ARC Raiders Unexpected Initiative Quest Guide
ARC Raiders, the free-to-play PvPvE extraction shooter from Embark Studios, throws players into the harsh Rust Belt as raiders scavenging for survival against ruthless ARC machines and rival players. One of the more straightforward yet location-specific early-to-mid game quests is Unexpected Initiative, handed out by the no-nonsense NPC Tian Wen after you wrap up Industrial Espionage and Echoes of Victory Ridge. This quest forces you to hit two specific rooftops in the Buried City map-all in a single raid-before extracting and delivering the goods back at base. It's a great way to learn vertical navigation, rooftop traversal, and quick decision-making under pressure.
The quest ties into Tian Wen's personal side project: setting up a greenhouse to boost food production for the raider outpost. As she puts it in the dialogue: "I'm setting up a greenhouse, to help boost our food production. I'm doing Celeste a solid, alright? That's all. But enough about that. I've got all the details worked out, but I'll need supplies, and I'm not hauling them alone." She later clarifies she needs a moisture meter (essentially a humidifier component) and a nutrient meter (fertilizer-related tech).
Required Items
1× Moisture Meter
1× Nutrient Meter
Rewards
1× Il Toro I (a solid uncommon double-barreled shotgun that shreds in close quarters)
40× Shotgun Ammo
1× Shotgun Choke II (reduces base dispersion by 20%, making your shotguns far more accurate at range)
These rewards are excellent for shotgun mains or anyone wanting a reliable CQC weapon with a mod that tightens pellet spread dramatically. The Il Toro I can feel "broken" in the right hands for quick wipes in apartments or tight rooftops.
Preparation Before Dropping In
Unexpected Initiative must be completed in one round, meaning you can't stash the items and come back later-you have to grab both meters, extract, and turn them in during the same raid. Bring a loadout that favors mobility and close-to-mid range fights:
Primary: Shotgun (like the starting Hullcracker or Arpeggio) or SMG for building clears.
Secondary: Pistol or light rifle for backup.
Utility: Grappling hook or extra zipline tools, smokes for player escapes, and a Safe Pocket to protect the meters if you die (though you can still complete if you extract with them in inventory).
Teamplay: Solo is doable, but squads make rooftop defense easier against rolling ARC bots or enemy raiders.
Buried City is a dense urban map with plenty of verticality, collapsed highways, and overgrown (or snow-dusted) rooftops. Grandioso Apartments sits in the southwest corner, while Piazza Roma is a short northeast jog away. The area sees moderate traffic because of decent loot, so expect company.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Step 1: Reach the Grandioso Apartments in Buried City
Drop near the southwest edge of Buried City or use a nearby metro/subway for a fast spawn. The Grandioso Apartments are two large residential blocks clearly marked on the map-look for the yellow boundary line in-game. Head to the south building first; it's the easier entry point.
Enter through broken windows on the ground floor into abandoned apartments. Inside, locate the open elevator shaft outside one of the units. Jump in and take the zipline straight up to the highest accessible floor. Exit the shaft, turn right, and climb the staircase to the rooftop. The whole ascent takes under a minute if you move quickly.
Step 2: Search for the Moisture Meter on the Rooftop of the Grandioso Apartments
Once on the roof, scan for a small seating area: a birdcage, sofa, chairs, and several planters filled with soil. The Moisture Meter is in the corner near two prominent orange pots/planters. Hold the interact button (E on PC) when the prompt "Search for Moisture Meter" appears. It's a quick search animation-grab it and pocket it safely.
Pro Tip: Watch for rolling ARC machines on the roof and inside the apartments-they love these high-traffic residential spots. Use the rooftop edges for sightlines down to the streets below if players push you.
Step 3: Reach Piazza Roma in Buried City
Piazza Roma is directly north-northeast of Grandioso Apartments, separated by just one or two city blocks and a short ruined highway section. You don't need to hit the exact Piazza Roma plaza marker-the quest objective clears once you're near the correct rooftops south of the main label. Sprint or grapple across rooftops for speed; the trek is short enough that you can do both sites in under 5-7 minutes total.
Step 4: Search for the Nutrient Meter in the Broken Rooftop Gardens at Piazza Roma
Focus on the two side-by-side apartment buildings just south of the Piazza Roma label (they look almost identical to Grandioso). Enter the south building (or the north one and cross the rooftop bridge). Use the same elevator shaft zipline trick: ride up, exit, turn right, and take the stairs to the roof.
On the rooftop you'll find broken greenhouse-style gardens-advanced planters with tubes, a water tank, and dirt-filled troughs. The Nutrient Meter is near the closest planter to the stairs or the central garden area. Interact to search and pick it up. The prompt will clearly say "Search for Nutrient Meter."
Pro Tip: This rooftop has excellent extraction options nearby-a subway station right next to the buildings makes bailing easy if things get hot. The broken gardens also provide decent cover with planters and railings.
Order doesn't matter! Some players start at Piazza Roma if they drop closer to the north, but Grandioso-to-Piazza is the most natural flow. Both searches are quick once you're on the correct roof.
Step 5 & 6: Extract and Deliver Both Meters to Tian Wen
With both items secured, head to any open extraction point (subway, raider hatch, or supply call station). Survive the final standoff at extract-players often camp them. Once back at Speranza (the main hub), go straight to Tian Wen at the gun shop area. Turn in the Nutrient Meter and Moisture Meter to complete the objectives. She'll say something like "That's everything I asked for. I'll handle the rest." Quest done!
Advanced Tips and Common Mistakes
Verticality is King: Master the elevator zipline + stairs combo. It's the fastest way up and appears in many Buried City POIs.
Player Hotspots: Grandioso and Piazza rooftops see fights because of the quest traffic and nearby loot. Bring throwable smokes or use the garden cover.
ARC Threat: These "Rolling Bots" conduct highly aggressive patrols throughout the interior of apartment buildings and across rooftop areas. Listen for their mechanical hum, and prioritize eliminating them before you begin your search.
Safe Pocket Priority: Always store the meters there. If you die, you can still extract the pocket contents later, but finishing in one round is required.
Solo vs Squad: Solo favors stealth and quick grabs. Squads can split-one team per rooftop-for even faster clears.
Why It Feels "Janky": Even if you already have these items in stash, the game requires the specific rooftop searches. It's designed to force exploration.
Why This Quest Matters in Your Progression
Unexpected Initiative is more than busywork. It teaches Buried City's vertical layout, which carries over to harder quests and high-tier raids. The Il Toro I plus Shotgun Choke II gives you a meta-viable shotgun loadout right away-perfect for apartment brawls or defending extracts. Many raiders call it one of the better early rewards because it's reliable and ammo-efficient.
After turning it in, you unlock the next Tian Wen quest, "A Symbol of Unification," which builds on the same map knowledge. Completing these chain quests also improves your reputation and unlocks better vendor stock.
Final Thoughts
Unexpected Initiative is a perfect mid-tier quest that rewards map familiarity and efficient routing more than raw combat skill. With the detailed paths above-Grandioso south building zipline to planters for the Moisture Meter, quick jog north to Piazza's south rooftop gardens for the Nutrient Meter-you can knock it out in 8-12 minutes and extract safely. Upon a successful extraction, you will receive a substantial amount of resources, including ARC Raiders Coins, ARC Raiders Items/Blueprints, and more. Drop in prepared, move with purpose, and those rooftop gardens will pay off with a powerful new shotgun in your arsenal.
MMOexp ARC Raiders Team
