If you’re still hugging the outskirts of the map trying to avoid any attention, you’re missing the point of Arc Raiders. I used to hide too, waiting for the chaos to pass and hoping to snag scraps, but that’s just letting other players run the show. The real fun starts when you flip the script—play like a predator, not prey. You’ve got to push fights and take control, because players carrying top-tier loot are basically walking jackpots. Once you’ve got that mindset, the rest comes down to gear and smart choices. Grabbing solid ARC Raiders Items early can tilt things in your favour straight away.

Choosing the Right Loadout

Speed beats armour here. Heavy shields look safe but make you sluggish, and slow players get wiped fast. I stick with a Medium Shield—it’s enough to absorb a hit or two without killing your mobility. My go-to setup pairs that with a Combat Mk. 3 augment, which lets me move aggressively without feeling exposed. For fights at mid-range, the Bettina AR fitted with a recoil stabiliser hits clean and steady. When it’s close quarters? The Bobcat SMG is unmatched—snappy, almost no recoil, and melts health bars before they even turn round. Stims are essential in any kit; healing on the move can turn a losing fight into an easy win.

Mastering Movement

Positioning isn’t just about being in the right spot; it’s about being hard to hit no matter where you are. Running in a straight line is asking to get picked off. Good players are mixing slides, rolls, and quick weapon swaps to keep opponents guessing. There’s a slick trick where you hop into a slide, swap weapons mid-air, and mess with your hitbox—snipers hate it. I’ve bound dodge roll to a side mouse button so I can chain slide-roll-peeks effortlessly. It might feel sweaty at first, but it’s worth the effort when you’re breaking aim assists left and right.

Make the Map Work for You

Smart plays win fights before bullets are fired. If you knock someone’s shield down, don’t give them a chance to recover—push hard and finish them off. The terrain is full of ways to mess with other squads. Dropping a Snitch Core near enemies to lure ARC machines into the fight can completely swing control. Ziplines are another gift—stick a Jolt Mine at the landing spot and you’ll catch players sprinting straight into their own death. Think less about surviving and more about forcing opponents into bad decisions.

Grinding for gear can be a slog, especially when what you really want is more gunfights. That’s why I sometimes skip the farming and pick up a cheap BluePrint to get the weapons or augments I need right away. Having the right tools from the start lets you spend less time looting and more time sharpening your PvP skills. When you stop hiding and start owning the map, Arc Raiders becomes a completely different game.