I used to treat ARC Raiders like a race: spawn in, chase the noise, grab whatever's in front of me, extract. It works, sure, but it keeps you stuck on the same tired gear loop. The moment I started planning my path around loot instead of bullets, my stash jumped fast. If you're trying to build out your kit with ARC Raiders Items in mind, you've gotta slow down and read the map like it's trying to hide things from you—because it is.

Remote drops that people jog past

First stop on a smart run? The weird little corners nobody wants to check. Remote supply drops don't always scream for attention, and that's exactly why they pay. Look for odd breaks in the terrain, a trail that doesn't go anywhere, rocks that feel like they're blocking "nothing." Half the time, it's not nothing. You'll find crates tucked behind ridgelines, in brush, or down short dips that don't show well from the main route. The trick is to scan while moving, not after you've committed to the objective. If you hear fighting ahead, that's your cue to drift wide and loot quietly while everyone else bleeds for the same hallway.

Empty outposts aren't empty

Abandoned outposts look pointless at a glance. No enemies, no drama, so teams skip them. That's free value. Check shelves, back rooms, and those half-collapsed sheds people don't bother entering because they "won't have anything." They do. Crafting mats, weapon parts, energy cells—stuff that doesn't feel exciting until you're one component short of a meaningful upgrade. And you're not spending ammo to get it. I'll take a calm sweep and a heavier backpack over a heroic firefight with a broken rifle any day.

Bunkers, locked crates, and getting lost on purpose

The underground is where patience turns into real progression. Bunkers are annoying, yeah. Tight angles, low light, easy to lose your bearings. But those locked crates down there are in a different league. Blueprints, specialist pieces, and gear that actually changes how your next raid plays. Bring what you need to open things, then give yourself time. Don't rush the first staircase you see; follow the side corridors, check the dead ends, and listen for audio cues that hint at a room you haven't cleared.

High-risk zones and when to cash out

Risky zones and outlaw camps are where you go when you want a spike, not a steady drip. The weather's rough, enemies hit hard, and mistakes get punished. So treat it like a job: enter with a plan, clear in layers, and don't hang around once your bag's heavy. Outlaw camps, in particular, can be brutal, but the armor and weapons you pull from them can carry multiple runs afterward. If you'd rather top up without living in danger every night, it helps to know you can buy currency or hard-to-find gear through U4GM and then use your raid time for the fun part—smart routes, clean fights, and getting out alive.