Armored Core 6 dual-pistol build guide: Best weapons, frame, expansions, and more

Pistols might not the first weapon that'll come to your mind when creating your dream mech build in Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon. However, these small firearms are much more effective than they might seem, especially with their low weight and energy (EN) requirements. With the right build, the pistols can make for really good weapons, capable of staggering even the toughest bosses in the game.

During my first playthrough of Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon, I barely used pistols, being really enamored by the raw DPS of plasma rifles, grenade launchers, and melee weapons like the Pile Bunker. However, during my second playthrough, i.e., NG+, I did try out pistols for an agile build, and found them to be really effective against some of the late-game bosses.

Here's a comprehensive guide on a dual-pistol build, using dual-Ducketts, which is arguably the most powerful pistol that you can unlock in Armored Core 6.

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The best dual-pistol build in Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon, much like FromSoftware's previous titles, i.e., Elden Ring, Dark Souls Trilogy, Bloodborne, and even Sekiro, allows players to define their own preferred playstyle with their choice of build. However, unlike the "Souls" games, this one does not feature a level-based progression system. Instead, your mech's stats are entirely dependent on the parts you choose for it.

As such, it might feel counterinituitive to choose the pistols over the much more powerful weapon types in Armored Core 6. However, the dual-pistols build can easily wreak havoc on the same scale as the most powerful explosive weapons, granted you pair them with the right frame. This will give you enough EN and keep your overall encumberance in limit to allow for a swift and agile playstyle.

The dual-pistol build - Levin Untamed (Image via FromSoftware, Sportskeeda)

Here's a build that I call "Levin Untamed," which I've paired with dual Ducketts consider to be one of the most powerful pistols in Armored Core 6:

• Right-arm unit: HG-004 DUCKETT
• Left-arm unit: HG-004 DUCKETT
• Right-back unit: BML-G2/P17SPL-16
• Left-back unit: BML-G2/P17SPL-16
• Head: NACHTREIHER/44E
• Core: NACHTREIHER/40E
• Arms: NACHTREIHER/46E
• Legs: NACHTREIHER/42E
• Booster: BST-G2/P06SPD
• FCS: VE-21B
• Generator: IB-C03G: NGI 000
• OST Expansion: Pulse Protection

I chose the NACHTREIHER frame as it gives the maximum amount of agility for a build, at the cost of losing out of defense, i.e., AP. Fortunately, equipping the complete frame makes the AP rise upto roughly 9000, which is ample defense to withstand some of the most damaging attacks.

However, this build is primarily aimed for agile playstyles, where your aim would be to deal damage overtime, while staying away from getting hit by enemy attacks. While the NACHTREIHER legs are Bipeds, they're almost as agile in midair as the Reverse Joints, thanks to the higher EN capacity and lower overall weight.

I found this build to be very effective against bosses like ALLMIND, Balteus, and Sea Spider. However, I should mention that if you've been playing other builds, especially Tank, Tetrapod or even the heavier Bipeds, it'll take a bit of practice to get used to this one and the associated playstyle.