With the creators’ launch behind us, it’s time to think about your next step in ARC Raiders. Reloading your gear is fine, but if you want the best loot—and truly maximize your time topside—you need to focus on workbenches, upgrades, and crafting top-tier equipment. It can be overwhelming if you’re unsure which items to gather or which benches to prioritize. Don’t worry: we’ve broken it all down for you, covering everything from Scrappy upgrades to every key workbench.
Upgrade Scrappy First
Before diving into crafting, your priority should be Scrappy the rooster. Scrappy is the backbone of your operation topside. Each time you return from a raid, he rewards you with basic materials that can be used, sold for ARC Raiders Coins, or converted into assorted seeds to buy items from Celeste.
Upgrading Scrappy to level 5 is essential for efficient crafting. Here’s what you need:
- Dog Collar – Found in residential points of interest (POIs) on any map. Recommended: Pattern House, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments in Damn Battlegrounds.
- Lemons (3) & Apricots (15) – Best found during the Lush Blooms event on Buried City; also harvestable from fruit trees at Morirano Park (Buried City) and Olive Grove (Blue Gate).
- Prickly Pears (6) – Loot from baskets during Lush Blooms or occasionally at the base of cactus plants.
- Olives (6) – Gather from baskets or the Olive Grove in Blue Gate.
- Cat Bed – An uncommon trinket found in residential POIs.
- Mushrooms (12) – Best collected at Spaceport in the trench tree; also found in Lush Blooms baskets.
- Very Comfortable Pillows (3) – Rare items from residential POIs.
Maxing Scrappy ensures a steady flow of resources, coins, and seeds for your raids.
Gunsmith Workbench
The gunsmith is your go-to for crafting weapons, creating attachments, and upgrading performance. While it won’t increase raw damage outright, upgrades such as larger magazines or faster reload speeds can give you an edge.
Level 3 Gunsmith Upgrade Requires:
- 20 Metal Parts & 30 Rubber Parts – Gather from scavenging, recycling items, or buying.
- 3 Rusted Tools – Found in mechanical POIs.
- 5 Mechanical Components – Craft at a level 1 refiner, loot from mechanical POIs, or recycle uncommon weapons.
- 8 Wasp Drivers – Guaranteed drop from Ark Wasps.
- 3 Rusted Gears – Found in industrial POIs; recommend the warehouse complex underground on Blue Gate.
- 5 Advanced Mechanical Components – Craft at refiner rank 2 using steel springs and mechanical components.
- 4 Sentinel Firing Cores – Loot from sentinel sniper turrets; use heavy ammunition for efficiency.
Once fully upgraded, the gunsmith allows better weapon customization and higher raid efficiency.
Refiner Workbench
The refiner is essential for crafting refined materials, vital for advanced recipes. It becomes indispensable as you move beyond basic loadouts.
Level 3 Refiner Upgrade Requires:
- 60 Metal Parts
- 5 Arc Power Cells – Loot from minor Ark enemies or recycle advanced cells from elite Ark foes.
- 3 Toasters – Found in residential areas.
- 5 Ark Motion Cores – Loot from Ark Surveyors, Bastions, Bombaders, and the Queen Topside.
- 8 Fireball Burners – Drop from fireball enemies; target the central orb.
- 3 Motors – Found in mechanical POIs.
- 10 Ark Circuitry – From Ark Rocketeers, the Queen, or Prospecting Probe events.
- 6 Bombader Cells – Requires targeting weak points of Bombaders; eliminate spotters first for accuracy.
With a maxed refiner, you can craft refined materials, recycle items for components, and expand your loadout options.
Medical Lab
Upgrading your medical lab allows the crafting of essential consumables. Bandages won’t cut it once you’re moving into custom loadouts.
Level 3 Medical Lab Upgrade Requires:
- 50 Fabric
- 6 Arc Alloy – Obtain from any Ark enemy or recycle higher-tier Ark parts.
- 2 Cracked Bio Scanners – Found in medical POIs.
- 5 Durable Cloth – Medical or commercial POIs; also craftable at refiner.
- 8 Tick Pods – Guaranteed drop from ticks.
- 3 Rusted Shut Kits & 8 Antiseptic – Rare, craft antiseptic using chemicals and great mullion plants.
- 5 Surveyor Vaults – Looted from Ark Surveyors; aim at antennae for bonus damage.
A fully upgraded medical lab ensures a reliable supply of life-saving consumables for raids.
Gear Bench
The gear bench is for shields and augment upgrades. It’s not as critical as other benches but remains useful.
Level 3 Gear Bench Upgrade Requires:
- 25 Plastic Parts & 30 Fabric
- 3 Power Cables – Rare recyclables from electrical, residential, or commercial POIs.
- 5 Electrical Components – Found in electrical POIs or crafted at the refiner.
- 5 Hornet Drivers – Drop from Arc Hornets; target back engines.
- 3 Industrial Batteries – Industrial POIs.
- 5 Advanced Electrical Components – Craft at refiner rank 2.
- 6 Bastion Cells – Defeat elite Bastion enemies; focus on leg weak points.
With this bench, shields and augments become a staple of your raid strategy.
Explosive Bench
Explosives are a top-tier tactical option topside. The explosive bench allows crafting bombs and throwables. Level 3 Explosive Bench Upgrade Requires:
- 50 Rubber Parts
- 6 Arc Alloy
- 3 Synthesized Fuel – Found at the Spaceport rocket assembly or purchased from Celeste.
- 5 Crude Explosives – Industrial or security POIs, recycle items, or craft at refiner.
- 5 Pop Triggers – Dropped by pops.
- 3 Laboratory Reagents – Rare, found in medical POIs.
- 5 Explosive Compounds – Craftable from crude explosives and oil.
- 3 Rocketeer Drivers – Dropped by rocketeers; target engine weak spots.
Maxing this bench gives you access to a powerful, explosive arsenal.
Utility Bench
Lastly, the utility bench provides items that aid mobility, barricades, and raid escape tools. Level 3 Utility Bench Upgrade Requires:
- 60 Plastic Parts
- 6 Arc Alloy
- 2 Damaged Heat Sinks – From technological POIs.
- 5 Electrical Components – Electrical POIs; craftable.
- 6 Snitch Scanners – Guaranteed drops from snitches.
- 3 Fried Motherboards – Technological POIs.
- 5 Advanced Electrical Components – Craftable at refiner.
- 4 Leaper Pulse Units – Dropped by leapers; kill efficiently to avoid attention.
With the utility bench, you can zipline, barricade, or escape with ease.
Conclusion
Upgrading Scrappy and fully installing workbenches is the key to thriving in ARC Raiders. From crafting better weapons at the gunsmith to ensuring a steady supply of consumables with the medical lab, each bench plays a crucial role in your topside success. Prioritize wisely, stockpile essential materials, and remember: efficiency topside starts with preparation.
By following this guide, you’ll maximize your raids, streamline crafting, and enjoy the best loot ARC Raiders has to offer. That’s all for today’s content! If you’re gearing up for ARC Raiders, make sure to stick around for more. MMOexp.com is your trusted source for buy ARC Raiders Items and much more.