Hey everyone, Elias here, your weapon specialist at Rivalsector.com. I’ve spent a lot of time on the surface, and if there’s one weapon that starts more arguments back at Speranza than any other, it’s the Bobcat SMG.
I’ve heard it all. I’ve seen players call it an “S-tier meta-defining monster” and I’ve seen just as many toss it in the scrapper, calling it a “D-tier paperweight.”
Here’s the real, unvarnished truth: they are both right.
The Bobcat you pick up off the ground is a D-tier trap. It’s a gun that will get you killed. But a fully upgraded, kitted-out Bobcat? That’s an entirely different animal. It’s one of the most lethal player-killers in the game, but it requires a massive investment and a very specific playstyle.
This isn’t a gun you just “use.” It’s a project you build. If you’re willing to put in the work, I’m going to show you exactly how to turn this peashooter into a CQC nightmare.
Step 1: Getting the Bobcat (And Why It’s an Endgame Weapon)
First, you can’t just craft this on day one. The Bobcat is an Epic weapon, and getting it is a commitment.
- Finding the Blueprint: This is your main hurdle. You’ll need to find the Bobcat I Blueprint out in the wild. This means hitting high-tier loot zones, opening locked caches, and getting lucky on mission rewards.
- Crafting: Once you have the blueprint, you need to craft it. This requires a Gunsmith III workbench, which is a serious resource sink on its own. It also takes Advanced Mechanical Components and Light Gun Parts, so start saving those now.
This high barrier to entry is the first filter. It’s an endgame weapon designed for players who are ready to specialize their loadouts.
Step 2: Understanding the “Bad” Base Stats
When you first craft your Bobcat I, you’re going to look at its stats and feel… disappointed. And you should be. The base weapon is, in my expert opinion, terrible.
Let’s look at the raw numbers I’ve pulled on the base model:
| Stat | Bobcat I (Base) | My Analysis |
| Damage | 6 | Horrifically low. You are not winning by brute force. |
| Fire Rate | 66.7 | Insane. This is the gun’s entire identity. |
| Magazine | 20 Rounds | The fatal flaw. At 66.7 ROF, this mag is empty in 1.8 seconds. |
| Ammo | Light | Easy to find, which is good, because you’ll need all of it. |
| Agility | 73.1 | Very high. This is a “run-and-gun” chassis. |
| Stability | 45.9 | Very low. The gun is bouncy and hard to control. |
| ARC Pen | Very Weak | CRITICAL FLAW. It cannot, and will not, kill ARC bots. |
Looking at this, you see the problem. You have a 1.8-second window to kill someone before you’re a sitting duck in a reload animation. All while fighting a weapon that kicks like a mule. This is not a winning formula.
Step 3: The Path to God-Tier (A Mandatory Upgrade Guide)
This is the most important section of this guide. You do not use a Bobcat I. You only build it so you can upgrade it. The gun becomes viable at Rank III and a monster at Rank IV.
The upgrades for the Bobcat are not simple damage increases. They are “quality-of-life” fixes that patch its biggest weaknesses: recoil and reload speed.
Look at what each rank actually does for you:
| Upgrade | Horizontal Recoil | Max Shot Dispersion | Reload Time |
| Bobcat II | -15% Reduced | -15% Reduced | -13% Reduced |
| Bobcat III | -30% Reduced | -30% Reduced | -26% Reduced |
| Bobcat IV | -45% Reduced | -50% Reduced | -40% Reduced |
Let me translate this for you. That Bobcat IV upgrade cuts your reload time almost in half and makes the gun 50% more accurate by tightening the shot spread. It turns the bouncy, uncontrollable recoil into a focused, vertical “buzzsaw” that you can easily manage.
A Bobcat I sprays bullets everywhere. A Bobcat IV drills a tight hole in your target. This upgrade path is not optional, it is mandatory.
Step 4: The Perfect Loadout (Mods and Pairings)
Once you have your Bobcat IV, it’s time to build it out. You have one goal: fix the last remaining flaw (the magazine) and then pair it with a weapon that does everything it can’t.
Non-Negotiable Weapon Mods
- Magazine: Extended Light Mag III
This is the most important mod in this build. It adds +15 rounds, taking your magazine from 20 to 35. This more than doubles your effective firing time from 1.8 seconds to over 3 seconds. This is the difference between killing one player and killing two. Do not leave Speranza without this. - Grip: Vertical Grip II or III
The upgrade path already fixed most of the horizontal (side-to-side) recoil. A Vertical Grip will tame the vertical (upward) kick, making this thing an absolute laser beam at close range. - Stock: Lightweight Stock
This mod is my secret sauce. It massively increases your ADS (Aim Down Sights) speed. Since the Bobcat is all about surprise and reaction time, being able to snap-aim on a target faster than they can react is a huge advantage.
Your Secondary Weapon: The “ARC Killer”
Your Bobcat is now a dedicated player-killer. It is still 100% useless against ARC bots. Your secondary weapon must fill this gap.
- S-Tier Pairing: The Anvil
This, in my opinion, is the perfect partner. The Anvil is a hand cannon that hits like a truck, has Strong ARC Penetration, and is accurate at medium range. You use your Bobcat to clear buildings and ambush players, and you pull out the Anvil to crack open Sentinels and fight at a distance. - A-Tier Pairing: The Ferro
Another great choice. The Ferro is a heavy-hitting rifle with Very Strong ARC penetration. It’s your long-range solution. The only downside is its slow fire rate, which can leave you vulnerable if you get pushed. - What NOT to Pair:
Do not, under any circumstances, pair the Bobcat with a shotgun (like the Il Toro or Vulcano). This gives you a “double CQC” loadout. You’ll be lethal inside a building, but the first time you see a Sentinel or a player more than 20 meters away, you are completely helpless.
Step 5: The Bobcat Playstyle (A Flanker’s Creed)
You have your fully-kitted Bobcat IV and your Anvil. You are not a front-line soldier. You are an assassin. This is how you must play:
- You Are a Player-Hunter: Your job is to hunt other Raiders. Let your teammates with their Ferros and Bettinas handle the ARC bots. You should be scanning the tree lines, listening for footsteps, and planning your ambush.
- Positioning is Everything: You must get the first shot. You win by flanking. Never engage a player in a “fair” fight at 40 meters. You will lose. Get inside their comfort zone (0-15 meters) before you pull the trigger.
- Know Your Escape Route: After you down a player, you are at your most vulnerable. That 35-round mag will be empty. You must have a plan to reload safely. Use your high Agility. Break line of sight, reload, and then re-engage.
- Embrace the Hip-Fire: At “bad-breath” range, don’t bother to ADS. A kitted Bobcat has a tight enough hip-fire spread to be effective, letting you strafe at full speed while hosing down your target.
The Final Verdict
The Bobcat is a high-skill, high-investment weapon that is absolutely not for beginners. It’s a CQC specialist that fails at every other aspect of the game.
But if you invest the resources to get it to Rank IV, equip it with an Extended Mag, and pair it with a heavy-hitter like the Anvil, it becomes one of the most terrifying PvP weapons in ARC Raiders. It’s a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. And in the right hands, a scalpel is far more deadly.
That’s my deep-dive. Let me know what your personal Bobcat build is. For more weapon guides, loadout theories, and our complete breakdown of the current ARC Raiders meta weapons, be sure to check out our ARC Raiders category right here on Rivalsector.com.
Now get out there and hunt.
