing Core — vital for your Gunsmith level 2 upgrade.
🚀 The Rocketeer
- Type: Floating missile platform
- Weakness: Wolfpack Grenades
Scariest one visually, easiest one mechanically.
Throw two Wolfpack Grenades — they split into multiple heat-seeking projectiles that shred it almost instantly.
Loot the Rocketeer Driver to level up your Explosives Bench to 3.
💡 Pro Tip: Always carry at least two Wolfpacks.
They’re heavy, but nothing deletes ARCs faster.
🦾 The Bastions (Minigun & Bombardier Variants)
Both of these metal tanks fall into the same category — dangerous, loud, and drop some of the most valuable upgrade parts in the game.
You’ve got two main strategies:
1. The Smart Way (Hallcracker)
Buy the Hallcracker from Tianwin’s shop for 30K.
Nine shots and the Bastion is toast.
Grab the loot and run — these fights attract attention.
2. The Hard Way (If You’re Broke)
Aim for the knees.
Use heavy rifles like the Anvil and peek in and out of cover.
Down the Bastion temporarily, dump damage, reposition.
Loot drops:
- Bastion Power Cell → upgrades Gear Bench (Lvl 3)
- Bombardier variant → upgrades Refiner Bench
🧠 Fun Fact: The Refiner lets you craft advanced materials — arguably one of the most important benches in the game.
⚙️ The Flying ARCs (Hornets, Wasps & Snitches)
Hornets
- Front propellers = armored
- Back propellers = weak spot
Aim for the rear rotors. If you pop one, the whole thing spirals and explodes.
Wasps
- No armor at all
Use a Renegade Rifle or a Betatina with silencer (loud otherwise).
Light damage but consistent and efficient.
Snitches
- Avoid unless necessary.
Once they aggro, they call the swarm. You’ll be fighting ARCs and other players within a minute.
🔥 Fireballs (Don’t Waste Ammo)
When you see a Fireball rolling toward you, don’t panic-shoot.
Wait until it opens its core — that’s your one-shot window.
One bullet, one boom. Quiet and clean.
👑 The Queen (High-Risk, High-Reward)
Yes, people have soloed her. Rarely.
What you’ll need:
- Wolfpack Grenades
- Hallcracker
Best to fight inside the Harvester, where you have some protection from open flanks.
Still, your biggest threat isn’t the Queen — it’s other players waiting to ambush you when she drops.
Stay alert, keep an anti-player weapon ready, and communicate with your team.
⚔️ Final Advice: It’s Never Just About ARCs
The ARCs themselves are predictable.
Players are not.
Every time you engage, think about your exit plan before your first shot.
Other raiders will hear you. They will come.
So be ready to turn your PvE fight into a PvP one on a dime.
“It’s not hard to kill ARCs — it’s hard to survive other humans.”
Want to master the rest of the game?
- 🧭 Check out the Arc Raiders Tips & Tricks to Progress Faster guide — it’s packed with early-game survival strategies.
- 🐾 Or dive into the Scrappy Leveling Guide – All Item Locations to max out your little scavenger buddy and make farming way easier.
🧩 Quick Reference Table
| ARC Type | Weakness | Recommended Weapon | Loot / Upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaper / Bison | Fire | Blaze Grenades | Bench Lvl 3 components |
| Sentinel | Cover / Rifle | Silenced Rifle | Gunsmith Lvl 2 |
| Rocketeer | Wolfpack Grenades | 2x Wolfpacks | Explosives Lvl 3 |
| Bastion (Minigun) | Knees / Hallcracker | Hallcracker | Gear Lvl 3 |
| Bombardier | Knees / Hallcracker | Hallcracker | Refiner Lvl 3 |
| Hornet | Rear propellers | Rifle | Craft mats |
| Fireball | Core shot | Single bullet | Ammo efficiency |
| Queen | Wolfpack / Hallcracker | Squad Play | Rare loot |
💬 Final Thoughts
ARCs are basically boss fights disguised as resource farms — each one is a mini risk-reward puzzle.
Kill fast, loot faster, and never hang around the body.
Your biggest upgrade won’t come from a bench — it’s from learning to outthink the scavengers waiting for your smoke.
🎮 More Arc Raiders Guides:
