We’re coming in hot on this one. Only a few hours into Arc Raiders, and we’ve learned so much already!
Arc Raiders is a high-stakes extraction shooter, where your mission is simple: get in, grab valuable loot, and get out alive.
This loop can be punishing, initially. So, to help you survive and build your stash, here are five essential tips we’ve picked up.
1. Understand the Free Loadout (And Its Major Catch)
When you’re starting out or low on gear, the Free Loadout is a great option.
Arc Raiders free loadout gives you all the basic essentials for a raid at no cost, letting you learn the map and mechanics without risking your own equipment.
However, it comes with one massive catch: Using the Free Loadout disables your Safe Box. This means everything you find must be successfully extracted.
If you die, you lose it all.
2. Prioritize Your Safe Pocket
The Safe Pocket is your most important tool for building wealth in Arc Raiders. You can only use it when you launch a raid with your own gear (from your stash, crafting, or vendors).
You start with one slot, which can be upgraded with augments.
Any item you place in your Safe Pocket is yours to keep, even if you die.
Always use these slots to secure your rarest and most valuable items immediately. Found a legendary item? Secure it. This is how you guarantee progress, even on failed raids.
3. Learn the Map Zones and Manage Your Risk
Success in Arc Raiders is all about risk versus reward, which is built directly into the map’s zones.
- White Zones: Basic loot, low danger. Good for new players or safe, quick runs to gather essentials.
- Orange Zones: Better items, but they are guarded by ARC robots. Expect resistance.
- Red Zones: The best-in-slot gear. These areas are heavily fortified by elite ARCs and are hotspots for other players hunting for the same score. Do not enter a red zone unless you are prepared for a serious fight.
4. Hunting ARCs: Be Fast or Be Ready for a Fight
ARC Robots are a primary source of loot, but they are also your biggest threat.
Fighting ARCs, especially large ones like Spider Walkers, is loud. Gunfire is a dinner bell for every other player on the map. Expect to get swarmed by other raiders that might “third-party” you while you’re weak or distracted.
If you engage do engage, finish the fight quickly. Loot fast, stay aware, and immediately prepare for a counter-attack from other Raiders.
Playing with a squad makes these encounters significantly safer.
5. The Workshop is Your Base of Operations
The Workshop is your hub between raids. This is where you prepare, craft, and manage your resources.
Build guns, ammo, healing items, and more at your benches.
Send your companion, Scrappy and Rooster, to gather materials for you while you’re out on a raid.
Buy items you can’t craft from vendors. Also sell unwanted loot for cash, and pick up quests for extra rewards and objectives.
A well-stocked and upgraded Workshop is the foundation for every successful raid. Use it to ensure you go out with the right gear for the job.
Bonus: Expect to fail
The biggest lesson to learn in Arc Raiders is that you can and absolutely will, fail. That’s fine.
Protect your gear by being shrewd about what you take out with you. Put high-value items in your safe pocket and just accept that sometimes the odds are stacked against you.
It’s you vs the world which is both computer-controlled and human-controlled enemies. Use proximity chat to say hello to human players and try to seek truce or even allies.
But always be ready for a betrayal, and ultimately to not succeed your raid.