ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Guide: Pendola Pass, New Weapons, Enemies, and Weapon Amplification

Summary

Bottom line: Frozen Trail is ARC Raiders' biggest update yet. The headline content is the new map Pendola Pass, three new ARC enemies, the weapon amplification system, rope-based gadgets, and endgame dungeon content. If you want to skip some of the grind and get straight into the new content, you can buy ARC Raiders Coins to speed up your progression. Here's the full breakdown.

1. New Map: Pendola Pass

Pendola Pass is a snow-covered vertical environment defined by steep elevation changes, dense interior routes, and the home of the Fallen Emperor. The map has two exclusive mechanics:

Flash Freeze

A dynamic weather system that forces players to seek shelter. Exposure deals continuous damage, and severity varies by map region.

Redirection

A map-exclusive condition. Players can interact with Emperor nodes to redirect Collector payloads to their own position, gaining access to the resources inside. The tradeoff: the transmitter also draws ARC units and hostile Raiders, so you have to clear and hold the area before collecting.

Ballistic Gondola

Pendola Pass's unique extraction method, holding up to three players. Unlike standard extraction points, the Gondola Transceiver does not expire, so you never lose the extraction. If the gondola is full, you can use a Grappling Hook to ride along with it.

2. New ARC Enemies

Bully

A quadruped machine described as a fusion of Bastion and Leaper. Its behavior pattern is extremely aggressive and relentlessly pursuing, with close-range attacks similar to Shredders. Field reports confirm it has multiple attack types, including rocket-launcher-style attacks, and it will rope and pull players toward it. The weak point is in the legs, but its extreme movement speed makes hitting it very difficult.

Skulker

The opposite of the Bully — the Skulker keeps its distance and waits for openings, relying on concealment and ambush. Its behavior is described as "running around and trying to hide from you," requiring active searching to locate.

Hydra

A heavy turret-type enemy equipped with multiple weapons. Detailed behavior remains limited in the preview build.

3. Weapon Amplification System

Frozen Trail introduces a fifth quality tier for 15 existing weapons, unlocking branching amplification paths. Each amplified weapon has multiple upgrade routes, meaning the same gun can play completely differently depending on which path you choose.

Confirmed Amplification Examples

Rattler field notes: The 64-round drum combined with improved reload speed turns a base rifle that normally holds 10 rounds into a sustained suppression weapon. The system's overall goal is to give late-game players a way to reinvent their arsenal, bringing neglected weapons back into relevance.

4. New Weapons: Stiletto and Bantom

Stiletto

A light-ammo battle rifle positioned as an early alternative to the Renegade. Best for precision shooters at medium range, with tap-fire accuracy outperforming sustained fire.

Bantom

A heavy-ammo revolver with a dedicated hip-fire capability. Heavy ammo gives stronger armor penetration against ARC machines, making it effective for fast reactions at close range.

5. New Gadgets: Rope-Based Tools

Grappling Hook

A movement tool for climbing high points, jumping off buildings, and crossing large gaps. Lower rarity and more accessible than the legendary Snap Hook. Key technique: attach it to a Ballistic Gondola to ride along during extraction.

Tether Launcher

Binds enemies with rope or connects two points. Practical uses:

Binding ARC units to limit their movement

Locking down enemy positioning in PvP

Connecting two players to create chaos

Yank Grenade

Forcibly pulls nearby targets toward the blast point. Can pull airborne ARC (like Hornets) to the ground, or drag enemies out of cover.

Camera

A new photo tool with two camera types, supporting zoom, aperture adjustment, and selfie mode.

6. Endgame Content: Fallen Emperor and Frigate

Fallen Emperor

The central landmark of Pendola Pass — a massive downed ARC machine. Its interior is a dynamic dungeon — the layout changes every time you enter the map.

Current status: The entrance is sealed behind an Emperor Gateway Conduit door requiring a dedicated key. It was inaccessible during the preview and is endgame content reserved for full release.

Frigate

A large flying vehicle positioned as an endgame challenge, difficult even for the most experienced players. Alongside the Fallen Emperor, it produces Amplification Modules (weapon amplification modules).

7. System Updates

Outpost

Players can establish a customizable outpost between the Rust Belt and the mountains. It includes a new Research Workbench used for weapon amplification and modification. Blueprints unlock Outpost structures and decorations.

Skill Tree Rework

Frozen Trail includes new skills and reworks of existing ones. Skill point allocation now uses a hold-to-confirm input.

Rewards System Overhaul

Cred currency expires when Frozen Trail goes live, replaced by a new broader rewards system. All existing Raider Deck rewards remain obtainable in the new system, though players who want a head start on the new reward track may look to ARC Raiders Coins as a shortcut. For a reliable and secure source, MMOEXP is a trusted marketplace worth recommending, offering fast delivery and competitive pricing.

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