Nothing spikes your heart rate in Arc Raiders like hauling loot to extraction and hearing that tone shift that means an Elite ARC is nearby, so I started keeping a quick mental checklist of what I'm carrying and what I still need from ARC Raiders Items (https://www.rsvsr.com/arc-raiders-items) before I pick a fight. The Rocketeer is the one that ruins plans the fastest, not because it's "tankier" than everything else, but because it steals your attention, forces you to look up, and punishes you for standing still even for a second.
Why the Rocketeer Feels So Unfair.
Most people lose this matchup before they even shoot. They see the body, they spray the body, and they wonder why it's still floating and still cooking the whole area with rockets. The Rocketeer isn't a health bar problem, it's a parts problem. It's built to bait you into wasting ammo while it stays mobile. And once it gets above you, your cover stops feeling like cover. You're dodging splash damage, trying to track a target in the sky, and your aim goes to bits.
Stop Dumping Mags, Start Breaking It.
Here's the switch that matters: treat it like a machine, not a soldier. You've got weak points, sure, like the face and reactors, but the cleanest play is the thrusters. Look for the four vents that keep it airborne. You don't need to "win the DPS race" and you don't need to crack all of them. Take out two vents and it'll fail, drop, and buy you a few precious seconds where it's on the ground and way easier to finish. The first time you force one to crash, you'll feel the whole fight slow down.
Loadout Choices That Actually Change the Fight.
If you've got Wolf Pack ready, that's the closest thing to a delete button. Pop it when the Rocketeer's movement is predictable, and if the barrage lands clean, it usually ends right there. If it doesn't, it's often left so low you can tap it once and move on. No Wolf Pack? Then bring something that hits hard and stays accurate when you're stressed. The Equalizer and Jupiter shine because they punish vents quickly. Shield Breaker works if you can place shots. Anvil is dependable for follow-ups when it's falling or when you're finishing a weak point.
How to Stay Alive While You Do It.
Don't fight it in the open, even if you think you can out-aim it. Start near cover you can rotate around, and keep your feet moving in short bursts, not panic sprints that wreck your accuracy. Peek, tag a vent, break line of sight, repeat. If it climbs high, reposition instead of forcing shots straight up. When it finally drops, that's your moment to cash in, finish clean, and get back to extraction with whatever you grabbed and whatever rsvsr (https://www.rsvsr.com) you're willing to risk on the next run.