Amplification gives 15 ARC Raiders guns a fifth quality level with an upgrade tree of its own. Socket an Amplification Module that matches the gun's rarity into a tier IV copy, then spend scarce parts on its upgrades. Most upgrades also need a research at the Outpost's Research Station first.
Embark's developers say modules drop in only two places: the Frigate, and inside the fallen Emperor on Pendola Pass. There are five Marks, one per weapon rarity, and the developers say all five share the same drop rate, so a MK V should be no rarer than a MK I.
Launch-day guides also list two conduits near the end of the Frozen Trail Reward Pass.
The four parts made for amplification come from Frigate and Emperor loot: Pneumatic Actuators, Pressure Regulators, Fluted Rotor Cores and Propellant Valve Assemblies. Early-access players also found them in Emperor Payloads. The other upgrade costs are mostly ARC parts, plus 3 Fossilized Lightning for every incendiary and explosive upgrade.
An amplified gun is built to stay with the Raider who made it:
Each repair restores 50% durability. The base cost below climbs with the Mark, and every upgrade adds to it, usually 8 to 11 fragments: a bare Rattler takes 7 fragments, a fully built one 35.
Each table lists what an upgrade does, the parts you pay on that gun and the research that unlocks it. You research each one once; the parts are paid again on every gun you upgrade.
Hairpin
Silenced pistol. Three branches that don't mix: Incendiary Rounds and Tracker Rounds each end the tree, while Semi-Auto leads on to Sprint Shooting.
Kettle
Semi-auto rifle. X-Rounds stands alone, while Full-Auto and Anti-Shield stack in either order.
Rattler
Full-auto rifle, and Embark's showcase build: incendiary bullets from a 64-round drum. In the 2.0 game data all three upgrades stack, though early-access footage showed Incendiary Rounds as an either-or, so check the tree before you buy. Drum Mag needs More Reload first.
Burletta
Semi-auto pistol. Pick Burst Fire or Full-Auto, not both. Sprint Shooting fits either, and Increased Burst extends Burst Fire.
Il Toro
Pump shotgun. Both upgrades stack, in either order.
Anvil
Hand cannon, now a rare gun after 2.0 moved it up from uncommon. You get one upgrade: Anvil Splitter or X-Rounds.
Canto
SMG. Carbine Conversion or Sprint Shooting, not both, and either one costs the stock slot. Incendiary Rounds stacks with both.
Osprey
Bolt-action sniper. Anti-Weak Point or Tracker Rounds, not both. Ergonomic Bolt stacks with either, but costs the stock slot.
Rascal
Grenade launcher whose rounds only detonate on ARC. All three upgrades stack.
Renegade
Lever-action rifle. Both upgrades stack, but the scope takes the magazine slot.
Bettina
Full-auto rifle with a slow fire rate. Bigger Mag ends the tree on its own, while Semi-Auto leads on to X-Rounds.
Hullcracker
Pump-action grenade launcher. Both upgrades stack.
Aphelion
Burst energy rifle with the deepest tree: all four upgrades stack. Increased Burst needs Charged Burst first.
Equalizer
Beam rifle. Ramping Damage or Anti-Weak Point, not both. Bigger Mag stacks with either.
Jupiter
Railgun sniper. All three upgrades stack.
The 15 weapon researches are the whole of the Research Station's top level. Each costs 5,000 Research Points plus the parts below, and its task must be finished before it unlocks. The game data marks four as single-raid tasks, and several want a particular gun in hand.
Our picks for a first module weigh what a build costs to reach and to keep running. Every upgrade adds to a gun's repair bill, so compare full builds, not bare guns. Upgrades that skip research are the quickest wins.
