Canto SMG Guide Blueprint Location, Stats & Best Loadouts
Canto is the Flashpoint weapon players wanted the moment they realized it was an SMG using medium ammo. That single trait gives it a different ceiling from older close-range guns and explains why it landed so quickly in the A tier conversation.
Canto Overview
Canto is a rare SMG built for close-to-mid range pressure against both Raiders and ARC. Unlike almost every other SMG option, it uses medium ammo, which means it scales better into armored fights and does not feel as narrow once Shredders or elite ARC enter the raid.
Class
SMG
Rarity
Rare
Ammo
Medium
Stats
Exact public stats are still settling. The safest current read is that Canto performs like a high-sustainability SMG with better armor interaction than light-ammo competitors. Once the community locks in damage, mag size, and recoil breakpoints, this section will be updated with exact values.
Blueprint Location
Canto is not tied to a single boss or questline. It is a world-drop blueprint, which means your route matters more than a single scripted encounter.
Best current lead: First Wave Raider Caches during Hurricane, especially when Night Raid is also active and locked rooms are part of your route.
Best Maps and POIs
- Dam: Hydroponic Dome, Control Tower
- Buried City: Hospital, Town Hall
- Spaceport: Arrival, Departure
- Blue Gate: Gate Approach, Pilgrim's Peak
- Stella Montis: Medical Research, Cultural Archives
Farming Tips
- Prioritize Hurricane cache loops over generic container clears.
- Night Raid improves the value of every stop on the same route.
- Locked rooms help because Canto appears to reward higher-risk loot pools.
- Do not wait for a quest reward that may never come.
Crafting Requirements
- Gunsmith Lv3
- 2x Advanced Mechanical Components
- 5x Magnets
- 3x Medium Gun Parts
These requirements are based on early Flashpoint reports and should be treated as verified-in-practice rather than full official stat-table publication.
Meta Position and Bobcat Comparison
Canto landed fast because it answers the biggest Flashpoint question: how do you keep an SMG build relevant once armored ARC shows up? The medium-ammo profile means it stays useful longer than Bobcat during raids that turn into PvE attrition or mixed threat fights.
Bobcat still has a place if your whole plan is raw close-range PvP time-to-kill. But the post-Flashpoint meta is less forgiving to narrow light-ammo builds, which is why Canto already feels more future-proof in the current patch.
Best Loadout Pairings
- •Close Scrutiny: Canto + Dolabra + Photoelectric Cloak + Surge Coil
- •Aggressive raid kit: Canto + Hullcracker for players who want a true anti-ARC secondary
- •Recommended attachments: Extended Medium Mag III, Extended Barrel, Vertical Grip III
Quick Tips
- •Run Canto in raids where you expect both Raider fights and armored ARC, not just duels.
- •Do not overestimate the drop rate. Treat it like a real chase weapon and plan repeat cache loops.
- •Use the meta tier list and weapons database if you are deciding between Canto and older SMG options.
Related Guides
Flashpoint Hub
Full patch overview and supporting systems.
Scrappy Feeding Boost
Farm gun parts and materials that pair with Canto crafting goals.
Dolabra Guide
Pair Canto with the best new anti-ARC shotgun.
Blueprint List
Track every blueprint and farming lead in one place.
Post-Flashpoint Meta
See where Canto ranks after the Shredder spread.