Arc Raiders Guide For Beginners - 10 Best Beginner Tips

Diving into ARC Raiders for the first time can feel overwhelming, especially when the surface is crawling with aggressive ARC machines, unpredictable Raiders, and constant danger around every corner. This world isn’t forgiving, and success depends on how quickly you understand its systems, threats, and survival mechanics. If you’re just starting out and want a smoother path through your early expeditions, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll break down the best beginner tips to help you survive longer, gather more loot, and get comfortable with everything the game throws at you. Let’s jump straight into the essentials every new Raider should know.

#10: Take Advantage of Free Loadouts

When you’re just getting started in ARC Raiders, losing gear is almost guaranteed while you’re still learning the movement, aiming, and survival basics. Instead of risking your early resources, stick to the free loadouts for your first few runs so you can build up a solid stash before bringing in your own equipment. Just hit the play button and switch over to the “Free Loadout” tab—your inventory will look empty, but once you load into the match, the game automatically gives you a random starter kit. The gear isn’t amazing, but it keeps you from losing valuable items while you get comfortable with the game. This alone can save you a ton of early frustration.

#9: Craft Before You Spend

Coins are incredibly valuable in ARC Raiders, and burning through them too early can leave you struggling with weak weapons and barely any supplies. That’s why crafting should always be your first stop after a successful run. The game’s crafting system lets you make everything from healing items and grenades to ammo, augments, and even weapons—often for a fraction of the cost you’d spend at a trader. Before you sell materials or head straight to the vendors, check what you can craft instead. Prioritizing crafting over buying keeps your coin balance healthy and helps you stay properly geared without wasting resources.

#8: Move Quietly or Expect Trouble

Noise is one of the easiest ways to get yourself killed in ARC Raiders, because almost everything on the surface reacts to sound. The more chaos you create, the faster nearby ARC units will lock onto your position. Slow down when moving through open areas so you don’t spook flocks of birds that instantly reveal your location. Even simple actions like breaching doors or cracking open loot containers make a loud pop, so always scan the area before interacting with anything. I’ve had plenty of runs where I got careless, made too much noise, and ended up swarmed by wasps out of nowhere—don’t repeat that mistake. Staying quiet keeps you alive longer and helps you avoid unnecessary fights.

#7: Make a Habit of Checking In With Scrappy

Scrappy might look like just a quirky little rooster, but in ARC Raiders he’s actually one of the most valuable companions you have underground. While you’re topside dodging drones and scavenging for loot, Scrappy quietly gathers extra resources for you in the background. Every time you return to Speranza, swing by and collect whatever he’s picked up—it adds up fast and makes your early game progression smoother.

Scrappy can also be trained, and leveling him up increases the amount of materials he brings back after each run. Focus on upgrading him whenever you can, especially if you’re chasing specific crafting ingredients. A stronger Scrappy means more free resources, less grinding, and a much easier time keeping your kits stocked.

#6: Track the Resources You Actually Need

Crafting is a huge part of staying prepared in ARC Raiders, and the game gives you a simple but super useful way to hunt down whatever materials you’re missing. When you hover over any resource in your inventory, you’ll see a small menu that tells you which types of areas that item can be found in. It won’t mark the exact spot, but it does narrow down the search so you’re not wandering aimlessly.

On the map, you can use the legend on the right side of the screen to match each resource with its corresponding area type—nature zones, industrial ruins, security-controlled regions, commercial buildings, and more. Once you know where a specific material tends to spawn, you can route your runs around those locations and quickly gather everything you need for your next craft without wasting a trip topside.

#5: Don’t Sell Your Seeds

It’s tempting to dump extra materials for a bit of quick cash early on, but seeds are one thing you should never sell in ARC Raiders. As you start surviving more runs, you’ll notice seeds piling up in your stash—and that’s a good thing. They’re basically universal currency for one of the most important traders in Speranza.

Celeste, the resource vendor in town, accepts seeds as payment for essential crafting materials like metal parts, rubber, and other components you’ll constantly need. These items are way more valuable than the small amount of Coins you’d get from selling the seeds, so hanging onto them actually saves you money in the long run. Whenever you spot seeds topside, grab them—think of them as free crafting fuel that keeps your workshop running without draining your wallet.

#4: Boost Your Stamina

Running out of stamina during a fight is basically a death sentence in ARC Raiders, so upgrading it early makes a massive difference. One of the smartest things you can do with your first few skill points is dive into the mobility branch and unlock perks that improve your stamina pool—especially Youthful Lungs, which gives you a much bigger reserve to work with.

Improving mobility doesn’t just help you sprint longer. These perks also reduce stamina drain, let you slide faster and farther, speed up your vaulting animations, and soften the blow from accidental falls. All of these upgrades add up to smoother escapes, safer rotations, and a much higher chance of actually making it to extraction instead of getting caught empty-lunged in the open.

#3: Install Your Gunsmith Early

When you check out the workshop menu, you’ll notice a few stations you don’t start with—one of the most important being the Gunsmith bench. This upgrade station is a game-changer because it lets you improve your weapons directly, boosting their stats and making them hit noticeably harder. Building it early is one of the best decisions you can make as a new player.

The power spike from a level-one gun to a level-two version is massive. Suddenly fights that felt like a struggle become manageable, and clearing ARC machines—or defending yourself against other Raiders—starts to feel far more consistent. If you want smoother runs and safer extracts, getting the Gunsmith up and running should be one of the first big projects you invest in.

#2: Recycle

Metal parts disappear fast in ARC Raiders—you’ll burn through them crafting ammo, upgrading weapons, and making gear. Because of that, recycling becomes one of the most important habits to build early on.

Whenever you right-click an item in your inventory, you’ll see the option to recycle it instead of selling it. If it’s something you don’t need, turning it into raw materials is often the smarter play. Recycling keeps your stash from filling up with junk while steadily feeding you the metal, fabric, and other components you’ll rely on for crafting later. Over time, this small habit saves coins, frees up space, and keeps your workshop running smoothly round after round.

#1: How to Kill ARCs

If you want to drop ARCs fast, always target their weak spots. For flying units, the thrusters are your best bet—hit those side boosters and they’ll lose balance, crash to the ground, and usually explode before they can recover. It’s the quickest and safest way to clear the skies without wasting ammo.

When things get rough, don’t try to tank damage. Break line of sight, get behind cover, and refill your shields with power cells or rechargers. Once your shield is back up, patch your health with bandages before jumping into another fight. ARC Raiders’ AI is aggressive and doesn’t back off easily, so treating every encounter seriously is the difference between extracting and respawning empty-handed.

As for the big machines—Bastion, Leaper, Rocketeer—avoid soloing them unless you’re geared, confident, and positioned well. These heavy units hit extremely hard, and taking them on without a squad usually ends the same way: a long crawl back to base with nothing in your backpack.

For PvP encounters, noise is your biggest enemy. Raiders who stomp around or break open containers without checking the area basically announce their location to everyone nearby. Staying quiet, catching players off guard, and striking first is what wins fights—and it’s usually what keeps you alive long enough to extract.

Conclusion

Getting started in ARC Raiders can feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand how the game works—from crafting smarter to managing noise, boosting stamina, upgrading your gear, and learning how to handle ARCs—you’ll notice your survival rate climbing fast. These beginner tips give you the foundation you need to explore confidently, extract more consistently, and make real progress without wasting precious resources. With the right mindset and a bit of patience, every topside run becomes easier, smoother, and far more rewarding. Stay sharp, stay quiet, and keep improving—Speranza always rewards raiders who come prepared.