Crafting Guide

Complete crafting guide for Arc Raiders covering station upgrade order, what to craft first, and material management.

Category: Strategy · Updated 2 November 2026

Crafting is the backbone of progression in Arc Raiders. Every upgrade to your Speranza stations unlocks better weapons, shields, augments and gadgets. Here is the optimal path from fresh Raider to endgame powerhouse.

Station Upgrade Priority

Your Speranza workshop holds the Workbench, Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Explosives Station, Utility Station and Refiner. The Workbench is free; every other station is built and then upgraded up to Lv.3.

Phase 1: Gunsmith Lv.2 (Rusted Tools, Mechanical Components and Wasp Drivers). This unlocks the Venator, which is a massive upgrade over the starter Ferro. Follow with Medical Lab Lv.2 for Defibrillators and Sterilized Bandages.

Phase 2: Gear Bench Lv.2 (Power Cables, Electrical Components and Hornet Drivers). Unlocks the Heavy Shield and Mk. 2 augments. Firecrackers and Gas Mines need only level 1 of the Utility Station and the Explosives Station.

Phase 3: start working toward Lv.3 upgrades. Gunsmith Lv.3 asks for Rusted Gear, Advanced Mechanical Components and Sentinel Firing Cores, which unlock the Bobcat, Tempest, Vulcano and Renegade.

Phase 4 (Endgame): take every built station to Lv.3. Gear Bench Lv.3 asks for Industrial Batteries, Advanced Electrical Components and Bastion Cells, and unlocks the Mk. 3 augments. These are serious material investments.

What to Craft First

Once your Gunsmith hits Lv.2, craft a Venator immediately. This single weapon carries you through mid-game. Next priority is the Medical Lab's level 2 recipes.

Craft the Heavy Shield from Gear Bench Lv.2 next.

Material Management

Keep a stockpile buffer. Before crafting any expensive item, make sure you have enough materials left over for at least 2 more basic loadouts (Ferro + Light Shield + Bandages). Going bankrupt on materials means you have to do naked runs on Dam Battlegrounds to rebuild.

Recycle before crafting. After every raid, recycle the loot that breaks into materials your next craft needs.

Crafting Cost Awareness

Always check the full recipe before committing. Some high-tier items like the Vulcano need materials from several sources. Plan your raids around what materials you need.