Armored Core 6: Best build to beat the Ice Worm boss in AC6

This isn’t the kind of worm you find in a Tequila bottle. It’s the kind you find on an alien planet being torn apart by warring government and corporate factions.

If you’re having trouble getting past Armored Core 6’s Ice Worm, fear not, we’re here to help. It took a particular setup for us to put away this monstrosity, and you’ll need to adapt on the fly to make it out of this battle alive.

The ideal build to defeat the Ice Worm in AC6

First, a common question we’ve seen pop up. Do you have to use the Stun Needle Launcher to beat the Ice Worm boss in AC6?

Yes, you have to use the Stun Needle Launcher. This presents an interesting challenge because this shoulder-mounted launcher is going to eat up quite a bit of EN and take up a good amount of weight.

The trick is balancing everything: Making sure you’re tough enough to take a few hits if you mistime a dodge or two but nimble enough to avoid what the worm will throw at you.

With that in mind, let’s look at what the rest of your AC will look like.

Right Arm: DF-GA HU-BEN Minigun

This minigun has seen us through many tough battles. Its deep ammo reserves, high rate of fire, and respectable damage make it our go-to for enemies we need to hose down with lead. The Ice Worm is only vulnerable for a few seconds so something that shoots really, really fast is ideal.

Left Arm: Nothing

We’ve crunched the numbers and given the weight requirements, there isn’t a way to get a decent weapon in your left hand that’s worth the extra weight. You could fit something small like the napalm launcher or a handgun but this means having to sacrifice your free shoulder.

Related: Armored Core 6: Weapon damage types, explained

Yeah, you could fit a four-cell launcher on your back and have a weapon in your left hand. But that means taking the four-cell, one of the first weapons you unlock in the game, over the three-cell plasma missile launcher.

Trust us, the plasma missiles are the way to go.

Right Shoulder: VE-60SNA Stun Needle Launcher

As we mentioned earlier, this weapon is required to complete the mission. Deploy without it and you’ll be worm food. It has a decent recharge time but you’ll only get one shot at the Worm when it rises high above the ice. Time your shots carefully.

Left Shoulder: Vvc-703PM 3-cell Plasma Missile Launcher

You’ll only be able to fire a single salvo when the worm is stunned. This launcher is the most powerful thing you’ll be able to mount while keeping your EN and weight within limits.

Head: HD-012 Melander C3

Melander parts are some of our favorites. They’re light enough to keep you mobile but strong enough to keep you protected. You’ll still be nearly 10,000 AP but light enough to dodge and boost effectively.

Core: BD-012 Melander C3

This variant of the Melander core is lightweight but durable. We’ll likewise be going with a set of Melander legs and arms. It’s fairly easy to avoid the worm just by keeping your distance but you will need to dodge a decent amount of missiles it’ll throw at you.

Arms: AR-012 Melander C3

In keeping with our “tough but agile” philosophy, these arms give you enough EN load to handle that minigun but won’t drag you down with extra weight.

Legs: LG-012 Melander C3

These legs are modest on weight and solid on protection. Nearly 4,000 points of AP will come from these but you won’t be paying a massive cost in weight or EN load.

Booster: ALULA/21E

The ALULAs are the booster of choice for the duelist. They give you lightning-quick dodges and forward thrusts, both of which you’ll need to fight the Worm and win.

FCS: FCS-G2/P05

Don’t think too hard about your Fire Control System. This boss fight hinges on stunning the Worm and moving in to attack while it is vulnerable.

A little extra medium-range assist does help during one of his attack phases when a fleet of drones shows up. But you can get through this fight with any FCS you feel comfortable with.

Generator: DF-GN-06 Ming-Tang

The Ming-Tang is bar none the choice generator for medium builds. Generators can be one of the heaviest pieces of an AC and the Ming-Tang offers solid performance at a fraction of the weight of most other generators.

Now that you’re properly suited and booted, get out there and show the worm who’s boss.

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