In the harsh, unforgiving world of ARC Raiders, success isn’t just about what you can kill—it’s about what you can carry back to Speranza. As an extraction shooter that brilliantly blends PvE and PvP elements, ARC Raiders challenges players to scavenge the dangerous surface while fending off hostile ARC robots and opportunistic enemy raiders. The difference between a successful run and a devastating loss often comes down to how efficiently you can loot and extract.
After spending countless hours braving the Rust Belt and analyzing strategies from top players, I’ve compiled these 10 vital tips that will transform you from a struggling scavenger into a master raider. Whether you’re playing solo or rolling with a squad, these strategies will help you maximize your haul, minimize your risks, and extract with valuable resources that will fuel your progression in this brutal yet rewarding world.
1. Master Your Stamina Management
Stamina is the lifeblood of any successful raider, and understanding how to manage it effectively can mean the difference between life and death. Unlike health, which can be restored with bandages, stamina is your most precious resource when it comes to both looting efficiently and extracting safely.
Why stamina trumps health: When you’re looting and extracting, you’ll constantly be on the move—sprinting between buildings, dodging ARC attacks, and making quick escapes from enemy players. Every action consumes stamina, and once it’s depleted, you become an easy target. ARC Rocketeers will rain down rockets, and without the stamina to dodge effectively, you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed.
Pro stamina management techniques:
- Upgrade the Marathon Runner and Youthful Lungs skills as early as possible. These reduce stamina consumption and increase your maximum stamina pool, respectively
- Avoid spamming dodge rolls unless absolutely necessary. Instead, use zigzag running patterns when moving through open areas to evade enemy fire
- Walk or crouch when in safe areas to allow your stamina to regenerate naturally
- Save your stamina sprint for critical moments—when crossing open fields or escaping immediate danger
Advanced tip: Consider crafting stamina-boosting consumables before heading out. These can provide crucial temporary boosts when you need to make a quick escape or cover large distances quickly.
2. Holster Your Weapon for Maximum Speed
One of the most overlooked yet crucial tips for fast looting and extracting is simply putting away your weapon when you’re not actively using it. Many new players keep their weapons constantly at the ready, not realizing they’re significantly slowing themselves down.
The speed difference: When your weapon is holstered, you move approximately 30% faster than when it’s equipped. In a game where seconds can mean the difference between a successful extract and losing everything, this speed boost is invaluable.
When to holster:
- When moving between buildings or loot locations
- When traversing open areas where you don’t expect immediate combat
- When running to extraction points
- When repositioning during fights to get better cover
When to keep it ready:
- Inside buildings or confined spaces where enemies could appear suddenly
- When approaching known high-value loot locations
- When you hear nearby gunfire or ARC activity
- During the final approach to extraction points
Pro strategy: Develop muscle memory for quickly holstering and unholstering your weapon. Create a habit of automatically putting it away when you start moving longer distances, then drawing it when you arrive at your destination. This simple habit will dramatically increase your overall efficiency during raids.
3. Perfect the Dodge Roll Fall Damage Cancel
Falling from heights is inevitable in ARC Raiders, whether you’re jumping from rooftops, scaling cliffs, or navigating the multi-level structures that dot the landscape. Taking fall damage not only reduces your health but also makes you vulnerable to follow-up attacks. However, the game includes a crucial mechanic that can completely negate fall damage if timed correctly.
The technique: By pressing the dodge roll button immediately before hitting the ground, you can cancel out all fall damage, no matter how high the drop. This skill is essential for maintaining your health during fast-paced looting runs and when making quick escapes.
When to use it:
- Jumping from second-story windows or higher
- Scaling down cliffs or rock formations
- Navigating the vertical structures in locations like the Control Tower
- Making quick escapes from elevated positions
Practice makes perfect: Spend time in safer areas practicing this technique. Start with smaller drops and gradually work your way up to larger ones. The timing window is generous once you get used to it, but it does require some practice to master.
Advanced application: Combine fall damage cancels with wall jumps and other movement techniques to navigate the environment with incredible speed and efficiency. Master raiders can traverse complex vertical environments without taking any damage, allowing them to reach high-value loot locations that other players can’t access safely.
4. Target Weak Spots for Efficient Combat
When combat is unavoidable during your looting runs, knowing where to shoot can make the difference between a quick engagement and a prolonged, resource-draining fight. Every ARC unit has specific weak points that, when hit, deal significantly more damage and often trigger special effects.
Common weak points:
- ARC Drones: The glowing eye sensor is their primary weak point. Hitting it causes critical damage and can temporarily blind them
- Rocketeers: Target the rocket launcher on their shoulder. Destroying it prevents them from using their most dangerous attack
- Heavy units: Look for exposed wiring or power cores on their backs. These are typically their most vulnerable areas
- Scout units: Their central processing unit, usually located in their chest cavity, takes extra damage
Why this matters for looting: Efficient combat means you spend less time fighting and more time collecting valuable resources. By quickly eliminating threats through targeted shooting, you reduce the risk of attracting additional ARC units or enemy players drawn by the sound of prolonged combat.
Pro tip: Use armor-piercing ammunition when available, as it increases the damage multiplier when hitting weak points. Keep a small supply specifically for tough ARC units or enemy players with heavy armor.
5. Craft Strategically During Raids
Many players make the mistake of doing all their crafting back at Speranza, but smart raiders know that crafting during raids can be a game-changer. The ability to create items on the fly allows you to adapt to unexpected situations and maximize your carrying capacity.
What to craft during raids:
- Backpack expansions: If you find the materials, crafting a larger backpack mid-raid can dramatically increase your loot capacity
- Ammunition: Running out of ammo at a critical moment can be disastrous. Craft more when you have a quiet moment
- Medical supplies: Bandages and stimpacks are always valuable, especially if you’ve taken damage
- Utility items: Grenades, shields, and other consumables can turn the tide in unexpected encounters
When to craft:
- Find a secure location with good cover before crafting
- Listen for nearby enemies or other players before starting
- Prioritize quick crafts if you’re in a potentially dangerous area
- Save complex crafting for when you’re in a relatively safe location
Advanced strategy: Keep a “crafting kit” in your inventory with basic materials for emergency crafting. This allows you to create essential items even if you haven’t found specific resources during your run.
6. Learn the Best Loot Locations on Each Map
Knowledge is power in ARC Raiders, and knowing exactly where to find the most valuable loot on each map will dramatically increase your efficiency. Each of the four main maps has specific hotspots that consistently yield high-value items.
Dam Battlegrounds:
- Control Tower: The upper floors contain some of the best loot on the map, including weapon crates and rare materials
- Research & Administration: High-tech loot and valuable data drives are common here
- Power Generation Complex: While not as valuable as other locations, it’s relatively safe and offers consistent mid-tier loot
Blue Gate:
- Pilgrim’s Peak: Excellent for technological and electrical items
- Ancient Fort: Technological materials with occasional old-world items
- Spaceport: High-value military and tech loot, but also high risk
Buried City:
- Underground complexes: Hidden caches with rare pre-war technology
- Collapsed skyscrapers: Often contain weapon crates and ammunition
Spaceport:
- Hangar bays: Military-grade weapons and armor
- Control towers: Electronics and valuable components
Pro tip: Each map’s extraction points have specific loot patterns. Learn which extraction routes offer the best risk-to-reward ratio for your playstyle. Sometimes the fastest route isn’t the most profitable, and vice versa.
7. Master the Free Loadout Strategy
One of the most powerful tools available to ARC Raiders players is the Free Loadout system. Many experienced players overlook this feature, preferring to use their crafted gear, but strategic use of the Free Loadout can significantly accelerate your progression.
What is the Free Loadout: The Free Loadout provides you with a basic set of equipment—typically one main weapon, ammunition, bandages, a shield recharger, and various utility items—at no cost. You don’t risk any of your own gear when using it, making it perfect for learning maps or trying new strategies.
Strategic uses:
- Learning maps: Use the Free Loadout when exploring new areas or learning extraction routes without risking your valuable gear
- Resource gathering: Focus entirely on collecting crafting materials rather than fighting
- Low-risk farming: Extract early with valuable materials, building your resources over time
- Augment farming: Complete challenges to earn Free Loadout Augments, which can be traded for Looting Augments
The augment trade secret: Here’s a pro tip many players miss—you can trade Free Loadout Augments for Looting Augments. This means you can use the Free Loadout to complete challenges, earn augments, and then convert them into permanent upgrades for your regular loadouts.
8. Optimize Your Inventory Management
Nothing slows down a looting run faster than a full inventory, and poor inventory management can force you to leave valuable items behind. Learning how to optimize your carrying capacity and make smart decisions about what to keep and what to discard is essential for maximizing your haul.
Inventory optimization strategies:
- Stack similar items: Many crafting materials can be stacked, so organize your inventory to maximize space
- Know item values: Learn which items are most valuable per inventory slot. High-value, low-weight items should always take priority
- Carry crafting components: Sometimes it’s better to carry the components for a valuable item rather than the item itself, as components often stack more efficiently
- Use containers wisely: Backpacks and other storage items can dramatically increase your capacity, so prioritize finding and crafting these
What to prioritize:
- Weapon parts and blueprints: Essential for crafting better gear
- Rare materials: Items like quantum processors and advanced circuits are valuable for high-end crafting
- Medical supplies: Always keep some bandages and stimpacks for emergencies
- Ammunition: Carry a variety of types to handle different situations
Pro tip: Create a “loot hierarchy” in your mind. Know exactly which items you’ll drop first if your inventory fills up. This prevents panic decisions in the heat of the moment and ensures you always keep the most valuable resources.
9. Use Sound and Stealth to Your Advantage
In ARC Raiders, information is as valuable as any piece of loot, and sound is one of your most important sources of information. Learning to interpret audio cues and move stealthily can give you a significant advantage over both ARC units and enemy players.
Sound awareness:
- ARC units make distinct sounds: Learn to identify different ARC types by their audio signatures. Rocketeers have a distinctive whirring sound, while drones make a high-pitched buzzing
- Player movement sounds: Other players make noise when moving quickly, looting containers, or engaging in combat. Use these audio cues to determine their location and whether they’re a threat
- Environmental sounds: The environment itself provides valuable information—distant explosions indicate combat, while the sound of loot containers being opened suggests other players are nearby
Stealth techniques:
- Crouch when moving: Crouching reduces your noise signature and makes you harder to detect
- Use cover effectively: Move between cover points rather than running across open areas
- Time your movements: Move when ARC units are facing away or distracted
- Use the EM-Cloak: This early-game item conceals your movement from ARC units, allowing you to move more freely in dangerous areas
Advanced strategy: Use sound to your advantage by creating distractions. Throwing items or firing weapons in one direction can draw ARC units or enemy players away from your intended path or loot location.
10. Plan Your Extraction Routes in Advance
The final and most crucial phase of any successful raid is the extraction. All the loot in the world means nothing if you can’t get it back to Speranza. Planning your extraction routes in advance and knowing when to extract are skills that separate successful raiders from those who consistently lose their haul.
Route planning basics:
- Know all extraction points: Each map has multiple extraction locations. Learn where they are and plan routes to each from different areas of the map
- Consider risk vs. reward: Sometimes a longer, safer route is better than a shorter, more dangerous one
- Have backup plans: Always know at least two different ways to reach an extraction point from your current location
- Time your extraction: Don’t wait until you’re overloaded with loot to start moving toward extraction. Begin your journey when you have a good haul but can still move quickly
When to extract:
- When your inventory is full: This seems obvious, but many players get greedy and try to stuff in “just one more item”
- When you encounter heavy resistance: If you’re facing multiple ARC units or enemy players, it might be time to cut your losses and extract
- When you have high-value items: If you’ve found something particularly valuable, consider extracting early rather than risking it
- When your health or resources are low: Don’t push your luck if you’re low on health, ammo, or medical supplies
Pro extraction tip: Use the environment to your advantage during extraction. Natural cover, buildings, and terrain features can provide protection from both ARC units and enemy players. Move deliberately and use cover effectively rather than sprinting blindly toward the extraction point.
Conclusion
Mastering these 10 vital tips for looting and extracting fast in ARC Raiders will transform your experience in the game. From stamina management and weapon handling to route planning and inventory optimization, each strategy builds on the others to create a comprehensive approach to successful raiding.
Remember that ARC Raiders rewards preparation, knowledge, and adaptability. The more you understand the game’s systems and the more thoughtfully you approach each raid, the more successful you’ll be. Don’t be discouraged by early losses—every failed raid is a learning opportunity that will make you a better player.
As you continue to explore the Rust Belt and brave its dangers, keep refining these techniques and developing your own strategies. The most successful raiders are those who can adapt to changing circumstances and make smart decisions under pressure.