ARC Raiders Loot Priority Guide | Valuable Drops, Crafting Materials & High-Value Items

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• ARC Raiders Repair vs Recycle Guide: How To Manage Resources And Maximize Profits?

  While ARC Raiders is a typical shooter, its rich crafting and loot systems make item collection an indispensable part of exploring the surface world for almost every player.

  ARC Raiders offers a wealth of resources and materials to farm for upgrading and crafting every item in the game, but most loot drops are completely random. This means you might have a large inventory of basic materials that aren't exactly what you need right now.

  If you frequently face this dilemma of lacking necessary equipment and resources, this guide might be helpful. We'll share how to recycle, repair, and recraft equipment in ARC Raiders to help you better manage every resource you have.

  

  Salvaging Or Recycling

  First, let's start with some basic resource management tips.

  We want to emphasize that while you can recycle items during raids, the consequences are far less favorable than recycling within Speranza, as this action within the instance is actually marked as salvaging, not recycling. Therefore, the best practice is to take the items out, return them to your base, and then recycle them there. This applies to all ARC Raiders items in the game.

  To be clear, you should only salvage items if you're completely out of inventory space and want to continue looting. However, if you do this, the value of the items will be lost very quickly.

  A good example is Ruined Accordion. If you salvage it during a raid, you'll only get a bunch of Plastic Parts and nothing else. But if you take it back to Speranza for recycling, it will not only provide more Plastic Parts but also give you three Steel Springs.

  So, if you disenchant a Ruined Accordion during a raid, you'll miss out on three whole Steel Springs, a high-value resource for crafting various late-game useful items.

  This means that if you want to maximize your loot gains, you must know which items are most worth keeping and recycling, which items can be salvaged immediately to save space, and which items are worth selling? It's worth noting that if you intend to sell items, recycling them is almost never worthwhile.

  To reiterate, if you want more ARC Raiders coins, sell items directly. Recycling won't earn you more money, and crafting new items and reselling them isn't worth it. Therefore, if you just want coins, sell the raw materials you find.

  Item Durability

  Before discussing the recycling value of equipment, we must understand a key item mechanic in ARC Raiders: durability.

  In the game, an item's durability directly affects its value; the higher the durability, the higher the item's value.

  For example, with Hullcracker, at the same item level, if your weapon has 0 durability (out of 100), it might only be worth 1000 coins, but if it has 100 durability, it could be worth 10,000 coins.

  However, durability and item value do not scale in a 1:1 ratio. In fact, the lower the durability, the smaller the decrease in value; and vice versa. In other words, while your Hullcracker's value won't immediately plummet from 10,000 gold to 1,000, its value will be significantly reduced once it's broken.

  Therefore, for most items, whether you plan to sell them directly, repair them, or recraft them, the item's current durability is a crucial factor influencing your decision.

  Repair Or Recraft

  Now, we come to a topic that causes much hesitation among players: should we repair or recycle and recraft a piece of equipment? Many players make the mistake of repairing any equipment they want to use without considering the cost, the benefits gained, or the durability loss during raids.

  Next, we'll discuss this issue from three different item categories: Shields, Augments, and Weapons. We'll provide some general rules of thumb and suggestions, but your actual actions will depend on your personal resources.

  Shields

  Let's start with shields. They're a good example because repairing them requires ARC Circuitry and Batteries.

  However, if you recycle the same item, you'll get an ARC Circuitry. Recreating a brand new item like this requires one ARC Circuitry and four batteries.

  Therefore, if you recycle it and craft a new one, the only real cost is batteries, just in greater quantities. Since ARC Circuitry is generally rarer than batteries, recycling and crafting is usually more cost-effective.

  The situation is different if you have a lot of ARC Circuitry but lack batteries.

  However, in almost all cases, if an item is damaged to the point of requiring two repairs to restore full durability, then recycling and crafting is clearly more cost-effective. This is because if you die with an item at full durability, your invested resources are immediately lost, and the risk is greater.

  All things considered, recycling a shield and crafting a new one is likely more cost-effective than repairing it twice. But if you only repair it once and then face a high risk of losing it in the next raid, your loss is far less than crafting a brand new shield.

  Therefore, the level of risk you anticipate and your planned activities are important considerations when deciding whether to repair or recycle an item.

  

  Augments

  For augments, the most important thing to note is their durability loss mechanism. 

  Normally, augments do not lose durability at the end of raids, nor when a player respawns after being downed. Even if a player exits a raid while downed, the item's durability will not decrease. The only way an augment's durability will decrease is when the user dies. This means that unless an augment's durability reaches zero, there is absolutely no need to repair it.

  Even if it has very little durability left, there's no need to repair it, because as long as the augment is still usable, it won't break while you're wearing it until you die. Even if it does break, the only person affected is the player who picked it up.

  Repairing it after it has exceeded minimum durability will only benefit the player who picked it up. So, never repair it. Therefore, the handling of augments is simpler than that of most other items.

  Repairing an augment requires one Advanced Electrical Component and two Processors. Recycling the same augment yields one Advanced Electrical Component and one Processor. Crafting a completely new augment requires two Advanced Electrical Components and three Processors.

  Therefore, if we consider the discounts on recycled parts, the cost of repairing an augment is actually exactly the same as crafting a brand new augment with full durability, while the cost of repairing only restores half of the durability.

  Therefore, if you have the blueprint for an augment you want to use, never repair it; always recycle it and craft a new one.

  Weapons

  Finally, we'll discuss weapons, which are the most complex for various reasons.

  First, weapons have upgrade levels, which need to be considered. It's important to note that higher upgrade levels require more materials to repair, so repair costs are directly related to upgrade levels.

  The most important implication of understanding this is: never upgrade a weapon before repairing it. If you intend to repair and upgrade simultaneously, repair the weapon first, then upgrade; otherwise, you'll only waste your ARC Raiders materials.

  Furthermore, it's worth noting that upgrading weapons not only increases their maximum durability but also reduces the rate at which durability depletes during firing.

  Weapon durability loss primarily comes from two aspects: first, when a player dies, the weapon loses a significant amount of durability, just like other items. Therefore, guns looted from other players are usually severely damaged or even unusable. Second, actually firing the weapon also consumes durability.

  Each weapon has its own durability value, determining how many bullets can be fired per unit of durability lost.

  However, this doesn't mean that keeping your guns at high durability is always a good thing. Increasing the durability of any weapon above 15 increases the risk of losing materials upon death.

  For example, at level 1, Pharaoh gun loses approximately 1 point of durability every 2.3 bullets fired. At level 4, this value allows you to fire 2.5 bullets. Assuming we use a level 1 weapon, this means that 15 points of durability equates to 34.5 bullets before the gun breaks.

  If you're only playing to farm gear, how often will you actually fire that many bullets with Pharaoh?

  What I mean is that for the vast majority of raids you'll do in the game, you won't need weapons with more than 15 durability points. Therefore, you shouldn't repair them before their durability drops below the minimum. Because if you repair them and still die in the raid, you're just wasting those materials, essentially giving them to the person who killed you.

  Now, let's talk about weapon repair and recycling. Of course, the situation is slightly different for each weapon, so we'll just use a popular weapon as an example for your reference, such as the Venator, which has been very popular since the 1.3.0 patch update.

  Repairing a Ventor 4 requires three Advanced Mechanical Components and three Medium Gun Parts. Recycling a Ventor 4 will give you three Medium Gun Parts and three Medium Gun Parts.

  Next, crafting a brand new Ventor requires two Advanced Mechanical Components, three Medium Gun Parts, and five Magnets. Then, upgrading it to level 4 requires a total of four Advanced Mechanical Components and six Medium Gun Parts.

  This means that if you recycle a Ventor 4, then build a brand new one and fully upgrade it, your total cost, after deducting the materials obtained from recycling, is three Advanced Mechanical Components, six Medium Gun Parts, and five Magnets.

  In contrast, repairing a damaged Ventor 4 requires six Advanced Mechanical Components and six Medium Gun Parts.

  So, essentially, if you recycle and build a brand new Ventor 4, you save three Advanced Mechanical Components, but it still costs an extra five Magnets. Is it worthwhile? Honestly, it depends on your individual resources.

  In short, understanding when to repair, recycle, and craft new items is crucial for better managing all your resources in the game, reducing resource gathering time, and allowing you to spend more time enjoying the thrill of raids.

• ARC Raiders Avoid 5 Toxic Types Of Teammate For Better Team-Up Experience

  If you're a fan of trendy shooting games, you're probably currently hooked on competing against robots and real players in ARC Raiders! PvPvE mechanics bring a unique gameplay element of escaping chaotic battles.

  ARC bots are the clear enemy, both in terms of their role and mechanics, but real players offer more possibilities: you can single-handedly defeat all opponents or team up with a few to form a stronger fighting force.

  Generally, teaming up with familiar people, or recommending your friends to join ARC Raiders, are reliable ways to team up for PvP. However, if neither of these options is feasible, there are plenty of reliable teammates among strangers.

  However, it's important to note that while it's difficult to determine the reliability of unfamiliar teammates before playing together, some players' true colors will emerge once the match begins.

  They may not have genuine malice, but their inappropriate behavior can severely impact your gaming experience. To avoid further negative consequences, if you encounter the following types of teammates, be sure to try to leave the team immediately!

  

  1. Selfish Teammates

  From a storyline perspective, the fight in ARC Raiders is about reclaiming humanity's dominance over Earth, but who knows when that day will come! Right now, all you can do is constantly bring resources back to base to maintain your own and your base's survival.

  Therefore, essentially, completing battles and looting enough ARC Raiders items from the battlefield is the key to everything. However, if you're fighting in a team, a sensitive issue arises: loot distribution.

  Generally, if everyone on the team contributes roughly the same amount, the loot should be divided equally; if abilities vary, it should be distributed according to contribution.

  But in reality, there are indeed selfish players who only care about running around the map searching for resources, unwilling to share with others or provide combat assistance when you encounter robots, seemingly only using you as a tool to draw fire.

  Another type of selfish player will abandon you immediately after a few gunfights if they see you in danger due to insufficient ability, prioritizing their own safety.

  Even worse, some will find a safe place to hide and loot your body after you've been surrounded and killed. This isn't just selfish; it's downright shameless.

  While the game doesn't explicitly forbid this in a team, choosing to team up should come with a sense of cooperation and mutual assistance. Otherwise, it's better to play alone - at least you won't be ambushed and looted.

  If you unfortunately encounter such selfish teammates, don't waste time arguing with them. Just kick them out after the game! There are so many ARC Raiders players; regrouping isn't difficult.

  2. Teammates With Poor Communication Skills

  Choosing teamwork means you must communicate with your teammates in a timely manner throughout the game, including your goals, your skill level, and the situation you'll encounter after the battle begins - if you split up.

  Only in this way can everyone develop a battle plan and route that suits everyone from the start, ensuring everyone benefits from the operation. But if someone on the team doesn't intend to communicate, then trouble ensues.

  In ARC Raiders, three-person teams are the most common. If one member happens to be the type who single-mindedly focuses on their own tasks, you and another teammate will be in trouble.

  Because you don't know if the other person is doing their own quest or has already started looting, you can't judge whether you should follow them. This reduces team efficiency, or rather, defeats the purpose of forming a team.

  

  3. Gear-Ineffective Teammates

  Frankly, the fault of these teammates isn't entirely theirs, but rather related to ARC Raiders' random matchmaking system.

  Sometimes, you might plan a thrilling battle on a high-difficulty map to bring back a large amount of rare loot in one go. To increase your success rate, you not only bring the best weapons but also intend to randomly team up and leverage teamwork.

  Unfortunately, if you're unlucky, you might be matched with two players who go into battle with basic gear. This means that in later high-level battles, you'll inevitably have to take on the responsibility of being the main fighter and even protecting them.

  This not only lowers your own survival rate, defeating the purpose of forming a team, but you'll also have to share some resources with them afterward, even if they did almost nothing.

  4. "Duo-Friendly" Teammates

  When searching for ARC Raiders teammates through in-game chat channels or group chat software like Discord, it's not uncommon to find teams already having two members, with you joining as the last member.

  Frankly, this is normal, but the problem arises if these two people are friends or even a couple. You're in trouble; you might just be someone they invited to fill a spot!

  Of course, there are exceptions - friends/couples with excellent character - but there are also those who are engrossed in chatting and interacting with acquaintances, ignoring your needs and feelings as a teammate. The best you can do is leave the team as soon as possible.

  

  5. Purely Malicious Teammates

  These players aren't targeting you maliciously, but rather other real-person teams. They might feign friendliness first, then immediately eliminate the opposing team when they're off guard to steal their loot.

  Even if you don't want to do it, if you stay on the team, the players who were hurt will resent you, and you yourself will feel terrible. If you don't participate in this malicious cheating, your unethical teammates might blame you for not contributing.

  It has to be said that it's these kinds of people who ruin the friendly and fun PvP atmosphere that ARC Raiders should have. You can't change them, but you can at least report and block them after leaving the team.

  While we've listed many types of bad teammates, they don't represent a large percentage of the overall ARC Raiders player base. Even if you unfortunately encounter some of these, leaving the team and blocking them immediately is the best way to protect yourself.

• ARC Raiders Best Loot Routes & Map Guide | Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, And Blue Gate

  As a shooting extraction game, ARC Raiders players' goal is to find supplies and evacuate. Besides figuring out which areas have the richest loot, you also need to know which supplies you need most.

  ARC Raiders has several maps, and they're not just for aesthetics or to give you a different shooting environment. Each map actually has a different focus in terms of loot. With patience, find every type of loot, though some items spawn more frequently than others.

  Basic supplies will also appear more frequently in certain locations, and searching those locations is often more efficient when you're short on them.

  

  Dam Battlegrounds

  Dam Battlegrounds is a basic map with relatively low-value loot, but you can find a lot of materials that are used in large quantities.

  If you're a beginner or starting from scratch, what do you need most? Your core needs are finding Batteries and Arc Circuitry. Many crafting items require batteries, and Arc Circuitry can be used to craft Refiner 2 Workshops.

  The best place to get batteries is in Electrical Substations, where there are usually fewer players, and even if you do encounter someone, they're mostly newbies, making PvP battles unlikely and competition less intense. Research & Administration also has a lot of batteries, but you'll need good equipment to search there.

  Arc Circuitry is a rare material created by combining 8 Arc Alloys. You can obtain Arc Alloys by breaking Probes on the map, and Eliminating ARCs can also drop them, but this is risky as you might attract other players.

  Attachments

  If you want to get weapon attachments the fastest, head to Research & Administration. Red lockers in the industrial zone or any safe zone will drop Batteries, Power Cells, and Attachments.

  You can find all the basic materials for crafting equipment here:

  • Arc Alloy: Used to craft rare shields.
  • Processor: Used to craft Augments.
  • Batteries: Used for shields.
  • Wires: Can be crafted into Electrical Components and Augments.
  • Voltage Converters: Used to craft Showstopper grenades.

  On Dam Battlegrounds map, the main objective is to acquire these materials, but there are also valuable loot spots. Some green lockers contain epic items, and duffel bags found in certain small bunkers and pipes can spawn some of the best loot in the game.

  

  Buried City

  There are only a few loot-rich areas in Buried City: Plazza Roma and Piazza Arbusto. These buildings contain many accessories and unique items.

  The buildings in Piazza Arbusto and Buried Properties are quite good. One building can be breached from below, and you can also enter from the rooftop to the second floor. All the cabinets inside contain accessories and very powerful weapons.

  Between Buried Properties and Piazza Arbusto, there's a small open corner that's rarely looted, but it's rich in items and has a high chance of yielding blueprints at night.

  The hospital, located in the upper left corner of the map, is also a great location. However, some players rush there immediately after entering a match and camp there, so searching this area requires great caution. Inside hospital, there are many lockers that drop some very good items like Lance's Mixtape and Showstoppers.

  South of the highway, in a building right next to it, to the left of Santa Maria Houses, a weapon crate spawns at night. It has a breachable door, where you can find a grenade chest, multiple lockers, a duffel bag, and two safes.

  Spaceport

  It's recommended to you start your search from Container Storage area of Spaceport. The crates there offer excellent loot, but competition is fierce. If you frequently get killed here, it's best to buy ARC Raiders items to upgrade your gear before returning.

  Additionally, there are many lockers scattered throughout the map, especially on the second and top floors of some buildings, offering very rich loot. Additionally, weapon crates spawn at locations such as the bottom of elevators and rooftops, but these are usually highly competitive and not recommended for players with poor equipment.

  The lockers in Departure Building contain a lot of loot, especially at night. However, these areas are often camped by players, making them very dangerous. The medical area is also worth checking, as it contains several safes and a large amount of loot.

  

  Blue Gate

  Most loot spawns at Blue Gate are puzzle-related, requiring you to set up Barricade Kits, Jolt Mines, etc., to complete them safely.

  In Ancient Fort and Church, you need to find and move three batteries to designated locations. Church puzzles involve pressing buttons randomly appearing on rooftops and sheds to open hidden hatches.

  These puzzle rooms typically contain a duffel bag, a weapon crate, a security breach, and multiple lockers. Rewards are extremely generous, potentially including blueprints, augmentation blueprints, and processors.

  Blue Gate's villages provide abundant residential materials, such as toasters, light bulbs, and jewelry. You can also earn coins by chopping down trees in Olive Grove. Maintenance Bucker Highway Collapse also offers loot.

  Blue Gate has a relatively rich variety of resources and high-value loot, but the enemies and other players here are extremely dangerous. If you want to explore maps with higher value, it's recommended to upgrade your equipment first.

• ARC Raiders Aphelion Legendary Gun: Drop Rate Changes, Full Damage Breakdown & Crafting Requirements

  The recent update to ARC Raiders added three legendary weapons. While legendary weapons are relatively rare, they are undoubtedly among the strongest weapons in the game, especially Aphelion Battle Rifle.

  Aphelion is a two-round burst battle rifle with unique attributes compared to other special weapons. Its blueprint had an extremely low drop rate from the core of Matriarch boss, making it very difficult to obtain previously. However, since patch 1.3.0, the drop rate has been significantly increased, so you are now almost guaranteed to get one simply by defeating Matriarch.

  

  Is Aphelion Worth Getting?

  You've probably seen many players demonstrating this legendary gun recently. Has it met your expectations? If you weren't initially interested, we recommend trying it out yourself, as you can use it against various ARC enemies in real PvP combat, and its effectiveness will absolutely amaze you.

  Especially in battles against Rocketeer, Aphelion allows you to easily interrupt their rocket launches and immediately retaliate, which is why it was considered the best weapon against ARC enemies for a short time.

  However, since Aphelion is a mid-range battle rifle, its effectiveness may not be satisfactory if you attempt close-quarters combat or try to hit enemies from too far away. More importantly, its performance in PvP is quite strange; its initial usability and damage can be incredibly high, but then suddenly drop, and this inconsistency is a key reason why many players complain.

  Aphelion Details

  Now, let's talk about what this gun is actually like. Frankly, Aphelion looks a bit like an antenna, with a cylindrical battery at its core. Then, various parts are pieced together to form a wieldable weapon. However, the design, feel, and sound effects are all top-notch.

  

  Magazine Size

  Next is magazine size. Aphelion has 10 rounds, but it fires in two bursts.

  The key to this weapon lies in its high-velocity energy rounds, which is why it's effective against both flying and ground enemies, especially in stripping armor. However, unlike other energy weapons like Equalizer, it doesn't seem to inflict significant direct damage while stripping armor.

  Another key feature of Aphelion is its strong ARC armor penetration. While Equalizer and Jupiter also have strong penetration, Aphelion offers greater controllability, making it easier for players to utilize effectively in PvP scenarios.

  Attachments

  While Aphelion cannot be upgraded, unlike other special weapons, it can be equipped with attachments.

  If you're installing any grip attachments, you must consider that this gun has some horizontal recoil, and the vertical recoil is significantly greater.

  Then there's the stock, which reduces recoil and bullet recovery time. In other words, when you fire without moving the mouse, the stock reloads the bullet faster, allowing for quicker and more accurate reloading. Therefore, stock is also very important, and investing in these accessories is worthwhile.

  Also Read: What Caused The Widespread Server Outage In ARC Raiders? | New Map Congestion Or Technical Issues

  Kill Time

  So, what about kill time? We tested it separately for Light, Medium, and Heavy Shields.

  • Light Shields: Kill in six shots
  • Medium Shields: Kill in six shots
  • Heavy Shields: Kill in eight shots

  Please note that we only tested body shots, not headshots.

  So, the effectiveness against most medium and light shield enemies at mid-range is roughly the same. While dealing with heavy shields is a bit more troublesome, it allows you to eliminate them before running out of ammo.

  Therefore, it is recommended that you carefully control the appropriate distance when using Aphelion in combat. Especially in team battles, don't act impulsively and rush in like a fool. Carefully maintain a suitable distance and communicate the area you control to your teammates. Once you have the opportunity to shoot, don't hesitate to destroy them with high-velocity energy projectiles.

  

  Pros And Cons

  Next, let's talk about the pros and cons of Aphelion.

  Its advantages lie in its ability to easily strip armor and its powerful high-velocity energy. Therefore, whether dealing with Wasps, Hornets, or any other ARC aircraft, you can easily destroy them. It feels fantastic.

  When facing flying enemies, we can use Aphelion to make them fly around aimlessly, even preventing them from firing at you. This power is equally effective against Rocketeer. Then, strip their armor and shoot their core.

  When dealing with ground enemies, the tactics are much more varied. Especially against heavily armored enemies like Leaper, you can first strip their leg and core armor. Once these defenses are breached, the damage will drop significantly. Then, you can damage their legs, rendering them inoperable, and finally, you can easily finish them off with Anvil or Light Ammo.

  However, Aphelion still has significant drawbacks, especially against heavily armored enemies like Bombardier and Bastion. It's difficult to actually damage their joints with this gun, and even destroying the battery in their back is very challenging because Aphelion's base firepower is insufficient.

  Therefore, its performance is indeed inconsistent. To better eliminate these tank enemies, it's recommended to use other weapons to completely eliminate them after stripping off their armor and destroying them.

  How To Craft It?

  Finally, let's talk about how to craft Aphelion.

  As a reminder, before you start crafting, you need to obtain the blueprint from a specific core dropped by defeating Matriarch.

  Once you find the blueprint, you need to ensure your Gunsmith Station is at level 3.

  Its components are the same as other special weapons, except that you need to replace Queen Reactor with Matriarch Reactor. Therefore, you'll need three Magnetic Accelerators, three Complex Gun Parts, and one Matriarch Reactor.

  Some might find this expensive, but if you've already stockpiled a large number of Magnetic Accelerators and Complex Gun Parts, you can almost easily obtain this legendary gun.

  That's all the information we currently have about Aphelion battle rifle. In PvP, it's incredibly effective at close to mid-range; if you're crouching, it can also be used for long-range combat, taking down a light or medium shield user with just three clicks - a true weapon of mass destruction on the battlefield!

  ---

  However, if you want to use it against all opponents, especially some heavily armored ARC ground enemies, then as we mentioned before, you'll be better off pairing it with other weapons. It's worth noting that all ARC Raiders products for sale on IGGM can enjoy an 8% discount with the coupon code ARC8. Whether you need coins to acquire suitable gear or want ready-made crafting materials, we can meet your needs!

  In any case, grab your Aphelion, get ready to fight, crush, intimidate, and suppress all enemies, and make a safe retreat with your loot!

• ARC Raiders Augment Tier List From S To C | Carry Weight, Shields, And Passives Explained

  In ARC Raiders, weapons aren't the only things that matter in a fight. Carry weight and shields directly influence how much you can bring out of each match - and whether you make it out alive.

  Starting from Free Augment, players gradually unlock higher-tier augments with greater carry capacity and broader shield compatibility. But what exactly do these augments offer, and what are their drawbacks? Let's break them down.

  

  Tier C Augment

  These are the most basic augments in the game. They aren't completely useless, but they fall behind noticeably when compared with higher-tier options.

  Free Augment

  The biggest advantage of Free Augment is obvious - it doesn't require any resources. After entering a match, you get a random set of gear including a gun, ammo, and tools. You can fill your bag and extract right away, making it a no-risk way to secure ARC Raiders items.

  Free Augment has no passive skills, its carry limit is only 35, and it offers just 14 inventory slots. This heavily restricts the amount of loot you can bring out per match. It also lacks Safe Pockets and Special Quick Use Slots, meaning any items you gather are completely lost if you die.

  Augment Mark 1 Series

  • Looting Mk. 1
  • Combat Mk. 1
  • Tactical Mk. 1

  All Mark 1 Augments are very easy to craft, requiring only Rubber Parts and Plastic Parts. They offer one Safe Pocket but no augmented Slots.

  • Combat Mk. 1 has the middle carry limit (45) and supports medium shields, making it the strongest option in this tier.
  • Looting Mk. 1 offers a larger carry limit of 50 but only supports light shields. It works well for low-risk loot-focused runs.
  • Tactical Mk. 1 supports medium shields but has only 40 carry capacity, which limits your loot-running efficiency.

  Tier B Augment

  Tier B augments have unique strengths and can serve as transitional options, but each has at least one major flaw preventing it from reaching higher tiers.

  Looting Mk. 3 (Cautious)

  Its passive triggers a weakened Adrenaline Shot - granting infinite stamina - when your shield breaks. The effect has a cooldown, and the 70 carry limit lets you bring a lot out. However, it requires high-value materials: 3 Processors and 2 Advanced Electrical Components.

  It only supports light shields, so avoiding direct fights is mandatory. And it offers just two Safe Pockets, while most Epic Augments have three. It is great for pure hit-and-run looting, but too resource-heavy when other options can achieve similar results more efficiently.

  Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking)

  Its passive increases draw speed by 33% for holstered or unequipped Pistols and Hand Cannons - excellent with weapons like Ventor or Anvil. It has two Safe Pockets and 20 slots.

  But like many in this tier, it only supports light shields, which is risky in close engagements where a stronger shield matters far more than faster weapon swapping.

  Combat Mk. 2

  Very affordable to craft (2 Electrical Components and 3 Magnets). Supports light, medium, and heavy shields, and features a Utility Slot for grenades.

  Its passive restores 1 HP every 5 seconds but pauses for 30 seconds after taking damage. The recovery is extremely slow, helping only between fights if you lack healing items.

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  Tier A Augment

  These augments offer excellent value, strong utility, or a very specific role where they shine.

  Looting Mk. 2

  Crafting requirements match Combat Mk. 2, but it provides a 60 carry limit, 22 inventory slots, 3 Trinket Slots, 2 Safe Pockets, and 4 Utility Slots. It only supports light shields.

  This is the ultimate budget loot-running augment. If your goal is to avoid combat, gather resources, and extract swiftly, this is your best option - and losing it isn't a big deal.

  Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive)

  Includes a built-in Shield Recharger with unlimited use (cooldown applies). This saves inventory space otherwise used for consumables.

  As an Epic augment, it requires more materials. It has 5 Utility Slots but only 1 Safe Pocket, and its 60 carry limit is low compared with other Epic augments.

  Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive)

  Restores 2 HP every 5 seconds (twice that of Combat Mk. 2), but shares the same long cooldown after taking damage.

  It offers a 65 carry limit and two grenade slots, effectively boosting utility space. It supports medium and heavy shields.

  However, its passive remains underwhelming, and it only has one Safe Pocket. It doesn't even outperform Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) in many situations.

  Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing)

  With three Safe Pockets, this augment has a huge advantage over many others. It supports medium shields and offers a dedicated healing slot, freeing your quick-use slots for other items. But it has relatively low carry capacity and fewer inventory slots overall.

  Its passive creates a healing cloud after being revived, restoring 20 HP over 10 seconds (30-second cooldown). This affects only you, not teammates, and requires being downed first - making it situational at best.

  

  Tier S Augment

  The strongest and most worthwhile augments in the game.

  Tactical Mark II

  A Rare-quality augment requiring only Electrical Components and Magnets, or available from traders for 6000 coins.

  Its passive deploys a smoke grenade automatically when your shield breaks. This is incredibly useful against ambushes, giving you instant cover for escape, healing, or counterattacks - far better than many Epic augment passives.

  Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor)

  Its passive restores your HP to 75% of maximum while downed as long as you remain still. This lets you stay down almost indefinitely, giving teammates plenty of time to reach you, and even enabling solo players to crawl into extraction zones for self-rescue.

  • On top of that, it offers:
  • 80 carry limit
  • 3 Safe Pockets
  • Compatibility with medium shields
  • 20 inventory slots, 5 Utility Slots, and 1 Special Utility Slot

  Its only downside is the high crafting requirement. In all other aspects, it is extremely strong and ideal once you have enough materials.

  These are the current ratings for every augment in ARC Raiders. While Tier S options are undeniably superior, if you enjoy a looting-focused playstyle, Looting Mk. 2 is also an excellent choice.

• ARC Raiders AI Voice Acting Controversy | Undermines Game Quality And Player Experience

  As the saying goes, "with fame comes controversy," and this applies to the gaming market as well. The more popular a game, the more attention and controversy it receives. Recently, ARC Raiders has undoubtedly been at the center of this debate.

  As a survival shooter, a hot topic in ARC Raiders community is whether its PvPvE gameplay should be optimized further. However, another controversy has transcended the player base, attracting wider attention: the application of AI technology.

  This article will explore how ARC Raiders' use of AI technology caused this "farce" and delve into the appropriateness of using artificial intelligence in games.

  

  In What Ways Does ARC Raiders Use AI?

  The game's gameplay and setting involve Earth being invaded by alien ARC robots. You play as a member of Raiders from an underground base, venturing to the surface to fight and collect ARC Raiders items to bring back underground.

  Based on this, all human faction NPCs required live actors to provide voice acting during the game's development - don't underestimate this work! Emotionally rich voice acting can add extra charm to the storyline and even the entire game!

  Since the main factions in ARC Raiders are currently only humans and ARC robots, voice acting for human characters is obviously a major undertaking. ARC Raiders chose to have AI handle this task.

  The dialogue in ARC Raiders isn't directly recorded by actors; instead, the technical team uses existing actor voices combined with AI's text-to-speech function to generate the necessary lines.

  Furthermore, the game continuously improves the behavior and animations of various robot enemies through AI, but this practice is already accepted by the gaming industry and players. Therefore, the focus of the controversy lies in the voice acting.

  Why Is This Approach Inappropriate?

  PvPvE nature of ARC Raiders means you will inevitably encounter many real players. Whether you are hostile to each other or intend to team up against robots or other player teams, this constitutes in-game social interaction.

  Making friends through game social features is becoming increasingly common. Even in single-player games, you can meet friends through relevant forums. And this social feature is one of the core selling points of ARC Raiders.

  However, using AI voice acting, in a sense, contradicts this social aspect.

  While the dialogue of NPCs in a game is pre-arranged, you can still experience emotional fluctuations due to the storyline when interacting with them.

  The thought that the lines that move you are generated by cold artificial intelligence evokes a dark humor unique to the AI ​​era. What appears to be technological progress hides a lack of humanity and emotion.

  Voice Acting Is An Integral Part Of Games' Soul

  From the day games were defined as a new art form, their purpose has been not merely entertainment, but to express the creator's thoughts in new ways, moving you on a deeper spiritual level.

  From this perspective, gameplay is merely a means; the soul of a game lies in the thoughts and emotions it truly wants to convey. Therefore, only genuine creation from real people can truly reflect a game's value.

  So even if ARC Raiders only used AI for voice acting, it still undermined the game's overall value and artistry, turning everything into a product of profit rather than a work that evokes deeper thought and emotion beyond the battle.

  Highly engaging voice acting can help games tell stories more vividly, and you can be more easily moved by the story through the dedicated performances of voice actors behind the scenes.

  Also Read: ARC Raiders 1.3.0 Patch Update Breakdown | Balance Changes And Bug Fixes

  In fact, this is not only a reflection of the game's value but also a recognition of the voice actors' work. Human emotions and thoughts should be expressed by humans, not by seemingly robotic figures.

  The Negative Impact Of AI On The Game Market

  The initial purpose of artificial intelligence was to make people's work and lives more convenient. However, its rapid output capabilities have led to its gradual distortion when applied to fields controlled by different capital groups.

  At least in the game industry, in the past two years, there has been an increasing trend of using AI to directly draw graphics, generate sound effects, or create voice acting; some have even attempted to generate games entirely with AI.

  But this not only undermines the final quality of the game (AI is not yet omnipotent enough to completely replace humans) but also infuriates you, because the development costs have decreased while developers' expected profits remain high.

  Besides being condemned by players, the application of AI will also lead to the unemployment of many related professionals, such as illustrators, screenwriters, voice actors, and live-action actors.

  This consequence will severely impact employment and the entire economic system, and ironically, no one except the developers will benefit.

  

  The Correct Use Of AI In ARC Raiders

  As a technology, AI itself is not wrong; the problem lies in its misuse, which has affected your gaming experience and even real life - sometimes you can't even tell if a video or image is AI-generated, making everything seem so unreliable.

  At least in fields like games, rooted in human creativity and emotion, AI should always be an auxiliary and corrective tool, not a tool for directly creating any formal content.

  Therefore, aside from the generally accepted optimization of robot enemies, if ARC Raiders wants to become a valuable game rather than a fleeting "shooting addiction," it should promptly abandon the clumsy AI voice acting.

  In short, the development of any new technology has its advantages and disadvantages, but the problem is that its advantages should not become a disaster for other groups due to misuse and abuse.

  We don't yet know how much impact AI will have on the gaming industry in the future, but at least ARC Raiders can start changing now and become a purely original game, rather than a monster pieced together by AI.