Drop into any lobby right now and you'll hear the same thing buzzing back at you: the Bobcat IV. r/ArcRaiders is full of "what's with all the Bobcat IVs?" and "Bobcat, Tempest, Bobcat, Tempest" — because the Bobcat has quietly become the default close-range SMG for half the server. Some of that is the dupe drama (more on that below), but most of it is simpler: a maxed Bobcat melts people inside 15 meters, it's cheap to rebuild, and the blueprint is realistically farmable. This guide gives you the real stats, where the blueprint actually drops, the best Bobcat IV build, and how to fight one when it's pointed at you.
Quick answer (TLDR): The Bobcat is an Epic, fully-automatic Light-Ammo SMG — 6 damage per shot at roughly 400 RPM, a 20-round base mag, and a 2.0× headshot multiplier. Upgrading it to Tier IV is the whole point: IV bumps durability to 2,185 shots, cuts horizontal recoil by ~45%, drops reload time ~40%, and tightens its spray so it's actually controllable. You craft it at a Gunsmith 3 workbench once you've learned the Bobcat Blueprint (Legendary), which drops from 3-star Weekly Trials or Security Breach lockers during Electromagnetic Storm map conditions (~30% a run). Best loadout: Compensator, Angled Grip, Extended Light Magazine III (35 rounds) and a recoil stock — then play it as a 10–15m duelist. It is NOT a duper-only gun; it's just genuinely strong and easy to make.
What is the Bobcat IV in ARC Raiders?
The Bobcat is one of ARC Raiders' Epic-tier submachine guns. The in-game item description sums it up bluntly: "Fully automatic SMG with high fire rate but low accuracy" (arcraiders.wiki — Bobcat). That one line is the whole personality of the weapon — it throws a wall of Light Ammo downrange fast, and at base it sprays. The "IV" just means you've taken it to its fourth and final upgrade tier, which is where it stops being a spray-and-pray and becomes a proper meta gun.
Here's why it's everywhere:
- It shreds at close range. High fire rate plus a 2.0× headshot multiplier means a clean point-blank burst drops a fully-shielded Raider in a fraction of a second.
- It's cheap to rebuild. Once you own the blueprint, a lost Bobcat is a couple of minutes at the workbench — not a gear-fear weapon you hoard.
- It scales hard with upgrades. The jump from Bobcat I to IV is one of the biggest controllability gains on any SMG in the game.
That combination is exactly why the subreddit is full of squads running mirrored Bobcat-and-Tempest kits — it's the lowest-risk way to win the fights that actually decide raids.
Bobcat IV stats: damage, fire rate, and what Tier IV actually changes
Don't trust third-party trackers for weapon numbers — pull them from the in-game card and the wiki. Here's the verified base profile and what each upgrade tier does.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Weapon class | Submachine Gun (SMG) |
| Rarity | Epic |
| Ammo | Light Ammo |
| Damage per shot | 6 |
| Fire rate | 66.7 (~400 RPM) |
| Base magazine | 20 rounds |
| Weight | 7.0 |
| Range | 44 |
| Headshot multiplier | 2.0× |
| ARC armor penetration | Very Weak |
Source: arcraiders.wiki — Bobcat.
Durability climbs sharply with tier, which is half the reason people grind to IV:
| Tier | Durability (shots) | Sell value |
|---|---|---|
| Bobcat I | 1,525 | 13,000 Coins |
| Bobcat II | 1,694 | 17,000 Coins |
| Bobcat III | 1,906 | 22,000 Coins |
| Bobcat IV | 2,185 | 27,000 Coins |
What Tier IV gives you (the upgrade modifiers on the IV card):
- ~45% reduced horizontal recoil — the single biggest reason IV feels glued to your crosshair.
- ~40% reduced reload time — you re-enter the fight before the other guy finishes his mag.
- Tighter max shot dispersion — the spray that defines the base gun gets reined in, so mid-range bursts stop falling apart.
- +30 durability on top of the tier bump.
There's a money detail in that card too: a Bobcat IV recycles into 5× Advanced Mechanical Components + 4× Light Gun Parts. That's why even non-users loot them — the parts feed the rest of your crafting. If you'd rather skip the grind and jump straight to a kitted close-range setup, our ARC Raiders best attachments guide breaks down which mods are worth chasing first.
Is the Bobcat IV a "duper gun"? (Clearing up the drama)
Short version: no — but the dupe glitch is why you're seeing so many. A duplication exploit let some players flood their stashes with identical kitted Bobcats, which is exactly why lobbies feel like "Bobcat, Tempest, Bobcat, Tempest." Embark has been actively patching the dupe (and the community is openly hunting the dupers), so don't assume every Bobcat IV across the map is illegitimate.
The reality from players who craft them honestly: it isn't a hard gun to build. As one r/ArcRaiders Raider put it, people are "now assuming anyone who runs them is a duper… but they're not that hard to make." A standard kit is a Kinetic muzzle, a horizontal grip and a Bobcat IV — common parts, not exotic ones. If you want the full breakdown of what's patched, what's still risky, and the safe way to stock up without a ban, read our ARC Raiders dupe glitch explainer before you touch anything sketchy.
Where do you get the Bobcat blueprint in ARC Raiders?
The Bobcat blueprint is Legendary, and like every blueprint in ARC Raiders it's Learn-and-Consume: you learn it permanently in Speranza, then craft the weapon at a Gunsmith level 3 workbench. There are two realistic ways to get it:
1. Three-star a Weekly Trial. Hitting 3 stars in the Weekly Trials has a high chance of awarding the Bobcat blueprint. This is the most reliable route because you control it — you're not praying to RNG, you're clearing objectives. Our ARC Raiders Trials best-maps guide covers the fastest routes to 3 stars on each challenge.
2. Security Breach lockers during an Electromagnetic Storm. When the Electromagnetic Storm map condition is active, Security Breach lockers can drop the blueprint (or the weapon itself). Reported rates sit around 30% per run — roughly 3 finds in 10 attempts — so it's a grind, but a fast one if storms are up.
A quick crafting note: the blueprint only lets you craft a Bobcat I. To get to the IV everyone's running, you then upgrade it through the tiers at the Gunsmith bench using Light Gun Parts and mechanical components — the same parts a recycled Bobcat hands you. If blueprint RNG isn't cooperating and you just want the gun in your hands today, our ARC Raiders blueprint service skips the farm entirely.
Best Bobcat IV build and loadout
The Bobcat does one job — winning close-range duels — so every mod should serve recoil control and uptime. This is the build the community has converged on:
- Muzzle — Compensator III: the biggest single dispersion fix. Pairs with the IV's built-in recoil reduction to keep your spray on a chest at 10–15m.
- Underbarrel — Angled / Horizontal Grip: more horizontal-recoil control so you can hold a target through a full burst.
- Magazine — Extended Light Magazine III: pushes the mag to 35 rounds, which is the difference between killing a duo and reloading in front of the second guy.
- Stock — recoil/dispersion stock (e.g. Padded): stacks vertical and horizontal recoil reduction plus dispersion control for overall spray stability.
How to play it: the Bobcat falls off fast past mid-range, so don't fight at distance. Push aggressively, hold angles inside 15 meters, and open with a headshot burst to cash in that 2.0× multiplier. Against ARC enemies it's weak — "Very Weak" armor pen means it's a PvP and lightly-shielded-mob tool, not a boss gun. For that, bring something with real penetration; our best beginner loadout guide covers what to pair it with so you're not naked against a Matriarch.
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How to counter a Bobcat IV
Since half the server is running one, knowing how to beat it matters as much as owning one:
- Don't brawl it in its range. Inside 15m the Bobcat wins the time-to-kill war. Force the fight to mid-range with a Venator, Anvil or any controlled-recoil weapon and the Bobcat's dispersion does your work for you.
- Break line of sight on the reload. Even at IV it runs a 35-round mag against a high fire rate — bait the dump, then peek.
- Use cover and shields. Its Light Ammo and very-weak penetration mean a good shield and a corner buy you the half-second you need to reposition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bobcat IV the best SMG in ARC Raiders? It's the strongest all-round close-range SMG right now for the cost — cheap to craft, easy to control at IV, and brutal inside 15 meters. It's not a long-range or anti-ARC gun, but for PvP duels it's top of the meta.
Is the Bobcat IV a duper-only weapon? No. A dupe glitch flooded lobbies with copies, which is why it feels everywhere, but the Bobcat is fully craftable from a legitimate blueprint and, in players' own words, "not that hard to make." Crafting one is not bannable; abusing the dupe exploit is.
How do I get the Bobcat blueprint fast? Three-star a Weekly Trial (high blueprint chance and fully in your control) or farm Security Breach lockers while an Electromagnetic Storm is active (~30% per run). The Trials route is the most consistent.
What level workbench do I need to craft the Bobcat? A Gunsmith level 3 workbench, after you've learned the Legendary Bobcat blueprint in Speranza. The blueprint crafts a Bobcat I, which you then upgrade to IV.
What's the best Bobcat IV build? Compensator, Angled/Horizontal Grip, Extended Light Magazine III (35 rounds) and a recoil-reduction stock — tuned entirely for close-range recoil control and uptime.
What does a Bobcat IV sell or recycle for? It sells for 27,000 Coins and recycles into 5× Advanced Mechanical Components + 4× Light Gun Parts — worth scrapping even if you don't run it.
