6 Best Kinetic Weapons in Armored Core 6 (& How to Unlock Them)

Kinect weapons of Armored Core 6 tend to deal less damage, but have high impact that staggers enemies. Get in close and make the enemy helpless.

Kinetic is one of the main damage types in Armored Core 6. Compared to Energy and Explosive types, it tends to do low direct damage. Instead, the physical force of Kinetic attacks offers a high impact that can easily stagger enemies, leaving them vulnerable to an ongoing assault.

Many - but not all - Kinetic weapons are used at close range. This makes it incredibly important to pick the right set of legs for the rest of the build. Reverse jointed legs offer the most speed, but can’t support much weight. Bipedal legs are the most balanced, having the second-best speeds, and can easily allow more flexibility when choosing generators.

The Ransetsu burst rifle is one of the first weapon options when the Armory shop is unlocked. This occurs after completing the second mission, Destroy Artillery Installations at Contaminated City. The rifle will cost 105,000 COAM, which is close to the bounty for the aforementioned mission.

The Ransetsu deals 194 damage and 245 impact per hit. This might not seem like much, but the gun can quickly spray three shots at once. Its magazine also holds 15 rounds, allowing for five quick bursts of heavy damage before needing to reload. The gun has a weight of 4210, which can make it tougher to dual-wield or use with other heavier gear. Later, you might find yourself replacing the Ranestsu as a main weapon, but it is always a good backup option.

The Ashmead is among the first melee weapons in the game. It is available after completing mission 11, Attack the Watchpoint Delta at Northern Belius. The mission rewards 380,000 COAM, which is more than enough to buy the Ashmead for the next battle.

The Ashmead deals 1668 damage and has an impact of 1150. As a melee weapon, the pile bunker requires getting in extremely close to deal any damage. This can put you at risk of suffering damage during the pursuit, especially if you haven’t yet invested in armor point-based equipment. When charged, the Ashmead will deliver an extra Explosive burst which can seriously damage the enemy and leave them even more stunned. Finally, as a melee weapon, there is no ammo cost, making it ideal for saving up extra COAM each mission.

The Zimmerman is one of the first possible shotguns, unlocked near the start of chapter 2. You will need to finish Ocean Crossing at Upper Grid 086, Outer Shell. The gun costs 115,000 COAM which is more than enough earned from finishing the mission.

The shotgun deals a steady 900 damage and 840 impact score. It has a fair amount of recoil at 90 and an ammo cost of 350, making it mostly suited as an off-hand weapon. Still, you could go all in and dual-wield two Zimmermans if you have extra COAM to spare. This can be a fast way to clear out repeat missions when using Armor Core 6’s New Game Plus mode.

The Turner is the first assault rifle gained from the Armory shop. It costs 55,000 COAM, which is a reasonable price for such a reliable weapon. Given the amount of cash available after the second mission, you’ll have to pick between the Turner and Ransetsu. You can also wait until you collect more COAM and buy the pair together.

The Turner deals 87 damage and impacts at 65 per hit. This might not seem like much, but as an assault rifle, it shoots incredibly quickly. At short to medium range you can very rapidly land 18 shots on the enemy with a low chance of missing. It is always a good idea to consider the Turner assault rifle as a secondary weapon for most builds, and a great tool for taking out early bosses.

The Hu-Ben is one of the first gatling gun options. Just like the Ashmead, it can be bought after completing Watchpoint Delta. It costs 170,000 COAM from the shop. Finishing the mission will yield a high amount of COAM to buy a single weapon, but you will unlikely be able to purchase more toys unless you carefully saved up before.

The Hu-Ben deals 25 damage and also 20 impact on hit. Like the Turner, this is deceptive as the gatling gun has an extreme fire rate of 20 and a 1,300-round clip. This can make it one of the most destructive weapons during an Armored Core 6 PvP match. You can go even further and use two Hu-Bens for even more impact stuns. However, that large clip is also pricey - at 30 COMA cost per shot, it can be very easy to burn your saved-up cash during a single fight.

Even if you pick the Hu-Ben as your main weapon, it doesn’t need to be used on every mission. Consider switching to a cheaper gun to farm up COAM to a high amount. Then, when advancing the story switch back to the gatling gun for now.

The Sweet Sixteen is another shotgun accessible after beating Ocean Crossing. It costs 49,000 COAM to unlock at the shop. This lower cost typically means you can buy both shotguns and test them out. It is a good idea to hit the simulator in Armored Core 6 and find out which of the guns is a better personal fit.

The Sweet Sixteen always fires all of its bullets at once, allowing for 85x13 damage and 61x13 impact. However, the shots can still scatter a bit, possibly missing or hitting two to three close-by enemies. What makes the gun impressive is its maximum range of 155, allowing it to be easily used from midrange. This makes the gun viable even when closing in on an enemy. The Sweet Sixteen’s light weight also makes it useable with all sorts of different builds. Combine it with other mid to short-burst weapons - including a second Sweet Sixteen - and it becomes extremely easy to keep the pressure on.

Kurtis Seid has been covering the game industry for over a decade. His published works have appeared on GameSpot, EGM, and App Annie. He also was a former editor for Electronic Arts' Origin platform.