Armored Core 6 Beginner’s Guide: Build and Combat Tips & Tricks for AC6

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon is likely the most accessible game in the series. The controls and movements of the massive machines feel aligned, making combat and exploration so much easier. However, the game isn’t without difficulty, and players can get stuck quickly if they ignore the options available to them and instead focus only on missions.

To master Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon, players need to take advantage of everything the game offers, from training to AC Assembly between every mission and so much more. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best AC6 beginner’s tips and tricks players should pay attention to.

Related: Armored Core 6: How to Destroy the PCA Heavy Combat Helicopter in AC6

Beginner’s Tips & Tricks for Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon

Below, we’ve listed the tips and tricks we wish we’d known while starting in Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon. Based on our experiences with the game, these items will help every player avoid the mistakes we made and progress through each mission without hitting as many barriers.

Play Every Training Mission as They Become Available

The tutorial mission does a great job of explaining the core mechanics of Armored Core 6. However, it isn’t an exhaustive look at every button and system, meaning many are left on the table for players to learn by themselves.

As players progress through each mission, they’ll unlock new training simulations that offer a chance to practice precise combat moves and new AC gear. These missions are easy, but they show players how to get around situations they’ll encounter in the missions ahead, such as how shields work or getting around an enemy’s defenses. The gear they unlock adds to the player’s arsenal, opening up new builds for future missions, but they can be sold for profit if players don’t want to use them.

Buy a Left Shoulder Weapon as Soon as Possible

Players start Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon with a fairly complete Armored Core, but it’s missing a weapon for its left shoulder. After completing the first two missions, players unlock the Parts Shop, and we recommend buying something to fill the gap as quickly as possible. This will give the Armored Core another weapon to help eliminate the enemies in any encounter and ease the strain on players trying to desperately avoid damage while getting in close to use melee attacks.

Pay Attention to Bonus Pay

Some missions offer bonus pay in Armored Core 6 fires of Rubicon. Since players have their ammunition and repair costs taken out of the cash they earn before they even see it, earning a little extra is essential, especially for players who want to buy the best parts possible for their Armored Core.

Some missions offer a bonus on top of the base payment. For example, an early mission in Chapter 1 pays players a little extra for every Light MT they destroy. When we saw this, we explored the map in that mission much more than we would have otherwise, just so we could get as much bonus pay as possible. We ended up using up all of our ammunition and completing the main objective by the skin of our teeth. But it was worth the pay for the shiny new parts we could afford.

Don’t be Afraid to Get in Close and Use Melee Attacks

Every Armored Core is equipped with a melee weapon. This never runs out of ammo and is incredibly powerful when striking twice or using a charged strike. After we ran out of ammo in a mission, it allowed us to continue and complete the objective without being a sitting duck because it’s also a fairly agile attack that instantly allows players to move away from a target.

Don’t stay back and fire every weapon possible at enemies in every mission. It’s worth saving ammo and getting up close and personal with as many foes as possible to destroy them in a single hit and move on. This must be balanced with an Armored Core’s health, but we found that most combat encounters in Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon can only benefit from the use of a melee attack or two.

Make the Most of the Stagger System

Enemies in Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon all have a stagger meter. The more they’re hit, the higher that meter will go until it hits the top, and the enemy is stunned. This even applies to bosses, where it’s much more apparent how high the stagger meter is. Making the most of this system will help all players beat every mission in the game so much faster.

The stagger meter will drop between hits, so the key to pushing it higher is to batter enemies with as many shots as possible. Use a firearm, then switch to a missile while reloading, and get in a few melee hits, too. The melee hits are perfect for increasing the stagger meter because of the great impact.

If players want to craft an Armored Core build that staggers enemies quickly, they need to push up their Impact rating. This stat is what determines how quickly a player can stagger foes. Some weapons, such as linear rifles, have much higher Impact stats because they pretty much knock enemies down. Compared to a machine gun with a low Impact stat, the difference is pronounced on the battlefield.

In a tough fight, use cover and hide from incoming shots while reloading or charging up to go on the assault. The loss on the stagger meter is worth the time it takes to be ready to fire a new barrage at an enemy or even fly into their face and nail them with a charged melee attack.

Once staggered, an enemy is more vulnerable to damage, making every subsequent hit so much more powerful for the duration of the stagger. Any players struggling in a battle should look to stagger enemies more so that they can get through that fight with less trouble.