Pulling a Harvester blueprint in ARC Raiders is one of those moments where your hands are still shaking when you get back to the shelter, and you're already doing the mental math on what it'll cost to build. If you're stocking up on and trying to decide what's actually worth turning into a loadout, The Equalizer is the kind of craft that stops being "nice to have" and starts feeling like a plan.
PvE: Where It Pays For Itself
You notice it fast in PvE: this thing doesn't care about your ammo anxiety. It chews through smaller flyers like Hornets and Wasps without that annoying stop-start rhythm you get from slower guns. But the real value shows up when something nasty rolls in. Against a Rocketeer, aiming at the rotors isn't just a tip, it's the whole point. Keep the stream on target and you'll watch it break down way earlier than it would with a typical rifle, which means fewer desperate retreats and less time stuck in the open.
Big Targets: The Queen Problem
The Queen fight is where most weapons start to feel like a chore. Plates, legs, angles, repeat. The Equalizer changes the vibe because you can actually see progress. Armor pieces crack off, and the walker starts looking less like a wall and more like something that can be handled. That matters in an extraction run, because long boss fights are basically a beacon for other squads. Shorten the timeline and you're not just saving bullets, you're lowering the odds of getting jumped mid-loot.
PvP: Winning By Never Letting Up
I didn't expect it to feel this usable against players, but the magazine is the whole story. Most gunfights have that beat where somebody has to reload and the other guy takes space. With The Equalizer, you can flip it: keep firing, keep them pinned, make them burn time behind cover. It's not a free win, though. These rounds have travel time, and if you're trying to beam someone sprinting across a lane, you'll miss unless you lead it. High ground like a rail bridge can feel amazing, right up until you get wrapped from the side. And heavy ammo runs out at the worst moments, so you need a backup you trust.
How I'd Run It On Real Extracts
If you bring it, commit to playing around it: open with pressure, break armor, force movement, then swap fast when the belt's dry. A sidearm that hits hard up close isn't optional, it's the safety net. If you do land the blueprint, I'd craft it and keep one ready for serious runs, and if you're the type who likes smoothing out the grind with quick top-ups or item support, that's the lane fits into without slowing you down.
