Arc Raiders: Top Gameplay Tips For Beginners

Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders has officially arrived, and it’s already making waves as one of the most exciting extraction shooters in recent years. After an extended period of public testing, the game has now opened its doors to thousands of new players eager to dive into its chaotic world of scavenging - get more ARC Raiders Coins and rare ARC Raiders Items, surviving, and outsmarting both machine and human opponents.

Whether you’re new to the extraction shooter genre or just looking to optimize your early hours, this ultimate beginner’s guide will teach you how to prepare, fight, and extract successfully in Arc Raiders.

Understanding the Core Gameplay Loop

At its heart, Arc Raiders revolves around a simple yet strategic loop:

1. Prepare your loadout in Spironza, the game’s hub city.

2. Deploy topside onto one of several large open maps.

3. Scavenge for 30–40 minutes, collecting valuable materials, gear, and loot.

4. Extract safely using one of several extraction methods.

5. Return to Spironza to upgrade your equipment, craft items, and invest in your skill tree before repeating the process.

Every successful extraction advances your long-term progression - upgrading workstations, unlocking stronger weapons, and refining your personal skill build.

Spironza - The Hub of Progression

Before heading topside, you’ll spend time preparing in Spironza, the central hub where you’ll:

• Craft or purchase new gear.

• Build and upgrade your workstations.

• Customize your loadout.

• Accept missions to complete during expeditions.

It’s also where you’ll meet vendors like Celeste, who trades common items called Assorted Seeds for crafting materials, and Shaunie, who sells rare Raider Hatch Keys used for stealth extractions.

Exploring the Maps

At launch, Arc Raiders features five maps plus a practice range. Each map has unique layouts and environmental modifiers that can drastically alter gameplay. For instance, the Night Raid modifier plunges a map into darkness, disables raider hatches, reduces extraction points, and increases enemy presence - but also offers higher-tier loot.

When exploring:

• Yellow zones offer medium-value loot.

• Red zones offer high-value loot but are heavily contested.

• Each area also has loot tags (mechanical, technological, electrical, etc.) that indicate what kind of materials you’ll find there.

Avoid open areas whenever possible - they’re fast routes but leave you exposed to ambushes. Instead, plan your path through cover-rich terrain and multi-level buildings.

Extraction Methods Explained

There are several ways to keep a map alive:

• Raider Hatches: Quiet extractions using keys that can be crafted, bought, or rarely scavenged.

• Extraction Elevator / Metro Station / Air Shaft: Loud extractions that alert everyone nearby with alarms, forcing you to survive until the transport arrives.

If you’re knocked down but not dead, you can still extract - so don’t give up until the end.

The Arcs - Deadly Machines That Patrol the World

The game’s namesake enemies, Arcs, are mechanical patrols that roam the surface. They vary in type and behavior, from small drones to towering war machines.

Key Rule:

If you don’t need to fight an Arc - don’t. They’re deadly, loud, and can alert other players to your location. Only engage them if:

• You’re farming their parts.

• They’ve already detected you.

• You’re confident in your team’s coordination.

If you must fight, always aim for weak spots to conserve ammo and time.

Loadouts - Choosing Between Free and Custom

Before each run, you can deploy with either a Free Loadout or a Custom Loadout.

Free Loadout:

• Includes random, low-tier gear.

• Great for beginners or low-resource runs.

• Limited carrying capacity but risk-free - whatever you extract with, you keep.

Custom Loadout:

• Uses your crafted or scavenged equipment.

• Fully customizable but risky - death means losing everything not stored safely.

Each loadout is built from the following components:

• Augment: Determines weight capacity, shield type, quick-use slots, and safe pocket space.

• Shield: Adds protection but can slow you down depending on quality.

• Weapons: Two slots, any combination you prefer.

• Consumables: Grenades, healing items, buffs, etc.

• Backpack: Holds ammo and general loot.

• Safe Pocket: Anything here returns home even if you die - ideal for blueprints, rare mats, or treasures.

Skill Tree Breakdown

Progression in Arc Raiders is tied to your Skill Tree, which branches into Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival.

Conditioning: Focuses on melee, recovery, and noise reduction.

• Used to the Weight lets you wear heavy shields without speed loss.

• Survivor Stamina helps regenerate stamina faster when injured.

Mobility: Improves stamina and movement efficiency.

• Marathon Runner and Youthful Lungs are must-haves early.

• Effortless Roll and Vaults on Vaults reduce stamina costs for dodging and climbing.

Survival: Offers utility and looting efficiency.

• Agile Croucher increases crouch speed.

• In-Round Crafting allows on-the-fly item creation.

• Broad Shoulders and Looter’s Luck help maximize your loot efficiency.

You can’t freely respec your skills, so plan your build carefully.

Workstations and Crafting

Your base in Spironza contains seven crafting stations, each specializing in different areas:

1. Basic Bench: Early crafting of weapons, shields, ammo, and bandages.

2. Weapons Bench: Craft and upgrade weapons and attachments.

3. Equipment Bench: Build augments and advanced shields.

4. Med Station: Create healing items and rechargers.

5. Explosives Bench: Craft grenades and mines for crowd control.

6. Utility Bench: Build door blockers, barricades, cloaks, and zip lines.

7. Refiner: Upgrade raw materials into rare components.

Upgrade Priority:

1. Scrappy (Your Rooster Companion) - Generates free materials after each run.

2. Weapons Bench - Unlocks better weapons and attachments.

3. Medical Lab - Improves healing and shields.

4. Refiner - Increases efficiency for crafting higher-tier materials.

Essential Upgrade Materials:

• Dog Collar: Scrappy Level 2

• Lemons & Apricots: Scrappy Level 3 (found in Lush Blooms modifier runs)

• Toasters & Fireball Burners: Refiner upgrades

• Wasp Drivers & Mechanical Components: Gunsmith upgrades

• Tick Pods & Durable Cloth: Medical Lab upgrades

Topside Survival Tips

• Stay Silent: Sprinting, reloading, or opening crates creates noise enemies can hear.

• Avoid unnecessary fights: Let other raiders make noise and reveal themselves.

• Use cover smartly: Know the difference between cover (protection) and concealment (camouflage).

• Mind your stamina: Manage movement carefully; stamina governs survival and escape.

• Heal and recharge often: Never enter a fight half-healed. Shields do not block all damage.

• Loot smart: You gain XP for every container opened - even if you don’t take anything.

Final Thoughts

Arc Raiders is more than just a shooter—it’s a careful balance of planning, patience, and precision. Every decision you make, from what gear to carry to when to extract, impacts your long-term success. The early hours can feel overwhelming, but once you learn how to navigate the chaos, you’ll find one of the most rewarding extraction experiences in gaming today. So prepare wisely, stay quiet, and extract alive—because in Arc Raiders, survival is the ultimate victory.

MMOexp ARC Raiders Team