How To Defeat Every ARC In Arc Raiders Speed (March 2026) Full Guide

Updated by Sunny Kaushik
February 4, 2026
Gaming

If you’ve dropped into the ruined world of Arc Raiders, you know one thing for sure: the ARC machines are relentless. These aren’t your average video game grunts; they are agile, heavily armored, and designed to crush you and your squad. I’ve spent countless hours in the Arcadian playtests, dying, reloading, and learning the hard way that shooting blindly at a tank’s front armor is a waste of precious ammo.

You want the fastest ways to defeat every ARC because you want the loot, not a lengthy fight where you lose all your gear. In this comprehensive guide, I’m going to break down exactly how to dismantle every major ARC type currently in the game. We’ll cover specific weak points, the best weapon types to use, and pro strategies that many players miss.

Here is a quick overview of the threats you face and their primary weaknesses.

ARC Weakness Overview

ARC Type	Primary Threat	Best Counter	Key Weak Point
Pouncer	Agile melee/leap assault	Shotguns / SMGs	Glowing Belly / Undercarriage
Pincher	Shielded charge & melee	Precision Rifles / Flanking	Rear Coolant Vents
Tank	Heavy artillery & AoE	L-Shaped Launchers / Stickies	Top Cooling Vents / Backpack
Stomper	Ground pound & debris	Snipers / Explosives	Head / Joints
Scavenger	Swarm annoyance	Automatic Rifles	Core (Anywhere)

Arc Raiders: General Combat Strategies

Before we dive into the specific enemies, you need to master the universal mechanics that apply to almost every encounter in Arc Raiders. Ignoring these is the fastest way to get deleted.

1. Use the Environment (The Pulley System)

This is the game’s signature mechanic. You will see objects hanging from cranes or precariously balanced structures. Do not ignore the Pulley. Instead of dumping three magazines into a Pincher, look up. If there is a concrete block or a shipping container above the ARC, shoot the cable.

The Strategy: Lure the ARC under the object. As an AI, the ARC is predictable—it will move directly toward you.
The Execution: Fire at the pulley mechanism.
The Result: Instant critical damage or an instant kill on smaller ARCs. This saves you ammo and time.

2. Stripping Armor

Many ARCs have heavy plating. You can shoot the plate all day, but you won’t deal damage. You need to remove the plate first.

Use Explosives: A well-thrown grenade or a “Stickie” grenade will often blow the armor plating right off the chassis.
The Lifter: If you find a Lifter tool, use it to tear armor off the bigger enemies. Once the armor is gone, switch to your high-damage weapon (like the Sniper) to finish the job.

3. Movement and Stacking

Never stay in the open. The ARCs track movement aggressively. Use the “slide” mechanic often to break their line of sight. If you are playing with a team, stack up close in a corner or behind cover. This forces the ARCs to funnel into a choke point, making them much easier to hit with shotguns and area-of-effect (AoE) attacks.

Fastest Ways To Defeat Every ARC

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Here is how you handle the specific threats in the game right now.

1. The Pouncer

The Pouncer is the most common annoyance in the early game. It is fast, low to the ground, and loves to jump on top of you.

The Behavior: They circle you and leap. If they connect, they deal massive damage and knock you down.
The Fastest Kill: The trick to killing Pouncers quickly is patience. Do not shoot them while they are circling at a distance. Wait for them to commit to the leap.
- Step 1: Aim down sights (ADS) as they crouch to jump.
- Step 2: As they are airborne, aim at their belly. There is usually a glowing orb or exposed mechanical component underneath them.
- Step 3: Fire a Shotgun blast or a tight burst from an SMG.
- Why it works: Hitting the belly usually interrupts their attack animation and deals a critical multiplier. A single shotgun blast to the gut will often one-shot a standard Pouncer.

2. The Pincher

The Pincher is a frontline tank. It has a massive shield on one arm and a melee weapon on the other.

The Behavior: It advances slowly behind its shield, absorbing bullets, then strikes hard.
The Fastest Kill: Fighting a Pincher from the front is a waste of time. You need to flank or use its aggression against it.
- Method A (The Flank): Have a teammate distract the Pincher from the front. Run to the side or rear. Look for the coolant vents on its back (usually glowing blue or orange). A few shots here will cause it to overheat and explode.
- Method B (The Bait): Stand in front of it and wait for it to raise its shield to charge. Slide underneath its legs or strafe hard to the side. As it turns slowly, its exposed side is vulnerable. Use a high-rate-of-fire weapon to shred the side plating.

3. The Tank

The Tank is a boss-level threat. It has a massive cannon and tons of health. A firefight with a Tank can last 10 minutes if you aren’t prepared.

The Behavior: It stays at range, bombarding you with artillery, and spawns smaller drones to harass you.
The Fastest Kill: You need to bring the boom.
- Weapon Choice: You need the L-Shaped Launcher or heavy explosive Sticky Grenades.
- Target Identification: Look for the cooling vents on the top of the Tank or a glowing power core on its rear.
- The Strategy:
  1. Clear the small drones first (don’t let them distract you).
  2. Use your grapple to get to high ground. The Tank’s armor is thickest on the bottom.
  3. If you can, drop a structure on it using the Pulley system—this is the only “instant” way to kill it.
  4. If no environment is available, throw Sticky Grenades onto its top vents. Detonate them in clusters. This strips the top armor. Once stripped, switch to your sniper rifle and headshot the exposed core.

4. The Scavenger (Spider Drones)

These come in swarms. Individually they are weak, but in a pack, they will bleed you dry.

The Behavior: They scuttle around and bite, or attach to you and explode.
The Fastest Kill:
- Weapon Choice: SMGs or Automatic Rifles with a large magazine.
- Strategy: Do not try to aim precisely. Spray and pray is acceptable here, but aim for center mass.
- Pro Tip: If they group up (which they often do), throw a Frag Grenade. A single grenade can wipe an entire swarm. This is much faster and more ammo-efficient than shooting them one by one.

5. The Dropper / Airborne Units

These enemies hover and drop troops or shoot from above.

The Fastest Kill:
- Weapon Choice:狙击步枪 or anything with range.
- Strategy: Lead your target. They move in predictable patterns.
- Weak Point: The engine or rotor assembly, usually on the side or back of the drone. Shooting the engine causes them to crash, dealing splash damage to anything below them. Time your shot so they crash into groups of ground ARCs for double the efficiency.

Advanced Pro Strategies

Beyond knowing where to shoot, knowing how to manage the fight is what separates the pros from the scrubs.

Loadout Synergy

Don’t just run three heavy weapons. You will be slow and run out of ammo instantly.

The “Breaker” Loadout:
1. Primary: Assault Rifle (Medium range, reliable DPS).
2. Secondary: Shotgun (For Pouncers and flanking Tanks).
3. Utility: Sticky Grenades (Essential for stripping armor) + Pulley Gun.
Why this works: This covers all ranges. The AR handles drones, the Shotgun handles close-range panic moments, and the grenades handle the heavy armor.

The “Aggro Swap”

If you are playing solo or with a team, managing who the enemy is shooting at is crucial.

How to do it: If a teammate is getting hammered by a Tank, shoot the Tank in its glowing weak point. This draws the “Aggro” (attention) to you.
The Benefit: This gives your teammate time to reload, heal, or reposition to flank. Once they are set up, they shoot the weak point, pulling the Aggro back. By passing the Aggro back and forth, nobody dies, and the enemy spends more time turning than shooting.

Looting Under Fire

The fastest way to defeat an ARC is sometimes just surviving until someone else does it for you (or extracting with your life).

Don’t be greedy: If a third party (other players) shows up while you are fighting a Tank, run. Let them fight the Tank. Circle back, kill the weakened winner, and take all the loot. It’s a dirty tactic, but in Arc Raiders, survival is the only stat that matters.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

I see these mistakes constantly in playtests, and they are the reason squads wipe.

Ignoring the Red Barrels: Every map is littered with explosive red barrels. Shoot them when ARCs are near. It sounds obvious, but people panic and forget. It’s free damage.
Shooting Shielded Fronts: If you are hitting a Pincher or Tank and see grey sparks (ricochet), stop shooting. You are doing zero damage. Move immediately. Flank or find a higher angle.
Wasting Ammo on Drones: Don’t use your precious sniper ammo on a basic Scavenger drone. Switch to your pistol or secondary weapon. Save the heavy ammo for the Tanks and Pinchers.
Standing Still: In Arc Raiders, if you stand still, you die. Always be strafing, sliding, or jumping. The AI aim is good, but it struggles with erratic movement, especially verticality (jumping over their attacks).

FAQ’s

What is the strongest weapon against ARCs?

Currently, the Sniper Rifle is widely considered the strongest single-target weapon for stripping armor and hitting critical weak points on Tanks and Pinchers. However, for close-quarters speed, the Shotgun is unbeatable against Pouncers.

Can you melee ARCs to death?

Technically, yes, but it is highly discouraged. The damage you take in return is not worth the ammo you save. Melee should only be used as a last resort or to finish off a crawling, crippled enemy.

How do you deal with multiple Tanks at once?

This is a “run or die” scenario. If you are caught by multiple Tanks, use the environment. Collapse a bridge or a building to create distance or bury them. Do not engage them head-on in an open field.

Do headshots work on ARCs?

Most ARCs do not have biological “heads.” However, they often have a central processing unit or “eye” sensor that acts as a headshot. For humanoid ARCs, aim for the upper chest/neck area. For quadrupeds like the Tank, aim for the top hull or rear.

Is it better to play Solo or Duo for ARC fights?

Duo or Trio is significantly better. The “Aggro Swap” strategy mentioned earlier is vital for hard fights. Solo play is possible, but it forces you to be much more conservative with your ammo and relies heavily on using the environment (Pulleys) to deal damage for you.

Conclusion

Defeating every ARC in Arc Raiders isn’t about having the biggest gun; it’s about being the smartest player on the map. Use the Pulley system to crush the small guys, strip the armor off the big guys, and always aim for the glowing bits.

Remember, the loot you get from these falls is temporary, but the knowledge you gain is permanent. Get out there, break some robots, and stay alive.