ARC Raiders may be marketed as a PvEvP shooter where the robots are the main threat, but it is virtually impossible to jump into a match without having at least a few bloody confrontations with another player. The PvP aspect of the game has a lot of nuance to it that new players may take for granted, assuming that it is just a case of who hits more shots in a short amount of time. In reality, there are far more tricks and tips that players need to learn in order to improve their odds at coming out on top in those tense 1v1 encounters.
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A lot of the methods and ideas that better players use can be boiled down to a few distinctive categories: movement, gunplay, and items. Within each of those subsections, there are quite a few useful combat techniques that can help players edge out victories or make it out alive even when dropping into single-digit points of health. Some are fairly small inputs that can be incorporated into virtually every firefight, while others are a bit broader, requiring a playstyle shift in the player that will completely change how they see and engage with the game itself.
Using Slides/Rolls
A Moving Target Is Hard To Hit
Details:
- Adding slides and jumps during gunfights
- Chaining together movement
Mobility is the other side of the mechanical coin that players need to learn and master if they want to compete with the best Topside. There are all kinds of pieces of tech that can be used together or individually to give players an edge over the competition, especially when fighting indoors. Slides and rolls are a super crucial mechanic that players should integrate into their combat arsenal, as they allow them to reposition, go on the offensive, or outplay others purely off of mobility alone.
More specifically, there are ways of incorporating slides and rolls into gunfights in ways that don't break up the DPS or flow of the battle. Players can slide in guns blazing, then quickly roll back around the corner, avoiding all the damage and dishing out plenty of their own. In the same vein, they can also roll between shots, something which is incredibly powerful with certain weapons like the Il Toro. Doing this means that players can take a shot, then roll to avoid the retaliation, and then prepare the next one by the time the roll has ended, which can even be chained into more rolls or slides should the situation call for it.
Playing Aggressive
One Shield Crack And It's Time To Go
Details:
- Using damage advantages
- Not giving players a chance to heal
Fights can start and end in a matter of seconds in ARC Raiders. One minute, players can be happily looting some cabinets, and next, forced to fight for their lives against another hungry Raider. When the bullets do start flying, it is very important to choose when to play it slowly and when to go on the offensive. Aggression is a skill that doesn't come naturally to every player, but learning to find windows and pick moments of opportunity is something that slowly becomes more natural over time.
The easiest way of knowing when to push is if the enemy is really starting to feel the hurt. If a teammate calls that their shield is broken or a nade manages to connect with a whole group of Raiders, that is the cue to get on the move and finish the job. It's no good landing a few crisp shots and then waiting for the other team to recover, and instead, players should learn to be proactive and to turn that initial burst of damage into an actual kill that can bring with it plenty of valuable loot that would otherwise have gotten away.
Multitasking
Healing On The Move
Details:
- Healing while sliding
- Swapping weapons mid-rolls
The actual gameplay of ARC Raiders is full of little techs and combinations that players can use to make even simple actions a whole lot quicker and more effective. One of the biggest is being able to slide and use consumables like bandages, which not only allows players to heal on the go, but also lets them get out of harm's way much faster. This strategy also works for things like adrenaline shots, which can unlock a whole new level of mobility for the player, just by adding a simple slide input into their runs.
There is also another important mechanic that players should learn to use as quickly as possible, which is swapping weapons mid-roll. Throughout a Raid, there will come times when players either run out of ammo in their gun or they have just fired off a round from a bolt-action like the Ferro, resulting in a fair bit of downtime before the next shot. Switching guns is a great way of maximizing a player's damage output during a PvP encounter, and being able to quickly swap from one gun to another in the middle of a roll not only makes them harder to hit than if they just stood still and switched, but also adds an unpredictable element to the fight, as one second the enemy could be dealing with a rifle, and the next, a brutal set of shotgun blasts.
Utility
Grenades Are Your Best Friend
Details:
- Using any and all pieces of utility
- Even basic nades can deal significant damage
When running into another Raider, the guns often take the spotlight, as landing those crucial shots is almost always what decides who wins or dies in the fight. However, grenades are actually an overlooked piece of weaponry that virtually every player should be using in their arsenal, as even light-impact grenades alone can deal a significant chunk to a player's health pool with a very small amount of input.
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Basically, any grenade or piece of equipment can be used in the middle of a fight to drastically change the course of events. A well-placed incendiary can take out an entire team, while a shock grenade can completely disable any attempts at running away, both without needing to invest in an expensive loadout or really do anything other than click and throw. Any time players find a couple of extra nades in their runs, they should for sure be looking to use them, as aside from the obvious damage bonus, many players simply don't see them coming in the first place, making them even more effective and lethal at the same time.
Taking Smart Fights
Don't Go Shooting Anything That Moves
Details:
- Finding the right timing to engage
- Use sound to gauge locations/directions
There is a lot of chaos and action going on Topside, and players will always be eager to get into a fight pretty much as soon as they load into the game. Some will run straight to loot hotspots, while others might bide their time, waiting for the initial rush to die down before swooping in for the kill. But the same fundamental idea applies to both choosing when to engage and what fights can potentially yield the highest chance of success.
A good way of understanding how to pick fights is to weigh up the factors in the moment. Players should look at their surroundings and judge what pieces of cover they and their enemy may have, or who has the high ground position, both very important aspects that can easily decide fights alone. Good players will also choose their times to pounce very carefully, by watching from afar or listening in to gauge where the player is going next and whether they can set a trap for them just around the corner. The surprise factor is the biggest weapon in many people's arsenal, and getting the jump on someone can be all it takes to win the engagement, as it is incredibly hard to fight back from a low health position, especially when the player doesn't know where the grenades or shots initially came from.
ARC Raiders
- Released
- October 30, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Embark Studios
- Genre(s)
- Extraction, Shooter, Third-Person Shooter, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
