ARC Raiders Weapon Guide: Upgrading and Mastering the Il Toro

If you’ve spent some time in ARC Raiders, you’ve probably come across the Il Toro, a pump-action shotgun known for its high damage at close range. As someone who has spent hundreds of hours with different weapons, I want to break down how the Il Toro works in practice, what to expect when using it, and how to get the most out of it. I’ll focus on how most players actually experience the weapon rather than marketing hype.

What Makes the Il Toro Different from Other Shotguns?

In general, the Il Toro is a high-damage, close-range shotgun with a wide pellet spread. This means that if all pellets hit, you can often down standard Raiders in just two body shots. Players quickly learn that while this shotgun is devastating at close range, it has sharp falloff — beyond about 20 units of range, the damage drops off significantly.

Most players notice three main characteristics when using the Il Toro:

1. High damage output: It deals 67.5 damage per shot, making it one of the stronger uncommon shotguns in the early to mid-game.

2. Wide spread: This is a double-edged sword. At close range, it’s easy to hit multiple pellets, but at longer distances, accuracy drops off quickly.

3. Slow reload: The pump-action reloads one shell at a time. This makes it less forgiving in sustained fights compared to semi-automatic shotguns.

For players who often get surrounded or fight in tight areas, the Il Toro can be a go-to choice. But in open maps, you usually need to pair it with movement skills or a ranged weapon to handle distant threats.

How Do Upgrades Affect the Il Toro?

The Il Toro has four upgrade levels, from I to IV. Each upgrade improves fire rate, magazine size, and durability, which directly affects how most players use it in combat. Here’s a breakdown based on common player experience:

• Il Toro I: Base weapon. Powerful at close range but slow fire rate and low durability. Most players treat this as a starter version.

• Il Toro II: Adds 17.5% fire rate and +1 magazine size. This upgrade helps when you need slightly faster follow-up shots.

• Il Toro III: Fire rate increases by 35% and magazine +2. This version becomes much more viable for aggressive play, letting you handle multiple Raiders without constantly reloading.

• Il Toro IV: 50% faster fire rate and +3 magazine size. At this stage, it’s generally considered one of the most reliable pump-action shotguns for close-range engagements.

Durability also increases with each upgrade. Most players learn that maintaining the Il Toro at higher levels prevents downtime in missions, especially when scavenging for resources is limited.

What Are the Ingredients and Crafting Tips?

The Il Toro is crafted at the Workbench using a blueprint. Players usually gather:

• Mechanical Components

• Simple Gun Parts

• Heavy Gun Parts (for higher-level upgrades)

Crafting is straightforward, but efficiency comes from knowing which components are more plentiful. Most players save Mechanical Components for higher-tier upgrades because each level requires more materials.

Practical tip: you can sometimes buy blueprints from Tian Wen if you’re short on scavenging. If you’re looking to expand your Il Toro collection quickly, some players choose to buy ARC Raiders gear cheap and safe on U4N, which can save time on farming components.

How Does the Il Toro Perform in Actual Combat?

In practice, the Il Toro is most effective in close-quarters fights. Here’s what you can expect:

• Two-shot kills: Standard Raiders usually go down with two full-body shots.

• Heavy Shield Raiders: These enemies survive two shots but will usually be weakened enough for teammates to finish them off quickly.

• Reload strategy: Since shells reload one by one, most players develop a rhythm: unload the magazine in a close fight, then take cover and reload shells individually instead of panic-reloading.

• Mobility trade-off: With a weight of 8.0, it’s heavier than some other weapons. Players often notice a slight hit to agility, so dodging while fully loaded can be slower.

In general, combining the Il Toro with mobility skills, cover, and timing can make it extremely effective, especially on maps with corridors, rooms, or tight angles.

Mods and Customization

The Il Toro allows modifications for the muzzle, underbarrel, magazine, and stock. Most players focus on:

• Magazine upgrades: More rounds reduce downtime during fights.

• Underbarrel or stock: Stability and agility are usually the main concerns; small improvements here make a noticeable difference when moving and shooting.

Stealth is not the weapon’s strong point. With a base stealth rating of 18, most players use the Il Toro openly rather than trying to sneak past enemies.

Maintenance, Repair, and Recycling

Durability is a big part of weapon management. Each version has a repair cost in Mechanical Components and Simple Gun Parts. Most players try to repair Il Toro upgrades as soon as durability drops below 50%, as a broken shotgun can turn a close fight into a quick defeat.

Recycling or salvaging the weapon can yield back components, which makes upgrading other weapons more efficient. Experienced players often cycle through older Il Toro versions to keep resources flowing.

Practical Tips From Experienced Players

• Stick to close-quarters encounters. Long-range fights are usually a waste of ammo.

• Always pair it with at least one long-range option. Most players carry a secondary weapon like a rifle for flexibility.

• Time your reloads during lulls in combat. Don’t reload under fire.

• Upgrade the Il Toro incrementally. The jump in fire rate and magazine from II → IV is noticeable and changes how aggressive you can play.

• Keep a small stockpile of Mechanical Components and Gun Parts. Without them, high-level Il Toro repairs and upgrades can slow down your gameplay.

The Il Toro is a solid pump-action shotgun in ARC Raiders, especially for players who enjoy close-range combat. It has predictable mechanics, powerful damage, and clear upgrade paths. Most players find that mastering reload timing, movement, and upgrade management makes this weapon a reliable choice in most missions. Whether you craft it carefully or supplement it by exploring options to buy ARC Raiders gear cheap and safe on U4N, the Il Toro remains a dependable option for both solo and team play.