ARC Raiders First Expedition Reset Guide
The first expedition in ARC Raiders has officially arrived, and with it comes a full progression reset. If you’re heading into the expedition, you’ll lose all ARC Raiders blueprints/items, workshop upgrades, skills, and skill tree progress. Everything you’ve built up so far is gone.
That sounds brutal—and it is—but the reset also creates a level playing field. With the right plan, you can rebuild faster than most players and regain access to critical blueprints, workshop levels, and power spikes without unnecessary stress. Before registering for the expedition, you will need to prepare a certain amount of ARC Raiders Coins.
How Workshop Progress Works After the Expedition
Based on current wording and testing, all workshops will reset to Level 1 after the expedition. You will not lose access to the workshops themselves, but every upgrade must be rebuilt.
To make this manageable, the most important step is knowing exactly which items you need and where they drop.
To solve this, I’ve added a dedicated workshop progression table to my spreadsheet. It shows:
• Required items for every workshop level
• Exact quantities
• Best farming locations
• Optional timestamps linking directly to video examples
Example: Gunsmith Level 2 Requirements
To upgrade the Gunsmith to Level 2, you’ll need:
• Mechanical Components
• Wasp Drivers
• Rusted Gears
• Advanced Mechanical Components
• Sentinel Firing Cores
Each item entry links to a timestamped video showing its most reliable spawn locations. If you prefer not to watch videos, tooltips provide quick written guidance on where to look.
Non-Craftable Items You Must Stockpile Early
Some of the most important materials in ARC Raiders cannot be crafted and must be looted consistently. These include:
• Magnets
• Springs
• Wires
• Processors
• Sensors
Best Farming Locations by Item Type
Stella Montis
Stella Montis is arguably the most versatile loot zone in the game. Almost everything can drop here—but it comes at a cost. Expect:
• Tight, close-quarters combat
• Shredders
• Heavy PvP competition
If you can survive, Stella Montis covers nearly all early-game needs.
Seed Vault
Seed Vault is excellent for:
• Chemicals
• Plastic parts
This makes it the best early location for mass-producing grenades, which are essential for killing Bastions and Bombardiers during early workshop progression.
Lobby Metro
Lobby Metro contains a room that consistently spawns oil, wires, and magnets on every visit. This is one of the best early-game farms for foundational materials.
Mechanical Components and Metal Parts Farming
For mechanical components, metal parts, and advanced mechanical components, you have several efficient options:
• Bluegate – Cars
Looting cars in Bluegate provides metal parts and mechanical components.
• Checkpoint
Nearly everything here can drop metal parts, which can be crafted into mechanical components. Check car seats specifically for springs.
• Spaceport Route
The fuel container area and rocket assembly sections contain breachable containers that frequently spawn advanced mechanical components.
Processors and Sensors – Where to Find Them Fast
Processors and sensors are primarily found in server cabinets, which are widely distributed across the map.
High-density locations include:
• Departure Building (upper floors)
• Battlegrounds Power Generation Complex
• Bluegate Data Vault
• Stella Montis Medical Research
Additionally, Android enemies in Stella Montis can drop sensors, making them a reliable secondary source.
Recovering Critical Blueprints After the Reset
Some blueprints are essential for early progression and must be reacquired quickly.
Anvil, Ventor, and Orment Blueprints
These most commonly drop from raider-related containers, including:
• Raider caches
• Weapon boxes
• Ammo cases
• Grenade cases
While uncovered caches are currently unavailable, Cold Snap raider caches share a similar loot pool. Breachable snow raider caches in Cold Snap can drop early weapon blueprints just as reliably.
Augment Blueprints – Best and Underrated Locations
Most players know the obvious farm:
• Security Wing, Bluegate (Underground)
Augments drop frequently here, but competition is extreme.
Underrated Alternative: Medical Areas
Based on collected data, augmented blueprints have dropped in only two locations:
1. Security Wing (majority of drops)
2. Hospital/medical areas
Medical containers appear to share the augment loot pool. If the Security Wing is overrun, medical zones are a strong secondary option.
Attachment Blueprints and Wolf Pack
Attachment Blueprints
Compensators, light mags, and similar attachments most commonly drop in residential areas, such as:
• Plaza Rosa Village (Bluegate)
Wolf Pack Blueprint
Wolf Pack is one of the most sought-after blueprints for Ark progression.
Based on user-submitted data:
• ~99% of Wolf Pack drops occur in Night Raids
If you are farming during standard raids, you are significantly reducing your odds. Stella Montis can now drop Deadline, which can serve as an alternative:
• 3 Explosive Compounds
• 2 Arc Circuitries
• Requires Explosive Station Level 3
For early Ark kills, light impact grenades remain the most reliable option, easily farmed via Seed Vault materials.
Fastest Ways to Level After the Reset
Everyone starts back at Level 1, so early XP efficiency matters.
Best XP Methods Without Gear
• Seed Vault loot runs
Looting every container provides surprisingly fast XP with minimal risk.
• Hidden Bunker Bastion/Bombardier farming
Use light impact grenades instead of Holecrackers.
• Stella Montis hybrid runs
Farm containers for XP while hunting for the Deadline blueprint. Once obtained, Deadline-based runs provide excellent XP returns.
Looting containers is consistently one of the most underrated XP sources early on.
Recommended Early Skill Tree Path
Skill choices matter more than ever post-reset. While personal preference plays a role, this path balances survivability, speed, and economic advantage.
Early Priorities
• Rush Security Breach as early as possible
Even with randomized spawns, having it before most players gives a major advantage in farming gun parts and rare loot.
• Max early looting efficiency nodes
Faster looting equals faster XP and safer runs.
Mid-Tree Optimization
• Prioritize stamina recovery, carry weight, and looting speed
• Silent Scavenger is low priority (1 point only)
• Max Revitalizing Squat to hit skill thresholds faster
Utility and Survival
• Mind Sweeper is extremely valuable in explosive-heavy zones
• Proficient Pryer becomes important once breaching frequency increases
• Nimble Climber and Effortless Roll provide mobility without sacrificing control
Avoid skills that interfere with cover discipline if they don’t suit your playstyle (e.g., Slip and Slide).
Final Thoughts – Rebuilding Smarter, Not Harder
The expedition reset in ARC Raiders is harsh, but it rewards preparation and efficiency. With the right routes, a focused skill tree, and smart workshop prioritization, you can rebuild faster than most of the player base and establish a strong early economy.
MMOexp ARC Raiders Team