7 hours ago
Mastering progression in Arc Raiders revolves around aligning skill trees, loadouts, and raid modes with your preferred playstyle—solo stealth, aggressive squad assaults, or hybrid looting—while optimizing XP, blueprints, and hideout upgrades across 76 base skill points. Early focus on mobility ensures survival, mid-game survival maximizes loot efficiency, and late conditioning bolsters combat durability, with squads accelerating gains through scaled zones despite loot splits.
Solo Stealth Playstyle
Solo players thrive on patience and efficiency, prioritizing Mobility for evasion and Survival for max loot without revives, ideal for consistent blueprint farms like Buried City warehouses. Start with Marathon Runner (5/5) to cut sprint stamina costs, Slip and Slide (5/5) for quick repositions, and Nimble Climber (5/5) to access off-path caches undetected—18 points transforming traversal into a superpower. Follow with Looter's Instincts (5/5) for faster searches, Broad Shoulders (5/5) to carry 20% more despite encumbrance, and Security Breach (1/1) for premium lockers, netting 2-4 blueprints per quick extract run.
Loadouts emphasize silenced SMGs like the Kettle (post-nerf viable at 450 RPM) with Breach Charge mods, paired with medkits from Traveling Tinkerer crafts. Progression shines in low-PvP Night Raids: hit West Broken Bridge vault for weapon cases, recycle excess for coins, and bank XP from contracts without noise draw—solo nets 100% loot but demands 2-3x runs versus squads. Late points into Silent Scavenger (3/5) and Stubborn Mule (5/5) sustain over-encumbered sprints, hitting level 58 faster by avoiding deaths that reset raids. Drawbacks include scaled enemy denial in high-value areas, but mastery yields steady hideout tiers without coordination hassle.
Squad Aggressive Playstyle
Squads excel in high-risk clears, leveraging Conditioning for revives and team-scaled spawns, progressing 20-30% faster via killstreaks and shared contracts on Dam Battlegrounds elites. Core path: Mobility opener as solo (18 points), then Conditioning with Used to the Weight (5/5) to wield heavy shields without slowdown, Downed But Determined (2/5) for downed crawls, and Loaded Arms (5/5) for ammo capacity—enabling prolonged pushes. Survival supplements with One Raider's Scraps (5/5) for extra crafts from enemy drops, In-Round Crafting (1/1) for mid-fight heals, turning wipes into comebacks.
Roles define success: Leader specs Effortless Swing (5/5) melee for ARC breaches, Support takes Survivor’s Stamina (5/5) for revives, DPS prioritizes Proficient Pryer (5/5) breaches. Loadouts scale—Jupiter railgun for anti-ARC, battle rifles for PvP, with squad noise offset by flanking perks like Carry the Momentum (1/1). XP surges from multi-contracts and stash bonuses, unlocking Expedition extras quicker, though loot splits (e.g., 25% blueprints each) demand trust—matchmaking favors squad-vs-squad for fairness. This style suits extroverts, hitting mid-game power spikes by level 32 through elite zone farms.
Looter Hybrid Playstyle
Hybrids blend solo efficiency with occasional duos, maxing Survival (38 points) for profit over kills, perfect for coin farms funding vendor kits and skill resets. Mobility base (18 points), then full Looter's tree: Looter's Luck (5/5) for rare pulls, Traveling Tinkerer (1/1) meds, Security Breach for 980 CR batteries—field-crafting sustains endless runs. Conditioning caps with Gentle Pressure (5/5) quiet breaches and Turtle Crawl (1/1) downed mobility, balancing greed and escape.
Gear: Lightweight scouts with Vaults on Vaults (1/1) for ziplines, Anvil rifles modded for recoil, Scrappy dog for passive digs boosting materials 15%. Farm Blue Gate underground for attachments during storms, selling duplicates (5k CR) for Refiner unlocks—hybrids progress via volume, extracting 50% more than pure combatants early. Flex to squads for burst clears, using Broad Shoulders synergy for team carries; late-game freedom allows Youthful Lungs (5/5) for pursuits. Versatile for casuals, minimizing deaths while scaling to endgame.
Early Game Foundations (Levels 1-32)
Prioritize 18 Mobility points: Calming Stroll (1/1) for walk regen, enabling safe scouting without exhaustion—pair with starter pistols for contract basics like "Loot 5 containers." Farm Marano Station cars for rusted gears (Gunsmith fuel), recycle to workbench level 2, unlocking basic crafts. Avoid PvP hotspots; focus Night Raids for 2x trinkets (sell for 10k+ CR), hitting power spike with Breach Charge access. Playstyle test here: solos vault roofs, squads push bridges, hybrids breach lockers—XP from extractions (200-500 per) builds hideout for vendor discounts.
Mid Game Power Spikes (Levels 32-58)
Invest Survival (Looter's Instincts first) while squads add Conditioning revives—unlock field crafts for self-sustain, farming Parking Garage floors for primaries. Squads dominate high-value like North Complex Elevator buses; solos stick to villages; hybrids chain quests for blueprints (e.g., mod extensions). Coins fund dog training (Scrappy digs), stash hits 50k for Expedition prep—respec if needed via trader (10k CR). Meta shifts post-patches: precision over spam, favoring hybrids.
Late Game Optimization (Levels 58-75+)
Allocate freely: solos max stealth (Silent Scavenger), squads durability (Back On Your Feet 1/1), hybrids loot luck. New maps like Stella Montis demand adaptations—verticality rewards climbers, density suits squads. Expeditions grant extras based on stash value, resetting with bonuses; track via planners for variants. Community Discords share rotations, ensuring your style evolves with patches.
Loadouts by Playstyle
Playstyle
Primary Weapon
Secondary
Mods/Consumables
Key SkillsSolo Stealth
Silenced Kettle SMG
Breach Pistol
Silencer, Medkit
Marathon Runner, Broad Shoulders
Squad Aggressive
Jupiter Railgun
Battle Rifle
Penetration Mod, Ammo Box
Used to Weight, Loaded Arms
Looter Hybrid
Anvil Rifle
Utility Knife
Recoil Control, Tinkerer Crafts
Looter's Instincts, In-Round Crafting
Advanced Tips Across Styles
Solo Stealth Playstyle
Solo players thrive on patience and efficiency, prioritizing Mobility for evasion and Survival for max loot without revives, ideal for consistent blueprint farms like Buried City warehouses. Start with Marathon Runner (5/5) to cut sprint stamina costs, Slip and Slide (5/5) for quick repositions, and Nimble Climber (5/5) to access off-path caches undetected—18 points transforming traversal into a superpower. Follow with Looter's Instincts (5/5) for faster searches, Broad Shoulders (5/5) to carry 20% more despite encumbrance, and Security Breach (1/1) for premium lockers, netting 2-4 blueprints per quick extract run.
Loadouts emphasize silenced SMGs like the Kettle (post-nerf viable at 450 RPM) with Breach Charge mods, paired with medkits from Traveling Tinkerer crafts. Progression shines in low-PvP Night Raids: hit West Broken Bridge vault for weapon cases, recycle excess for coins, and bank XP from contracts without noise draw—solo nets 100% loot but demands 2-3x runs versus squads. Late points into Silent Scavenger (3/5) and Stubborn Mule (5/5) sustain over-encumbered sprints, hitting level 58 faster by avoiding deaths that reset raids. Drawbacks include scaled enemy denial in high-value areas, but mastery yields steady hideout tiers without coordination hassle.
Squad Aggressive Playstyle
Squads excel in high-risk clears, leveraging Conditioning for revives and team-scaled spawns, progressing 20-30% faster via killstreaks and shared contracts on Dam Battlegrounds elites. Core path: Mobility opener as solo (18 points), then Conditioning with Used to the Weight (5/5) to wield heavy shields without slowdown, Downed But Determined (2/5) for downed crawls, and Loaded Arms (5/5) for ammo capacity—enabling prolonged pushes. Survival supplements with One Raider's Scraps (5/5) for extra crafts from enemy drops, In-Round Crafting (1/1) for mid-fight heals, turning wipes into comebacks.
Roles define success: Leader specs Effortless Swing (5/5) melee for ARC breaches, Support takes Survivor’s Stamina (5/5) for revives, DPS prioritizes Proficient Pryer (5/5) breaches. Loadouts scale—Jupiter railgun for anti-ARC, battle rifles for PvP, with squad noise offset by flanking perks like Carry the Momentum (1/1). XP surges from multi-contracts and stash bonuses, unlocking Expedition extras quicker, though loot splits (e.g., 25% blueprints each) demand trust—matchmaking favors squad-vs-squad for fairness. This style suits extroverts, hitting mid-game power spikes by level 32 through elite zone farms.
Looter Hybrid Playstyle
Hybrids blend solo efficiency with occasional duos, maxing Survival (38 points) for profit over kills, perfect for coin farms funding vendor kits and skill resets. Mobility base (18 points), then full Looter's tree: Looter's Luck (5/5) for rare pulls, Traveling Tinkerer (1/1) meds, Security Breach for 980 CR batteries—field-crafting sustains endless runs. Conditioning caps with Gentle Pressure (5/5) quiet breaches and Turtle Crawl (1/1) downed mobility, balancing greed and escape.
Gear: Lightweight scouts with Vaults on Vaults (1/1) for ziplines, Anvil rifles modded for recoil, Scrappy dog for passive digs boosting materials 15%. Farm Blue Gate underground for attachments during storms, selling duplicates (5k CR) for Refiner unlocks—hybrids progress via volume, extracting 50% more than pure combatants early. Flex to squads for burst clears, using Broad Shoulders synergy for team carries; late-game freedom allows Youthful Lungs (5/5) for pursuits. Versatile for casuals, minimizing deaths while scaling to endgame.
Early Game Foundations (Levels 1-32)
Prioritize 18 Mobility points: Calming Stroll (1/1) for walk regen, enabling safe scouting without exhaustion—pair with starter pistols for contract basics like "Loot 5 containers." Farm Marano Station cars for rusted gears (Gunsmith fuel), recycle to workbench level 2, unlocking basic crafts. Avoid PvP hotspots; focus Night Raids for 2x trinkets (sell for 10k+ CR), hitting power spike with Breach Charge access. Playstyle test here: solos vault roofs, squads push bridges, hybrids breach lockers—XP from extractions (200-500 per) builds hideout for vendor discounts.
Mid Game Power Spikes (Levels 32-58)
Invest Survival (Looter's Instincts first) while squads add Conditioning revives—unlock field crafts for self-sustain, farming Parking Garage floors for primaries. Squads dominate high-value like North Complex Elevator buses; solos stick to villages; hybrids chain quests for blueprints (e.g., mod extensions). Coins fund dog training (Scrappy digs), stash hits 50k for Expedition prep—respec if needed via trader (10k CR). Meta shifts post-patches: precision over spam, favoring hybrids.
Late Game Optimization (Levels 58-75+)
Allocate freely: solos max stealth (Silent Scavenger), squads durability (Back On Your Feet 1/1), hybrids loot luck. New maps like Stella Montis demand adaptations—verticality rewards climbers, density suits squads. Expeditions grant extras based on stash value, resetting with bonuses; track via planners for variants. Community Discords share rotations, ensuring your style evolves with patches.
Loadouts by Playstyle
Playstyle
Primary Weapon
Secondary
Mods/Consumables
Key SkillsSolo Stealth
Silenced Kettle SMG
Breach Pistol
Silencer, Medkit
Marathon Runner, Broad Shoulders
Squad Aggressive
Jupiter Railgun
Battle Rifle
Penetration Mod, Ammo Box
Used to Weight, Loaded Arms
Looter Hybrid
Anvil Rifle
Utility Knife
Recoil Control, Tinkerer Crafts
Looter's Instincts, In-Round Crafting
Advanced Tips Across Styles
- Stash Mastery: Prioritize trinkets > blueprints > rares; recycle commons post-recipes.
- Perk Synergies: Mobility + dog for 30% mat boost; squads stack kill XP.
- Raid Rotations: Solos: 10-min extracts; squads: 20-min clears; hybrids: storm events.
- Expedition Prep: Farm stash value pre-reset for skill bumps.