Armored Core 6: The Best Weapons To Get First (& Where to Find Them)

During the first missions of Armored Core 6, the best weapons to get depend on your build, and are divided into many types to find in the Assembly.

Weapons are the core of your mech in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, with the best ones to find and get first, depending on your build and preferences as you play. From shoulder-mounted missile launchers to rifles that fire beams of energy, there are endless possibilities for you to choose from. However, some weapons stand out from others as powerful tools in many different situations.

All the weapons you unlock through missions or the Arena can be found in the Assembly, the section of the Garage where you customize your mech. Here, you can equip anything to your Right Arm, Left Arm, Right Shoulder, and Left Shoulder as long as the part doesn't go against your machine's overall Weight. The evolved mech warfare of Armored Core 6 revolves around your choices to create a build that's right for you.

Two other sections of customization in the Assembly that impact your weapons are your mech's Arms and FCS, which direct your Firearm Specialization stat, and the optimal ranges for Aim Assist on your machine.

Out of the reliable kinetic weapons available early, the MA-J-200 Ransetsu-RF Burst Rifle, the DF-GA-08 Hu-Ben Gatling Gun, and the HG-003 Coquillett Handgun stand out as the best. Kinetic weapons are guns that may not have high Attack Power or Impact but instead are lightweight tools that barely cause a strain on your mech's Energy (EN) Load in Armored Core 6.

The Burst Rifle fires one impactful bullet quickly that is incredibly accurate at mid-range, turning into three fast shots if you hold down the fire button. The Gatling Gun sprays tons of shots at once to deal consistent damage to enemies, allowing you to keep your hand on the trigger and focus more on movement. Finally, the Handgun shoots a single blast that works best at close-range for some of the highest damage among kinetic weapons in Armored Core 6.

Another great kinetic weapon to pick is the LR-036 Curtis, a Linear Rifle that could be mistaken as an Energy Weapon in the Assembly. This weapon acts differently than most kinetic weapons by acting almost like a long-range sniper, capable of targeting enemies in the distance. If you hold the fire button with this gun, your mech will fire a concentrated shot from the Rifle that deals significant damage and stagger.

For those looking for the deadly firepower of explosive weapons, the Iridium Grenade Launcher, the DF-BA-06 Xuan-Ge Bazooka, and the HML-G2/P19MLT-04 Missile Launcher are excellent choices. Mechs looking to participate in Armored Core 6's PvP multiplayer might want to consider using an explosive weapon to deal high Impact damage. Explosive rounds used in these parts are designed to target the stagger meter of enemies.

The Missile Launcher fires four rockets that can target multiple enemies, making it an excellent weapon for early missions where you must go up against many targets simultaneously. Meanwhile, wielding one or more Bazookas can be fantastic for boss fights in Armored Core 6 since that gun deals devastating Impact damage that could cause a stagger. Similarly, the Grenade Launcher also deals high Impact but with a faster rate of fire at closer ranges.

Energy weapons function very differently in Armored Core 6 compared to previous entries in the series, making the Vvc-760PR Plasma Rifle, the VP-66LR Laser Rifle, and the HI-32: BU-TT/A Pulse Blade dominant in various builds. In the past, Energy weapons were tied to your mech's overall Energy resource, but this is no longer the case. Instead, parts tied to energy can overheat, almost acting like a unique reload.

The Laser Rifle acts as a reliable mid to long-range gun that is the core of a basic Energy build, sporting an above-average rate of fire. In contrast, the Plasma Rifle fires shoots that resemble the Laser Rifle, only with large Area of Effect (AoE) bursts when they connect with enemies in Armored Core 6. This small degree of crowd control can be useful against fast-moving targets that may boost out of the way of standard energy weapons.

One of the most interesting features are the Pulse Blade, a lethal melee slashing attack meant to be used at close-range. Attacking with this blade unleashes two consecutive hits for big damage before having to recharge for a short time. The best time to use the Pulse Blade is after your opponent is staggered since each of your hits with the weapon becomes Direct Hits on vulnerable foes.

Guns that are attached to your mech's Shoulders, such as the BML-G1/PO3VTC-08 Vertical Missile Launcher, the BML-G1/P20MLT-04 Missile Launcher, and the VP-60LCS Laser Cannon, are perhaps the best parts to consider. Nearly all the Shoulder weapons your mech can equip are explosive yet act differently from arm weapons of the same type in Armored Core 6.

Certain mech upgrades allow you to attach arm weapons to your shoulders, granting you opportunities for more customization depending on your overall Weight and EN Load.

The Laser Cannon remains a straightforward attachment, firing a massive energy burst that tears through an enemies stagger meter. While it may take some time to recover from overheating, this part can be a consistent source of damage for your mech to rely on. The regular Missile Launcher in Armored Core 6 functions relatively the same way, only instead firing four missiles that can track multiple targets if you hold down the fire button.

The special part to mention here is the Vertical Missile Launcher, which sends a volley of rockets upward before they crash down onto a targeted opponent. The slight delay between firing the missiles and their eventual impact gives your mech time to maneuver instead of constantly shooting. The best weapons to get first in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon can aid your build without making the game too overwhelming.