The new 1.3 update for Arc Raiders has flipped the whole game on its head, and it is mostly down to one weapon – the Aphelion. If you have not run into it yet, imagine a sleek, two-round burst battle rifle that spits high-velocity energy shots from a compact 10-round mag. It just chews through ARCs like they were made of tin foil. Whether you are on PvE runs or tangled up in extraction fights, this thing feels like it is running the show. Even better, the patch bumped its blueprint drop rate, so this is pretty much the best time to chase it. You will see players in ARC Raiders Items talking about it nonstop – and with good reason.
What makes it ridiculous is the burst damage. Those two quick energy shots hit like a truck, especially against armour. You can drop the shields on tougher enemies in seconds, and once they are exposed, it is over fast. Plenty in the community reckon it beats the old Venator hands down now, especially after the nerf. The recoil is light enough that you can keep bursts tight, and the sound of it firing is just plain satisfying. With a couple of energy mods in the mix, it is possible to clear entire squads without ever letting them get close, whether you are roaming through Stella Montis or pushing deep into North Line missions.
Getting your hands on the blueprint is still a bit of a grind, though not as bad as before. You need to track down the Matriarch during her timed event spawns. There is a solid chance for the blueprint to drop from her core once you crack it open. Solo or squad, farming her is way more doable now. The best method is hitting high-tier maps like Stella Montis during the event window, listening hard for audio cues and spotting flare signals to zero in on her. Coming in from higher ground works well – drop explosives to clear her smaller adds, then hammer her weak spots till the core is exposed. When you grab it, get out quick; other raiders will not think twice about taking you down. Most players manage somewhere between five and ten runs an hour with a fast loadout and low-risk gear.
If you like running solo, the Aphelion is almost built for it. You can lay traps, work drones, keep moving, and it will feel like you are untouchable. Each ARC type goes down with its own little trick – tap Rocketeers in the back vents when they launch, circle Bastions then slice their legs and underplates, and for the Matriarch you just clear the opening wave, then drop every bit of DPS you have into her core. A good solo kit is Aphelion main, Hullcracker as backup, plus Jolt Mines and medkits. Move constantly – slide cancels save lives.
If farming sounds like a chore and you just want to jump in stacked and ready, there are services to get it done fast. Sites such as ARC Raiders Items cheap can sort you out with blueprints, mods, and coins without the grind. They track patches and meta shifts, so you can pick up not just the rifle but the right build to back it up. With the Aphelion running hot right now, this is your chance to snag it and start making every run count.
