The Only Arc Raiders Augment Tier List You Need — Best Picks for PvE and PvP
Arc Raiders’ augment system changes how every match feels. With thirteen distinct augments that alter playstyle, team synergy, and counterplay, knowing which ones dominate in PvE and PvP is the difference between smooth runs and frustrating wipeouts. This guide gives you a comprehensive, practical ranking of every augment, shows how to use each one, offers best build and loadout suggestions, and explains direct counters so you can adapt on the fly. If you want to pick the actual OP augment, tune into the top of this tier list and practice the simple combos that make it shine.
What this guide covers
Full ranking of all 13 augments with role-specific commentary (PvE and PvP).
How each augment scales, what stats to prioritize, and ideal abilities to pair with them.
Best loadouts and examples for solo, duo, and full-team play.
Hard counters and gameplay tips for minimizing weaknesses.
Quick builds and practical rotations you can learn in one run.
FAQ section answering common questions players ask.
Core reader takeaways
Which augment to pick for fast clears vs. competitive matches.
How to slot augment benefits into realistic loadouts without overcomplicating your kit.
How to counter the most frustrating augments opponents bring.
Key terms used in this guide
Augment — the passive/active modifier applied to your character that changes abilities or stats.
Loadout — weapon, augment, and support item combination.
Role — damage dealer, support, tanker, or utility.
Top-level ranking preview (quick glance) S-Tier: Augments that drastically shift outcomes and are flexible across PvE and PvP. A-Tier: Extremely strong in their niche and require little team support. B-Tier: Solid choices but with clear counters or limited scaling. C-Tier: Situational or underpowered compared to alternatives. D-Tier: Rarely optimal; mainly for novelty or challenge runs.
Tier List — ALL 13 Augments Ranked
Note: Each augment is listed with a short practical verdict, best use-cases, recommended pairing, and a counter strategy. Use these to adapt your loadout depending on whether you’re running PvE sorties or PvP skirmishes.
S-Tier
Augment: Xeno Surge
Verdict: The true OP augment — massively amplifies burst and sustain in most scenarios.
Why it’s OP
Grants a stacking damage multiplier that refreshes on kill and converts a portion of damage dealt to healing. This creates snowball potential in PvE and forces aggressive play in PvP where one good chain can win a duel.
Best for
Primary DPS builds; excels in solo and duo play where kill chains are frequent.
Pair with
High single-target burst weapon; mobility ability for chaining targets; cooldown reduction perks.
Loadout example
Primary: High-crit rifle.
Secondary: Close-range energy pistol for finishing.
Support: Cooldown reducer or shield battery.
Playstyle: Dive, secure a kill to get the first stack, weave burst rotations, and leverage the heal conversion to stay on target.
Counter strategy
Kill-stealing or short boss phases hurt it. Use burst interrupts, target swapping, and healing suppression to blunt momentum.
Why it’s great in PvE and PvP
PvE: Mops adds and sustains through prolonged fights.
PvP: Punishes clusters and isolated enemies because stacks grow quickly.
Augment: Phase Anchor
Verdict: Dominant for objective control and defensive plays.
Why it’s strong
Creates a localized field that slows enemies and grants allies increased damage while inside. This turns choke points into killzones.
Best for
Teams that rely on holding objectives or funneling enemies into traps.
Pair with
Area denial weapons, deployables, and a teammate running damage-on-hit mechanics.
Loadout example
Primary: Area burst weapon.
Secondary: Trap or turret.
Playstyle: Drop anchor at chokepoints and bait engagements into the field.
Counter strategy
Avoid the field or flank around it; use ranged poke and mobile classes to negate the advantage.
A-Tier
Augment: Kinetic Rebound
Verdict: Great for aggressive play and crowd control synergy.
Why it’s good
Converts a portion of damage to kinetic pulses that knockback or stagger enemies. This creates tempo control in both PvE packs and PvP fights.
Best for
Push-heavy teams and solo players who want space creation.
Pair with
Melee cleave or explosive weapons; abilities that benefit from grouped enemies.
Loadout example
Primary: Shotgun or explosive launcher.
Support: Stagger-enhancing mods.
Counter strategy
Keep distance and use ranged suppression; players with mobility can bypass the stagger windows.
Augment: Adaptive Cloak
Verdict: Strong niche utility; excels at stealth plays and first-strike setups.
Why it’s useful
Grants short invisibility after performing a takedown or getting a kill, plus a burst movement speed buff when breaking cloak.
Best for
Flankers and objective runners who need to reset fights or avoid focused retaliation.
Pair with
High burst or execution tools; recon teammates who can call out enemy positions.
Loadout example
Primary: High-damage single-shot weapon.
Playstyle: Hit hard, cloak, reposition, repeat.
Counter strategy
Use AoE reveal abilities or area denial to expose cloaked players; sound and visual cues in PvP help detect flanks.
Augment: Shield Matrix
Verdict: Excellent for survivability and team sustain.
Why it’s solid
Provides an overshield that transfers to nearby allies when you receive heavy damage, turning one player’s defense into team resilience.
Best for
Teams with fragile DPS who need reliable survivability windows.
Pair with
Healing amplifiers, shield-piercing weapons.
Loadout example
Primary: Mid-range rifle; support: team-heal enhancer.
Counter strategy
Use sustained DPS to force shield transfers to be wasted; burst damage and shield-piercing weapons bypass the matrix.
B-Tier
Augment: Pyrocore
Verdict: Good AoE damage over time but struggles against single-target checks.
Why it’s situational
Leaves burning fields that scale with consecutive hits. Great for clearing waves but less helpful for heavy-hitting bosses or mobile PvP targets.
Best for
PvE waves, area control missions.
Pair with
Weapons with high fire rate and area coverage.
Loadout example
Primary: LMG or cone-of-fire weapon; playstyle: lay down sustained fire to maximize field uptime.
Counter strategy
Mobility and single-target burst that destroys the field quickly; in PvP, a quick reposition negates AoE.
Augment: Resonant Feedback
Verdict: Balanced augment that returns a portion of damage taken to attackers.
Why it’s okay
Works well in duels and against predictable attackers but is weaker against multi-target burst due to splitting return damage.
Best for
Duelists, off-tanks, or players playing aggressive bait roles.
Pair with
High-armor builds, reflective mods.
Loadout example
Primary: Mid-range weapon; Playstyle: Tank hits while reflecting damage.
Counter strategy
Use multiple low-damage attackers to mitigate reflected damage; healing or shielding nullifies the feedback loop.
C-Tier
Augment: Grav Lance
Verdict: Strong concept but limited by setup demands.
Why it’s mediocre
Creates gravity wells that pull enemies, enabling combos. Setup time and enemy resistances reduce its effectiveness in chaotic fights.
Best for
Organized teams that can combo with crowd control and AoE.
Pair with
Abilities that detonate grouped enemies.
Loadout example
Primary: Grenade or AoE weapon; Playstyle: Place wells, lead enemies into detonation.
Counter strategy
Avoid clustering; mobile playstyles circumvent wells easily.
Augment: Echo Field
Verdict: Interesting but underwhelming scaling.
Why it’s weak
Repeats a percentage of your last ability, which can be redundant or wasteful. Good for ability-heavy builds, not for simple weapon-focused plays.
Best for
Ability-centric players who can chain unique effects.
Pair with
Fast cooldown abilities and ability-refreshing mods.
Loadout example
Primary: Ability-focused kit; Playstyle: Chain abilities; echo grants extra value.
Counter strategy
Outrange and outmaneuver; pressure during echo cooldown windows.
D-Tier
Augment: Static Ward
Verdict: Rarely optimal; mainly novelty use.
Why it’s poor
Provides occasional static shocks that proc on hits; inconsistent and outclassed by reliable damage augment options.
Best for
Casual play or challenge runs where randomness is fun.
Pair with
High-hit-rate weapons but expectation should be low.
Counter strategy
Ignore; rely on sustained pressure.
Augment: Overclock
Verdict: High-risk, low-reward.
Why it’s fringe
Boosts output at the cost of health or cooldown maluses. Works only with highly specific risk-mitigation builds.
Best for
Players who like glass cannon playstyles and can mitigate drawbacks predictably.
Pair with
Self-heal or lifesteal benefits.
Loadout example
Primary: High-damage rifle; Support: lifesteal augment.
Counter strategy
Force the player into sustained fights that wear down their mitigations.
Special-case augments (unique mechanics)
Augment: Temporal Fold
Verdict: Powerful in coordinated play; less effective solo.
Why it’s unique
Rewinds a short segment of time for you or allies, restoring position and health from a few seconds earlier. This is a team utility augment that can cancel fatal mistakes.
Best for
Speedruns, coordinated PvE, or clutch-save PvP plays.
Pair with
High-impact ultimates or abilities you want to re-use safely.
Loadout example
Primary: Versatile; Playstyle: Use as a safety net. Time your rewind to bait enemy cooldowns.
Counter strategy
Force repeated engagement windows; predictable timing can be punished post-rewind.
Augment: Neural Link
Verdict: Team-centric; increases shared resource efficiency.
Why it’s situational
Converts a portion of XP, shield, or ability energy between linked teammates. Strong in objective pushes but weak in free-for-all situations.
Best for
Synchronized squads running complementary kits.
Pair with
Energy-heavy builds and shared cooldown strategies.
Loadout example
Primary: Balanced; Playstyle: Coordinate with link partner to maximize uptime.
Counter strategy
Split the team; separate the link to reduce benefit.
How I ranked these augments — practical logic (brief)
Value across game modes — I weighted cross-mode effectiveness. Augments that swing both PvE farming and PvP duels scored higher.
Team dependency — The more an augment scales without requiring ideal teammates, the higher it ranks for general usefulness.
Counterability — Augments that are hard to directly counter or whose counters are costly rank higher.
Idle uptime vs. activation complexity — Simple, always-on benefits outperformed high-skill, situational augments in this meta.
How to choose an augment for your playstyle
If you prefer fast PvE clears
Favor augments that grant sustained damage or clear speed benefits like Xeno Surge and Pyrocore. Stack with area weapons and cooldown reduction. Prioritize mobility and kill-skills that refresh augment stacks.
If you play competitive PvP
Choose augments that secure duels or team fights reliably: Xeno Surge, Phase Anchor, and Adaptive Cloak are top picks. Build for burst damage and mobility, add suppression or reveal tools to counter stealth and shields.
If you value team utility
Pick Shield Matrix, Temporal Fold, or Neural Link. These augments shine in coordinated squads and are indispensable for high-difficulty objective runs.
If you love experimental or niche builds
Try Overclock or Static Ward. They can be fun and occasionally provide surprising value in the right context, but expect suboptimal performance in ranked matches.
Practical loadouts and sample builds
Below are three practical, beginner-friendly builds you can pilot immediately. Each build includes the augment, primary weapon archetype, essential mods, and a short playscript to learn the rotation.
Build 1 — Xeno Rush (Solo PvE Carry)
Augment: Xeno Surge
Weapon archetype: High-crit sniper or precision rifle
Essential mods: Crit chance, crit damage, lifesteal
Playscript: Open with a precision shot to secure a kill, stack Xeno Surge, reposition using mobility to chain into next target, alternate between precision shots and finishers to maintain stacks and healing.
Why it works
Precision kills are plentiful in many PvE missions; this build turns every elimination into healing and damage boosts.
Build 2 — Anchor Hold (Defensive Objective)
Augment: Phase Anchor
Weapon archetype: Area burst/auto weapon with crowd control
Essential mods: Radius increase, slow strength, damage amp within field
Playscript: Plant anchor at choke, use grenades to herd enemies into field, have teammates focus targets inside for combo kills.
Why it works
The field multiplies team damage and inhibits enemy movement, making it ideal for base defense or escort missions.
Build 3 — Ghost Operative (PvP Flanker)
Augment: Adaptive Cloak
Weapon archetype: Close-range high burst (SMG or shotty)
Essential mods: Movement speed on break cloak, execute damage bonus
Playscript: Flank enemy backlines, secure a pick, cloak and reposition, repeat until objective is secure.
Why it works
Successful executions reset opportunities and ruin enemy flanks; cloak makes risky plays safer.
Counters and counter-builds — how to shut down the meta
Against Xeno Surge
Use quick burst suppression and target swap. Kill-steal mechanics and coordinated pokes remove stacking opportunities. Play high-mobility characters that can disengage and kite.
Against Phase Anchor
Flank around anchor fields and use ranged poke. Tools with long-range area denial (grenades, missiles) can punish teams that tunnel into their own field.
Against Adaptive Cloak
Equip reveal grenades or AoE vision tools. Crowd-control sets that trigger reveals on damage are excellent counters.
Advanced tips and mental models
Maximize augment uptime
Think in terms of windows. Each augment creates a window where it’s most effective (e.g., post-kill window for Xeno Surge, anchor active window for Phase Anchor). Time your ults and support abilities to line up with these windows.
Build around synergy, not overlap
Avoid stacking two features that do the same thing. For example, don’t pair two augments that both provide mobility buffs; instead combine mobility with either damage or sustain.
Learn the counterplay map
For every augment you love, learn one reliable counter and one advanced counter: the reliable counter is something you can expect in casual matches; the advanced counter requires coordination but is devastating when executed.
Practical drills to get better fast
Drill 1 — Stack timing (Xeno Surge)
In a private lobby, practice chaining four quick kills within 12 seconds. Time between kills should be consistent to feel the augment refresh mechanic.
Drill 2 — Field defense (Phase Anchor)
Set up anchors in multiple positions on a map and practice moving enemies into the field. Learn bounce angles for grenades so you can funnel AI or players reliably.
Drill 3 — Cloak posture (Adaptive Cloak)
Practice breaking cloak with movement and firing to optimize escape windows. Use audio cues to track cloakers in PvP.
Team communication cheat-sheet
Call out augment activation windows: “Anchor up at B — hold choke for 6s.”
Share stacking status: “Two stacks, ready to finish” — allows teammates to create picks.
Share counters you carry: “I have reveal grenade — use after flank” — coordinate to expose sneaky players.
Quality-of-life suggestions for loadout tuning
Swap mods to prioritize cooldown reduction for augments that need uptime.
Use one battery slot for emergency survival if running augment that trades health for power.
Mix and match based on opponent composition; the best augments often bend to team needs rather than strict power.
Common mistakes to avoid
Picking a team utility augment when running solo — utility shines with a coordinated squad, else it’s wasted.
Overcommitting to a single augment’s mechanic without a backup plan — have an off-angle if your augment is neutralized.
Ignoring counter items and reveal tools in PvP — many augments rely on obscuring or crowding; reveals break that.
FAQ
What is the single most OP augment right now?
Xeno Surge is the most consistently powerful across modes because it converts kills into both damage and sustain, creating a self-reinforcing loop that snowballs quickly on successful chains.
Are any augments banned or restricted in competitive modes?
Not currently. However, match organizers sometimes impose bans for balance; always check tournament rules before planning a specialized strategy.
Which augment is best for beginners?
Shield Matrix is forgiving and helps teams survive mistakes, making it great for new players who want to contribute without mastering advanced mechanics.
Can two players use the same augment in a team?
Yes, but stacking dynamics vary. Some augments don’t stack linearly and instead scale with unique formulas. In many cases, diverse augments covering offense and defense provide more consistent results.
How do I counter invisible or cloaked players?
Carry reveal tools, AoE damage, or sound-spotting skills. In team play, lay traps and cover sightlines to restrict their approach.
Are there augments that only work in PvE or only in PvP?
Several augments favor one mode due to scaling—AoE-over-time augments favor PvE, while clutch-duel augments favor PvP. Choosing augments that match the mode is often better than forcing a personal favorite.
How often should I change augments?
Adapt by map and team. For casual play, two to three augments you master are fine; for competitive play, change per match to counter enemies and optimize objectives.
Final notes and practice plan
One-week practice plan to master top augments
Day 1: Play 10 PvE missions with Xeno Surge focusing on kill chain timing. Record three runs.
Day 2: Play 10 PvP matches with Adaptive Cloak to learn timing and breaking disengage. Review deaths.
Day 3: Run objective maps with Phase Anchor and coordinate with a friend to hold three chokes.
Day 4: Experiment with Shield Matrix and Temporal Fold in harder PvE content to learn transfer and rewind windows.
Day 5: Practice counters — run matches where you intentionally counter top augments to internalize responses.
Day 6–7: Combine all learned playstyles into mixed sessions and refine loadouts. Focus on mod swaps and ability timing.
Closing summary This guide gives you a tactical framework for choosing augments and adapting loadouts to both PvE and PvP. The current meta centers around flexibility and momentum — Xeno Surge and Phase Anchor are the two augments that most often shift match outcomes, but the smartest players pick augments that best complement team composition and map objectives. Practice the drills, focus on windows of opportunity, and use the counter strategies to neutralize what gives you trouble.
Xeno Rush — Solo PvE Carry Checklist
Loadout
Augment: Xeno Surge
Weapon: High-crit precision rifle
Mods: Crit chance; Crit damage; Lifesteal
Support: Cooldown reducer or shield battery
Pre-match preparation
Verify crit mods are slotted and lifesteal enabled.
Equip mobility ability and ensure cooldowns are visible.
Warm up with 2–3 precision shots on moving targets.
During the match
Prioritize high-value targets (scouts, snipers) for first pick.
Open engagements with a precision shot to secure the first kill and trigger Xeno Surge.
Immediately reposition toward the next target using mobility ability.
Chain precision shots and finishers — aim to get at least 2 kills within the augment's refresh window.
When stacks are high, play aggressively but avoid overexposing to group fire.
Use lifesteal windows to tank minor aggro and maintain momentum.
If you lose stacks, reset: disengage, reposition, and hunt isolated enemies.
Emergency actions
Low on health: pull back, use shield battery, and re-engage only after one clean kill.
Team fight chaos: find a flank or vertical position to regain single-target kills.
Quick counters to watch
Burst interrupts and kill-steals; call out target locks to teammates.
Healing suppression; swap to safer targets if sustain is blocked.
Anchor Hold — Defensive Objective Checklist
Loadout
Augment: Phase Anchor
Weapon: Area burst/auto weapon
Mods: Radius increase; Slow strength; Damage amp inside field
Support: Trap or turret (if available)
Pre-match preparation
Identify common chokepoints on the map and preferred anchor placements.
Assign roles: who baits, who covers flanks, who holds the field center.
Check radius and duration mods to know window timing.
During the match
Deploy Phase Anchor at the start of the objective phase or just before enemy arrival.
Position slightly behind the field edge to maximize sight lines and safety.
Call for the team to stack inside the field as enemies enter.
Use grenades and AoE to herd enemies into the anchor zone.
Focus-fire targets called by teammates; use anchor's damage amp to clear quickly.
Rotate the anchor if enemies consistently avoid it or flank; redeploy on next approach.
If anchor duration ends, immediately place a new anchor at the nearest viable chokepoint.
Emergency actions
If anchor is being flanked: have second player rotate to intercept; use traps to block flanks.
If enemy pushes through: fall back to a secondary anchor position and re-establish control.
Quick counters to watch
Long-range poke and missile spam that force your team out of the field.
Mobile flankers that bypass the field; keep a teammate dedicated to flank watch.
Ghost Operative — PvP Flanker Checklist
Loadout
Augment: Adaptive Cloak
Weapon: Close-range high-burst (SMG or shotgun)
Mods: Movement speed on break cloak; Execute damage bonus
Support: Reveal/rescue tool (optional)
Pre-match preparation
Learn common enemy sightlines and usual objective rotations.
Practice cloak break timing and movement burst in a private lobby.
Set sensitivity and audio cues to detect enemy footsteps while cloaked.
During the match
Wait for teammate pressure to force an enemy focus elsewhere.
Use map geometry to approach from an unexpected angle.
Execute a quick burst to secure a pick; break cloak immediately and use speed buff to reposition.
After securing the elimination, recloak or move to cover to avoid counterfire.
Repeat the pick-and-vanish cycle until objective pressure shifts.
Prioritize backline targets (supports, snipers) and avoid committing to clustered frontline fights.
Communicate picks to teammates so they can capitalize on numbers advantage.
Emergency actions
If boxed in after a pick: use movement burst to exit, or toss a flash to create space.
If multiple enemies converge: disengage and call for backup rather than feeding a multi-kill.
Quick counters to watch
Reveal grenades, AoE reveals, and persistent area denial.
Listen for teammates calling out reveal usage and avoid that area until it expires.
Short checklist cheat-sheet (one-line prompts)
Xeno Rush: Kill → reposition → chain → lifesteal → repeat.
Anchor Hold: Deploy anchor → call team in → funnel enemies → focus-fire.
Ghost Operative: Flank → execute pick → break cloak + escape → recloak.
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