Armored Core 6: Best early-game build in AC6

During your Armored Core 6 playthrough, you’ll unlock dozens of parts. The choices of weapons, legs, and internal components can be overwhelming, but here’s a build that saw me through the early game.

Best early-game build in Armored Core 6

Initially, your options will be scarce, so you’ve got to make do with what’s available. But there’s still a lot that you can do with a little. This build should see you through most of chapter one—it helped me loads, but the boss at the end may need a shift in strategy. I painted mine like EVA Unit 01 from Neon Genesis Evangelion. You don’t have to, but it looks way cooler if you do.

Weapons, parts, components, and stats

Weapons:

• RF-024 TURNER assault rifle – right hand
• HI-32: BU-TT/A pulse blade – left hand
• Dual Vvc-70VPM plasma missile launchers – shoulders

Parts:

• HD-011 MELANDER – head
• BD-011 MELANDER – body
• AR-011 MELANDER – arms
• LG-O11 MELANDER – bipedal legs

Components:

• BST-G2/P04 – boosters
• FCS-G2/P05 – FCS
• AG-J-098 JOSO – generator

Build stats:

• AP – 10,550
• Defensive performance – 1,175
• Attitude Stability – 1,601
• Boost Speed – 310

Early-game build strategy in AC6

This build utilizes parts you can get by completing early missions and finishing the training and arena modes. I did these as soon as I could, and the extra cash and parts really helped, so I’d advise you to do the same. My strategy was hammering nimble enemies from afar with the vertical pulse missiles and then closing the distance with an assault boost, boost kick, and the pulse sword combo.

The missiles have a bit of a delay due to how high they go, so this melee combo almost always staggers, and then the missiles do massive direct damage. Your assault rifle can help keep the pressure up while your other weapons and energy are reloading, and you retreat back to a safe distance.

You’ve got a decent amount of AP to get you through most bosses, a short cooldown on your quick boost, and a little energy and weight wiggle room to try out some heavier weapons you may prefer. Generally speaking, staying nimble is good at the start, as it’ll teach you how to dodge and position yourself while still being able to deal solid damage if you’re smart about staggering.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Great customization potential
• Strong melee and energy damage
• Can hit agile foes from afar and up close

Weaknesses

• No explosive damage
• Jack of all trades, master of none
• Slow energy recharge

Early-game build customization potential

When facing a boss like the Juggernaut, I replaced the vertical plasma missiles with front-firing standard missiles instead due to the location of its weak spot, but for the BALTEUS boss, plasma missiles were perfect due to its energy weakness.

Once I unlocked them, I replaced my arm weapons with dual Vvc-760PR plasma rifles. These help you best any enemies weak to energy damage, but you’ll need to upgrade your generator first as these consume a lot of energy. That’s a pricey upgrade, though, so it’ll come a little later.

You can also replace all the parts with the 012 MELANDER C3 variations once you unlock them. This build gives you slightly around 10 percent less AP, 9,690, and slightly reduced defensive performance and attitude stability, but it improves your boost speed and lowers your energy recharge delay, so it’s better for staying agile.