Blueprint hunting in ARC Raiders becomes significantly more efficient once you move beyond pure RNG and adopt a targeted strategy. After a wipe or expedition reset, blueprints are often the primary progression bottleneck, especially if you are trying to reclaim specific weapons like the Anvil, Ventor, Equalizer, or high-impact explosives. While randomness will always play a role, there are several proven methods to dramatically improve your odds.

Guaranteed Quest Blueprints (Do These First)

Before grinding open-world content, complete the four quests that reward guaranteed ARC Raiders blueprints. These should be a top priority early on:

1. Triggerade Blueprint - Rewarded from Apollo's Sparks Fly quest.

2. Lure Grenade Blueprint - Earned from Celeste's Greasing Her Palms.

3. Berleta Sidearm Blueprint - Granted after Tanwin's Industrial Espionage.

4. Hullcracker + Launcher Ammo Blueprint - From Tanwin's The Major's Foot Locker mission.

These are the only fully deterministic blueprint sources outside limited events, so clearing them early removes unnecessary grind.

Event-Specific Blueprint Sources

Some blueprints are tied to specific events rather than general loot pools:

· Harvester Event: This is the only known source for the Jupiter and Equalizer blueprints. Completing the event by disabling the central tower after dealing with the Queen gives you a chance-though not a guarantee.

· Night Raids: Certain blueprints, such as the Tempest, appear more frequently during night raids due to higher-value loot spawn rates.

· Hidden Bunker / Volcano Events: These have historically dropped specific items, though availability can change with updates.

Trials: High Value Weekly Content

Trials are one of the most overlooked blueprint sources. Reaching 4,000 points on any individual trial provides a strong chance for blueprint drops. Across multiple weeks, trials consistently outperform casual looting in terms of efficiency. If you are serious about progression, treat trials as mandatory weekly content.

ARC Surveyors: Rare but Valuable Targets

ARC Surveyors-rolling drones marked by blue laser transmissions a relatively high chance of dropping blueprints. They are difficult to chase and require stuns to secure, but if you encounter one, it is almost always worth the risk. Consider them opportunistic targets rather than something to actively hunt.

Raider Caches: The Single Best Farming Method

Based on aggregated player data, raider caches (the ticking containers) are currently the most reliable source for ARC Raiders weapon blueprints. Community-reported data strongly favors these containers over standard lockers and crates, particularly for mid-to-high tier weapons like the Anvil and Ventor.

To optimize this method:

· Prioritize 2x map conditions (Cold Snap, Night Raid, Blue Gate).

· Focus on maps with dense cache distribution, such as Damn Battlegrounds, Buried City, and Stella Montis.

· Use community mapping tools to plot cache locations before deployment.

· Loot caches early; players tend to strip nearby clusters quickly after spawning.

Combining Events for Maximum Yield

The most efficient runs combine multiple advantages:

· Night Raid + Raider Cache routes

· Blue Gate or Hidden Bunker for extended timers (40-45 minutes)

· Peripheral map routing to avoid PvP hotspots

Raider cache routes are also lower stress, as they tend to sit on the edges of maps rather than central conflict zones.

Managing PvP Matchmaking for Safer Runs

ARC Raiders uses aggression-based matchmaking. Highly aggressive PvP play places you into similarly aggressive lobbies. If your goal is blueprint farming:

· Avoid PvP for several runs.

· Focus exclusively on looting and extraction.

· Over time, matchmaking will shift you into quieter lobbies, making container-focused runs significantly safer.

This system allows you to intentionally "cool down” your matchmaking profile to support farming objectives.

Location-Specific Blueprint Notes

· Ailion Rifle: Found exclusively in Stella Montis, from standard containers and lockers. Night raids further improve your odds.

· Wolf Pack Grenade: Predominantly drops from standard containers, commonly in Buried City and Stella Montis.

· Deadline Mine: Reported almost exclusively in Stella Montis containers and lockers.

Final Takeaway

After structured testing across multiple runs, the results are clear: targeted raider cache farming under favorable map conditions dramatically outperforms random looting. By combining quest rewards, trials, event-specific drops, and informed container targeting, you can reliably acquire multiple blueprints per session rather than relying on luck alone.

Blueprint farming in ARC Raiders rewards preparation, restraint, and map knowledge. Treat it like a system-not a slot machine-and your results will improve accordingly.