Arc Raiders has finally arrived after a decade of anticipation, bringing a polished extraction shooter experience with strong weapon customization and a divided community reaction right from launch day. While players have praised the variety of weapons and attachments, the Arc Raiders armor system feels far too limited compared to the game’s gunplay depth. Let’s break down how it works, why heavy armor stood out in the tech test, and what could be done to make armor as meaningful as weapon choices.
Arc Raiders Armor System Explained
The Arc Raiders armor system doesn’t follow the traditional approach seen in games like Apex Legends or Warzone. Instead of acting as a simple shield bar, armor in Arc Raiders splits incoming damage between shield HP and base HP based on mitigation values.
-
Light Armor: 23% mitigation, 50 HP
-
Medium Armor: 45% mitigation, 80 HP
-
Heavy Armor: 65% mitigation, 120 HP
This design forces decisions in combat—should healing go to shields first, or base HP? It also creates a need for varied healing items instead of just shield repair. On paper, the system opens up interesting gameplay scenarios, but balance issues made heavy armor the obvious best choice.
Heavy Armor in the Tech Test
During the Arc Raiders tech test, heavy armor quickly became the dominant pick. Despite requiring rare materials, a strong augment, and imposing a 15% movement penalty, its high mitigation made it the most reliable option in gunfights. Embark Studios acknowledged this issue and confirmed adjustments were coming, but without specifics, concerns remain about whether the problem will persist when the full release arrives.
Even with balancing changes, the core problem lies in how armor lacks variety compared to weapons. While guns come in multiple rarities, allow upgrades, and have attachment slots, armor offers only three flat tiers with no real progression or customization.
Comparing Weapons and Armor Progression
Weapons in Arc Raiders scale in both rarity and flexibility. Starting guns like the Rattler and Stitcher can be upgraded and outfitted with attachments, allowing them to compete with higher-tier weapons in the right circumstances. Players have access to gray through gold rarity weapons, each requiring different resources to craft and maintain. This system ensures that weapon choice, attachments, and upgrades matter as much as raw rarity.
Armor, by contrast, is locked into just light, medium, and heavy with no customization. This creates a gap where players feel forced into one option instead of experimenting with playstyles. Adding progression to armor similar to weapons would not only create balance but also encourage long-term investment.
Ideas to Expand Arc Raiders Armor System
A simple solution would be to mirror the weapon upgrade system. All armor could begin at gray rarity, scaling upward through upgrades that require materials and workbench unlocks. Stats like HP, mitigation, and movement penalties could scale with rarity.
Beyond durability, armor could also incorporate attachments to encourage utility versus brute strength. Examples include:
-
Full Armor Bonus: Increased mitigation while armor is intact.
-
Break Effect: Restore stamina or gain movement buffs when armor reaches zero.
-
Sustain Attachment: Regenerate base HP slowly when armor is broken.
-
Skill Boosts: Enhance traits from the skill tree, like improved stealth or reduced enemy accuracy.
Light armor could favor multiple slots for utility, medium could balance durability with moderate slots, and heavy armor could lean into survivability with fewer customization options. This would create meaningful choices instead of a one-size-fits-all solution.
Ready to Go Back Topside?
The Arc Raiders Server Slam is set for October 17–19, giving players one last open test before launch. This test will push the servers to their limits, let players fight for high-stakes loot, and offer a taste of what’s to come in this expansive Extraction Adventure. Arc Raiders officially launches on October 30 for Xbox Series X|S.
👉 Pre-order your copy here and be ready when it drops.
