Trials Season 3 Launches in ARC Raiders: The Vaporizer Brings Deadly Beams
The ARC Raiders team dropped an exciting update on April 6, 2026, announcing that Trials Season 3 is live from April 6 through April 12. At the center of the hype is the terrifying new aerial threat: the Vaporizer. This flying mechanized beast is sweeping across the Topside, unleashing beams of pure destruction that melt through shields and armor in seconds. The developers made it clear - standard loadouts and comfortable strategies won't suffice anymore. Raiders must get experimental, adapt on the fly, and find creative ways to deal meaningful damage to this new menace while completing other objectives and securing a successful extraction back to Speranza.
The full lineup of challenges for this week includes a mix of scavenging, targeted combat, and map-specific tasks designed to test every aspect of a Raider's skill set. These objectives encourage players to push deeper into dangerous zones, coordinate with teammates, and embrace risk for bigger rewards.
Full List of Trials Season 3 Challenges
This rotation features five key challenges that players can tackle in any combination during a single successful raid:
Search Raider Caches: Hunt down hidden supply stashes scattered across overgrown ruins, forgotten buildings, and off-the-beaten-path locations. One successful search can count toward group progress, making it efficient for squads while still rewarding sharp-eyed solo players who explore carefully.
Damage Wasps: Engage the fast-moving, swarm-like ARC drones that buzz around the skies and harass Raiders with hit-and-run attacks. Consistent damage output here hones reflexes and multitasking abilities, especially when larger threats are looming nearby.
Damage the Vaporizer: The flagship challenge and the one generating the most buzz. Players must inflict damage on the heavily armored flying Vaporizer, a formidable new enemy introduced in the recent Flashpoint update.
Buried City - Damage ARC enemies in Old Town: Focus your firepower on ARC forces specifically within the dense, corridor-filled Old Town zone on the Buried City map. This encourages aggressive yet calculated pushes into contested territory filled with collapsing structures and heavy enemy spawns.
Locked Gate - Disarm mines during Locked Gate: Activate during the Locked Gate major map condition on Blue Gate. Safely disarm mines littering extraction routes and choke points. Success here not only scores points but can prevent disastrous losses during escape.
On top of these objectives, a 2X points multiplier applies to all major map conditions this week. Whether you're braving Hurricane winds that scatter shots and reduce visibility, surviving a Cold Snap that slows movement, or tackling the brand-new Close Scrutiny condition where the Vaporizer appears, the riskier your run, the greater the potential reward.
Understanding the Trials System in ARC Raiders
For players new to the mode or needing a refresher, Trials function as the game's weekly competitive ranking system, unlocked once you reach level 15. Each season rotates a set of challenges, and points are earned only within a single successful raid - meaning death or failed extraction wipes all progress for that attempt. This design injects intense tension and forces smart decision-making.
Progress is tracked through stars: reaching 1,000, 2,500, and 4,000 points on any individual challenge grants one to three stars respectively. These stars unlock valuable rewards including ARC Raiders blueprints, gadgets, cosmetics, and gear upgrades that benefit future runs. Global leaderboards let you compete against Raiders worldwide, while the 2X multipliers on tough map conditions reward those willing to embrace the game's harshest environments.
Deep Dive into the Vaporizer: ARC Raiders' Newest Aerial Nightmare
Introduced with the Flashpoint update on March 31, 2026, the Vaporizer has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most intimidating and potentially overpowered additions to the game. Often described as a "flying tank" or a hybrid of previous threats like the Rocketeer and Queen/Matriarch, this enemy combines heavy armor, autonomous energy shielding, relentless tracking, and devastating laser attacks.
The Vaporizer only spawns during the new Close Scrutiny major map condition, where it patrols high-value areas and guards Assessors. Its arsenal includes single-target delayed lasers, sweeping ground beams that leave lingering fire hazards, and multi-target barrages that can quickly overwhelm unprepared squads. Players report that its agility and shield make it far deadlier than earlier aerial units, forcing entire teams to scatter or seek constant cover.
Proven Strategies for Damaging and Defeating the Vaporizer
Successfully damaging the Vaporizer for Trials points requires careful preparation, positioning, and the right tools.
First, prioritize cover. The Vaporizer's lasers can pin players down rapidly, so use buildings, doorways, and terrain to your advantage. Peek-and-shoot techniques work well - pop out for quick bursts of fire, then duck back before the sweeping beams track you.
Target the thrusters/rotors first. The Vaporizer relies on eight small rotors (two per corner) to stay airborne. Weapons like the Aphelion excel here due to their precision. Destroying enough rotors forces the unit to the ground, where it becomes far more vulnerable and easier to finish off. Some players report that grounding it allows climbing onto the hull for direct Deadline mine placement.
Next, focus on the belly armor and core. The underbelly features a dark armored plate protecting a fleshy, high-damage core. The Hullcracker grenade launcher is widely regarded as the best tool for stripping this plate quickly, exposing the vulnerable internals for maximum damage. Heavy ammo weapons like the Anvil revolver also perform well against rotors and side armor. The Ferro sniper offers strong plating penetration for those preferring ranged engagements.
Dealing with the autonomous shield is crucial. Throwing a Crude Explosive can provoke the shield to drop temporarily, creating a brief window to unload Wolfpack grenades or sustained fire. Timing is everything - coordinate with your squad to maximize damage during these openings.
Recommended loadouts often include high-damage output weapons, plenty of medical supplies for surviving laser hits, and throwable explosives. Solo players can succeed by mastering window-peek routes or luring the Vaporizer near doorways for safe angles, but squads generally fare better with assigned roles: one player drawing aggro while others focus fire on weak points.
Scoring for the trial is generous - fully damaging or destroying a Vaporizer can net around 3,600 points per encounter, making it a high-reward objective when stacked with other challenges under 2X conditions.
Preparation, Loadouts, Teamwork, and Risk Management
Success in Trials Season 3 hinges on more than combat skill. Loadout choices should emphasize anti-air capabilities, shield-piercing tools, and sustain when targeting the Vaporizer. Communication becomes vital for squads: calling out laser sweeps, assigning targets, and coordinating explosive throws can turn chaotic fights into controlled victories.
Resource management remains critical. Every bullet or grenade spent on a Vaporizer reduces what's available for PvP threats or final extraction. The permanent loss of progress upon death heightens every decision - pushing too aggressively for stars can backfire spectacularly.
Newer players approaching level 15 can learn valuable lessons by observing high-score community runs, while veterans use the season to test unconventional builds and refine positioning tactics. The "get experimental" call from the developers encourages creativity, whether that means novel weapon combinations or unorthodox movement routes.
Why Trials Season 3 Matters for ARC Raiders' Future
This week's rotation perfectly captures the essence of ARC Raiders: high-risk, high-reward gameplay set against an ever-evolving threat landscape. The Vaporizer symbolizes the game's ongoing development, introducing smarter, deadlier ARC units that demand players evolve alongside them. Once these difficulties are overcome, players can also earn more ARC Raiders Coins and rare ARC items.
Whether you're a solo Raider grinding for personal milestones, part of a coordinated squad chasing leaderboards, or a newcomer learning the ropes, Trials Season 3 offers fresh tests of skill, adaptability, and nerve. The short window - only until April 12 for this specific set - adds urgency: every raid counts.
Gear up with anti-air weapons, study Vaporizer flight patterns and attack tells, stock up on explosives and meds, and prepare to experiment. The Topside is more dangerous than ever, with sweeping beams cutting across the sky and mines waiting beneath your feet.
MMOexp ARC Raiders Team
