S-Tier Utility: Non-Negotiable Picks
Some utilities are so powerful that leaving them behind actively lowers your chances of surviving a raid.
Smoke Grenades (Blue and Small Smokes) sit at the very top of S-tier. They shut down sightlines, enable revives, secure extractions, and allow safe repositioning in both PvP and PvE scenarios. If you are not bringing smokes, you are playing at a disadvantage.
Defibrillators are another top-tier necessity. They revive squadmates faster and bring them back with 50 health, allowing immediate re-engagement. Even in solos, defibs can be used creatively or to assist other players. They are cheap to craft once unlocked and should be in every raid.
Barricade Kits provide instant, deployable cover anywhere on the map. They block doorways, protect loot interactions, and create unpredictable peek angles in open terrain. Their flexibility alone justifies their S-tier placement.
Adrenaline Shots refill stamina and grant infinite stamina for a short duration, making them invaluable for overweight kits, escapes, and extended fights. Their low crafting cost makes them one of the most efficient utilities in the game.
Heavy Fuse Grenades, Trigger Grenades, and Trailblazers dominate offensive utility. Heavy fuse grenades excel at forcing enemies out of cover, trigger grenades allow manual detonation for unavoidable damage, and trailblazers devastate corridors with massive area denial. These grenades define high-level PvP engagements.
Jolt Mines also earn S-tier due to their four-second stun, low ARC Raiders Coins cost, and ability to lock down choke points when placed intelligently.
A-Tier Utility: High Value with Skill Requirement
A-tier items are powerful but require awareness, positioning, or synergy to reach full effectiveness.
Light Impact Grenades are extremely cost-efficient, spam-friendly, and excellent at interrupting heals or pressuring enemies behind cover. While not devastating on their own, they consistently generate value.
Snap Blast Grenades offer reliable damage and can stick to players or surfaces, making them effective against both AI and squads grouped.
Tag Grenades shine when paired with smoke grenades, allowing you to mark enemies and engage safely through obscured sightlines. Used properly, they are nearly S-tier.
Showstoppers provide short stuns and strong AI control, but can backfire by stunning teammates. Their power is undeniable, but misuse is costly.
B-Tier Utility: Situational but Useful
B-tier items have clear use cases but are not universal picks.
Gas Grenades and Seeker Grenades provide area denial and AI pressure at low cost, though they are rarely optimal over stronger grenade options.
Photo-Electronic Cloaks allow stealthy looting and PvE manipulation but attract lightning during storms, making them risky without planning.
Remote Raider Flares are underutilized bait tools that can lure players into traps or fake engagements when used creatively.
C- and D-Tier Utility: Niche or Outclassed
These utilities are either too situational or simply inferior to alternatives.
Blaze Grenade Traps, Explosive Mines, and Gas Mines can work in specific setups, but often create team damage risks or are too easy to counter.
Door Blockers serve a single purpose and are largely outclassed by barricade kits.
Agave Juice, Flame Spray, Noise Makers, Smoke Grenade Traps, Light Sticks, and Binoculars provide little practical value relative to their cost or slot usage.
Final Takeaway
In ARC Raiders, utility selection is about flexibility, survivability, and control. Smokes, defibs, strong grenades, and movement tools consistently outperform gimmicks and niche items. Build your kit around S- and A-tier utility first, then layer situational tools only if you have the space and the plan to use ARC Raiders items effectively. Smart utility choices will win you more fights than raw gunplay ever will.