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The strongest Frigate kit is role-based rather than a single “best” loadout: carry Hullcracker or Jupiter for armored ARC, add a dependable close-to-mid-range weapon for Raiders and smaller ARC, then reserve slots for heavy ammunition, healing, shields, a hook and a controlled escape. A cheap boarding-quest kit can be much lighter than the sustained-combat setup needed for sabotage and cargo.
The Frigate is a contested PvPvE map condition. You board from a Reclaimer, fight through escalating ARC defenses inside the ship, solve multi-player control interactions and then escape with your kit and loot at risk. The recommendations below synthesize current October 2026 guides; they are not an official developer loadout or controlled weapon ranking.
Choose your objective before choosing equipment
There are two very different reasons to enter a Frigate match. The introductory Boarding the Frigate objective asks you to board and damage enemies. You can complete that goal without committing to every interior fight, the cargo sequence or the most expensive consumables.
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| Run objective | Priority | Practical loadout approach |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding quest or damage objective | Reach the ship, deal qualifying damage and survive a contested approach | One armor-capable weapon, one versatile PvP weapon, moderate ammunition, basic healing and a hook. Avoid spending rare utility unless the lobby forces a longer fight. |
| Full sabotage and cargo | Clear repeated ARC encounters, operate controls and extract cargo | Hullcracker or Jupiter, a close-to-mid-range main weapon, a large reserve of heavy and secondary ammunition, several heals and shield recharges, traversal and recovery utility, plus a coordinated squad. |
| PvP-heavy lobby | Win or disengage from Raider fights around the Reclaimer and ship | Give the second weapon and ammunition enough weight to fight players. Do not over-invest in ARC ammunition if you expect to abandon the interior route. |
Current guides disagree on exact item counts and preferred secondary weapons. Their consistent advice is to cover armor damage, player fights, sustain, traversal and extraction rather than copy a fixed inventory.
The core weapon combination
Hullcracker for the armor role
Bring a Hullcracker when the run is built around damaging armored ARC. Both Beebom’s October 9, 2026 guide and games.gg’s Frigate guide place Hullcracker, or an equivalent armor-focused option, in the anti-ARC role. This is a guide recommendation, not a published damage test or official minimum requirement.
Its value is specialization: it gives the squad a deliberate answer to heavy armor while a teammate handles close targets and Raiders. If the weapon is expensive for your account, decide whether the expected reward justifies risking it. A boarding-only attempt may use a cheaper armor option if available, but the guide evidence does not establish a substitute’s exact performance.
Jupiter as the alternative armor option
Jupiter is the other named armor-focused choice in Beebom’s setup. Treat it as an alternative to Hullcracker, not as a proven higher-tier replacement. Patch balance, ammunition access and your familiarity with the weapon can change which one is sensible in a particular run.
A close-to-mid-range weapon for interiors and Raiders
The ship’s interior creates short sight lines and sudden flanks, so pair the armor weapon with a reliable close-to-mid-range firearm. games.gg explicitly recommends this range role for tight interior fights. The second weapon should be usable against Raiders and smaller ARC without consuming the entire heavy-ammunition reserve.
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Beebom names Bettina as one example of a heavy weapon that can contribute in both PvP and PvE. That makes it a flexible choice, but it also increases the ammunition burden. If you select Bettina, reserve enough heavy ammunition for the ARC stages instead of assuming the weapon’s flexibility eliminates the need for a second ammo plan.
| Weapon slot | Target role | When it makes sense | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hullcracker | Armored ARC | Full sabotage, heavy ARC pressure or a squad lacking another armor specialist | Consumes valuable ammunition and may be costly to lose |
| Jupiter | Armored ARC | When it is your available armor-focused option or fits your handling preference | No reviewed source establishes a universal damage advantage over Hullcracker |
| Bettina | Raiders, smaller ARC and general heavy-weapon damage | You want one flexible weapon for PvP and PvE and can carry substantial heavy ammunition | Heavy-ammo demand competes with the armor role |
| Close-to-mid-range main weapon | Interior defense, Raiders and smaller targets | Every full-clear squad should cover this role, regardless of the named model | A weapon optimized only for distance can be awkward inside the ship |
Ammunition: plan for attrition, not a single fight
The Frigate stacks multiple ARC encounters instead of presenting one isolated boss. Carry a large reserve for the armor weapon and enough ammunition for the close-to-mid-range weapon. Beebom’s example setup includes heavy plus launcher or energy ammunition; the exact mix depends on the weapons your squad actually brings.
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Arc Raiders Hub reports that one full-clear trio spent more than 150 Hullcracker rounds per player, along with heavy ammunition for Bettinas. That is one squad’s run detail, not an average requirement or a guaranteed cost. It is nevertheless a useful warning against packing only the amount needed for the first lift.
- Count ammunition for the approach, the first lift, the central core, the later ARC waves and the cargo sequence.
- Split armor ammunition among players so one death does not remove the squad’s entire anti-ARC capability.
- Keep the secondary weapon supplied for Raiders; saving every round for ARC can leave you unable to contest a player ambush.
- Do not treat a guide’s item count as permanent. Weapon balance, availability and map-condition rules can change with patches.
Healing and shields that justify their slots
Extended ARC pressure can drain health and shields before the squad reaches the cargo controls. Hydra targeting, Firefly fire and other flying ARC create damage that compounds while you are operating exposed interactions. Carry multiple healing and shield resources for a full-clear attempt, and use them before a player is forced into a downed state.
Beebom’s detailed example lists a Medium Shield, herbal bandages, a Vita Shot or Sterilized Bandage, and Shield Rechargers. These are examples of a sustain package, not a mandatory shopping list. Choose the healing items you can replace reliably and distribute them across the squad rather than placing every recovery resource on one player.
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- Health recovery: Use a bandage or equivalent after taking sustained fire instead of waiting until the next interaction begins.
- Shield recovery: Carry enough Shield Rechargers to recover between waves; a depleted shield makes the next exposed crossing much riskier.
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- Revives: Reserve at least one recovery option for a teammate if the squad is attempting sabotage rather than a quick quest exit.
Traversal and the return trip
Use a hook to reach and cross the ship
A Grappling Hook or Snap Hook helps you reach Reclaimers, cross the Frigate and access elevated routes. Guides also describe hooks as a way to skip some traversal stages. That mobility is valuable, but a hook can break or be lost, so it is not a substitute for route awareness.
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Plan how you will descend before boarding
Reaching the top is only half the extraction problem. A Powered Descender is a guide-recommended aid for returning from the elevated ship, but no descent item makes every fall safe. Keep an escape route in mind while advancing and avoid spending the only traversal tool on an optional shortcut if the squad still needs to leave.
Assign one player to watch the return path while others interact with objectives. This reduces the chance that a Raider or ARC wave traps the squad at the ship’s highest point.
Team utility: barriers, explosives and revives
Utility items become more valuable when the squad must stand at exposed controls. Beebom lists barriers, Defibrillators, Wolf Packs or Trigger Nades and a Snap Hook; games.gg also emphasizes traversal, descent, healing and utility. These are editorial suggestions rather than required gear.
- Barriers: Place them to break lines of fire around a control panel or to create a safer revive angle.
- Grenades: Wolf Packs or Trigger Nades can help clear clustered threats or discourage a Raider push, but keep enough ammunition for the ARC stages.
- Defibrillators: Carry one when attempting the full route. A revive can preserve the squad’s armor role and ammunition investment.
- Role assignment: Give one player the anti-armor weapon, one the interior/PvP weapon and one the utility or recovery responsibility. Players can overlap roles, but the squad should know who is responsible for each task before the first interaction.
Three practical loadout templates
| Template | Weapons | Consumables and utility | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-risk boarding attempt | Affordable armor-capable weapon plus a close-to-mid-range weapon | Basic healing, at least one shield resource and a hook if available | Completing the introductory objective without committing to cargo |
| Balanced full-clear trio | Hullcracker or Jupiter on the armor player; Bettina or another reliable close-to-mid-range option on the flexible player | Large heavy reserve, launcher or energy ammunition as appropriate, multiple heals, Shield Rechargers, barriers and a Defibrillator distributed across the squad | Repeated ARC fights, core controls and a planned cargo extraction |
| PvP-conscious run | Armor weapon on one player; a weapon comfortable against Raiders on the others | Moderate ARC ammunition, shields and healing, grenades for disengagement, hook and a return aid | Contested Reclaimer approaches where a full sabotage attempt may be abandoned |
These templates intentionally omit fixed quantities because the reviewed guides do not establish a universal count, and inventory capacity varies with the live build and your augment choices.
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Augments and protecting valuable loot
Beebom’s example uses a Looting MK3 Survivor augment. Treat that as one build option for players prioritizing survival or loot handling, not as a requirement for the encounter.
Move a valuable Amplification Module into the safe pocket as soon as you acquire it. Arc Raiders Hub recounts losing other carried gear on a failed run while retaining the module in the safe pocket. The lesson is procedural: secure irreplaceable value before taking another optional fight, opening another container or attempting a dangerous descent.
How boarding and the interior route affect your kit
Approach the Reclaimer
The Frigate cannot simply be destroyed from outside. Players board by using a Reclaimer platform that travels between the ground and the ship. Climb aboard while it is low, use the center interaction to disrupt it and ride upward onto the hull. This approach is exposed and can be contested by Raiders, so keep the PvP weapon ready rather than holding only the armor gun.
First lift and central controls
After boarding, the route introduces lift and core interactions. Arc Raiders Hub reports simultaneous panels and recommends a coordinated group; it also notes some run-to-run variation in the number of players involved at the first lift. Read the live objective prompts instead of assuming every run uses an identical sequence.
ARC escalation inside the ship
Hydras, Rocketeers, Vaporizers and other flying ARC appear as the squad advances. Spread out when a Hydra targets multiple threats, keep hard cover nearby and leave an escape lane before starting an interaction. The Hydra’s in-game Codex describes it as “an immovable threat capable of engaging several threats at once”; that wording explains why standing together at one panel can turn a manageable wave into a wipe.
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Fold-out platforms and lower cargo
Arc Raiders Hub describes yellow wall targets that open fold-out platforms. The lower cargo section requires destroying a core and operating release panels from opposite sides at the same time, with the sequence repeated until the cargo releases. The cargo canister then descends to the map for looting. Because the route is still patch-sensitive, verify each prompt in the live build rather than memorizing a fixed order from an older video.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Step-by-step preparation checklist
- Set the objective. Tell the squad whether the goal is quest credit, damage and extraction, or a complete sabotage and cargo run.
- Assign roles. Nominate an armor player with Hullcracker or Jupiter, an interior/PvP player and a utility or recovery player.
- Audit ammunition. Pack a large reserve for the armor weapon, then supply the close-to-mid-range weapon and any launcher or energy weapon.
- Distribute sustain. Give multiple players healing and Shield Rechargers so a single death does not remove all recovery.
- Pack mobility. Bring a Grappling Hook or Snap Hook and agree who saves it for the return. Add a Powered Descender or another guide-recommended descent aid when available.
- Add situational utility. Use barriers, grenades and a Defibrillator if the squad is attempting the longer route or expects contested interactions.
- Plan the Reclaimer approach. Decide who watches for Raiders while another player performs the center disruption.
- Secure rare loot immediately. Put an Amplification Module in the safe pocket as soon as it is obtained.
- Set an abort condition. If ammunition, shields or traversal tools are nearly gone, leave rather than converting a successful quest into a total kit loss.
How to adapt when the run goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Response |
|---|---|---|
| The squad runs out of armor ammunition before cargo | Too little reserve, concentrated damage on one player or an unexpectedly long ARC sequence | Share remaining rounds, switch the secondary weapon to suitable targets and abandon optional fights. Do not assume the cargo route is safe without an anti-armor answer. |
| A Hydra pins the team at one panel | Players stacked together with no cover or escape lane | Spread out, use barriers, rotate one player onto the interaction only when another has line-of-sight control, and heal before the next wave. |
| A Raider contests the Reclaimer | The exposed boarding approach attracts PvP | Use the close-to-mid-range weapon, grenades and cover; disengage if the fight consumes the ammunition reserved for the ship. |
| The hook is lost or breaks | Traversal tool failure or an overextended shortcut | Stop advancing until the squad identifies a normal route. Preserve a descent plan and do not assume a second jump is survivable. |
| A teammate is down near a control | ARC pressure during an exposed interaction | Use a barrier to create a revive angle, deploy the Defibrillator if carried and have the surviving armor player suppress the largest threat. |
| The squad has cargo but no safe exit | Return route was not planned before boarding | Use the saved hook or descent aid, move as a group and avoid optional containers until the valuable module is secured. |
What is established—and what is not
Current public guidance supports a role-based kit, not a definitive ranking. Beebom’s updated October 9, 2026 article gives the most specific example inventory. games.gg emphasizes armor damage, close-to-mid-range handling, healing and traversal, while Arc Raiders Hub documents the Reclaimer interaction, cargo mechanics, safe-pocket advice and one high-ammunition full-clear run. You can compare those guides at Beebom, games.gg and Arc Raiders Hub.
No reviewed official developer page specifies a best Frigate kit, and the guides do not provide controlled damage benchmarks, population-wide ammunition averages or a permanent route specification. The Frigate’s availability, weapon balance, ammunition access, hook behavior and objective prompts can change with patches. Check the live in-game labels before committing rare gear.
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For a serious sabotage attempt, start with Hullcracker or Jupiter, pair it with a close-to-mid-range weapon such as the Bettina example or another weapon you can fight Raiders with, and budget ammunition for several ARC stages rather than one encounter. Add multiple heals, shield recharges, a hook, a return aid and distributed team utility. For the introductory boarding objective, use the same role logic with cheaper gear and leave once the objective is complete. The right Frigate loadout is the one that covers armor, PvP, sustain and extraction without risking more inventory than the objective warrants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hullcracker mandatory for the Frigate?
No. Current guides recommend Hullcracker or Jupiter as armor-focused options, but no official minimum requirement or controlled comparison establishes one mandatory weapon.
How much ammunition should I bring?
Bring a large reserve for a full-clear attempt. Arc Raiders Hub reports one trio using more than 150 Hullcracker rounds per player, but that is a single run and not a universal requirement.
Can I complete the Frigate boarding quest without clearing cargo?
Yes. The introductory objective is distinct from the longer sabotage and cargo route, so a cheaper kit can be rational when you only need boarding and enemy damage.
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Save a Grappling Hook or Snap Hook for the return, consider a Powered Descender, keep an escape route while advancing and avoid assuming any descent item makes every fall safe.
Quick Recap
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