Arc Raiders Strategy Guides
All 78 Arc Raiders guides: key and keycard locations for each map the site charts, weapon and gear tier lists, map walkthroughs, and PvP strategy.
Arc Raiders AI & ARC Machines
How the game's AI actually behaves, and what that means in a raid.
- Arc Raiders Machine Learning: How the ARC Enemy AI Really Works: The ARC do not learn your habits mid raid. Embark used reinforcement learning to teach them to walk, balance and climb. Here is what that changes in a fight.
- ARC Raiders Detection: Scanner Colors and How to Stay Unseen: Blue, yellow and red scanner lights tell you what an ARC machine knows. What alerts them, what does not, and the stealth routine that keeps you unseen.
- Arc Raiders AI Voice Acting: The Controversy, Explained: Arc Raiders shipped with text-to-speech voice lines licensed from paid actors. What Embark said, why players objected, and what changed after launch.
- Arc Raiders ARC Enemies Guide: Machines and Weak Points: The ARC machines this guide covers, by threat tier: behaviour, weak points, the ammo that actually penetrates armor, and the mistake each punishes.
- Arc Raiders ARC AI Patch History: Every Change to the Machines: A dated list of every Arc Raiders patch we can source that changed ARC machines: perception, spawning, target selection and the new units, newest first.
ARC Machines
One guide per ARC machine the site covers: what it does, what it takes, and how to drop it.
- Arc Raiders Tick Guide: Weak Point, Melee Kill and Spawns: How to kill the Tick in Arc Raiders. No armor, no weak point, one melee swing. The sound it makes before it lunges, and how to shake one off your head.
- Arc Raiders Pop Guide: How to Kill the Rolling Bomb ARC: The Pop is a rolling proximity bomb with no armor and no weak point. Kill it before it detonates and you take zero damage. Light ammo or melee, never heavy.
- Arc Raiders Wasp Guide: Weak Point, Ammo and When to Skip: The Wasp is the first ARC most Raiders fight. Break two of its four thrusters and it crashes. Light ammo is enough; stop at one and it gets harder to hit.
- Arc Raiders Snitch Guide: Weak Points, Ammo and When to Run: The Snitch is unarmed, but it calls ARC down from orbit. Kill it before its third call, aim for the unarmored thrusters, and know when to just stay hidden.
- Arc Raiders Fireball: Weak Point, Loot and How to Kill It: The Fireball only exposes its core in the moment before it burns you. Time that window, skip the shell, and stay clear of the fire it leaves behind.
- Arc Raiders Hornet Guide: Weak Points, Ammo and When to Run: The Hornet is the Wasp's armored escort: red laser lock, slow stun round, plated front. Where to shoot it, what ammo to bring, and when to leave it.
- Arc Raiders Turret Guide: Weak Point, Ammo and Counters: The Turret is a stationary indoor ARC gun that keeps firing at your last position. What gives it away, where to shoot it, the ammo to bring and when to leave.
- Arc Raiders Sentinel Guide: Weak Point, Spawns and Loot: The Sentinel is a stationary rooftop sniper turret. Its yellow weak point, the beam sequence that tells you to move, its spawn anchors and the Firing Core.
- Arc Raiders Spotter Guide: Weak Point, Loot, and When to Kill: The Spotter is the drone that paints you for the Bombardier. Where its weak point is, what ammo works, what it drops, and when killing it is a waste.
- How to Kill the Surveyor in Arc Raiders: Weak Point and Ammo: The Surveyor is an unarmed armored sphere that only exposes its core while transmitting. Where to shoot it, what ammo penetrates, and why chasing fails.
- Arc Raiders Shredder Guide: Weak Point, Ammo, and Spawns: The Shredder's weak point is its thrusters, nearly the only part of it not heavily armored. The heavy ammo to bring, where it spawns, and when to walk away.
- How to Kill the Firefly in Arc Raiders: Weak Points and Ammo: Firefly is the flamethrower drone that chases you into cover. Where the fuel tank sits, which ammo strips the armor, and when to stop fighting it.
- Arc Raiders Comet Guide: Weak Point, Igniter and Counters: The Comet rolls at you and self destructs. Where its weak point is, what Embark says to shoot it with, and why letting it explode costs you the Igniter.
- Arc Raiders Rocketeer Guide: Weak Points and How to Kill It: How to kill the Rocketeer in Arc Raiders: reading its laser telegraph, the thruster weak points, the ammo that penetrates ARC armor, and when to walk away.
- Arc Raiders Leaper Guide: Weak Points, Ammo and Spawns: The Leaper has 1,100 health and Heavy armor, and its leap tracks Raiders who are already sprinting. Weak points, the ammo that works, spawns and when to walk.
- Arc Raiders Bastion Guide: Weak Points and How to Kill It: How to kill the Bastion in Arc Raiders: the screech and burst attack cycle, the three weak points in order, the ammo that penetrates, and when to walk away.
- Arc Raiders Bombardier Guide: Weak Points and Best Ammo: How to kill the Bombardier in Arc Raiders: the rear canister and leg joints, why its armor is Light, which ammo penetrates, and why cover will not save you.
- Arc Raiders Vaporizer Guide: Weak Points, Shield and Loadout: The Vaporizer only spawns during Close Scrutiny. Where to shoot it, how its shield works, what ammo actually penetrates, and when to walk away.
- Arc Raiders ARC Turbine: Weak Point, Loot and How to Kill It: The ARC Turbine only exposes its weak point when it lands. Where to shoot, which ammo gets through its heavy armor, and whether the loot is worth it.
- Arc Raiders Queen Guide: Weak Points, Ammo and When to Run: How to find, fight and skip the Queen in Arc Raiders: Harvester spawn rules, weak points, the ammo that beats her plating, and what she actually drops.
- Arc Raiders Matriarch Guide: Weak Points, Loadout, Spawns: Where the Matriarch spawns in Arc Raiders, how its missiles, gas and shield work, which weak points actually break, and when walking away is the smarter call.
Key & Keycard Locations
Where each key and keycard is used, how its wiki page says you get it, and what it opens.
- Arc Raiders Key Locations: Every Key and Where to Use It: Every Arc Raiders key and keycard on one page: the map, where each one is used or found, its rarity, and a link to the guide that covers it, where one does.
- JKV Employee Access Card Location in Arc Raiders: The Buried City JKV Employee Access Card opens a locked room on the north side of the J Kozma Ventures (Space Travel) building, fourth floor, per the wiki.
- Buried City Hospital Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Buried City Hospital Key opens a locked room in the north west corner of the Hospital, on the second floor per the wiki. A Rare key found by scavenging.
- Buried City Town Hall Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Buried City Town Hall Key opens a door on the Northern side of Town Hall at ground level, per the wiki. An Epic key, also a quest reward.
- Buried City Residential Master Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Buried City Residential Master Key opens apartment doors in Buried City. The base map marks three: Grandioso Apartments, Main Street and Eastern Station.
- Dam Control Tower Key Location in Arc Raiders: Dam Control Tower Key location: our map marks the epic key's door beside Primary Facility, and the wiki puts it on the top floor of the Control Tower.
- Dam Staff Room Key Location in Arc Raiders: Dam Staff Room Key location in Arc Raiders: an uncommon key for a first floor door in Research & Administration, and the quest that rewards one.
- Dam Surveillance Key Location in Arc Raiders: Dam Surveillance Key location in Arc Raiders: the uncommon key's locked room in Water Treatment Control, on the first floor per the wiki.
- Dam Testing Annex Key Location in Arc Raiders: Dam Testing Annex Key location in Arc Raiders: per the wiki, 2 ground level doors in the Testing Annex, one per key, and the quest its page lists as a source.
- Spaceport Control Tower Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Spaceport Control Tower Key opens a door at Control Tower A6, north of Vehicle Maintenance. The wiki puts the doors it opens at ground level.
- Spaceport Container Storage Key Location in Arc Raiders: The rare Spaceport Container Storage Key opens 1 of 3 locked doors at Container Storage, on its east side and top floor per the wiki.
- Spaceport Trench Tower Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Spaceport Trench Tower Key opens locked doors at the Trench Towers. Our map marks its doors at the Trench Towers, and Celeste's quests use the key.
- Spaceport Warehouse Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Spaceport Warehouse Key opens locked doors in the Shipping Warehouse. Per the wiki they are on the north side, on the second floor.
- Blue Gate Cellar Key Location in Arc Raiders: Blue Gate Cellar Key location in Arc Raiders: the two cellar doors the base map marks, by Trapper's Glade and by Ruined Homestead, and what the key is.
- Blue Gate Communication Tower Key Location in Arc Raiders: Blue Gate Communication Tower Key location: the locked room in the basement of Pilgrim's Peak, its wiki container list, and the Groundbreaking quest.
- Blue Gate Village Key Location in Arc Raiders: Blue Gate Village Key location in Arc Raiders: the door our map marks at Village in the north of The Blue Gate, and what the item text says it opens.
- Stella Montis Archives Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Stella Montis Archives Key is an epic key that opens a door in the Archives. The wiki puts it on the Top Floor at the Storage Room.
- Stella Montis Security Checkpoint Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Stella Montis Security Checkpoint Key is a rare key for a door in the Security Checkpoint. Our map marks the door east of the Security Bridge.
- Stella Montis Assembly Admin Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Stella Montis Assembly Admin Key is an uncommon key that unlocks a door in Assembly. Our map marks it north east of Central Corridor.
- Stella Montis Medical Storage Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Stella Montis Medical Storage Key is an uncommon key for a door in Medical Research. Our map marks the door north of Medical Research.
- Riven Tides Hotel Keycard Locations in Arc Raiders: Every Riven Tides hotel keycard in Arc Raiders opens a suite in Hotel Panorama Azzurro: rarity, weight, price, sources, and the quest that gives No. 107.
- Riven Tides Classified Records Keycard Location in Arc Raiders: Riven Tides Classified Records Keycard in Arc Raiders opens the Classified Records room in the Port Authority Building at the northern harbour.
- Riven Tides Secure Storage Keycard Location in Arc Raiders: Riven Tides Secure Storage Keycard in Arc Raiders, the map's epic keycard, opens the Secure Storage room in the Port Authority Building.
- Riven Tides Crane House Keycard Location in Arc Raiders: The Riven Tides Crane House Keycard opens a door at the middle Crane House, per the wiki. Our map marks its door at the Stacking Yard, at the harbour.
- Dam Controlled Access Zone Key Location in Arc Raiders: Dam Controlled Access Zone Key location in Arc Raiders: the rare key's door in the Controlled Access Zone building, and the containers the wiki lists.
- Blue Gate Confiscation Room Key Location in Arc Raiders: Blue Gate Confiscation Room Key location in Arc Raiders: per the wiki, an epic key for a door in the Security Wing, in the Blue Gate tunnels.
- Locked Gate Security Codes in Arc Raiders: Every Location: Arc Raiders Locked Gate security codes are at Raider's Refuge, Reinforced Reception, Pilgrim's Peak and the Ancient Fort; submit each at Gate Control Room.
- Raider Hatch Key in Arc Raiders: How to Get One: The Raider Hatch Key opens any Raider Hatch. The wiki lists scavenging, crafting, quests and Shani as its sources.
- Patrol Car Key Location in Arc Raiders: The Patrol Car Key opens the rear door of a patrol car on Blue Gate or Riven Tides, per the wiki. A Prime Specimen rewards one in our quest data.
Tier List
Weapons, shields, augments and gadgets sorted into tiers.
- Best Weapons Tier List: This site's editors' Arc Raiders weapon tiers, S tier the Anvil, Bobcat, Renegade, Venator, Vulcano and Ferro, each line from wiki figures and own text.
- Best Shield and Augment Tier List: Arc Raiders shield tier list: the Heavy Shield absorbs the most damage at the most weight, the Light the least. Then augments, and a loadout for each stage.
- Best Gadgets Tier List: A selection of Arc Raiders gadgets and attachments in tiers, each line the item's own text, from grenades and mines to weapon mods.
- Weapon Tier List (March 2026): Weapon rankings for March 2026, after patch 1.20.0 nerfed the Il Toro. S, A, B and C tiers for PvP and PvE.
Map Guide
Map by map: loot zones, a loot route, extraction points and the ARC you meet.
- Dam Battlegrounds Guide: Dam Battlegrounds needs no unlock, Red Lakes is its only red zone and the Control Tower is at its centre. Loot route, locked-room keys, extractions and ARC.
- Buried City Guide: On Buried City the Hospital carries the map's only red marking and Town Hall is orange. Stage at Library, then work toward Town Hall and the Hospital.
- Stella Montis Guide: On Stella Montis, Cultural Archives, Cargo Dock A and Central Corridor are recorded as orange zones and Cafeteria as white, with careful and full-send routes.
Strategy
How to play better: fights, economy, and raid discipline.
- Beginner Guide: Complete new player guide for Arc Raiders covering your first hours, essential mechanics, and progression tips.
- Recycling Guide: In Arc Raiders an item's recycled parts almost always sell for fewer Coins than the item, so sell what you do not need the materials from, and keep ARC Alloy.
- Crafting Guide: Complete crafting guide for Arc Raiders covering station upgrade order, what to craft first, and material management.
- Solo Player Guide: Tips and strategies for solo raiding in Arc Raiders including stealth tactics, loadouts, and survival techniques.
- Arc Raiders PvP Tips: Weapons and Items by Their Own Text: Arc Raiders PvP tips from each weapon's wiki figures and each item's own text: weapons by range, healing, stamina, smoke and tags, with no weapon ranked.
- Arc Raiders: How to Extract Safely, Map by Map: Before you extract in Arc Raiders, heal to full, watch the likely approach, keep a Smoke Grenade ready and clear nearby ARC. Then the markers each map names.
- First 10 Raids: New Player Survival Guide: Step-by-step guide for your first 10 raids in Arc Raiders. Where to go, what to loot, how to survive.
- Flashpoint Update Guide (March 31, 2026): What Flashpoint (patch 1.22.0) changed beyond its new ARC Operation: Shredders spread past Stella Montis, Scrappy's Feeding Boost and crafting.
- Stash Management: What to Keep, Sell, and Recycle: The definitive guide to managing your Arc Raiders stash. Never run out of space again.
- Arc Raiders Free Loadout: What Is In It and How to Use It: A free loadout in Arc Raiders is a random low-tier kit issued at no charge, per the wiki. What is inside, and what the Free Loadout Augment costs you.
- Arc Raiders Traders: All Five, Their Currencies and Full Stock Lists: Arc Raiders' five traders are Apollo, Celeste, Lance, Shani and Tian Wen. They do not all take the same currency, so Celeste's prices are not a discount.
- Arc Raiders Skill Tree Since Frozen Trail 2.0: All 48 Skills: The skill tree since Frozen Trail 2.0, from the wiki: all forty-eight skills, the two large nodes and their point gates. There is no ninja or stealth tree.
- Arc Raiders Outfits and Cosmetics: Every Confirmed Skin, Colorway and Emote: The 32 cosmetics that appear in the item database: 5 outfits, 12 colorways, 4 emotes, charms and attachments. An honest floor rather than a padded list.
Comparison
Head to head, with the numbers.
- Venator vs Vulcano: The Venator and the Vulcano are a pistol and a shotgun: per its description, the Venator fires two shots at a time; the Vulcano hits hard with sharp falloff.
- Ferro vs Stitcher: The Ferro and the Stitcher do different jobs: a one-round battle rifle for medium to long range, and a 20-round SMG for close quarters.
- Best Solo Loadout for Dam Battlegrounds: Optimized loadout guide for solo players running Dam Battlegrounds in Arc Raiders.