Hey Raiders, Elias from Rivalsector.com, back with another hard truth from the surface. Today, I want to talk about a weapon that has one of the most fearsome reputations in the early game. It’s a gun I hear called “El Toro” all the time, but its real name is the Il Toro. And I’m here to tell you that for all its thunder, this gun is a classic mid-tier trap.
I know what you’re thinking. “Elias, you’re crazy. It one-shots people!”
I’ve seen it, I’ve used it, and I’ve been on the receiving end. Yes, the Il Toro can be devastating. But in a game as punishing as ARC Raiders, “can be” is a good way to get sent back to your hideout with nothing. It’s a weapon that feels amazing when it works and is a complete liability when it doesn’t.
Many new players mistake this for some kind of “hand cannon” due to its name. Let’s be clear: the Il Toro is an Uncommon (green) pump-action shotgun. It has a specific, and very limited, role. Today, we’re breaking down why it’s not the monster you think it is, where to find its blueprint, and what strategies (if any) you should use.
The Hard Stats: A Mid-Tier Breakdown
Let’s just get the numbers out of the way. When you compare the Il Toro to other popular meta weapons, you start to see the cracks in its armor. Or, more accurately, its inability to deal with armor.
A weapon’s tier isn’t just about its damage. It’s about its versatility, reliability, and performance against all target types, especially ARCs and geared players. The Il Toro fails in key categories.
Here’s a quick comparison to show you what I mean.
| Stat | Base Il Toro (Uncommon) | Vulcano (Epic) | Bettina (Epic) |
| Weapon Type | Pump-Action Shotgun | Semi-Auto Shotgun | Assault Rifle |
| Base Damage | High (e.g., ~67.5) | High (per pellet) | Good (per bullet) |
| Fire Rate | Very Slow (Pump) | Fast (Semi-Auto) | Very Fast (Full-Auto) |
| Effective Range | Very Short (~20m) | Short (~25m) | Medium-Long (~50m+) |
| ARC Armor Pen. | Weak | Moderate | Strong |
| Magazine Size | 5-8 (Tiered) | 8-10 (Tiered) | 30+ |
| Reload Style | One-by-one (Slow) | Full Mag (Fast) | Full Mag (Fast) |
Look at that table. The three biggest killers are Fire Rate, Range, and especially Armor Penetration. This trio of weaknesses is why the Il Toro is firmly “mid-tier.”
Why the Il Toro is a “Mid-Tier Trap”
So many players get hooked on this gun. You find one on your first few runs, sneak up on an unarmored Raider, and delete them from existence. It feels incredible. You think you’ve found the great equalizer.
You are wrong.
This weapon is a “trap” because it teaches you bad habits and has a hard-performance ceiling. Here’s why it’s not a long-term solution.
- The Fatal Flaw: Weak Armor Penetration
This is the number one reason. The Il Toro has “Weak” armor penetration. What does this mean in practice? It means the second you shoot a player who has grabbed even Tier 2 (green) armor, your “one-shot” dream is over. Your pellets will plink off them, doing chip damage, while they turn around and melt you with their “Bettina” or “Rattler.” It’s even worse against ARCs. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT try to fight a Bastion or a Rocketeer with this thing. You are just making it angry. - The Punishing Fire Rate
It’s a pump-action. You get one shot. If you miss, or if that shot doesn’t kill, you are now a sitting duck. In the time it takes you to pump the shotgun for a second shot, an enemy with any automatic weapon can (and will) end your run. High-tier players running the “Vulcano” semi-auto shotgun can fire three or four shells in the time it takes you to fire two. - The Awful Reload
If you empty the 5-round tube in a panic, you might as well just alt-F4. Reloading shells one… by… one… by… one… is a guaranteed death sentence in a multi-enemy fight. Top-tier weapons use magazine reloads for a reason. - Horrible Range and Spread
The effective range is basically spitting distance. The pellet spread is wide and inconsistent. To get that “one-shot” kill, you need to be so close you can smell what they had for breakfast, and you need every single pellet to hit their head or unarmored chest. That’s a low-percentage play.
The Il Toro is a CQC (Close-Quarters Combat) bully that can only beat up on unarmored targets. The second the lobby gets geared, this gun becomes a liability.
How to Find the Il Toro Blueprint
Okay, so you’ve heard my warnings and you still want to try it. I get it, it’s fun. The best way to get any weapon consistently is to craft it yourself, which means you need the blueprint.
The Il Toro is an Uncommon (green) item, so its blueprint is not a super-rare drop. You just need to know where to look.
- Loot Containers: You’ll find the blueprint (or the gun itself) in any mid-tier loot container, especially the breachable crates and Raider containers.
- Specific Farm Spot: If you’re just starting, one of the best and quietest loot spots is Marano Station. On the station platform, there’s a breachable door. Inside are several containers that can drop early-game blueprints, attachments, and green-rarity weapons like the Il Toro. It’s a great spot to hit early in your run.
- Crafting: Once you have the blueprint, you can craft the base Il Toro at a Weapon Bench (Level 2). The base recipe is cheap, usually just 1 Mechanical Component and 3 Canisters.
- Trader: The vendor Tian Wen will also sell the Il Toro (or its blueprint) on rotation, so check his stock every time you’re back at the hideout.
Strategies: How to Make the Il Toro Work
If you are going to run this gun, you must build your entire strategy around its strengths and weaknesses. You cannot run-and-gun with it. You must be patient.
1. The Ambush Predator
This is not a “push” weapon. This is a “wait” weapon. Your strategy is to hide and let the enemy come to you.
- Hide behind a door in a building you know players will enter.
- Crouch in a bush next to a high-traffic path.
- Use the third-person camera to “corner-peek” and wait for an enemy to run past you.
Your goal is to fire your one shot directly into their back or head from point-blank range before they even know you are there.
2. The Finisher
This is, in my opinion, a much more viable strategy. Use your primary weapon (an AR or Battle Rifle) to do the real work. Break their armor, get the down. Once the player is crawling, swap to the Il Toro to execute them. It saves your valuable primary ammo for the next fight.
3. The PvP Specialist (Early Game)
Use this weapon for the first five minutes of a raid. Your goal is to hunt other fresh-spawns who are also unarmored. Get a quick kill, steal their loot, and then ditch the Il Toro as soon as you find a “Rattler” or any other real gun.
4. The Right Loadout
You MUST pair the Il Toro with a weapon that covers its weaknesses. You need range and armor penetration.
- Good Primary Pairings: “Ferro,” “Renegade” (Battle Rifles), or “Tempest” (Assault Rifle). These let you fight at range and crack armor.
- Bad Primary Pairings: “Stitcher” (SMG) or “Vulcano” (Shotgun). If you pair it with another CQC weapon, you will have zero options for any fight beyond 15 meters and you will lose to anyone with armor.
A Stepping Stone, Not a Keeper
Look, I enjoy a good “stunt” run as much as the next Raider. The Il Toro is a fun, punchy weapon that creates great “clip” moments. But it is not, and will never be, a top-tier gun in its current state. Its “Weak” armor penetration makes it unusable against the ARCs and geared players you need to be able to kill to extract with high-value loot.
It’s a stepping stone. It’s a great “first-day” weapon to get you a few kills. But your goal should be to replace it as fast as possible with something that belongs on a real ARC Raiders meta weapons list.
So, am I being too harsh on “The Bull,” or do you agree it’s a trap? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to check out our ARC Raiders category for more deep dives and guides.
Stay safe on the surface.
