ARC Raiders Workshop Upgrade Guide: Best Material Farming Routes To Reach Level 3 Crafting Stations Fast

Posted: Nov 10, 2025 Views: 35

Posted: Nov 10, 2025

Source: IGGM

In ARC Raiders, there are two things you'll always need to do early in the game: progressing through the main storyline and upgrading your workshop!

Unlike crafting tables in other games that only serve as supplementary crafting aids, workshops in ARC Raiders are a crucial source of most equipment and materials. However, the items you can craft each time are quite limited until you find the necessary materials to upgrade each crafting station.

Each workshop in the game has a maximum level of 3, and each level unlocks a new crafting recipe. While upgrading a workshop station is very expensive, believe me, it's all necessary to help you strengthen yourself and survive in the dangerous surface world.

Here, we'll focus on upgrading your workshop and break down how to efficiently obtain the upgrade materials needed for each workshop station's level.

ARC Raiders Workshop Upgrade Guide: Best Material Farming Routes To Reach Level 3 Crafting Stations Fast

How To Upgrade Your Workshop?

First, let's look at the specific steps in detail. Except for Scrappy and The Rooster, all other workshops require basic parts to craft. Upgrading a workshop to level 2 requires one ARC part and two auxiliary materials; upgrading to level 3 requires the same steps.

The materials required for each workshop are different. Therefore, you will need approximately 40 different ARC Raiders items, each in varying quantities, to upgrade your crafting station to the highest level.

Gunsmith

Level 1: 20× Metal Parts, 30× Rubber Parts
Level 2: 3× Rusted Tools, 5× Mechanical Components, 8× Wasp Driver
Level 3: 3× Rusted Gear, 5× Advanced Mechanical Components, 4× Sentinel Firing Core

Gear Bench

Level 1: 25× Plastic Parts, 30× Fabric
Level 2: 3× Power Cable, 5× Electrical Components, 5× Hornet Driver
Level 3: 3× Industrial Battery, 5× Advanced Electrical Components, 6× Bastion Cell

Medical Lab

Level 1: 50× Fabric, 6× ARC Alloy
Level 2: 2× Cracked Bioscanner, 5× Durable Cloth, 8× Tick Pod
Level 3: 3× Rusted Shut Medical Kit, 8× Antiseptic, 5× Surveyor Vault

Explosives Station

Level 1：50× Chemicals, 6× ARC Alloy
Level 2: 3× Synthesized Fuel, 5× Crude Explosives, 5× Pop Trigger
Level 3: 3× Laboratory Reagents, 5× Explosive Compound, 3× Rocketeer Driver

Utility Station

Level 1: 50× Plastic Parts, 6× ARC Alloy
Level 2: 2× Damaged Heat Sink, 5× Electrical Components, 6× Snitch Scanner
Level 3: 3× Fried Motherboard, 5× Advanced Electrical Components, 4× Leaper Pulse Unit

Refiner Station

Level 1: 60× Metal Parts, 5× ARC Powercell
Level 2: 3× Toaster, 5× ARC Motion Core, 8× Fireball Burner
Level 3: 3× Motor, 10× ARC Circuitry, 6× Bombardier Cell

Therefore, we will now explain each material category in groups, showing you a safe and reliable route to find all the materials you need, rather than explaining each site individually. This is because items of the same type can usually be found in exactly the same locations, with very few exceptions.

Refinable Items

First, let's look at refinable and tradable items.

Many items on Workshop upgrade list can be crafted using basic materials or traded from the merchant Celeste using seeds.

Specifically, you need five Mechanical Components to upgrade to level 2 Gunsmith, and five Advanced Mechanical Components to upgrade to level 3. Both types of components can be crafted at Refiner.

Next, you need five Electrical Components to upgrade to level 2 Gear Bench, and another five to upgrade to level 2 Utility Station. Then, you need five Advanced Electrical Components to upgrade to level 3 Gear Bench, and another five to upgrade to level 3 Utility Station.

Additionally, five Durable Cloths are needed to upgrade to Level 2 Medical Lab, and eight Antiseptics to Level 3. To upgrade to Level 2 Explosives Station, you need five Crude Explosives and another five Explosive Compounds.

Strictly speaking, you can craft some other related items in the Refiner, but they require you to reach Level 3 Refiner Station. While you can find all these materials in raids, your gameplay will be much easier if you upgrade your Refiner first and then refine from the basic materials.

As for seeds, you can craft and refine them using any basic material. Furthermore, Synthesized Fuel required to upgrade Explosives Station is very rare, meaning crafting them with seeds is actually quite cost-effective.

Residential Items

Next, let's look at the loot in Residential section. This item pool specifically requires: one Dog Collar, one Cat Bed, and three Very Comfortable Pillows. Additionally, there are three Power Cables and three Toasters.

It's worth noting that Power Cable can also be found in Electronics Loot Pool. However, this pool contains many other items, all obtained in Residential area, making this arrangement more convenient.

Speaking of exploring Residential area, there's a severely underrated location on Buried City map: the red tower in that complex of buildings. Several floors there contain very valuable items.

Additionally, Santa Maria Houses is a treasure trove, containing many valuable ARC Raiders items. In contrast, Plaza Rosa, while marked as a yellow treasure zone, is usually less crowded. Although it's labeled as a medical and commercial supplies area, it actually spawns many daily necessities as well.

Best of all, after looting, the extraction point is nearby. You can simply walk in, crawl through the tunnel, and take the subway out.

Mechanical & Industrial Items

Next, let's talk about the loot in Mechanical and Industrial areas. Here we need to find three Rusted Tools, three Motors, three Rusted Gear, and three Industrial Batteries.

We're discussing these together because they complement each other. One ideal place to collect both items is The Blue Gate, specifically Warehouse.

If you enter from the eastern entrance on the map, you'll see a tunnel with many vehicles and breakable crates. You can pry open the car doors to obtain a large amount of machinery. Also, look for lockers, especially the pryable crates, which contain many industrial supplies.

Once you've collected enough items, the ideal extraction point is the warehouse's ventilation shaft, located in the northeast of the warehouse, which leads directly to the ground. Extraction is very fast.

Medical Items

Next are medical supplies. Here we need to find two Cracked Bioscanners, three Rusted Shut Medical Kits, and three Laboratory Reagents. These supplies are located in the hospital building on the Buried City map, in the red-marked supply area.

Most people seem to rush straight to the upper floors of the building to loot supplies, meaning the ground floor, or the first floor, is usually largely deserted. If you want to quickly grab some valuable medical supplies, then go check it out. Of course, if you're feeling adventurous, you can also check the upper floors.

But the safest way is to loot the first floor and then evacuate. Evacuating from here is very easy; just head to the subway station to the north. One entrance to the north subway station is inside the hospital; you can find the stairs leading downstairs, which will take you directly to the evacuation point - very convenient.

Technology Items

For this part, you'll need two Damaged Heat Sinks and three Fried Motherboards.

As for the route, you can actually find some technology items in the hospital we just mentioned. So if you want, you can loot there as well.

However, there's a special place that's perfect for obtaining the materials needed for these two Workshop upgrades. On the battle map, if you zoom in to the maximum, you'll see a small building at the "L" marker for Water Treatment Control. The building contains numerous search points that can be breached, each containing technological resources.

Most importantly, Water Treatment Elevator itself is an extraction point, so you can typically complete the entire process within 5 minutes and quickly obtain most of the materials needed for the upgrade.

Natural Resources

Next, let's talk about natural resources. Because of their mechanics, obtaining natural resources is more complex than other resources. In most cases, the generation method for each natural resource is slightly different. However, you can find resources like fruits, vegetables, and other raw materials by looking for areas labeled "Nature" on the map.

Here, the natural resources you need to find for the upgrade include three Lemons and six Apricots, six Prickly Pears and six Olives, and twelve Mushrooms.

ARC Enemy Drops

Of course, in addition to these, all these upgrades require various ARC items. Besides obtaining some high-value Driver items for free during limited-time events, you can also interact with ARC Drivers that spawn on the map to obtain the materials you need.

That concludes today's ARC Raiders Workshop upgrade material farming guide! Hopefully, this will help you quickly upgrade your workshop station to level 3 and unlock all the crafting recipes! Good luck!

Tags:

Previous: Arc Raiders PvP Gameplay Sparks Controversy | Why Some Players Are Demanding Separate PvE Modes?

Recommended Article

Arc Raiders PvP Gameplay Sparks Controversy | Why Some Players Are Demanding Separate PvE Modes?

Most new games, or new installments in well-known game series, attract many players and spark heated debates within the community upon release - whether praising or criticizing, it indicates the game's recent popularity.

For ARC Raiders, a new game released on October 30, 2025, one of the most heated player debates in its first week has been whether the game should have a purely PvE mode.

So why is this debate happening? Does it indicate community dissatisfaction with ARC Raiders' current modes and game nature? We will analyze this in detail below.

What Kind Of Game Is ARC Raiders?

As a third-person extraction shooter, ARC Raiders does not separate PvP and PvE modes. Instead, it creates a PvPvE open world where all real players coexist with the game's enemies, ARC robots.

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where robot enemies have taken over the surface, forcing humanity to live underground. Toledo in District of Speranza is where it all begins, where you play as a Raider fighting for humanity's freedom.

Based on this, the gameplay involves leaving the underground and venturing to the surface to fight other players and robot enemies while searching for and looting ARC Raiders items. You then retreat safely back underground with your loot.

These loot items can be used directly in combat as gear or healing items, or they can be crafted or sold as raw materials. They form the basis of the game's trade and resources.

Advantages Of The Existing PvPvE Mechanism

Compared to traditional PvP or PvE, PvPvE combines different enemy types in a mixed way. Combined with the time-limited rounds introduced by ARC Raiders, this maximizes the excitement and thrill of combat.

The benefit of this gameplay is that every exploration is fulfilling. Within those thirty minutes, you can use your weapons and tactics to eliminate any enemy, whether it's an ARC robot or any player trying to steal your resources.

Why Do Some Players Want Purely PvE Modes?

While the advantages are undeniable (otherwise ARC Raiders wouldn't have been so popular upon release), the chaotic PvPvE gameplay also has its drawbacks.

First, a sufficiently engaging experience means you must be constantly vigilant during each exploration, and the game currently doesn't offer a casual mode. This means you either have to endure the grind or simply shouldn't play ARC Raiders.

Second, while the matchmaking system strives to ensure you encounter other solo players of similar skill levels to maintain a fair and balanced PvP element, it's not 100% guaranteed; you might still encounter high-level players.

As a result, facing attacks from ARC enemies and other players, you might experience multiple failures or have your loot stolen during your exploration. This not only leaves you empty-handed but also dampens your enthusiasm for the game.

You May Like: ARC Raiders Best Beginner Tips And Hidden Loot Locations

In response to these issues, some players believe that this type of game doesn't need a casual mode, since combat is inherently tense and thrilling. And if you encounter high-level players, you can always team up with others.

We must acknowledge that these viewpoints have merit, but they also have flaws.

On one hand, the essence of games is to relax you; playing to exhaustion is putting the cart before the horse. On the other hand, over time, the existing mechanics become repetitive and tedious, and team play further diminishes the fun.

Furthermore, and importantly, while PvP modes offer excitement, the unpredictability of real players also attracts more cheating and malicious players. While these issues are unavoidable, ARC Raiders should create a "zero-contamination" PvE environment.

Why Add Separate PvE Modes Instead Of PvP?

You might ask, given the shortcomings of ARC Raiders' PvPvE mechanics, why do most people want a separate PvE mode instead of a PvP mode?

In fact, the existing PvPvE mechanics already contain more PvP elements, enough to experience the charm of ARC Raiders' PvP. It can continue to optimize the main gameplay, but there's no need to create a new PvP mode.

In contrast, PvE mechanic offers greater design freedom, allowing the development team to incorporate more casual and fun elements to attract casual players who don't prioritize competitive gameplay. This also addresses the first drawback of PvPvE, as mentioned earlier.

Furthermore, ARC Raiders boasts a deep and engaging backstory, which can be further developed and expanded upon in PvE mode - a common practice in most games.

What Could ARC Raiders PvE Mode Look Like?

While there are currently no plans to develop and add a PvE mode, we can speculate based on ARC Raiders' unique features and PvE modes of other extraction shooters.

In fact, the development team recently stated plans to add more ARC enemy types to the game. Instead of simply cramming them into PvPvE, a more refined design could be implemented, creating a dedicated PvE mode.

Alternatively, a time-limited PvE dungeon could be designed, featuring multiple surface maps. You need to clear enough robots within a specified time and on a map to summon a boss. A portion of the loot obtained can also be used for PvPvE gameplay.

A PvE campaign mode could also be utilized, leveraging the backstory to combine story progression with completing side quests and a reward system. The more storylines and quests unlocked, the more PvE rewards you'll receive.

In short, regardless of how many players oppose adding a PvE mode, relying solely on PvPvE mechanics to sustain the game in the long run is unreliable for ARC Raiders. What will this new game ultimately become? All you can do is wait and see.
ARC Raiders 2025 Looting Guide | Best Weapons, ARCs Tips & Safe Extraction Strategies
Released on October 30th, ARC Raiders once again demonstrates the enduring popularity of multiplayer cooperative extraction games in 2025. Developed by team members who previously worked on Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront, ARC Raiders boasts excellent shooting mechanics.

Like Escape from Tarkov or Delta Force, the player's goal is always to successfully extract with supplies, using the money earned to acquire better equipment. So, what are some ways to reliably acquire loot early in the game?

What Is loot Used For?

The most common enemy in ARC Raiders is ARCs, which are omnipresent and deadly robots, but also with a wealth of loot. If you have enough ARC Raiders coins, you can trade for a Hullcracker from the gunshop before each operation, which is an effective weapon specifically designed to counter ARC.

You also no longer need to hoard large amounts of ammunition in your inventory, which you can trade at any time, and save valuable inventory space to store more loot.

The game's maximum inventory size is only 280, but you can save basic resources and crafting materials by trading coins for them. These savings can then be used to upgrade weapons and craft endgame gear, allowing you to get into battle faster and effectively preventing inventory shortages.

Preparation

Looting Mk. 2

You can obtain Looting Mk. 2 simply by upgrading your crafting table to level 1. It provides a large carrying capacity and, more importantly, two safe pocket slots. This ensures that even if you die, items in your safe pockets won't be lost, guaranteeing the preservation of more high-value items in high-risk matches.

Weapons And Ammunition
- Weapons: Ferro Assault Rifle and Rattler Assault Rifle
These two weapons are very common, meaning they have the lowest value, so losing them upon death won't be a major loss. For ammunition, carry 240 rounds of medium ammunition and 120 rounds (or at least 80 rounds) of heavy ammunition. If resources are plentiful, upgrading Rattler and Ferro is recommended, as it will be extremely useful in combat.

How To Cultivate Loot?

The core of making loot is finding a resource-rich building and using it as a base to loot and attack ARCs, and there are many such areas in the game.

Building Selection

It's recommended to choose a multi-story building so you can observe the outside from above. Be careful not to break locked doors when entering. Go around to the back of the building and find an open window to sneak in. This creates a natural choke point; if hostile players come, they can only enter through this single window, which you can easily defend.

The building you choose is usually within the line of sight of an ARC. You can hide behind the top-floor window and safely attack these ARC units.

You can use Ferro or Rattler to aim at ARC's knees, which are usually their weaknesses. This process consumes a lot of ammunition and creates a lot of noise, but the rewards are substantial. You can peek out and attack while ARC is firing missiles or reloading.

How To Loot?

After shooting down an ARC, don't immediately go out to loot, as the noise will attract other players, and your weapons and remaining ammunition will make it difficult to win in open-world gunfights. You should use this time to thoroughly loot the entire building, occasionally checking through the windows to see if anyone is stealing your ARC's loot.

Look for wardrobes inside the building; they may contain one or two lootable containers. Items may also occasionally be found on white cabinets or chairs in rooms. Loot may also be found in the kitchen area, small cubicles on the first floor, and shelving rooms.

You will obtain a large amount of valuable Civilian Loot (which can be exchanged for coins), items that can be disassembled into crafting materials, and many weapon parts. Parts can be disassembled into mechanical components or kept for later use; you even have a chance to find legendary parts.

It is recommended to disassemble low-value items and discard items like tape and cloth that are essentially worthless. Try to reserve 5-6 inventory slots for later looting of ARCs. If space is limited, equip looted attachments directly to your weapons to save space.

Advanced Tips

Once you're familiar with the building layout, you can quickly loot within minutes, averaging 40,000 to 60,000 gold. Looting at night yields more and higher-value loot. Looting downed ARCs afterwards will significantly increase the total value. Pay special attention to looting ARC energy cores; all ARC drops are highly valuable.

While looting, you'll find various grenades, especially Wolfpacks and Heavy Fuze Grenades. Don't sell those ARC Raiders items, and they can destroy ARCs extremely quickly, speeding up your looting process.

Extraction

Your chosen building should ideally not be too far from your extraction. An ideal extraction point should allow you to easily observe other players approaching and be easy to defend.

Most of the time, players are friendly; you can use voice chat to communicate and extract together. However, you might encounter hostile players. If you're confident in your aim, you can eliminate them to secure more loot.

There are many excellent strongholds like this in the game. Once you're familiar with the process, your wealth and loot will quickly accumulate. However, these excellent strongholds might be occupied by other players beforehand. If you want to avoid conflict, you might need to find some more risky strongholds.