If you’ve been raiding since patch 1.3 landed, you’ve probably heard people talking about the Aphelion. This two-round burst battle rifle has quickly become the favourite pick for a lot of squads – and for good reason. High-velocity energy rounds, tight recoil control, and a 10-round mag make it perfect for mowing down ARCs before they can even touch you. PvE runs, PvP scraps – doesn’t matter, this thing just delivers. The recent tweak to its blueprint drop rate makes farming way less painful, so if you’ve ever thought about building one, now’s the time. Grab your gear and some ARC Raiders Coins, hit the field, and get ready to see your score climb fast.

What makes the Aphelion different from the usual rifles is how clean the burst feels. You pull the trigger, and both shots hit exactly where you want. No wild kick, no wasted rounds – just solid, reliable damage. Against armoured units, it’s brutal. Even the old Venator, which used to be king, can’t keep up since its nerf. Stick a couple of energy mods on it and suddenly you’re dishing out a stream of damage that doesn’t let up. I’ve seen bosses melt under it in Stella Montis runs and North Line missions. And yeah, the sound it makes when firing – that crisp crackle – is satisfying in a way that’s hard to explain but easy to enjoy.

Getting your hands on the blueprint isn’t the grind it used to be. The Matriarch – you know, the big spider-looking boss – drops it during her event spawns. Before, it was annoyingly rare, but now you can farm it solo if you’re smart. Best bet is hitting high-tier maps like Stella Montis when the event’s up. Pick solo queue to cut down the chance of another team stealing your loot. The routine becomes muscle memory: drop in, listen for the sound cues, watch for flares, take the high ground, cut into her weak points, grab the core and bolt to extraction. Do it right and you could see a drop in less than an hour, with five to ten runs done easily in that time.

For solo players, it’s a dream weapon. You don’t have to rely on others when the Aphelion’s got your back. Pair it with traps, drones, and a loadout built for mobility. Against a Rocketeer, it’s all about bursting its rear vents while dodging rockets. Bastions? Keep moving and chip away at its legs and vent plates underneath. Staying mobile is the key; slide-cancelling across the map keeps you alive and in control. My go-to solo setup: Aphelion as the primary, Hullcracker for close quarters, Jolt Mines for crowd control, and a stack of Medkits. Nail the rhythm with it and you’ll be pulling off clean extractions like a pro, probably making enough to grab plenty of cheap Raider Tokens along the way.