ARC Raiders Kettle: Why It’s My C-Tier Pick (And a Guide to Using It Anyway)

Hey Raiders, Elias here from Rivalsector.com.

I need to get something off my chest. In my line of work, I test every gun, every piece of gear, and every strategy I can. I am always looking for that “sleeper” build, that hidden gem that the rest of the meta has overlooked. And for a long time, I really tried to make the Kettle that gun.

I have seen the videos. I have read the guides. I have heard the arguments from top players who swear this gun is a secret A-tier monster. And after dozens of raids, countless upgrades, and more frustrating deaths than I care to admit, I am here to tell you: I am officially off the Kettle hype train.

In my expert opinion, the Kettle is the absolute, definitive C-tier weapon. It is not “trash,” but it is not good. It is a gun that exists in a state of permanent mediocrity, a resource trap that promises power but rarely delivers.

But here is the thing, you are going to find a lot of them. And maybe you are in a tight spot. So today, I am not just going to tell you why I think it is C-tier. I am going to break down why it fails and provide a reluctant guide on how to make it work if you have no other choice.

The On-Paper Problem: A Pea Shooter in a Robot War

Before we even get to the upgrades, let’s look at the Kettle I, the base-level gun you find everywhere. It is a Common, Semi-Automatic Assault Rifle that uses Light Ammo.

And that is where the good news ends.

Its stats are, to put it mildly, depressing. The headline number is its damage: 10 damage per shot. Let me repeat that. Ten. To kill a player with a full Light Shield (100 health, 50 shield), you need to land 15 body shots. That is three-quarters of your standard 20-round magazine, assuming you hit every single shot.

Its other “features” are just as bad:

• Horrible Bullet Velocity: Firing the Kettle feels like you are shooting a nail gun, not a rifle. The bullets are agonizingly slow, making hitting a moving target at any range a matter of predictive guesswork.
• Weak PvE Damage: The gun has “Very Weak” ARC Armor Penetration. This means that against any robot that is not a basic spider or sensor, you are just wasting ammo. You will be plinking away at an ARC patrol while your squadmates with Ferros and Anvils are actually getting the job done.
• Slow Reload: The 20-round magazine is not terrible, but the reload speed for a gun that requires so many shots to kill is painful.

This is a gun that, in its base form, fails at almost every task. It cannot fight ARC, it struggles to fight players, and its only real use is silently taking out cameras.

The “But It Gets Better” Upgrade Fallacy

Now, this is the part where the Kettle-truthers jump in. “But Elias,” they say, “you have to upgrade it! A Kettle IV is a different gun!”

They are not wrong. It is a different gun. The upgrade path for the Kettle is one of the most transformative in the game. It focuses almost entirely on fixing its two biggest flaws: bullet velocity and reload speed. A fully upgraded Kettle IV gets a massive +75% Bullet Velocity and a -40% Reload Time.

Here is the problem: this is a resource trap.

Look at what it costs to get there. You are spending a ton of Metal Parts, Plastic Parts, and, most importantly, Simple Gun Parts and Mechanical Components. These are valuable mid-game materials that you should be using to upgrade your Gunsmith bench, craft essential gear, or build a weapon that is actually good from the start.

A weapon that is “D-Tier” at level 1 and “B-Tier” at level 4 is not a sleeper hit. It is a massive resource sink. You are spending a small fortune just to make a bad gun functional. That is the definition of a C-tier weapon.

Where the Kettle Fails: A Master of None

So, let’s say you ignore my advice and build a Kettle IV. You now have a fast-reloading, fast-shooting (well, fast-velocity) rifle. Where do you use it?

PvE: A Liability to Your Team

In Player-versus-Environment (PvE) combat, the Kettle is a liability. The upgrades do nothing to fix its “Very Weak” armor penetration. You are still that player plinking away at an ARC, doing chip damage while everyone else breaks armor and hits weak points. You cannot bring this gun on a run where you expect to fight a Queen or a heavy patrol. You will fail. Its job is relegated to shooting spiders and sensors, a job that a pistol can do just as well.

PvP: Outclassed in Every Fight

This is supposed to be the Kettle’s one saving grace. Its high stability and fast semi-auto fire can be used to tap-fire on a player’s head. But it is just outclassed.

The Time-to-Kill (TTK) is just too high. While you are trying to land your fourth, fifth, and sixth 10-damage shot, your opponent has already domed you with a Ferro. Or they have closed the gap and melted you with a Rattler or Bobcat. The Kettle only works in a perfect, 30-to-50-meter engagement where you get the first shot and your opponent stands perfectly still. That just does not happen.

In the world of ARC Raiders meta guns, the Kettle just has no place. The Rattler is a better all-around rifle. The Anvil is a better damage-dealer. The Ferro is a better long-range option. The Kettle tries to be a jack-of-all-trades and fails at all of them.

So, You Still Want to Use the Kettle? (A Reluctant Guide)

Okay. I have made my case. But I am also a realist. Sometimes, the Kettle is all you have. Maybe you found a legendary-tier Kettle IV, or you just really like the feel of it. Fine. If you are going to be stubborn, let’s at least be smart about it.

If you are running the Kettle, you are not a front-line brawler. You are a support-flanker. A “rat.” Your job is to pick at the edges of a fight.

Here is your new job description:

• You are on sensor duty. You will shoot every camera, every sensor, and every spider. This is your main contribution.
• You are a vulture. You only shoot players who are already fighting someone else, healing, or looting.
• You live at mid-range. You never go into CQC, and you never try to out-snipe a sniper.
• You must hit headshots. With a 10-damage body shot, you have no choice. You have to aim for the head to make this gun even remotely viable.

The Mod Setup: A Non-Negotiable List

To make this work, you need the right mods. Do not even bother otherwise.

• Magazine: Extended Mag. This is not a suggestion. This is a requirement. You cannot win a fight with a 20-round magazine.
• Silencer. Lean into the “rat” build. The Kettle is quiet, and a suppressor makes it almost silent. This is your single best advantage. You can pick at players, and they will have no idea where you are.
• Stock/Grip: Anything for Stability. You want this gun to be a laser beam. The more stability, the faster you can tap-fire without your aim bouncing.

The Loadout: Covering Your Weaknesses

The Kettle cannot be your only solution. It is a specialized tool. You must pair it with a weapon that covers its massive flaws.

My Final Verdict

The Kettle is the definition of C-tier. It is a gun that requires a massive resource investment just to become okay. It is a weapon that forces you into a passive, un-fun playstyle just to avoid being useless.

It is a “beginner’s gun” in the worst way: it is cheap and common, but it teaches you nothing about how to win fights. You are better off saving your parts, upgrading your bench, and crafting a Rattler or a Ferro.

I wanted to love this gun. I really did. But my job is to give you the best advice to help you survive and extract, and my advice is to leave the Kettle on the ground where you found it.

For more deep dives, weapon guides, and honest takes on the meta, be sure to check out our ARC Raiders category here at Rivalsector.com.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to go sell my Kettle IV for parts.

Elias out.