ARC Raiders Expedition Blueprint Guide: How to Prepare, Farm, and More
The first ARC Raiders Expedition is introducing the most controversial progression challenge the game has seen so far. While the rewards-extra skill points, cosmetic items, expanded stash space, and temporary buffs-are attractive, the mandatory reset raises one major concern for almost every veteran: blueprints. Acquiring blueprints already requires substantial ARC Raiders Coins, time investment and RNG, and losing them on an opt-in wipe forces players to evaluate whether the Expedition is worth the cost. This guide breaks down how the Expedition works, how blueprint preservation may (or may not) be possible, and what your blueprint farming strategy should look like once the reset hits.
Understanding the Expedition Reset
Beginning December 17 and ending December 22, players have six days to opt in. Those who choose to participate will undergo a full account reset at the end of the Expedition period. In return, participants earn five additional skill points beyond the standard cap of 75, unique cosmetics such as the Patchwork Raider outfit and Scrappy Janitor cap, an Expedition icon, twelve more stash slots, and a temporary buff package that persists until the next Expedition cycle.
Skill point loss is manageable-most players now understand the optimal routes through the current tree, and the bonus points soften the blow. The blueprint reset, however, is the real issue. Even highly active players commonly hold only 30–40 of the 70-plus total blueprints, and several blueprints appear tied to extremely rare or newly disabled events.
Is Blueprint Preservation Possible?
In theory, yes-but only under very specific circumstances. If a friend opts out of the Expedition, they retain their inventory and stash. You could pre-farm valuable blueprints, transfer them to this non-resetting friend, and then have them return the blueprints to you after your reset. This requires timing your transfers before the Expedition window closes and relying on someone committed to skipping the wipe entirely.
The second scenario-using an alternate account-is technically viable but impractical. Buying a second copy of the game solely to store blueprints is excessive for most players and unnecessary given the more efficient blueprint recovery strategies below.
Post-Reset Blueprint Farming Priorities
Once your account resets, blueprint recovery comes from three major activity pillars:
Trials (Unlocked at Level 15)
The most consistent blueprint source in the game remains Trials, particularly the three-star (epic-tier) reward chests. These routinely drop random blueprints, including high-value augments and even reports of rare items such as Bobcat blueprints. Since reaching level 15 is quick after a reset, unlocking Trials should be your top priority. Running every Trial at three stars early in the Expedition cycle accelerates your foundational blueprint set dramatically.
2. Questlines
Questlines grant several essential blueprint unlocks, including:
· Bleta
· Hullcracker
· Launcher Ammo
· Lures
· Trigger Grenades
These are guaranteed and provide a reliable baseline for early-game progression. Complete your questlines while climbing to level 15 to ensure you enter Trials with a functional weapon and utility kit.
3. Targeted Map Farming: Conditions and Locations
Blueprint drop rates rise significantly under specific map conditions and in certain high-value locations.
Electromagnetic Storms and Night Raids
Storms and night cycles increase both blueprint frequency and the chance for specific types. For example:
· Storms: Consistently strong for augments and attachments.
· Night Raids: Higher chance for rare drops such as Tempest.
Focus on container-dense zones like commercial and residential districts. Elite rooms such as the Power Rod Room during a storm are particularly strong, often replacing loose ARC Raiders loot with blueprint drops.
Special Rooms and Limited Events
Community testing indicates:
· Special Armory Rooms (e.g., Manticor Labs on Bluegate) frequently drop augment blueprints.
· Hidden Bunker Event once contained the Volcano blueprint, though the event's removal complicates acquisition.
· Harvester Events guarantee legendary blueprints such as Jupiter and Equalizer upon looting the cores.
· Matriarch Cores provide Affilion.
These may change as the Expedition approaches, so monitoring the community's drops is essential.
Early Purchases to Accelerate Recovery
Do not overlook vendors. After the reset:
· Buy up to three Anvils daily (15k each).
· Consider early purchases such as Bleta, which remains strong even unupgraded.
· Craft attachments rather than buying them-vendor prices are rarely efficient.
Final Thoughts
Blueprint resets are undeniably the largest barrier to Expedition participation. But with a structured approach-prioritizing Trials, questlines, condition-based farming, and targeted locations-you can rebuild an essential blueprint library within a reasonable timeframe. ARC Raiders still needs a clearer and more consistent blueprint ecosystem, but the current system, while rough, remains navigable with preparation and disciplined farming.
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