Armored Core 6: Best Build – Full Guide: One of the key aspects of Armored Core 6 is the ability to create the ideal AC. However, one mech arrangement may not always be the best at addressing a given circumstance, and players must change their builds to gain the advantage they need to win.
Creating the ideal build in Armored Core 6 can be difficult because of the numerous gadgets, suits, weaponry, and other possibilities. As a souls-franchise veteran, I found it far more difficult to choose my playstyle in Armored Core 6 than in Elden Ring or the Dark Souls series.
In this article, we will look at some of the strongest builds that can carry you through the game with timely upgrades and as much carnage as possible. Building the best AC also requires players to choose their playstyle. To know more, read our Armored Core 6: Best Build full guide.
Best Early Build in Armored Core 6
The Zimmerman Shotgun and Songbirds Grenade Launcher are arguably the most powerful weapons accessible to players early in the game. Players can use two of each of these weapons to destroy practically every mission in the game. They aren’t the ideal solutions for every problem, but they’re diverse enough to be effective against the majority of them.
When combined with a mid-ranged FCS, the Zimmerman is capable of tearing through AP and ACS in close quarters while still being decent in medium range. This weapon must be reloaded after each shot, but the trade-off is well worth it given how powerful the rifle is.
The Songbirds, on the other hand, function as the setup’s hammer. After breaking the enemy’s ACS, pound them with dual cannon bullets and watch their AP vanish. This weapon works well against groups of foes and is especially effective against targets that are vulnerable to Explosive damage, such as the Sea Spider.
To carry twin Songbirds, players will need a strong pair of legs. The Spring Chicken Reverse Joint Legs are ideal for medium-heavy AC builds since they balance carrying capacity, AP, ACS stability, and mobility because of the reverse joint archetype’s inherent boost benefits. If you desire a balanced build, the LG-011 Melander legs are also perfect.
Here is a complete build using the Zimmerman or Songbird Combo
| Head: VP-44S |
| Core: 07-061 MIND ALPHA (Hunter Rank 5 reward) |
| Arms: NACHTREIHER/46E |
| Legs: RC-2000 SPRING CHICKEN |
| FCS: FCS-G2/PO5 |
| Booster: ALULA/21E |
| Generator: VP-20C |
When these components are combined, the result is an AC with outstanding survivability, good mobility, and a hit-and-run weapon setup that can destroy most other ACs in a few combos. By the second chapter, players should be able to obtain all of these parts – anyone who wants to duplicate a similar arrangement earlier in the game can utilize whichever parts come close to the stats indicated in the image above.
Armored Core 6: Best Build – Full Guide
Now that we have catered to the new players, it is time to look at some of the strongest builds for those of you who are better familiarized with Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon.
BASHO Cannonier
This is a highly heavy build that foregoes airborne combat abilities in favor of sheer damage and AP. In Chapter 2, we outfitted this behemoth of a frame with the most powerful explosive equipment we could get our hands on, essentially turning it into a tank on two legs.
We find this build to be particularly effective against PCA vessels that take advantage of Armored Core 6’s second and third-chapter missions. We do not take the capacity to fire some of the most powerful weapons without risk of losing stability. This is especially critical when dealing with PCA enforcers.
| Right-arm unit: RF-02 SCUDDER |
| Left-arm unit: MAJESTIC |
| Right-back unit: BML-G2/P05MLT-10 |
| Left-back unit: BML-G2/P05MLT-10 |
| Head: AH-J-124 BASHO |
| Core: AC-J-120 BASHO |
| Arms: AA-J-123 BASHO |
| Legs: AL-J-121 BASHO |
| Booster: ALULA/21E |
| FCS: FCS-G2/P05 |
| Generator: VP-20D |
| OST Expansion: Pulse Protection |
God-Killer
This is the end-game build that we used for the majority of the boss bouts in chapters 4 and 5. While it may appear to be paradoxical, Fortaleza Tank legs are possibly the fastest leg kinds in the game. The ability to evade most assaults without needing to boost quickly, combined with the option to equip heavy weaponry, makes this one of the most powerful frames in Armored Core 6.
The Fortaleza legs are equally effective in airborne combat as they are on the ground in Armored Core 6. While they have less base AP than other Tank legs, they make up for it with agility, which is unusual for Tank legs.
| Right-arm unit: Vvc – 760PR |
| Left-arm unit: Vvc – 760PR |
| Right-back unit: VP-60LCD |
| Left-back unit: VP-60LCD |
| Head: EL-TH-10 FIRMEZA |
| Core: EL-TC-10 FIRMEZA |
| Arms: EL-TA-10 FIRMEZA |
| Legs: EL-TL-11 FORTALEZA |
| Booster: (Nothing) |
| FCS: VE-21B |
| Generator: VP-20D |
| OST Expansion: Pulse Protection |
Doom Bringer
This is a build that we recently developed, and it has shown to be rather effective in obtaining those vexing S-ranks in Armored Core 6. It is designed specifically for some of the most difficult boss fights in Armored Core 6, such as ALLMIND, Ayre, Walter, and even Ibis.
Given that several of the components we used for this build came from the NG++ cycles, you’ll need to get fairly far into the game to be able to reproduce it.
| Right-arm unit: IA-C01W6: NB-REDSHIFT |
| Left-arm unit: SG-027 ZIMMERMAN |
| Right-back unit: VE-60SNA |
| Left-back unit: VP-60LCS |
| Head: IB-C03H: HAL 826 |
| Core: IB-C03C: HAL 826 |
| Arms: IB-C03A: HAL 826 |
| Legs: IB-C03L: HAL 826 |
| Booster: BST-G2/P06SPD |
| FCS: VE-21B |
| Generator: AG-T-005 HOKUSHI |
| OST Expansion: Pulse Protection |
Conclusion
Those are all some of the best builds that we came up with our experimentations and hours of gameplay in Armored Core 6. Now, it is time for you to test these out by yourself and see which one fits your playstyle the most.
It is also worth mentioning that some of the builds mentioned here utilize parts that might not be available to you in the beginning, but keep at it and you will soon have an AC that is built by you and for you.
Also, read Armored Core 6: Operation Wall Climber – Walkthrough