Escape From Tarkov can be an intimidating game for new players. The risk and reward of playing raids is amplified for people that only have a few thousand Roubles and one gun. However, beginners do not need a million Roubles to create a class that will be effective in Tarkov. Many of the weapons in Tarkov are actually very competitive without having the maximum number of mods.
As is the case with any looter shooter, the community will gravitate to any gun that is in the "meta". In a game like Tarkov, the time to kill is fast enough that a host of weapons can be viable in raids. This guide will cover five budget builds that can get the job done for less Roubles.
Updated on September 8, 2021 by Payton Lott: In Tarkov, the type of ammunition a gun uses can be as important as fire rate, stability, and other weapon stats. Because there is no set base damage value for a particular weapon, most of the weapons in Tarkov are viable. Just like any other FPS game, the community will use whatever gun is considered to be the best at the time. However, for a fraction of the price, players can create a build that is almost as good as the meta. To give people more options, this list has been updated to include a couple of budget Tarkov builds that fly under the radar at the end of the wipe. With the right setup, both of these guns can compete with any build in the game.
5 RFB
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Most players avoid using the RFB because it doesn't feel as good as weapons like the M4. However, when making a budget build in Tarkov, something has to give. On paper, the RFB is impressive, and it has the ability to down any enemy. The RFB has 7.62x51 rounds, which is the best assault ammunition type in the game. Factoring in base accuracy and ergonomics, the RFB has a lot of potential.
Gamers that are having trouble getting their hands on expensive guns with 20+ modifications will be able to pick up the weapon for around 30k Roubles. The weapon's base price is cheap, and PMCs do not need a dozen mods like other comparable weapons. Bullpup rifles are low maintenance, and players can get out on the battlefield with just a few changes. Recoil shouldn't be too much of an issue because it is a semi-automatic weapon. Unless gamers are spam firing at close range, having a slight kick after every shot will not be too much of a hindrance.
Attachments And Stats
If they have one, people will want to equip a foregrip to help with control. The only other necessary attachment is a suppressor. Simply put on a thread adapter on the gun and attach a suppressor. Most gamers will want an optic on the weapon. A red dot will do the trick, but optics are generally up to preference. The gun has enough base velocity and accuracy to deal damage even though vertical recoil will be quite bad. Players will be tapping the weapon from long range, so recoil will not be much of a concern. This is a budget build after all.
- Foregrip
- Optic (Red Dot)
- Thread Adapter
- Magazine
4 Base M1A
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Everyone knows about the huge drum mag meta M1A. The gun is amazing for late wipe PVP, but it will cost gamers a fortune. As a cheaper option, people can use the smaller base M1A instead. It may not have all the insane modifications of the meta M1A, but it is still a semi-automatic 7.62x51 weapon. Of course, it will not be quite as dominant as a modded out M1A, but the damage and basic benefits of the gun are still there
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With enough Roubles, gamers can actually mod it into the PVP Chad M1A if they want. It will cost 300k, but this gives players an avenue to use the gun before they have the cash. What matters with this build is that the gun can use the best rounds in the game. Stats aside, the base M1A is an excellent early wipe or beginner weapon.
Attachments And Stats
At first, this M1A is going to look like a sub par M4 build. However, with a few attachments that help with recoil, it will be a viable gun in Tarkov. With any longer barrel, the M1A will have a comparable bullet velocity to the decked out version. Getting a foregrip and sight that works will be the only other priorities for a budget Tarkov build. The gun is limited as far as mounts go, but an intermediate sight is possible with an Arms 18 or UTG 4 mount. Gamers should focus on getting a sight they feel comfortable with to start, and upgrade the build as the wipe goes on.
- Mount and/or Sight
- Magazine
- Longer Barrel
- Recoil Attachments
3 DT MDR
The DT MDR is a poor man's M4. The weapon uses 5.56 ammunition, which is currently the meta when it comes to assault rifles. Players can purchase the gun from Peacekeeper, but the price is a little steep at around 100k Roubles. Instead, people should try to get their hands on one in the Flea Market.
The price of the gun varies, but it is usually less than 50k Roubles. Gamers can find enough cash for the gun by looting a few cash registers on interchange. The weapon is also found throughout the various areas in the game. Raiders that spawn on the Reserve map often carry them and they can be found in weapon caches on any of the maps.
Attachments And Stats
With just an optic and either a foregrip or compensator, the DT MDR is fit to be used in competitive raid maps. Most people that have played for a few hours will have at least one attachment they can place on the gun, which means only a few hundred Roubles are needed to prep the gun for battle.
Unlike the M4, gamers will not need to worry about finding or purchasing 100 attachments to create a viable gun. The DT MDR does have a slower fire rate, and slightly more recoil, but it can be just as effective as a decked-out M4 if players hit their shots.
2 SV-98
New players that like to snipe will want to test out the SV-98. No one used the gun until the trigger delay was patched several months ago. It is still vastly underused, and players with shallow pockets will love using it. Prapor sells the stock sniper for 35k Roubles and gamers can likely find one in the market for even cheaper.
The Mosin, which is more widely used, costs 20k more. The stock SV-98 comes equipped with a compensator, rear sight, and a ten-round magazine. Despite the fix to the trigger delay, many users are spending 55k on the Mosin when the SV-98 is a bolt action that uses the same ammunition.
Attachments And Stats
A suppressor is usually essential for snipers, but it will cost a steep price. In the Flea Market, there are often a few suppressors in the 30k range and the thread adapter is about 5k Roubles on average. The only other attachments players will need is a better optic. Gamers should have a few extra sights from raids, but there are a few usable optics on the Market for decent prices.
Unlike the Mosin, the SV-98 has 10 round mags, which makes reloading an empty clip much faster. The optimum ammunition for the SV is the 7.62X54R, which will put down any person with level 4 armor that is shot in the Thorax. The ammo may cost 800 Roubles a round, but it is well worth the investment because of the one shot center mass potential.
1 SKS
The SKS is was one of the most used weapons for several months after Tarkov was launched. However, in the past couple of years, hardly anyone uses it. Even early in a wipe, few PMCs run the weapon in raids. One of the main reasons why the gun has dropped in popularity is the number of guns that have been added to the game since launch.
Players have dozens of options that are better. However, PMCs that are accurate with semi-automatic weapons will have a chance against almost any build in Tarkov using a basic SKS. There are two versions of the SKS, the basic SKS, and the OP SKS. The basic SKS is only 20k Roubles and can be purchased at level 1. The OP SKS can also be acquired at the start of the game for a little more cash.
Attachments And Stats
People will most likely want the OP SKS because it has a Dovetail mount that will allow gamers to attach Dovetail optics. Since the SKS is a 7.62 semi-auto weapon, gamers will want to use it as a longer-ranged option. PMCs can opt to get a Cobra mount to use any optic with the OP SKS. Jaegar sells a SOCOM Rail Mount that can be used for attachments and optics for the base gun. However, players will need to level up with Jaegar to purchase it.
Apart from the mounts, all players will need is an optic of their choosing. For around 30-40k Roubles, the SKS will be viable in raids. Early in a wipe, 7.62 ammo is available for a cheap price and will hit hard enough to compete with most weapons in the class. Later in the wipe, the .39 7.62 ammo is readily available and will deal a massive amount of damage.
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