ARC Raiders expedition reset guide: how to clear the 100k damage challenge fast

The expedition window is open, and there are 12 days left to finish this reset. The biggest change is simple: every player must complete a 100k damage challenge, no matter if this is your first, second, third, or fourth expedition, and ARC Raiders Coins are still part of the wider expedition progression system.

What changed this time

In the early days, expeditions required collecting "space dollars" to finish the run. Now that system has shifted. Before you can move on, you must:

complete the damage challenge

earn progress by hurting ARC, players, or any damageable target

finish the challenge even if you die in raid

The good part is that extracting is not required. If you deal damage and die, that damage still counts.

How the damage challenge works

This challenge is very straightforward:

hit anything that can take damage

every point is added to your 100k total

kills are not the only thing that matters

PvP is not the best way to farm it

If you are a PvP-focused player, do not rely on killing players for progress. Player kills give less than 1,000 points, which is inefficient compared to ARC farming.

Damage values by ARC type

Here is the practical breakdown:

Small ARC

Ticks / Pops: 10

Fireball / Turret: 20

Snitch: 158

Wasp: 110

Hornet: 200

Firefly: 200

Comet: 150

Sentinel: 300

Surveyor: 260

Shredder: 385

Mid and large ARC

Leaper: 1,100

Bastion: 2,600

Bombardier: 2,670

Rocketeer: 1,100

Vaporizer: 1,500

Boss-level ARC

Queen / Matriarch: about 10,000 each

Turbine: about 5,000–6,000

Important correction about Bastion

A lot of players first thought Bastion would give 5,000 damage, but in practice it gives only about 2,600. That means:

you need around 38–39 Bastion kills to reach 100k

Bastion is useful, but not the most efficient target if you are chasing speed

Bombardier is slightly better at around 2,670, while Vaporizer and Rocketeer sit lower.

Why thicker armor seems to give less

From testing, ARC with thicker black armor often gives fewer damage points than targets with thinner armor. That is why:

Bastion and Rocketeer feel less rewarding

Bombardier and Vaporizer can be more efficient

Queen and Matriarch are strong targets when available

Best weapons and tools for farming damage

If you want to finish this quickly, these are the strongest options:

Jupiter: the best all-around ARC killer

Hullcracker: excellent for Queen and Matriarch

Deadline: great for placing on top of Queen for big damage bursts

Wolf Packs: strong for grouped smaller ARC

A very good approach is to combine sustained gun damage with explosives. Jupiter handles steady pressure, while Hullcracker and Deadline help burst down larger targets.

Best farming strategy

There is no perfect route because everyone is farming the same challenge right now. The best method is:

enter raid

damage everything you see

focus on high-value ARC when possible

if the area gets too crowded, leave and requeue

repeat

Also, Matriarch and Harvester events are worth joining whenever possible, since they naturally give you strong damage opportunities.

Catch-up mechanic explained

The catch-up system only works for players doing their second, third, or fourth expedition. It has strict rules:

You can catch up only if:

you already took part in that expedition

you completed the caravan

but you did not finish the last challenge

You cannot catch up if:

you never completed the caravan

you only signed up but did not finish it

you never joined that expedition at all

If catch-up is available, you must still finish the damage challenge first. Then each missing skill point costs 300,000 coins. For 5 skill points, you need 1.5 million coins.

Fourth expedition reward note

If this is your fourth expedition, you will no longer get skill points. Instead, you get:

stash expansion

raider tokens

random blueprint rewards

Also, if you joined the game later, your “fourth expedition” may actually count as a lower expedition for you.

Final advice

This challenge is easier than it looks. With good resources, it can be done in one afternoon. Focus on ARC damage, use strong explosive tools, and do not waste time on PvP farming, and if you want to buy ARC Raiders Coins, make sure it does not change your overall approach to the challenge.