Arc Raiders Strategy Guide: Tips for Casual Players and Hardcore Gamers

Welcome to the world of Arc Raiders. After a lengthy anticipation period, this title has evolved from being a co-op shooter focused on combating robotic adversaries to a compelling PvPvE extraction shooter. It boasts a mesmerizing atmosphere, top-notch sound design, and striking visuals.

It’s safe to assert that Arc Raiders stands out as one of the most well-crafted and accessible extraction shooters available today, marking its position as the first triple-A venture in this genre. Players who have participated in the various playtests, including the notable record-setting server slam, can attest that they’ve encountered something truly unique.

However, given the inherently challenging nature of extraction shooters, we’re here to provide you with valuable insights to enhance your early gameplay experience.

Healing Items: Always Carry Two Types

In Arc Raiders, your character has a standard health meter represented by a white bar and a higher shield bar. Note that the capacity of your shield is determined by the rarity and type of shield you have equipped. While some healing items can replenish both, most will cater to only one type.

To ensure your survival, always equip one item to restore your base health and another specifically designed for recharging shields. Even if your shields have been completely depleted, they can be restored to full capacity if you have enough resources. Essential healing items include various types of Bandages for health restoration and Shield Rechargers for shields. You’ll also discover items like Arc Powercells which can replenish your shields after defeating Arc machines. Remember: anything that goes into your Quick Use slot can be utilized during your missions.

Importance of Raider Augments

In Arc Raiders, Augments significantly influence what you can carry into raids. These come in various types and rarities, affecting your inventory slots, Safe Pockets, carrying capacity, and Quick Use slots, not to mention the type of shield you can utilize.

Given their impact, selecting the appropriate Augment before embarking on a raid is vital. Take time to understand what each Augment offers. Be mindful not to expend powerful Augments on simple runs; save them for significant missions.

Unlike many extraction shooters, you cannot alter your Augments in the midst of a raid. While you may find and loot new Augments during your mission, you won’t be able to utilize them until you return to Speranza. Additionally, remember that Augments cannot be nested, unlike Backpacks in games like Tarkov.

Claim All Available Quests Before Raiding

Prior to entering a raid, always check with Traders for available Quests. This is especially advantageous early in the game as completing one Quest can unlock subsequent ones.Do not head into a raid without picking up as many Quests as possible.

Many initial Quests can be completed by anyone in your party, provided they do not involve returning specific items. Quests that entail dealing damage to specific Arc enemies or exploring particular areas can be undertaken by any team member, contributing to everyone’s progress.

Inside the game, you can track your active Quests and even notify your teammates to keep them in the loop. For items that need to be returned, utilize your Safe Pocket to ensure their safety in case of demise during the raid. Quest items are easily identifiable by a diamond icon on their tile.

Notably, some Quest-required items can often be obtained through Salvaging existing materials. Before you set out, check the potential for Salvage to streamline your objectives.

Completing Quests also boosts your reputation with each Trader, unlocking access to higher-rarity items and enhancing their inventory, allowing for more fruitful exchanges.

Image credit: Embark Studios.

Reconnect to Raids if Disconnected

One helpful tip to keep in mind: if you are disconnected from a match, you can log back in to regain control of your character as long as the match is still ongoing. The game is designed intelligently; when you lose connection, your character will halt, preventing unintended movement until you reconnect.

This feature is particularly advantageous, although it’s possible to encounter unfortunate scenarios where you reconnect only to find your character has been eliminated due to inactivity.

Utilize the Free Loadout Option

Even the most skilled players can falter in extraction shooters, and Arc Raiders is no exception. The longer you play, the more you may learn to detach from your gear, despite the natural challenges associated with this.

If you find yourself lacking top-tier equipment on a given raid or hesitate to risk a fully stacked loadout, consider opting for the Free Loadout. This choice provides a zero-risk way to engage in gameplay, allowing you to try your hand with randomized gear that doesn’t cost you anything.

While Free Loadouts usually yield lower-quality equipment, they don’t impose risks of losing high-value items. However, keep in mind that these loadouts lack Safe Pockets, meaning you’ll need to extract to secure any items you may find during the raid. No matter your outcome, the Augment brought with you can still be traded for potentially more valuable items later.

Free Loadouts are ideal for quests or simply for exploring the game world without the risk associated with high-value equipment. Embrace whatever gear you receive and upgrade quickly to maintain a competitive edge.

Manage Item Durability

It’s crucial to be aware that many items, including weapons and Shields, experience wear and tear during use in Arc Raiders. Hovering over your weapon can reveal its durability status, typically decreasing after a raid.

Similarly, Shields may require repairs, particularly if they’ve been frequently utilized. Repairing is straightforward: simply select “Repair” to rejuvenate the item, but ensure you have the necessary components on hand.

Should your items degrade, you can opt to take the same weapon into your next raid or store it in your Stash while selecting an alternate one. Most players will have multiple versions of key weapons, allowing flexibility in play strategies.

Always Check Up on Scrappy

Meet Scrappy, your loyal companion. This engaging character seeks out Components while you engage in raids and brings them back to you. After successfully extracting, your first task should be to collect everything Scrappy has retrieved.

As you progress, upgrading Scrappy’s capability to find higher-quality items will become possible, enhancing its value over time. Its contributions can be particularly beneficial if you experience frequent losses during raids, as Scrappy continues to gather resources regardless of your extraction status.

Target Rotors to Take Down Flying Units

While encountering Arc enemies is unavoidable, not all engagements need to be challenging. By understanding creature vulnerabilities, you can conclude battles more efficiently.

All flying Arc Units feature rotors that facilitate their flight. By targeting these rotors, you can destabilize these units, causing them to tumble and requiring repositioning. Coordinated efforts with teammates to fire at multiple rotors simultaneously can lead to rapid neutralization.

Weaker units like Wasp and Snitch lack armor on their rotors; however, stronger foes like the Hornet shield their rear rotors. Always keep this in mind before engaging in combat.

In many cases, damaging two rotors is enough to bring the unit crashing down. Pay attention to animations to gauge their vulnerability and conserve your ammunition.

Consider avoiding the Rocketeer entirely unless necessary, as its rotors are heavily armored and demand more resource expenditure before they can be effectively damaged.

Image credit: Embark Studios.

Exploit the Rich Information in the Item UI

Take heed of this crucial tip: **Arc Raiders’ UI is designed to convey a wealth of information.** By hovering over an item tile, detailed descriptions reveal the item type, rarity, purpose, discovery locations, stack limits, and weight—all accompanied by notable icons for easy recognition.

This rich information is often where you’ll find answers to your questions regarding items, making it a practical habit to explore the UI thoroughly.

Keep an Eye Out for Diamond-Iconed Items

If you’re looking to accrue quick funds in Arc Raiders, focus on items marked with a diamond icon. These valuables can be sold for a significant profit, assuming you can safely extract them. Make it a practice to store these items in your Safe Pocket unless you have Quest items requiring your attention.

Additionally, diamond-iconed items often contribute to specific Quests and can be broken down into rare Components. Initially, selling these valuables will help you earn some currency, but their true potential will be unveiled as you progress into late-game content and Questing.

Safety in Numbers When Extracting

As an extraction shooter, prioritizing safe extraction from raids is of the utmost importance. However, this process often accompanies significant risks.

Besides dealing with Extract campers—a common threat—you also face noise distractions during the extraction. Whether utilizing an elevator or train, activating an extraction point invariably triggers an alarm, alerting nearby enemies.

Moreover, the extraction setup typically takes about 45 seconds, providing adversaries ample opportunity to intervene and potentially disrupt your escape.

If you possess a hatch key, you can sidestep these risks entirely by utilizing a Raider Hatch. These quiet extraction points are numerous but require a costly single-use key that may not be accessible early in the game.

Realistically, you will likely rely on standard extraction methods during most raids. To increase your chances of a successful escape, keep an eye on the timers above each extraction method to gauge their availability.

As you delve deeper into a raid, the number of functioning Extracts dwindles. This means that players who linger until the end may have to contend with others vying for the last available exit. You can always attempt to negotiate for safe passage, but it’s usually more prudent to avoid such encounters.

It’s best to extract at the earliest opportunity to minimize the risk of confrontation with other players. Lastly, maintain awareness of how far you are from each extraction point to further strategize your escape.

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