Frozen Trail added two guns and a system that rewrites old ones, and a bad pick can cost you a loadout.
The Stiletto and Bantam look simple on paper. Legacy Gaming’s hands-on shows where each one works and where it falls apart. Here is how the ARC Raiders new weapons play, plus the amplified builds worth chasing.
Table of Contents
- ARC Raiders New Weapons at a Glance
- Stiletto: Light-Ammo Battle Rifle
- Bantam: Double-Action Hand Cannon
- Stiletto vs Bantam: Which Should You Bring?
- Weapon Amplification Explained
- Amplified Weapons Hands-On
- Which Amplified Weapons Should You Research First?
- Other Weapon Changes in the Frozen Trail Patch
- How to Unlock Amplified Weapons
- Key Takeaways
- FAQ
ARC Raiders New Weapons at a Glance
The Frozen Trail update (live October 8, 2026) adds two new guns, the Stiletto and the Bantam, and a new weapon amplification system that upgrades 15 existing guns.
The Stiletto is a cheap light-ammo battle rifle for mid-range pressure.
The Bantam is a heavy-ammo revolver built for point-blank hip fire.
Amplification is the bigger change. It adds a fifth quality level that can turn a Burletta fully automatic, put a scope on a Renegade, or give a Rattler a huge magazine.
Per Embark’s First Look, the goal is to give late-game players a reason to use guns they stopped touching.
Everything below combines Embark’s launch patch notes with the hands-on impressions from Legacy Gaming’s preview session.
Stiletto: Light-Ammo Battle Rifle
For confirmed specs and open questions, read our dedicated Stiletto guide.
The Stiletto is a semi-automatic battle rifle with high accuracy, good handling and low initial recoil. It gets harder to control the longer you keep firing.
Embark pitches it as an early-game alternative to the Renegade that is cheap to craft and easy to wield.
Stiletto Stats and Mod Slots
Here is what the ARC Raiders Wiki lists for it:
| Stat | Stiletto |
|---|---|
| Ammo | Light |
| Magazine size | 16 |
| Firing mode | Semi-automatic |
| ARC armor penetration | Weak |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Mod slots | Muzzle, underbarrel, stock |
Legacy Gaming’s walkthrough read the magazine as 10 rounds. The wiki and Inven Global’s hands-on both report 16, so we use 16.
Legacy Gaming places the Stiletto between the Kettle and the Renegade. They call it a small step up from the Kettle with slightly better stats.
Three mod slots make it flexible. Our weapon mod guide covers which attachments suit a rifle like this.
How the Stiletto Handles
Legacy Gaming found the Stiletto cleanest at around 20 meters, with a really clean firing action.
Their skirmishes on the new Pendola Pass map mostly landed at 20 to 30 meters. They think the rifle was designed for that large, open map.
The weak spot is bloom. It grows out of control when you fire as fast as you can.
That matches Embark’s own warning that button mashing costs accuracy.
The Stiletto will not kill anything in a single shot. Its strength is keeping steady pressure on a target.
Who Should Use the Stiletto
Legacy Gaming’s verdict is that the Stiletto suits players who hang back and provide overwatch or covering fire.
It is a poor pick if you get rushed. The fire rate is slower, so you cannot out-damage a close-range gun in the time a rusher needs to reach you.
The low cost matters too. Legacy Gaming says you should not worry much about losing it in a raid.
If you want a cheap rifle for learning the new map, it fits our budget loadout approach.
Bantam: Double-Action Hand Cannon
Our Bantam guide has the full stat table and Anvil comparison.
The Bantam is a short-barrel revolver with a varied fire rate, good handling and good damage. Accuracy, control and range are low.
It is a hit-hard, get-close weapon, and Legacy Gaming found its use cases narrow.
Bantam Stats
The wiki entry for the Bantam lists:
| Stat | Bantam |
|---|---|
| Ammo | Heavy |
| Magazine size | 8 |
| Firing mode | Double-action |
| ARC armor penetration | Strong |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Mod slots | None (per Legacy Gaming) |
Strong ARC armor penetration makes it useful against machines as well as Raiders, which matches how Embark describes it.
Legacy Gaming places it between the Anvil and the Il Toro in feel.
Bantam Hip Fire
Do not aim down sights with the Bantam. Legacy Gaming says aiming is not what it was made for, and you will likely lack the range and accuracy to hit your mark.
Fired from the hip, you can send all eight rounds downrange at a surprisingly fast pace.
Within about 10 meters, that gives you a fair shot at real damage.
In their testing, a single magazine punched through all three shield types. That assumes you land every one of the eight shots.
Inven Global noticed a slight delay between pulling the trigger and the shot, which adds some complexity.
Arc Raiders Hub’s recap of the developer Q&A says the Bantam fires faster from the hip than aimed, and suggests softening a target at medium range before pushing in to finish.
Legacy Gaming never took the Bantam into a live round. They tested it on the firing range and found little reason to bring it over a more flexible gun.
Bantam vs Anvil
The Bantam’s role changed on launch day. Embark’s patch notes raise the Anvil from Green to Blue rarity and make the Bantam the uncommon hand cannon.
Tian Wen also no longer sells the Anvil or the Hullcracker. Both move into the weekly Nomadic Envoys rotation.
So the Bantam is now the cheaper way into hand-cannon territory, not a straight Anvil replacement.
If you are comparing hand cannons across the whole roster, our weapons tier list is the place to start.
Stiletto vs Bantam: Which Should You Bring?
Bring the Stiletto if you fight at 20 to 30 meters, want a low-risk rifle, or like holding angles for your squad.
Bring the Bantam only if you plan to fight indoors at point blank and accept a narrow job.
Pick neither if you expect to be rushed in the open or need a general-purpose weapon.
For most players we would bring the Stiletto first. The Bantam is a niche pick that Legacy Gaming struggled to justify, and our best weapons guide has more flexible options.
Weapon Amplification Explained
Weapon amplification is a fifth quality level that sits above the current Level I to IV upgrades. It unlocks a branching path of enhancements that can change how a gun behaves.
Embark says it works through the fully upgraded Research Workstation in your Outpost. It launches on 15 weapons, with more planned.
Embark has not published the full list of 15. The weapons shown so far are the Burletta, Renegade, Rattler and Hairpin.
Some key rules:
- Module needed: Legacy Gaming says you need an Amplification Module socketed onto the gun. Arc Raiders Hub’s Q&A recap says modules drop from the Frigate and the fallen Emperor, in Mark 1 to Mark 5 to match weapon rarity.
- Durability: Inven Global saw amplified Renegade and Burletta builds with 200 durability.
- Looting rule: the Q&A recap says a looted amplified gun drops to 10% durability when its owner dies, so you cannot farm them off other players.
- Repairs: the patch notes say Amplified Fragments repair Amplified Weapons.
- Anvil Splitter: it is no longer a mod. It becomes an upgrade option for the Amplified Anvil, and old Splitters can be sold or recycled into Amplified Fragments.
Our Outpost breakdown covers the base itself. For how the older upgrade tiers work, see our weapon durability guide.
For the complete perk breakdown and unlock steps, see our amplified weapons guide. Perk numbers below come from preview builds. Embark’s launch notes do not list individual perk values, so treat them as preview figures that can shift.
Amplified Weapons Hands-On
Legacy Gaming tested four amplified guns. They could inspect each weapon’s perk paths but could not unlock or change nodes.
They did notice that some upgrades lock you out of other options, so plan your path before spending resources.
| Weapon | Standout perks | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Rattler | Drum mag (+40 rounds), incendiary rounds | More recoil, dispersion, slower ADS |
| Hairpin | Semi-auto (+150% fire rate), tracker rounds | Lower headshot multiplier, more dispersion |
| Renegade | Scope, +1 loaded round | Weak inside 30 m |
| Burletta | Burst fire, full auto | Lower damage in full auto, heavy recoil |
Amplified Rattler
Path one starts with More Reload, which loads two extra bullets at a time and shortens reload. It targets the Rattler’s small magazine.
The next perk is Drum Mag, which adds 40 rounds. The cost is more recoil, more shot dispersion and a slower ADS speed.
Path two includes Incendiary Rounds, which deal five burn damage per second and extend an existing burn by two seconds.
Legacy Gaming played this variant a lot and found it solid and worth more testing. They think attachments might offset some drum mag penalties, but could not say if that is enough.
Amplified Hairpin
The Hairpin’s only path-one upgrade is Incendiary Rounds (five burn damage per second, two extra seconds on an existing burn). Taking it locks you out of other amplifications.
Path two has Semi-Automatic, which raises the fire rate by 150%, cuts the headshot multiplier by 20% and adds 40% per-shot dispersion. It also offers Sprint Shooting, so you can fire while running.
Path three has Tracker Rounds, which reveal hit targets for five seconds.
Legacy Gaming watched a team of amplified Hairpins in action. They call it deceptively powerful, but only in very skilled hands.
Amplified Renegade
This is the simplest tree. Path one is More Reload (one extra loaded bullet) and path two is Scoped, which adds a sniper scope.
Legacy Gaming used it on Pendola Pass and was hooked. It is not great inside 30 meters, but it excels at long-range poke fights and at taking down ARC quickly.
Inven Global listed extra upgrades on its amplified Renegade, including a 50% bloom recovery reduction and a 75% fire rate increase. Those do not appear in Legacy Gaming’s list, so builds may differ between preview sessions.
Amplified Burletta
Legacy Gaming’s favorite. It felt like a totally different weapon.
Path one is Burst Fire, which adds two projectiles per burst. The next perk adds two more projectiles and three magazine rounds.
Path two is Full Auto, which raises fire rate but lowers damage and the headshot multiplier, with much more recoil and dispersion.
Legacy Gaming found it took nearly a full magazine to down a player in blue-tier shields, so you must land shots through the extra kick. The final path adds Sprint Shooting.
Which Amplified Weapons Should You Research First?
Legacy Gaming named the Burletta its favorite and said the Renegade is a gun they will use more once the update is live. They also called the Rattler solid.
We would start with whichever gun you already trust. Amplification adds identity to a weapon you know, so a familiar gun gets the most from it.
Before you commit materials, decide your path. The Hairpin shows that one perk can close off others.
Match the build to the fight too. A scoped Renegade suits long engagements and ARC, while a full-auto Burletta suits close fights against Raiders. Our enemies guide helps with the ARC side, and our best PvP weapons list covers Raider fights.
Other Weapon Changes in the Frozen Trail Patch
The launch patch notes include several changes that affect gun choice:
- Anvil: rarity raised from Green to Blue. The Tech Mod slot is removed.
- Jupiter: a bug that applied its damage twice to ARC parts behind the target is fixed. It is now stronger against armor and slightly weaker against weak spots.
- Explosives: the Hullcracker deals over 50% more damage to armor plates and about 30% less to fragile parts.
- Weapon Stencils: 14 stencils are available. Five are exclusive to the Frozen Trail Premium Pass, one to the DLC, and eight can be found Topside. Applying one needs Stencil Parts, and other Raiders can loot a stenciled weapon.
Embark also lists known issues, including weapon meshes that sometimes appear partly invisible when attachments are equipped.
How to Unlock Amplified Weapons
Amplification sits behind the Outpost. Follow these steps in order.
- Start the Outpost project. Per the patch notes, the first step, Research Topside Living Conditions, asks for a photo of a farmland house. The Camera can be bought from Shani, crafted at the Workbench, or found Topside.
- Unlock the Outpost. Doing so unlocks access to the research station.
- Upgrade the Research Workstation fully. Embark says only a fully upgraded station opens the fifth quality level. Legacy Gaming’s preview described the Gunsmith and research station needing level four, which the patch notes do not confirm.
- Get an Amplification Module. Arc Raiders Hub’s Q&A recap says they drop from late-game content, the Frigate and the fallen Emperor.
- Socket it on a supported weapon. This opens that gun’s amplified perk paths.
- Keep Amplified Fragments for repairs.
If your Gunsmith is not ready, our workbench upgrade guide covers the steps. For the full update, see our Frozen Trail update overview.
Key Takeaways
- Frozen Trail adds two new guns: the Stiletto (light ammo, 16-round battle rifle) and the Bantam (heavy ammo, 8-round revolver).
- The Stiletto works best around 20 to 30 meters and punishes trigger mashing with bloom.
- The Bantam is a hip-fire gun for fights inside about 10 meters.
- Weapon amplification adds a fifth quality level to 15 guns through the Outpost’s Research Workstation.
- Some perk choices lock out others, so plan the path first.
- Legacy Gaming’s favorites were the amplified Burletta and Renegade.
- Perk numbers come from preview builds and can change.
FAQ
What are the new weapons in ARC Raiders Frozen Trail?
Frozen Trail adds the Stiletto, a light-ammo semi-automatic battle rifle, and the Bantam, a heavy-ammo double-action revolver. It also adds weapon amplification, a fifth quality level for 15 existing guns. Both new guns are uncommon rarity.
Is the Stiletto good in ARC Raiders?
The Stiletto is a solid budget rifle for 20 to 30 meter fights. Legacy Gaming found it accurate and clean at range, but its bloom grows quickly if you fire as fast as you can. It is a weak pick if enemies rush you.
How many rounds does the Stiletto hold?
The Stiletto holds 16 rounds according to the ARC Raiders Wiki and Inven Global. One video walkthrough said 10, which appears to be an error. It uses light ammo.
Is the Bantam better than the Anvil?
Not as a general weapon. The Anvil is more flexible, and Embark raised its rarity to Blue on launch day. The Bantam is now the uncommon hand cannon, with a narrow job: hip-fire damage at close range.
What is the best range for the Bantam?
Inside about 10 meters, fired from the hip. Legacy Gaming said aiming down sights is not what the gun was made for. Its accuracy, control and range are low.
Can the Bantam punch through shields?
In Legacy Gaming’s testing, one full magazine broke through all three shield types. That requires landing all eight shots. In real fights, missed shots make that harder.
What is weapon amplification in ARC Raiders?
Weapon amplification is a fifth quality level above Level IV. It unlocks branching upgrades that change how a gun behaves, such as full auto, a scope, or incendiary rounds. It works through the Research Workstation in your Outpost.
How many weapons can be amplified?
Fifteen weapons support amplification at launch, and Embark plans to add more. Embark has not published the full list. The Burletta, Renegade, Rattler and Hairpin have all been shown.
How do you get an amplified weapon?
You need to unlock the Outpost, fully upgrade the Research Workstation and get an Amplification Module. Arc Raiders Hub’s Q&A recap says modules drop from the Frigate and the fallen Emperor. You then apply the module to a supported gun.
Can you loot amplified weapons from other Raiders?
You can pick one up, but the Q&A recap says it drops to 10% durability when its owner dies. That stops players from stockpiling other people’s amplified guns. Amplified Fragments handle repairs once the weapon is yours.
Do the Stiletto and Bantam have amplified versions?
Not in this update, according to Arc Raiders Hub’s recap of the developer Q&A. That recap says amplified versions will most likely come later. For now, the Stiletto and Bantam use the standard upgrade tiers.
