If you are diving into ARC Raiders and trying not to set your wallet on fire, good news: you do not need top-tier gear to survive the wasteland. You need efficient guns, smart attachments, and a setup that does not punish you on reloads or recoil at the worst possible moment. Here are three beginner-friendly, low-cost loadouts that actually pull their weight, plus one budget bonus pick and a couple of cheap lifesavers to pack.
Three budget loadouts that work
- Loadout 1: Kettle (semi-auto AR)
The Kettle is a rock-solid starter rifle that is surprisingly reliable and dirt cheap to upgrade. The tradeoff: low bullet velocity and a long reload, so do not spam shots at far targets and expect miracles.
Attachments: run Compensator 1 for a very real accuracy bump (it cuts bullet dispersion per shot by 20% and trims max shot dispersion by 10%). Add Stable Stock 1 and Extended Mag 1 to smooth recoil and stretch your uptime between those sluggish reloads. Simple, affordable, beginner-proof. - Loadout 2: Ferro + Stitcher
Ferro is a heavy break-action rifle that hits hard and loves headshots, but it literally reloads after every single shot. In a game this fast, that can get you deleted if you are caught in a push. So, treat the Ferro as your long-range problem solver and bring a panic button for up close.
Ferro attachments: Compensator 1 and Stable Stock 1. Keep it steady, keep it accurate.
Pair it with the Stitcher, a quick-firing SMG that will bail you out in tight spaces. Recommended Stitcher setup: Compensator 2 (the green-tier one), Vertical Grip 1, Extended Light Mag 1, and Stable Stock 1 if you want even more control. Yes, the two-gun combo adds weight, but the range coverage and stopping power are worth it. - Loadout 3: Anvil (single-action hand cannon)
Think of the Anvil as a pocket sniper: huge damage, big headshot multiplier, faster reload than you would expect for how nasty it is. It has very little dispersion, and a single headshot will instantly crack green shields, which is what most players are running right now.
Attachment: Compensator 1 is all you need here. If you have looted or crafted an Anvil blueprint, running this as a one-gun primary is a completely valid (and very mean) budget play.
Bonus pick: Rattler
The Rattler is a fully automatic AR with heavy damage and medium armor penetration. The catch is odd: you need to reload after every two bullets. It also weighs noticeably more than the guns above, so plan around that if you are sprinting a lot. For the number folks: Damage 95, Range 6.2, Fire Rate 33.3. In a budget build, it is viable if you can live with the rhythm and the heft.
Cheap lifesavers
Carry about three Shield Rechargers. They are the difference between a clean escape and a humiliating wipe. Also bring one Smoke Grenade; it can cover a revive, give you room to disengage, or hide your extract when things get loud. It is the most clutch single-slot item you can bring on a budget run.