Patch 1.7 shook ARC Raiders up way more than I expected, and after spending the last couple of weeks living in Dam Battlegrounds and the Buried City, I've ended up on a very different loadout than I used to run, especially once I grabbed a few extra parts with some Raider Tokens for sale so I could test builds faster without grinding myself into the ground.
The Shift From Il Toro To Vulcano
I was a big Il Toro fan for ages, mainly because that pump-action feel is just fun, but the current patch really pushes the Vulcano into a different lane.It is still a shotgun, still meant for tight angles, but once you get it to Tier IV it stops feeling like a sidegrade and starts feeling like the default pick for close fights.The base version is… fine.You can clear trash, scare people off corners, nothing crazy.But the Tier IV stats flip a switch: that big jump in fire rate, plus the faster reload, means you are chaining shots in a way Il Toro just cannot keep up with.
Why Vulcano IV Feels So Strong In PvP
The thing people notice first is the pace.With the upgrade, you are basically spitting shells as fast as you can keep your crosshair on target, and that turns every tight corridor into your space.Pop a Shotgun Choke III on there, add a Vertical Grip, and the spread and recoil are just low enough that you do not feel punished for quick peeks.I have had plenty of pushes where a shield user thinks they are safe, then two, three shots land before they even finish ADS, and by the time they realise what is happening their front line is gone.On paper the armor pen looks weak, and yeah, you are not deleting a full-armor Hornet in one blast, but against other Raiders or any half-stripped target, the time to kill feels almost unfair.
Handling PvE With A Hybrid Setup
In PvE, the Vulcano IV is a bit more situational, but it still earns its slot.It absolutely erases grunts at close range, and wasps do not last long either.The downside shows up when you are solo into heavier units; that lack of penetration means you are dumping a lot of shells for not much gain if you try to brute-force big armor alone.That is why most people I run with pair it with something like a Renegade or another solid mid–long range rifle.You let the rifle crack armor and deal with distant threats, keep the Vulcano ready for any flankers or when you have to push an objective room.Used that way, it feels less like a meme shotgun and more like an essential tool for cleaning up fights fast.
Dealing With The Grind And Gearing Up
The rough part is getting the gun and pushing it to Tier IV without burning out on runs.The blueprint and part grind can be brutal; everyone has had that session where you spend hours scavenging, only to die 30 seconds from extraction and watch all those components disappear.That is the point where a lot of players either park the build or look for shortcuts.Some people, me included, end up using sites like u4gm to pick up a few extra blueprints or heavy parts so we can actually play around with high-tier kits instead of staring at progress bars all week.When you like an aggressive, in-your-face style and you want to hit ziplines, flank squads and turn corners into ambush spots, having the Vulcano IV ready to go makes the whole game feel different, and it is hard not to worry that the devs are eventually going to see the numbers and hit it with a heavy nerf.
