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 beginners guide will give you foundational tips and tricks to help with onboarding—covering 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 deciding what to keep or leave behind can give you a headache. For your first couple of hours, just pick up everything and anything. You’ll be leveling up, completing quests, and gaining access to new areas of Speranza, so figuring out whether to keep a Spring or Battery isn’t a concern just yet.
One thing to keep in mind is that items have rarities. The rarer the item, the more it’s worth. Late-game gear requires rare crafting resources, so while it’s worth holding onto these items, you might not be able to use them for some time.
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### Should You Recycle Items?
You shouldn’t recycle items indiscriminately. Some items that say “Can be recycled” are actually needed to upgrade your benches in the Workstation. For example, the Toaster says “Can be recycled into crafting materials” and doesn’t indicate it’s used for anything else, so you might assume it’s safe to recycle. But you actually need three of them to upgrade the Crafting bench.
There’s no hard and fast rule for recycling gear. You might need an item for an upgrade, or its parts to craft something. 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 in ARC Raiders has a symbol indicating what it is. Some are weapons, others are ammo and throwables, while many are crafting items. Learn these symbols to quickly identify what you’re grabbing:
– **Wrench:** Crafting material
– **One Bullet:** Heavy ammo for 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, detonated 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 expect. If you don’t want to sell everything, upgrade your stash using the **Expand** button. The cost increases almost exponentially, so don’t expect it to be cheap.
Upgrade a few times, then start reviewing your items to see what you can sell or recycle.
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### Sound Is Your Friend (and Enemy)
Sound is crucial in ARC Raiders. Everything makes noise—from players walking and ARC patrolling to caches indicating their presence and extraction points activating.
You need to listen carefully to survive. At the same time, limit your own sound output so players and ARC don’t detect you. Jogging is quieter than sprinting; walking is quieter still. Breaching doors and containers is very loud, often alerting ARC Probes with loud noises. Try to perform these noisy actions when no ARC or players are nearby.
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### Swap Shooting Shoulders
You can swap shooting shoulders in ARC Raiders, which is extremely helpful in tight spaces or around cover. Tap **X** on PC or click the right stick on a controller to switch shoulders.
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, roll as you hit the ground to reduce damage. Sometimes risky jumps across roofs or down to the ground are necessary. Instead of slamming the ground, performing a tactical roll helps you avoid getting knocked out.
You might take some damage, but it’s better than being incapacitated and having to crawl away.
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### Talk to Other Players
Not everyone will shoot on sight. Sometimes players want to get in and out quickly with their quests or loot.
If you see someone, don’t immediately shoot them. Try using the in-game communication wheel to say hello or use proximity chat to communicate. Engaging calmly may create opportunities for cooperation.
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### Read the Skill Tree
There are many skills, and you won’t unlock them all. Spend a few minutes reading the skill tree to decide where to invest your skill points. It’s best to do this after playing a few matches and encountering different situations.
Here’s some general guidance on what to unlock:
– **Mobility Branch:** Choose *Marathon Runner* and *Youthful Lungs* to boost stamina, so you can escape faster.
– **Survival Branch:** The last node, *Security Breach*, lets you unlock special lockers, often with great loot.
– **Conditioning Branch:** *Gentle Pressure* and *Proficient Pryer* help you breach doors faster and more quietly.
You can reach Level 75, earning 75 Skill Points. You can only finish two branches, so plan wisely. If you make a mistake, you can reset by completing the Expedition Project, sending your raider off and starting a new one, while earning rewards.
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### Quest Progress Is Shared
Quest progress is shared among your squad. Actions like activating panels or destroying ARC count for everyone.
However, this doesn’t apply to quest items you must carry back to Speranza. If you need Snitch Scanners, your teammate picking one up won’t add it to your inventory—you need to carry it yourself.
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### You Can Extract Even While Downed
When your shields and health run out, you’ll drop and crawl. You’re not out yet! If you’re near an extraction point, crawl in and try to activate it or hitch a ride with another player.
If successful, you’ll be taken back home safely and won’t lose your gear.
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### Do a Free Loadout Run for Loot
When selecting Play and confirming the map, choose the **Free Loadout** tab at the top.
You’ll get a basic shield, a simple weapon, and some healing items. You won’t have a safe pocket, but you will have 14 inventory slots to fill.
This mode is great for grabbing crafting items or completing quest objectives without risking precious weapons.
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### Use the Free Loadout Augment to Buy From Lance
If you extract using a Free Loadout, you earn a Free Loadout Augment. Visit the Clinic to trade it for a green Augment.
This is a useful way to progress without spending coins.
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### Ping ARC to Learn Their Names
Ping ARC enemies to hear and see their names in chat. Identifying them helps with quests or Trials requiring you to damage or destroy specific robots.
Once you know their names, learn their weak points—most flying ARCs have weak points on their propellers.
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With these tips and tricks, you’ll be better prepared to thrive in the exciting world of ARC Raiders. Good luck out there, Raider!
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