The recent update to ARC Raiders added three legendary weapons. While legendary weapons are relatively rare, they are undoubtedly among the strongest weapons in the game, especially Aphelion Battle Rifle.
Aphelion is a two-round burst battle rifle with unique attributes compared to other special weapons. Its blueprint had an extremely low drop rate from the core of Matriarch boss, making it very difficult to obtain previously. However, since patch 1.3.0, the drop rate has been significantly increased, so you are now almost guaranteed to get one simply by defeating Matriarch.
Is Aphelion Worth Getting?
You've probably seen many players demonstrating this legendary gun recently. Has it met your expectations? If you weren't initially interested, we recommend trying it out yourself, as you can use it against various ARC enemies in real PvP combat, and its effectiveness will absolutely amaze you.
Especially in battles against Rocketeer, Aphelion allows you to easily interrupt their rocket launches and immediately retaliate, which is why it was considered the best weapon against ARC enemies for a short time.
However, since Aphelion is a mid-range battle rifle, its effectiveness may not be satisfactory if you attempt close-quarters combat or try to hit enemies from too far away. More importantly, its performance in PvP is quite strange; its initial usability and damage can be incredibly high, but then suddenly drop, and this inconsistency is a key reason why many players complain.
Aphelion Details
Now, let's talk about what this gun is actually like. Frankly, Aphelion looks a bit like an antenna, with a cylindrical battery at its core. Then, various parts are pieced together to form a wieldable weapon. However, the design, feel, and sound effects are all top-notch.
Magazine Size
Next is magazine size. Aphelion has 10 rounds, but it fires in two bursts.
The key to this weapon lies in its high-velocity energy rounds, which is why it's effective against both flying and ground enemies, especially in stripping armor. However, unlike other energy weapons like Equalizer, it doesn't seem to inflict significant direct damage while stripping armor.
Another key feature of Aphelion is its strong ARC armor penetration. While Equalizer and Jupiter also have strong penetration, Aphelion offers greater controllability, making it easier for players to utilize effectively in PvP scenarios.
Attachments
While Aphelion cannot be upgraded, unlike other special weapons, it can be equipped with attachments.
If you're installing any grip attachments, you must consider that this gun has some horizontal recoil, and the vertical recoil is significantly greater.
Then there's the stock, which reduces recoil and bullet recovery time. In other words, when you fire without moving the mouse, the stock reloads the bullet faster, allowing for quicker and more accurate reloading. Therefore, stock is also very important, and investing in these accessories is worthwhile.
Also Read: What Caused The Widespread Server Outage In ARC Raiders? | New Map Congestion Or Technical Issues
Kill Time
So, what about kill time? We tested it separately for Light, Medium, and Heavy Shields.
- Light Shields: Kill in six shots
- Medium Shields: Kill in six shots
- Heavy Shields: Kill in eight shots
Please note that we only tested body shots, not headshots.
So, the effectiveness against most medium and light shield enemies at mid-range is roughly the same. While dealing with heavy shields is a bit more troublesome, it allows you to eliminate them before running out of ammo.
Therefore, it is recommended that you carefully control the appropriate distance when using Aphelion in combat. Especially in team battles, don't act impulsively and rush in like a fool. Carefully maintain a suitable distance and communicate the area you control to your teammates. Once you have the opportunity to shoot, don't hesitate to destroy them with high-velocity energy projectiles.
Pros And Cons
Next, let's talk about the pros and cons of Aphelion.
Its advantages lie in its ability to easily strip armor and its powerful high-velocity energy. Therefore, whether dealing with Wasps, Hornets, or any other ARC aircraft, you can easily destroy them. It feels fantastic.
When facing flying enemies, we can use Aphelion to make them fly around aimlessly, even preventing them from firing at you. This power is equally effective against Rocketeer. Then, strip their armor and shoot their core.
When dealing with ground enemies, the tactics are much more varied. Especially against heavily armored enemies like Leaper, you can first strip their leg and core armor. Once these defenses are breached, the damage will drop significantly. Then, you can damage their legs, rendering them inoperable, and finally, you can easily finish them off with Anvil or Light Ammo.
However, Aphelion still has significant drawbacks, especially against heavily armored enemies like Bombardier and Bastion. It's difficult to actually damage their joints with this gun, and even destroying the battery in their back is very challenging because Aphelion's base firepower is insufficient.
Therefore, its performance is indeed inconsistent. To better eliminate these tank enemies, it's recommended to use other weapons to completely eliminate them after stripping off their armor and destroying them.
How To Craft It?
Finally, let's talk about how to craft Aphelion.
As a reminder, before you start crafting, you need to obtain the blueprint from a specific core dropped by defeating Matriarch.
Once you find the blueprint, you need to ensure your Gunsmith Station is at level 3.
Its components are the same as other special weapons, except that you need to replace Queen Reactor with Matriarch Reactor. Therefore, you'll need three Magnetic Accelerators, three Complex Gun Parts, and one Matriarch Reactor.
Some might find this expensive, but if you've already stockpiled a large number of Magnetic Accelerators and Complex Gun Parts, you can almost easily obtain this legendary gun.
That's all the information we currently have about Aphelion battle rifle. In PvP, it's incredibly effective at close to mid-range; if you're crouching, it can also be used for long-range combat, taking down a light or medium shield user with just three clicks - a true weapon of mass destruction on the battlefield!
However, if you want to use it against all opponents, especially some heavily armored ARC ground enemies, then as we mentioned before, you'll be better off pairing it with other weapons. It's worth noting that all ARC Raiders products for sale on IGGM can enjoy an 8% discount with the coupon code ARC8. Whether you need coins to acquire suitable gear or want ready-made crafting materials, we can meet your needs!
In any case, grab your Aphelion, get ready to fight, crush, intimidate, and suppress all enemies, and make a safe retreat with your loot!
