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FromSoftware is known for making games with high difficulty but incredible customization. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon embodies that design philosophy. There are a huge number of viable builds the player can take into combat against bosses and other players in PvP. From the heaviest tanks to the most agile reverse-joints, there’s a build to fit every strategy in the game. No AC can be the best at everything at once, but the following builds excel in their chosen strategies. Here are the best Armored Core 6 builds, in no particular order.
Recon Reverse-Joint
This reverse-joint build specializes in three things: mobility, close combat, and scanning. Though it often struggles in PvP due to its light armor, the recon reverse joint is a fantastic pick for story mode. Whether you’re toughing it out through the campaign for the first time or trying to S rank every mission in NG+, this build can get the job done. The Sweet Sixteen shotgun and Moonlight energy blade allow you to take the fight to the enemy and destroy weaker foes in an instant. The VE-44B head, meanwhile, greatly improves scans, making it easy to find hidden parts you would otherwise miss.
Explosive Tetra
FromSoftware games enable players to players succeed with a variety of strategies. In Elden Ring that includes everything from tactical magic to spamming heavy club attacks. Each of the best Armored Core 6 builds takes a unique road to success, and the explosive tetra build takes the direct approach. Pairing double Dizzy units with double Earshots gives the player unprecedented firepower. A single shot from any one of these explosives can be enough to stagger or destroy some opponents. Combine the offense power of all four and you have the potential to kill PvP opponents in just a few volleys.
Moonlight Build
From rocket fists to energy whips and double-bladed sabers, AC6 brings a ton of fun melee weapons to the table. For longtime fans of the series, however, there’s only one real choice: the Moonlight. This popular energy sword pairs range and a wide arc with high Attack Power. Toss in a Zimmerman, likely the best and most popular shotgun in the game, and you’re left with a biped that can wreck most enemies. Songbirds fill both backslots, so once the player has staggered their enemy with the Moonlight and shotgun, they have heavy explosives waiting to end the fight in an explosion of burning scrap.
Missile Tetra
In a FromSoftware title, where so much build variety exists, some combinations inevitably rise in popularity, while others become hated. The missile tetra is not only one of the best Armored Core 6 builds but also one of the most despised. The strategy is simple: get airborne and stay there while launching an endless salvo of rockets down at your opponent. High AP, a long flight time, and constant DPS make the missile tetra the most feared predator in the skies. It probably won’t make you friends, but it will win you most battles in PvP.
Gatling Tank Build
Whether you want to plow through the Arena or bring down the game’s beefiest bosses, this tank build has you covered. The Hu-Ben gatling gun ranks amongst the strongest weapons in the game. A deep ammo pool and incredible speed mean this automatic weapon can stop just about anything in its tracks. For good measure, this build brings two of them. The 60SNA and Morley back units round out this build’s high DPS potential, and with a Bornemissza base, the player never has to stop moving to fire. As if that weren’t enough, this tank build has some of the highest AP in the game, making it all but impossible for weaker ACs to bring down.
Double Trigger Zimmerman
You could probably guess this one was coming. The double trigger Zimmerman build manages to be as effective as it is fun. It’s possible to complete the entire campaign, taking down even the most difficult bosses, with this build alone. Bring the same kit to the Arena or the Nest and you’ll get similar results. The BML-G1/P20MLT-04 and Earshot give the player increased tactical options as well. Get in close and then shred your opponent with shotgun blasts until they’re staggered. From there, it won’t take many Earshot blasts to finish them off. The double trigger Zimmerman is arguably the best Armored Core 6 build of all. Whatever the case may be, there’s no doubt that getting through this rough FromSoftware title is much easier with this mech in your hanger.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.