Dolabra vs Canto in Arc Raiders
Embark's 1.22.0 patch notes list two new weapons in the Flashpoint Update: the legendary Dolabra energy shotgun and the rare Canto SMG. Embark pitches both for close fights against ARC, yet one is a semi-automatic shotgun on Energy Clips and the other a fully automatic SMG on Medium Ammo.
Published 31 March 2026. Updated 27 October 2026.
Dolabra vs Canto: base stats side by side
Base tier stats for Dolabra and Canto, only where a source confirms the value for both. Upgraded tiers differ.
| Stat | Dolabra | Canto |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon class | Shotgun | SMG |
| Ammo type | Energy Clip | Medium Ammo |
| Damage | 50 | 6.5 |
| Magazine size | 8 | 18 |
| ARC armor penetration | Strong | Moderate |
| Firing mode | Semi-Automatic | Fully-Automatic |
| Noise level | Loud | Loud |
What each costs to craft
Dolabra
Gunsmith level 3, 60 seconds.
- 3 x Shredder Gyro
- 3 x Magnetic Accelerator
- 2 x Vaporizer Regulator
Canto
Gunsmith level 3, 45 seconds.
- 2 x Advanced Mechanical Components
- 5 x Magnet
- 3 x Medium Gun Parts
Damage Output
On the wiki's figures the Dolabra deals more damage per shot than the Canto does per bullet, while the Canto is fully automatic with a larger magazine. No fire rate is on file for either weapon, so this page does not claim which one deals more damage over time.
Effective Range
The wiki's infobox gives the Dolabra two ranges, a short one from the hip and a long one when aimed, and the Canto's effective range on file falls between them.
Ammo
The Canto takes Medium Ammo, the same ammo as the Tempest. The Dolabra takes Energy Clips, which the game says fully charge a weapon one clip at a time; the Workbench crafts them and Tian Wen sells them under a daily purchase limit. No source on file says which ammo is easier to find in a raid.
Dolabra Shots and Canto Fire
In the game's own description the Dolabra fires "a wide short range blast" or, focused, "a tight medium range beam of heat", and the wiki's infobox gives it separate hip-fire and aimed figures. The Canto is a fully automatic SMG.
Availability
The Canto is rare and the Dolabra legendary, and the wiki lists crafting as the way to get either, both at the Gunsmith level 3 once the blueprint is learned. The Canto Blueprint is researched at the Research Station, and the wiki places the Dolabra Blueprint inside the ARC Assessor. Embark's Live Update 2.3.0 notes say the Dolabra Blueprint can now drop in any major map condition, with a slightly lower drop chance. The Dolabra's recipe takes Shredder Gyros, Magnetic Accelerators and Vaporizer Regulators, two of them epic; the Canto's takes Advanced Mechanical Components, Magnets and Medium Gun Parts, none rarer than rare.
Verdict
Pick by what the data shows. The Dolabra hits harder per shot, has Strong ARC armor penetration against the Canto's Moderate, and its recipe needs the Vaporizer's epic Regulator. The Canto is rare rather than legendary, fully automatic, carries a larger magazine and runs on Medium Ammo.