ARC Raiders Weapon Amplification: Modules, Perks and All 15 Weapons
The Fifth Weapon Tier and Why It Matters
Weapon Amplification arrived in ARC Raiders with the Frozen Trail 2.0 update on October 8, 2026. It is the fifth upgrade tier for weapons: once a gun is fully upgraded the normal way, it can receive a branch of perks that change how it plays. Sometimes that is a bigger magazine, sometimes a new fire mode or a burning effect.
Fifteen weapons can be amplified: Anvil, Aphelion, Bettina, Burletta, Canto, Equalizer, Hairpin, Hullcracker, Il Toro, Jupiter, Kettle, Osprey, Rascal, Rattler and Renegade. The new Bantam and Stiletto are not in the pool.
The key points up front: Amplification is permanent, some perks lock out neighboring branches, and access opens only after serious crafting station upgrades and an Amplification Module. Pick your weapon and branch in advance.
What You Need to Start
Amplification is a late-game feature. For your first one you need four things:
Gunsmith level 4.
Research Station level 4.
A weapon at its standard maximum upgrades. The module goes in only after those.
An Amplification Module of the right tier.
The Outpost with these stations is unlocked through the Sheltered Retreat Project. According to player reports, taking Gunsmith from level 3 to 4 costs 3 Radial Presses, 3 Magnetic Accelerators and 1 Emperor Modulator. The Modulator drops only inside the Fallen Emperor on Pendola Pass, and it is not guaranteed. You need an Emperor Gateway Conduit to get inside.
If you do not own the weapon yet, get its weapon blueprint first and bring the gun to its normal maximum. Stash expansion helps with spare guns and modules, and it is smart to save your coins and materials early, because the perks are not cheap.
Mk. I-V Modules and Where to Find Them
The Amplification Module comes in five tiers, Mk. I to Mk. V, and its tier matches the weapon's rarity. Frozen Trail raised Anvil from Uncommon to Rare, so it takes a Mk. III.
Module | Weapon rarity | Weapons |
|---|---|---|
Mk. I | Common | Hairpin, Kettle, Rattler |
Mk. II | Uncommon | Burletta, Il Toro |
Mk. III | Rare | Anvil, Canto, Osprey, Rascal, Renegade |
Mk. IV | Epic | Bettina, Hullcracker |
Mk. V | Legendary | Aphelion, Equalizer, Jupiter |
Modules come from two places:
The Frigate. Complete the sabotage sequence, take the Cargo route and search high-value containers. It is risky.
The Fallen Emperor on Pendola Pass. Search its interior and the ARC loot around the wreck.
How to Amplify a Weapon Step by Step
The process itself is simple. The hard part is the preparation.
Open the weapon upgrades tab at the Gunsmith and pick your gun.
Select the module and press Amplify.
For each perk, complete its research at the Research Station.
Every perk requires a research project worth 5,000 Research Points. It needs a specific ARC component and a gameplay objective, plus materials that include Pneumatic Actuators and Pressure Regulators. Some of these are Epic-tier items, and Emperor Payloads are earned during the Redirection event on Pendola Pass.
A perk cannot be removed or swapped once applied, and the game does not mention refunds. Think about how you actually use the weapon before you commit.
How Perk Branches Work
Each weapon has its own tree with at least two branches. Picking a perk unlocks the next one in the same chain. The trees are small for now, usually two or three branches with one or two perks each.
Some branches are exclusive. Taking one closes off the alternative chains. Hairpin, for example, can use Incendiary Rounds or Tracker Rounds, but never both. Not every perk combines with every other one in the rest of the trees, either.
Perks fall into three kinds: simple upgrades such as faster reloads, full rebuilds that turn a pistol into an SMG, and role changes. Tracker rounds that briefly reveal a target are an example of the last kind. If you build your character around a specific skill tree style, choose weapon perks that push the same way.
Fire, X-Rounds and Heavy Projectiles
These branches change a weapon's role the most. The numbers below match the in-game tooltips at the start of the update and may shift with balance patches.
Anvil. X-Rounds add explosive ammo with a big boost against ARC armor, but more recoil and slower bullets. Anvil Splitter breaks each shot into four weaker projectiles. The branches are exclusive.
Kettle. Anti-Shield breaks Raider shields, Full-Auto makes the gun automatic, and X-Rounds punch through ARC armor. X-Rounds cannot be combined with other perks.
Il Toro. More Reload loads more shells at once, and Slug Rounds swap the pellets for a single heavy projectile. The perks do not lock each other out.
Hullcracker. Incendiary Grenades set ARC on fire on impact, with a much slower projectile. Mag Reload removes loading one round at a time.
Rascal. High Velocity speeds up the grenade, Sprint Shooting lets you fire on the move, and Incendiary Grenades add fire.
Aphelion. All branches are open together: Bigger Mag, Charged Burst leading into Increased Burst, and Incendiary Rounds. The price is lower base damage and more recoil.
Bettina. The choice is Bigger Mag (+15 rounds) or the Semi-Auto branch that continues into X-Rounds. The branches are exclusive.
Rattler. More Reload softens the small magazine, and Drum Mag adds 40 rounds at the cost of stability. Incendiary Rounds sit on a separate chain.
Fire Modes, Scopes and Mobility
These perks change comfort and playstyle, not just damage numbers.
Burletta. Burst Fire leading into Increased Burst, Full-Auto, and Sprint Shooting. The first two chains are exclusive, and Full-Auto makes it feel like a different gun.
Hairpin. Incendiary Rounds and Tracker Rounds exclude each other, while the middle chain runs from Semi-Auto to Sprint Shooting.
Canto. Carbine Conversion improves stability and accuracy, Incendiary Rounds set targets on fire, and Sprint Shooting allows firing on the run. The first and last branches are exclusive.
Equalizer. Ramping Damage builds damage while the laser stays on target, Anti-Weak Point boosts hits on ARC weak points and weakens hits on armor, and Bigger Mag adds 30 rounds. All three are exclusive.
Jupiter. Bigger Mag, Scoped and Straight Bolt, which lets you cycle the bolt while scoped. These are convenience perks and do not raise damage.
Osprey. Tracker Rounds and Anti-Weak Point are exclusive, and Straight Bolt is available on its own. Tracker rounds slow the bullet noticeably.
Renegade. A modest tree with More Reload and Scoped. Reloading was a weak spot, and the scope adds comfort.
What to Pick and How Not to Waste Resources
If most of your raids go against ARC, look at armor and weak-point perks such as X-Rounds, Slug Rounds and Incendiary Grenades. If you meet other players often, magazine size, fire rate and shooting while sprinting matter more.
A practical order of work:
Pick the one weapon you use most and find out which module it needs.
Bring Gunsmith and Research Station to level 4 without wasting raids: keep your active quests in mind so every run moves you forward.
Choose a branch that matches your own style, since there is no way back.
Amplification is a long project that grows alongside your leveling and access to Pendola Pass. Perks and numbers may have changed since the update launched, so check the in-game description before you spend resources.