Arc Raiders Tips: 15 Things To Know Before You Play

Arc Raiders is a team-based shooter where you explore a post-apocalyptic world. You play as a scavenger, venturing into dangerous areas filled with robots and other players to collect valuable items and equipment. It’s a high-risk, high-reward experience – the better the loot, the greater the danger. This guide will give you advice on how to successfully scavenge and survive in Arc Raiders.

In Arc Raiders, each match is called a Raid and lasts half an hour. You can play alone or team up with up to three other players. The goal is to collect loot and escape with it before time runs out. If you’re defeated or don’t make it out in time, you’ll lose your gear – though there are a few exceptions, which we’ll cover later.

Table of Contents [hide]

  • Basic tips for solo players
    • Use stealth tactics
    • Choose your fights wisely
    • Approach extraction with caution
  • Plan ahead and watch the time
  • Loadout and inventory tips
    • Free loadouts
    • Know what weapons to bring
    • Don’t let your guns break
    • Pick the right shield
    • Make the best use of your inventory space
  • Movement and combat tips
    • Drop and roll
    • Watch for sneaky alarms
    • Combat tips
  • Base tips and upgrades
    • Visit Scrappy often
    • Invest in the right skills

Basic tips for solo players

These tips are helpful for any Arc Raiders player, but they’re particularly important if you intend to play the game by yourself.

Use stealth tactics

In Arc Raiders, even small sounds can be risky. Things like footsteps, opening containers, and even opening doors create noise that enemies can use to find you. But careful listening is a two-way street – you can also use sound to track and outsmart your opponents.

To stay hidden, crouch to move quietly, and quickly move between cover. Using a light shield can help you move faster. Throwing a smoke grenade is also useful for safely gathering supplies, healing, or getting away from a fight.

Choose your fights wisely

Certain missions will have you battling Arc robots, but it’s usually best to steer clear of them unless absolutely necessary. Be careful when you choose to start shooting, because gunfire can attract unwanted attention from other enemies.

Approach extraction with caution

Be careful when heading to extraction points and always check your surroundings first. Players sometimes lie in wait to ambush others there. Remember that using the lift at an extraction point makes a lot of noise, so be ready for enemies who might be attracted by it.

Plan ahead and watch the time

When you head out to explore, have a plan. Raids only last 30 minutes, so if you’re looking for something specific – like an item for a quest or to improve your gear – quickly check your map to see where it is. Each location on the map will tell you what kind of loot you can find there.

Example: If you need a mechanical part, hover over the POIs to see which specifies mechanical loot.

Keep an eye on the timer and make sure you have enough time to reach an extraction point. Each point only stays active for a limited time, so don’t wait until the last minute. If you do, you might encounter other teams competing for the same escape route.

Loadout and inventory tips

Free loadouts

Okay, so I was wondering what happens if you get totally wiped out in Arc Raiders and lose all your stuff? Thankfully, the game doesn’t leave you stranded! You can always jump back in with a basic, free loadout. It’s not going to be the best gear, mind you – you get a random weapon and some essential equipment each time – but it’s enough to get you back into the fight.

The free starting loadout is perfect for new players or when you want to play it safe. It’s also a helpful way to rebuild your supplies after experiencing losses.

Know what weapons to bring

Before you begin a raid, it’s important to have a clear plan. This will also help you choose the best weapons. For robots, use heavy weapons that can pierce their armor. But against human enemies, lighter or medium-ammo guns will work just fine.

It’s best to save your powerful ammo and weapons for when you’re facing the large robots on the surface, otherwise, hold onto them.

Don’t let your guns break

In Arc Raiders, weapons can break, so it’s important to keep an eye on their durability. Check your inventory to see the condition of each weapon. You don’t want your gun to fail during a fight, so remember to repair them when necessary.

Pick the right shield

When choosing a shield, think about how you like to play. Shields come in three types: heavy, medium, and light. Heavy and medium shields offer better protection but make you slower, while light shields are easier to move with, though they don’t block as much damage.

Shields in this game don’t offer complete protection. Instead of blocking all damage, they lessen the amount you receive. You can find the exact damage reduction percentage in each shield’s description. Keep in mind that even with a shield, you’ll still need to heal if you get hurt, so always carry healing items.

Make the best use of your inventory space

When you first enter raids, you’ll have space for 30 items in your inventory and one special, secure slot. You can expand your carrying capacity by using different types of bags. This secure slot is crucial because it’s the only place your items are guaranteed to stay safe if you die. Use it for valuable loot or important quest items to avoid losing them.

You’ll quickly fill up your inventory when collecting items, particularly early in the game before you have a larger bag. Don’t avoid picking things up, though! Take time to safely check your inventory during matches and see if you have items you can break down into basic materials like fabric and metal. These materials stack easily, helping you free up space while you play.

Keep an eye out for white diamond icons in the top left corner – they highlight items you need for quests. These are important, so don’t lose them!

Movement and combat tips

Drop and roll

To avoid damage from falling, press the crouch button just before you land. This will make your character roll, reducing the impact. It won’t completely protect you from very high falls, but it can save you from injuries when falling from moderate heights.

Watch for sneaky alarms

Watch out for small red lights – they’re easy to miss, but you’ll often see them on cars or in doorways. These are alarms, and if you get too close, they’ll make a loud noise that reveals where you are. You can disable them by hitting them with a melee weapon.

Combat tips

When you break an enemy player’s shield, you’ll see an orange flash and hear a sound effect. The kill feed will also display a message confirming you’ve knocked them down.

When you knock down an enemy, they’ll send up a visible flare, alerting others nearby. Don’t stay in one place too long, but quickly check if your teammates are coming before you finish off the downed player and grab their loot. Remember, downed players still have a good amount of health, so save your bullets – use your melee weapon for the final blow.

Okay, so flares can really mess you up. Don’t just run towards one thinking you’re going to find a fight or some loot. Anyone can actually use a flare themselves, and trust me, some players will do that on purpose just to trick you into a trap. I’ve fallen for it before, so I’m warning you now – be careful!

Base tips and upgrades

Arc Raiders can be challenging at first, particularly if you’re not familiar with the extraction shooter genre. When you return to your base in Speranza, take advantage of the resources available to improve your character and equipment. Use the workbench to create new items, break down unwanted gear for materials, and upgrade what you already have.

Visit Scrappy often

Meet Scrappy, your helpful rooster friend! He’ll find small amounts of useful materials for you. Be sure to check in with Scrappy after each raid – he collects items while you play. You can even train him to become a better scavenger!

Invest in the right skills

As you complete raids, you’ll gain experience, which will allow you to level up and earn skill points. You can then use these points to unlock abilities in a skill tree that’s broken down into three areas: Conditions, Mobility, and Survival.

The best way to spend your skill points depends on how you like to play – whether you prefer gathering loot, engaging in combat, or focusing on agility and movement. But a good strategy is to choose skills from all three areas, creating a versatile and balanced character.

Skills good for solo players include:

  • Agile Croucher to increase your movement speed while crouching
  • Silent Scavenger to make less noise when looting
  • In-Round Crafting to gain the ability to craft items mid-match

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2025-10-22 20:45