Starting a new extraction shooter is always a tricky moment. There’s so much to learn, so many crafting items to find, and new threats to face. It’s no different in Embark Studios’ latest hit, ARC Raiders.
This ARC Raiders beginners guide will give you foundational tips and tricks to help you with onboarding, learning what to loot, what to recycle, and much more.
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### What Loot to Keep & What to Leave
There are a lot of things to pick up in ARC Raiders, and working out what to keep and what to leave behind can give you a headache. For your first couple of hours, just pick up everything and anything. As you level up, complete quests, and gain access to new areas of Speranza, deciding whether to keep a Spring or Battery won’t be a big concern.
One thing to keep in mind is that items have rarity. The rarer the item, the more it is worth. Late-game gear requires rare crafting resources, so while it’s worth picking up and holding onto these, you likely won’t be able to use them for a long time.
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### Should You Recycle Items?
You should not recycle items indiscriminately. Some items might say “Can be recycled” but are actually used in upgrading your benches in the Workstation. For example, the Toaster says “Can be recycled into crafting materials” and doesn’t indicate it’s used in anything else, so you might assume it’s safe to recycle.
Wrong! You need three Toasters to upgrade the Crafting Bench.
Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to recycling gear. You might need a specific item for an upgrade or its components to craft something else. A good rule of thumb is that green rarity items are easier to find, so recycling them is less risky than recycling blue or purple items.
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### What the Symbols Mean
Anything you pick up has a symbol indicating what it is. Some items are weapons, others are ammo and throwables, and many are crafting items. Learning these symbols helps you quickly identify what you’re picking up.
– **Wrench:** Crafting material
– **One Bullet:** Heavy ammo for hard-hitting sniper-like weapons
– **Two Shells:** Shotguns
– **Three Bullets:** Medium weapons like Assault Rifles
– **Four Bullets:** Light weapons like SMGs and Pistols
– **Plus (+):** Healing or shield-recovery quick-use items
– **Target:** Explosive devices you can place and detonate remotely or by proximity
– **Diamond:** Trinkets you can sell for coins; not needed for crafting
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### Upgrade Your Stash
You will fill up your Stash faster than you think. If you don’t want to sell everything and keep what you like, upgrade your Stash by using the Expand button. Note that the cost increases at a near-exponential rate, so it’s not cheap.
Upgrade it a few times, then start reviewing your items to decide what to sell or recycle.
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### Sound Is Your Friend (and Enemy)
Sound plays a huge role in ARC Raiders. Everything makes noise—from players walking and ARC patrolling to caches and extraction points.
You need to listen carefully to your surroundings to survive. At the same time, try to limit your own sound output to avoid alerting players and ARCs nearby.
– Jogging is quieter than sprinting.
– Walking is quieter than jogging.
– Breaching doors and containers is extremely loud and can attract ARCs.
Try doing loud actions when no ARCs are around and when you’re fairly certain no players are aiming at you.
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### Swap Shooting Shoulders
You can swap the shoulder you shoot from in ARC Raiders, which is extremely important when fighting in tight spaces or around corners.
– On PC, tap **X**.
– On controller, click the **right stick**.
Use this when slinking through corridors or rounding corners to keep your body closer to the wall and get your gun around first.
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### Roll After Falling
When you fall from a height, roll as you hit the ground to reduce damage.
Sometimes, the only way out of a tight spot is a risky jump across roofs or down to the ground. Instead of crashing down, you’ll perform a tactical roll, reducing damage and staying in the fight. It’s better than getting knocked out and having to crawl away.
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### Talk to Other Players
Not everyone will shoot you on sight. Sometimes, other players just want to complete quests or loot and get out quickly.
If you see someone, don’t immediately shoot. Use the in-game communication wheel to say hello or, better yet, use proximity chat to talk. You might find allies or at least avoid unnecessary fights.
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### Read the Skill Tree
There are many skills available, and you won’t unlock them all. Take a few minutes to read through the skill tree to decide which path to invest your skill points in.
You don’t need to do this immediately. Play a few matches, experience different scenarios, and then plan your skill upgrades.
**General Guidance:**
– **Mobility Branch:** Unlock *Marathon Runner* and *Youthful Lungs* to increase stamina, allowing faster escapes.
– **Survival Branch:** The last node, *Security Breach*, lets you open certain lockers with great loot.
– **Conditioning Branch:** *Gentle Pressure* and *Proficient Pryer* help you breach doors faster and quieter.
You can reach Level 75 and spend 75 Skill Points. You can only reach the end of two branches, so plan carefully. If you mess up, don’t worry—you can complete the Expedition Project to retire your raider and start fresh with new rewards.
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### Quest Progress is Shared
Quest progress is shared among your squad. If someone completes an action you need, it counts for you—for example, activating panels or destroying ARCs.
However, this does not apply to items you must carry back to Speranza. For instance, if you need Snitch Scanners, a teammate picking one up won’t add it to your inventory—you must carry it yourself.
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### You Can Extract Even While Downed
If you run out of shields and health, you’ll drop down and start crawling. You’re not out yet!
If you are near an extraction point, crawl into it and try to activate it—or let someone else extract you. You’ll be whisked back home safely without losing any loot.
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### Do a Free Loadout Run for Loot
When you click Play and confirm a map, select the **Free Loadout** tab at the top.
You get a basic shield, simple weapon, and a few healing items. You won’t have a safe pocket, but you have 14 slots to fill with loot before leaving.
This mode is great if you want to save your precious weapons and simply grab crafting items or complete quest objectives quickly.
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### Use the Free Loadout Augment to Buy Items
If you extract after a Free Loadout run, you’ll earn a **Free Loadout Augment**. Visit the Clinic and trade this augment for one of the green Augments.
This is a neat way to progress without spending your precious coins.
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### Ping ARCs to Learn Their Names
Ping an ARC enemy to hear its name. The name will also appear in the chat, helping you identify which robot you’re dealing with during quests or Trials.
Once you know their names, learn their weak points. For example, most flying ARCs have weak points on their propellers.
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With these basic tips and tricks, you’ll be well on your way to mastering ARC Raiders. Remember to stay alert, loot smart, and work with your team. Good luck, Raider!
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