ARC Raiders Beginner’s Guide – How to Survive, Craft Gear, and Extract Safely

ARC Raiders drops you into a hostile wasteland where every raid is a fight for survival — and every mistake costs you everything. Between scavenging for loot, crafting new weapons, and fighting off ARC machines and rival Raiders, it’s easy for beginners to get overwhelmed.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know to survive your first few runs, from mastering the core gameplay loop to using Speranza’s workbenches, upgrading Scrappy, managing extractions, and progressing through the skill tree.

1. How to Use the Speranza Hub in ARC Raiders (Vendors, Upgrades, and Crafting)

Speranza is the heart of your operations, and it’s a hidden underground refuge where Raiders rest, craft, and plan their next drops. You’ll return here after every successful extraction, using your recovered loot to expand your workshop, unlock new weapons, and accept contracts that push the story forward.

• Crafting and Upgrades: Use multiple specialized workbenches to build weapons, shields, explosives, and gadgets.
• Loadout Prep: Equip your backpack, shields, gadgets, and augments before deploying. You can’t swap gear once you drop Topside.
• Quest Board: Accept missions that direct you toward certain container types, enemy units, or map events. They pay out XP, rare resources, and even unique blueprints.
• Vendors: Five key traders provide everything from ammo and crafting parts to extraction keys and explosives.

1.1 Speranza Vendors

• Celeste: General goods vendor who sells raw crafting materials, basic ammo, and small repair kits.
• Shani: Specializes in Raider Hatch Keys for silent extractions and sells recon tools like binoculars.
• Tian Wen: Weapon dealer offering firearms, attachments, and advanced ammunition types.
• Apollo: Gadget expert providing grenades, explosive traps, and utility gear for tactical runs.
• Lance: Armor technician who crafts shields, augments, and medical consumables.

Always check their inventories between runs. Vendor stocks rotate periodically, and some carry limited-time Blueprints or high-value components you can’t find Topside.

1.2 Quests and Progression

Each vendor offers repeatable and story-driven quests. Completing them grants extra experience, Raider Tokens, and materials you can’t normally loot. Some missions automatically reward temporary gear, letting you test items before crafting them permanently. For beginners, vendor quests are the fastest way to earn stable income and unlock crafting benches without grinding random raids.

Speranza

2. ARC Raiders Economy Guide – How to Trade, Earn Creds, and Recycle Gear

Your success in ARC Raiders depends as much on your economy as your combat skill. Crafting, upgrading, and repairing all cost materials and Creds — so learning to trade efficiently is key to long-term progression.

• Trading and Selling: Vendors buy valuables, sell crafting components, and occasionally offer rare schematics. Sell excess refined parts and valuable items after every run to keep your Creds high for workbench upgrades.
• Loot Types and Rarity: Items follow a five-tier color scale: Common (gray), Uncommon (green), Rare (blue), Epic (purple), and Legendary (orange). Focus on extracting higher-tier materials since they unlock stronger crafting recipes.
• Recycling vs. Field Salvaging: Recycling items at Speranza gives a higher return of raw materials. Field salvaging should only be done when you’re overweight or desperate for crafting supplies mid-raid.
• Safe Pocket Rule: Always move your most valuable Blueprints and rare components into the Safe Pocket. These items remain safe even if you die during extraction.

2.1 Loot Zones and Container Priorities

Each map is divided into risk tiers — White (low), Orange (medium), and Red (high). Loot quality scales with danger. Beginners should chain White and Orange zones together before daring to enter Red zones.

• Weapon Cases: Contain weapons, attachments, and ammo. Often guarded by ARC patrols.
• Medical Bags: Provide health items and the occasional crafting schematic.
• Ammo Crates: Contain large stacks of ammunition and weapon parts.
• ARC Husks: Dead robots you can harvest for mechanical components and Powercells.
• Buried Caches and Field Depots: Randomized containers that can include high-value Blueprints or event items.

3. How to Craft Weapons and Upgrade Workbenches in ARC Raiders

Every weapon, gadget, and consumable in ARC Raiders is tied to a specific workbench. Expanding these benches unlocks stronger blueprints and allows you to craft ammo variations, shield upgrades, and advanced gadgets.

Bench Upgrades: Higher tiers require rare drops from ARC enemies — like Wasp Drivers — and multiple successful extractions. Plan your farming routes around enemies that drop what you need before investing resources into the upgrade.

4. Best Early Weapons and Gear to Craft in ARC Raiders

Starting gear defines how you’ll handle your first few raids. Build around weapons that are cheap to maintain and reliable under pressure, and be sure to check out our Weapons tiers list guide.

• Rattler (Rifle): A stable, all-purpose rifle ideal for mid-range fights and learning recoil patterns.
• Equalizer (Energy Rifle): Effective against ARC units and enemies with armor; moderate recoil and solid damage.
• II Toro (Shotgun): Devastating up close; great for clearing buildings or defending extraction zones.
• Grenades and Utility Tools: Keep one explosive for emergencies and one tool (like a scanner or decoy) for utility.
• Shields: Light shields offer mobility for stealth players; heavy shields reduce damage for defensive builds.
• Backpacks: Larger backpacks hold more loot but offer fewer safe slots. Always pick your pack before deploying — you can’t swap mid-raid.

Ferro Rifle

5. How to Upgrade Scrappy

Scrappy is your automated scavenger that collects materials while you’re out raiding. Upgrading Scrappy increases both the quantity and rarity of the resources he returns. Each rank requires specific collectibles, such as dog collars or blankets, found during raids. The higher Scrappy’s rank, the more valuable materials like Metal Parts, Fabric, Plastic, and Chemicals you’ll receive between sessions. Upgrading him early pays long-term dividends, especially for players who log shorter sessions.

6. How to Level Up and Spend Skill Points in ARC Raiders

Every successful extraction grants XP that converts into skill points. You can mix abilities from three trees to shape your Raider’s playstyle.

• Conditioning: Increases stamina, carry weight, and resistance to fall damage or environmental hazards.
• Mobility: Improves movement, dodge rolls, wall-climbs, and sprint efficiency.
• Survival: Focuses on stealth, looting, and resource efficiency.

Invest early in Conditioning for stamina and weight control, then branch into Mobility for faster vaults and escapes. Add Survival perks later for quieter, more efficient raids.

6.1 Skill Trees – Recommended Early Perks

Here are some of the best early-game perks worth unlocking first:

Skill Tree

7. All ARC Raiders Maps and Raid Types

ARC Raiders features several massive loot locations, each with distinct layouts, weather patterns, and enemy concentrations. Understanding how each map plays helps you plan efficient routes, predict enemy spawns, and maximize extraction chances. Every location has its own loot density, elevation challenges, and event modifiers.

• Dam Battlegrounds: A beginner-friendly area surrounded by forests, swamps, and flooded power plants. Expect smaller ARC patrols and lots of low-tier loot containers. It’s a great place to learn extraction routes and test new weapons.
• Buried City: An urban warzone filled with collapsed malls and hospitals. The narrow streets favor stealth and close-range weapons like shotguns. Watch out for Raider ambushes in high-loot corridors.
• Acerra Spaceport: A massive vertical combat zone filled with control towers and elevated platforms. You’ll find rare loot here, but the exposure makes it one of the most dangerous maps for beginners. Bring smoke grenades or mobility gadgets to escape.
• The Blue Gate: A mountainous region with extreme elevation changes. This area rewards vertical awareness — use cliffs for overwatch and keep your stamina in check while climbing.
• Stella Montis: A labyrinth of underground tunnels and industrial chambers. Stealth-focused Raiders will thrive here; sound travels poorly, and it’s easier to avoid direct combat with ARC machines.

7.1 Dynamic Events and Modifiers

Each raid can include random world events that alter gameplay and risk levels. These Dynamic Events keep every run unpredictable. Some offer high-tier rewards, while others make survival much harder. Learning when to engage or ignore them separates skilled players from beginners.

• Prospecting Probes: These glowing ARC devices harvest rare minerals. They’re always guarded by drones, but clearing them rewards high-value crafting materials.
• Harvester (Queen Event): A large-scale fight against elite ARC units. It’s a top-tier loot opportunity but often attracts nearby Raiders, so only engage if you have enough ammo and cover.
• Uncovered Caches: Timed loot events that detonate if ignored. Rush in, loot fast, and escape before the timer expires.
• Husk Graveyard: A field filled with deactivated ARC corpses. Harvest them for Powercells and unique crafting parts, but prepare for reinforcements if you make too much noise.
• Launch Tower Loot: A high-risk, high-reward stash found at tall structures. Great for rare Blueprints, but extraction becomes harder afterward due to your noise footprint.
• Lush Blooms: Areas of alien flora that yield unique crafting materials used in advanced augments. Safe but time-consuming to collect.
• Electromagnetic Storms: Sudden weather events that cause lightning strikes and visibility drops. Move cautiously, use cover, and avoid open fields.
• Darkness (Night Raids): Limited visibility and more enemy patrols, but significantly better loot quality. Use headlamps or the glow from ARC enemies to navigate.

7.2 Event Rewards and Risk Table

8. ARC Machine Weaknesses and Best Practices Against Them

ARC machines are the mechanical overlords that roam every map. They range from small scouts to massive war machines. Fighting them is optional but essential for farming rare drops and crafting materials. Understanding their behavior patterns and weaknesses will save you ammo and health.

• Wasp: A fast, agile flying drone that scouts for larger ARC patrols. It’s fragile but often travels in groups. Prioritize them first to avoid being marked. Drops include ARC Alloy and Light Ammo.
• Hornet: A larger aerial unit armed with rockets. Its weak points are on the sides of its hull — shoot during reloads or when it hovers. Drops Powercells and Hornet Drivers used for weapon upgrades.
• Rocketeer: A long-range ground unit with high damage output. Use cover and bait its rockets before countering. Drops mechanical parts for Explosives Bench upgrades.
• Courier: A rare ARC transport drone carrying high-value loot. If you see one, take it down quickly — they despawn fast and attract attention.
• Queen (Harvester Event): A massive boss-type ARC that controls smaller drones. Always focus on its glowing power core and bring explosives. The Queen drops top-tier crafting materials and unique Blueprints.

ARC enemies respond to noise — suppressed weapons and careful movement can help you avoid triggering larger groups. If you accidentally alert a swarm, break line of sight, use terrain for cover, and avoid fighting near extraction points.

Wasp

9. How to Extract Safely in ARC Raiders and Use the Safe Box

Extraction is the most crucial part of every raid. No matter how much loot you gather, it’s worthless unless you bring it back to Speranza. Timing your extraction correctly often determines whether a run is successful or ends in disaster.

• Standard Extractions: Elevator shafts, metro tunnels, and air vents serve as regular extraction points. They’re noisy and trigger loud countdown alarms, alerting nearby enemies and Raiders. Always clear the area before starting the timer.
• Raider Hatch: A silent extraction option that uses special keys purchased from Shani or crafted at your workshop. These are perfect for stealth runs or when carrying heavy loot, since they don’t attract ARC patrols.
• Safe Box: Your personal, protected inventory section. Anything placed inside remains safe even if you die. Expand it through augments and progression milestones. Always secure rare Blueprints and high-value components here before pushing further into the map.

Extraction tip: Never head to the same extraction point twice in a row. Smart Raiders often camp common routes. Rotate between hatches, metros, and elevators to keep your loot safe.

10. How to Manage Loot and Inventory Weight Efficiently

Inventory management is just as important as combat. Carrying too much will slow you down, and reduce your stamina regeneration. Understanding weight systems and item priorities is vital for consistent extractions.

• Backpack Sizes: Larger backpacks increase total capacity but reduce safe slots. Always pick based on your risk tolerance — stealth runs favor smaller bags, while farming runs favor larger ones.
• Item Priority: Value-to-weight ratio matters. Always prioritize Blueprints, Powercells, and rare materials over common scrap.
• Field Salvaging: Use it only when overweight or when crafting ammo mid-run. Salvaging in the open exposes you to attacks.
• Base Recycling: Disassemble duplicates and extra weapons at Speranza for a higher material return.
• XP from Containers: Opening containers grants XP even if you don’t pick items. Open everything you can for passive progress.

11. How Co-Op and Squad Raids Work in ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders supports both solo and co-op play. Teaming up changes the pacing, risk, and communication required for survival. You can queue solo or in a squad of up to three players.

• Matchmaking: The game generally pairs equal group sizes (solo vs. solo, squads vs. squads). However, mixed matches can occur if lobbies are quiet.
• Team Coordination: Each teammate should take a role: one carries extra ammo, one focuses on healing, and one scouts or leads. Assign responsibilities before deploying.
• Shared Loot: Loot is not automatically shared — communicate before grabbing items to avoid wasting materials.
• Noise Management: Squad movement makes twice the noise. Crouch through tight areas and avoid sprinting together unless escaping.
• Revives: Downed teammates can be revived with medical kits, but revives are loud. Clear the area before attempting one.

Gameplay

12. ARC Raiders Beginner Tips – Best Early Game Strategies

Every new Raider makes the same mistakes like carrying too much, fighting unnecessary battles, or pushing too deep into hostile zones. Follow these beginner strategies to stay alive longer and extract richer.

• Plan your route: Chain low-risk zones into richer ones, then extract. Most deaths happen when players get greedy and stay too long.
• Gear discipline: Choose shields and backpacks at the hub and stick with them. Heavy shields are slower but tankier; light ones allow for faster retreats.
• Use ziplines: They are lifesavers during extractions or ambushes. Always note where they are when you enter a new area.
• Sound control: Crouch indoors, walk near enemies, and avoid opening crates in active combat zones. Noise draws both Raiders and ARC patrols.
• Heal early: Some attacks bypass shields directly and hit health. Don’t wait to heal after big hits.
• Rotate extracts: Don’t rely on a single route. Diversify extraction paths to avoid being camped.

Best Guides for ARC Raiders

Skill Tree Guide & Best Skills To Unlock First

All Quests List and Their Rewards

How To Upgrade Scrappy to Max Level

Best Loot Locations Guide on Every Map

Best Weapons Tier List