The Hullcracker nerf introduced in Arc Raiders Patch 1.3 has had a significant impact on players, especially those who rely on the weapon for solo gameplay. The update increased the crafting cost of Hullcracker ammo, reduced the amount of ammo produced per craft, and lowered its explosive damage—particularly against large Arc enemies such as the Queen and the Matriarch ARC Raiders blueprints cheap buy.

What Changed in the Hullcracker Nerf
Patch 1.3 brought major adjustments to the Hullcracker’s efficiency. Ammo crafting now requires more rare materials, yet produces fewer bullets than before. The explosive damage has also been rebalanced, making the weapon far less effective when targeting large Arc enemies. Previously, only a few shots were needed to defeat high-level threats like the Queen or Matriarch, but now the number of required shots has increased significantly. As a result, the ammo consumption for solo players has doubled, raising both the cost and difficulty of using the Hullcracker in raids.

Impact on Solo Players
For solo players, this nerf has made the Hullcracker far more expensive and risky to use. Losing the weapon or running out of ammo mid-raid now poses a greater setback. Since the weapon no longer deals high burst damage efficiently, players are pushed to rely on cheaper alternatives such as grenades and mines, which continue to perform well without the heavy resource cost. Many players feel that the nerf has added unnecessary difficulty to solo play, reducing the incentive to engage with high-level PvE encounters that previously depended on the Hullcracker’s firepower.

Why Embark Studios Nerfed the Hullcracker
According to Embark Studios, the nerf was implemented to improve overall game balance. Developers aimed to prevent players from quickly eliminating large Arc enemies by hitting multiple weak points at once with high-damage explosives. The adjustment was intended to make these enemies feel more threatening and to encourage strategic combat rather than repeated explosive spam. However, the change has sparked mixed reactions from the community, particularly among solo players who viewed the Hullcracker as a crucial tool for handling tough encounters.

The Hullcracker nerf in Patch 1.3 has reshaped how solo players approach challenging Arc enemies. While the intention was to create a more balanced and strategic combat experience, the update has made high-level solo raids more costly and demanding. As players adapt, many are exploring alternative weapons and tactics to stay effective in combat. Whether future adjustments will address the community’s concerns remains to be seen, but the impact of this nerf is already strongly felt across the solo gameplay experience in Arc Raiders.