ARC Raiders New Amplified Weapons: Everything You Need To Know

ARC Raiders new amplified weapons add a fifth quality level to 15 weapons, unlocked through the Outpost and a fully upgraded Research Workstation. Each one opens a branching set of perks that changes how the weapon plays, rather than a flat stat increase.

The team here at MetaForge has checked every confirmed detail against Embark’s official Frozen Trail preview and our weapon database. Start with the unlock steps below, and treat any value marked TBC as provisional until it is verified on the live update.

How to Unlock Amplified Weapons

To unlock amplified weapons, you reach the Outpost through Pendola Pass, fully upgrade the Research Workstation inside it, then research an amplification and socket its module onto a supported weapon. Embark has not published costs or materials, so each of those values is TBC until the live game confirms them.

The first four steps are confirmed by Embark, and the last three come from pre-release preview builds:

1. Explore Pendola Pass: Celeste offers the Outpost to Raiders who explore the new map. The exact trigger and any quest requirement are TBC.
2. Unlock the Outpost: It is an extension of your Raider Den, set between the Rust Belt and the mountains, with modules and furniture you can customize.
3. Add the Research Workstation: This Outpost station gives you access to higher levels of weapon customization and modding.
4. Fully upgrade the Research Workstation: Amplified weapons require the fully upgraded station. Upgrade tiers and costs are TBC.
5. Research the amplification: Choose a supported weapon and research its amplification. Any material requirements are TBC.
6. Socket the amplification module: Preview builds showed the module being socketed onto the gun, which opens that weapon’s amplified skill tree.
7. Choose your perks: You pick upgrades along branching paths.

Embark’s Frozen Trail content preview confirms the Outpost, the fully upgraded Research Workstation requirement, and the 15-weapon rollout, but lists no costs or unlock steps, and the official news feed has no Frozen Trail patch notes post yet. Work through the steps in order, starting with Pendola Pass.

Additional reading: ARC Raiders Interactive Map. Map data is an estimate and does not guarantee an identical outcome in your raid.

What are Amplified Weapons in ARC Raiders?

Amplified weapons are a new fifth quality level for 15 existing ARC Raiders weapons, added in the Frozen Trail update on October 8. Instead of a flat stat increase, each one opens a branching path of abilities that can change how the gun behaves.

Embark has named three examples: a fully automatic Burletta, a Renegade with a scope, and a Rattler with incendiary bullets and a 64-bullet magazine. The other 12 launch weapons are not named in the official preview, and Embark says more are planned.

Weapons currently top out at quality IV, so amplification sits on top of the existing I to IV upgrade tiers rather than replacing them. When Embark names the remaining 12 weapons, check whether the gun you bring into most raids is on the list.

Amplified Weapon Costs and Materials

Embark has not published any costs, quantities, or materials for amplification in ARC Raiders, so you cannot yet calculate what a single amplified weapon will take. The Outpost and a fully upgraded Research Workstation are the only confirmed requirements so far, and every other item below is TBC.

Hold on to your crafting materials until costs are published, rather than spending them on other upgrades.

How Amplification Changes Weapons

Amplification replaces a flat stat bump with a branching set of perks that change a weapon’s role, such as swapping fire modes, adding a scope, or enlarging the magazine. Some perks come with trade-offs, and taking certain perks locks you out of alternatives on the same path.

Because the paths branch, you are choosing a role for the gun rather than a higher power level. The same Burletta can become a burst weapon or a full-auto weapon, and the same Rattler can trade handling for a much larger magazine.

The table lists the quality IV baseline for each weapon with a known amplification route, so you can see what each route is changing:

Weapon	Ammo	Magazine	Damage	Range (m)	Fire rate	Known amplification change
Burletta IV	Light	12	10	41.7	28	Fully automatic (official), burst fire (preview)
Renegade IV	Medium	8	35	68.8	21	Scope (official), extra bullet per reload (preview)
Rattler IV	Medium	24	9	56.2	33.3	Incendiary rounds and 64-bullet magazine (official)
Hairpin IV	Light	8	20	38.6	9	Semi-auto, incendiary rounds, tracker rounds (preview)

Damage, range, and fire rate are quality IV values from the MetaForge database, and perk effects on them are TBC. Compare them with the weapon you use most, and pick the route that addresses its weakest stat.

Amplified Weapon Upgrades by Weapon

Preview builds showed amplification routes for four weapons: the Rattler, Hairpin, Renegade, and Burletta. The other 11 of the 15 weapons are unnamed, so treat every perk value below as provisional and TBC until verified on the live update, since each value comes from preview builds.

Rattler

The Rattler’s official route adds incendiary bullets and a 64-bullet magazine. The Rattler IV holds 24 rounds, and the preview’s drum magazine perk adds 40, which matches the official 64-bullet figure.

• More reload: Increases the bullets loaded at a time by 2, which shortens reloads.
• Drum magazine: Adds 40 rounds to the magazine, with more recoil, more shot dispersion, and slower aim-down-sights speed.
• Incendiary rounds: Deal 5 burn damage per second and add 2 seconds to an existing burn.

Hairpin

The Hairpin has three known routes in preview builds, and taking incendiary rounds locks you out of the alternatives.

• Incendiary rounds: Deal 5 burn damage per second and add 2 seconds to an existing burn.
• Semi-automatic: Raises fire rate by 150%, lowers the headshot damage multiplier by 20%, and adds 40% per-shot dispersion.
• Sprint shooting: Lets you fire the weapon while sprinting.
• Tracker rounds: Replace the bullets with tracker rounds that reveal the position of targets you hit for 5 seconds.

Renegade

The Renegade has two known routes, a reload perk and a scope, and the scope pushes it toward mid- to long-range fights.

• More reload: Increases the bullets loaded at a time by 1, which offsets the weapon’s 8-round magazine.
• Scoped: Adds a sniper scope to the weapon.

Burletta

The Burletta has the widest spread of known routes: burst fire, full auto, and sprint shooting. Full auto changes the gun the most and carries the steepest trade-offs.

• Burst fire: Adds 2 projectiles per burst, and a second burst perk adds 2 more projectiles and 3 magazine rounds.
• Full auto: Raises fire rate but lowers damage and the headshot multiplier, with more recoil and dispersion.
• Sprint shooting: Lets you fire the weapon while sprinting.

Find the weapon you carry most in this list, and note which perks lock out alternatives before you commit to a route.

Which Weapon Should You Amplify First?

Amplify the weapon you already bring into most raids, because a quality V upgrade changes how a gun plays rather than just how strong it is. The Rattler suits sustained medium-ammo fire, the Renegade suits long-range pokes, and the Burletta suits close-range pressure with faster follow-up shots.

Use your playstyle to narrow the choice:

• PvP: Look for routes that improve fire rate, magazine size, or the range you fight at. The scoped Renegade and full-auto Burletta change range and fire rate the most.
• PvE: Prioritize sustained damage and ammo capacity against ARC. Incendiary rounds add burn damage, and the Rattler’s drum magazine adds ammo capacity.
• Solo: Magazine size and reload speed matter more when no squadmate covers you during a reload. The Rattler’s reload and drum magazine perks address both.
• Casual: Start with the weapon you use most often. Materials spent on a gun that rarely leaves your stash do not change your raids.

Pick one weapon, check its route list above, and plan your materials around that single gun.

Do the Stiletto and Bantam get Amplified Versions?

Embark has not confirmed whether the Stiletto or Bantam can be amplified, and has named only three of the 15 launch weapons. Both are new weapons added in Frozen Trail: the Stiletto is a light-ammo battle rifle and the Bantam is a heavy-ammo snub-nosed revolver.

The details below separate what Embark states from what preview builds showed:

• Stiletto (official): An early-game alternative to the Renegade that is cheap to craft and easy to wield. It has a fast fire rate, but rapid fire reduces accuracy.
• Stiletto (preview): It holds 10 rounds, takes a barrel, underbarrel, and stock attachment, and has weak ARC armor penetration.
• Bantam (official): Effective against both ARC and Raiders, with a unique hip-fire capability.
• Bantam (preview): It holds 8 rounds, takes no attachments, and has strong ARC armor penetration with a double-action fire mode.

Try the Stiletto as a cheap early-game option in your kit, and keep your amplification plans on the weapons Embark has named.

Can You Lose an Amplified Weapon?

Embark has not published a protection rule for amplified weapons, so assume you can lose one like any other weapon you carry into a raid. The Frozen Trail preview confirms that Raiders who defeat you can take a personalized weapon, which it states for Weapon Stencils.

Whether a looted amplified weapon keeps its perks, or whether you need the same amplification researched to repair or craft it, is TBC. Treat any amplified gun you find on another Raider as an unknown until the live update shows how it behaves.

Use these habits to limit the risk while the rules are unconfirmed:

• Keep a backup: Hold a standard quality IV copy of your main weapon in your stash so one lost raid does not leave you without a kit.
• Test first: Take your first amplified weapon on a routine raid before you rely on it in a high-value run.
• Bring only what you need: Carry only the gear and materials the raid requires, since every item you bring is an item you can lose.

Additional reading: ARC Raiders Event Timers. Timer data is an estimate and does not guarantee an identical outcome in your raid, since schedules vary by server region.

Start Building Your First Amplified Weapon

You can now plan the route to your first amplified weapon: explore Pendola Pass to reach the Outpost, fully upgrade the Research Workstation, and choose one gun whose route matches how you fight.

Once the Workstation is fully upgraded, take your first amplified weapon on a routine raid and compare it against its quality IV version before you commit more materials.

FAQs

Can you respec amplified weapon perks in ARC Raiders?

Embark has not confirmed whether you can respec amplified weapon perks in ARC Raiders after choosing them. Preview builds showed some perks locking out alternatives on the same path, so review every route for your weapon before committing, and treat each choice as permanent until the live game says otherwise.

Can you use attachments on amplified weapons in ARC Raiders?

Yes, preview builds showed amplified weapons in ARC Raiders still accepting attachments, though the available slots depend on the weapon. The preview Renegade took a barrel and stock but not an extended magazine, while the preview Rattler showed stock, grip, and barrel slots, so check slots before planning a build.

Do amplified weapons in ARC Raiders use different ammo?

Amplification does not appear to change a weapon’s ammo type in ARC Raiders preview builds. The amplified Rattler fired medium ammo from a 64-round magazine, so keep stocking the same ammo you already carry for the Rattler IV, and check other routes in-game before you build around them.

Do Weapon Stencils work on amplified weapons in ARC Raiders?

Embark has not said whether Weapon Stencils can be applied to amplified weapons in ARC Raiders. Stencils are cosmetic re-skins included in the Premium Pass, and no official detail ties them to amplification, so wait for the live game to confirm compatibility before buying one for that purpose.

Can you use amplified weapons in ARC Raiders’ free weekend?

Embark has not confirmed amplified weapon access during the ARC Raiders free weekend, which runs October 8 at 09:00 UTC to October 12 at 08:00 UTC. New players can enter Pendola Pass immediately only with players who have unlocked it, so team up with an existing player.