How To Upgrade Arc Raiders Weapons And Workbenches: A Comprehensive Guide

As Raiders venturing into the hostile world of Arc Raiders, your arsenal is your lifeline. While tactical gear and cooperative strategies are crucial, the firepower you wield dictates your survival. Mastering weapon upgrades and workbench enhancements is paramount to thriving in this unforgiving landscape. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of how to unlock the Gunsmith, acquire necessary resources, and maximize your weapon potential in Arc Raiders.

Unlocking the Gunsmith: Your Gateway to Weapon Enhancement

The Gunsmith, the weapon workbench in Arc Raiders, is not immediately available at the start of your journey. However, gaining access to this essential tool is a relatively straightforward process tied to the game’s progression system.

• Progression Through Early Missions: The Gunsmith becomes accessible by advancing through the initial series of missions. These introductory quests are designed to familiarize you with the game’s mechanics, world, and core objectives.
• Completing the “Introduction to Crafting” Questline: Typically, a specific mission or questline, often titled “Introduction to Crafting” or something similar, will directly reward you with the Gunsmith blueprint or unlock the relevant crafting station within your base. Follow the prompts and objectives of these early missions carefully.
• Base Construction and Placement: Once unlocked, the Gunsmith requires a designated space within your base or settlement. Ensure you have an available plot and the necessary resources to construct the workbench.

Gathering Resources: The Fuel for Weapon Upgrades

Upgrading weapons and workbenches in Arc Raiders necessitates the acquisition of various resources. These materials are scattered throughout the game world and can be obtained through diverse means.

Common Resources:

• Scrap Metal: A ubiquitous resource found in abandoned structures, destroyed vehicles, and various containers. It’s a primary component in many basic upgrades.
• Polymers: Synthesized materials, often salvaged from technological debris or manufactured through crafting processes. They are crucial for enhancing weapon durability and performance.
• Electronics: Recovered from electronic devices, computer terminals, and robotic enemies. They are essential for upgrading weapon modules and adding advanced functionalities.

Rare Resources:

• Weapon Blueprints: These blueprints are essential for crafting new and more powerful weapons. They can be found in high-risk areas, completing specific missions, or as rewards for defeating challenging enemies.
• Weapon Mods: Augment your weapons with special abilities and stats, by finding mods.
• High-Grade Alloys: Refined metals with exceptional strength and conductivity, obtained through specialized crafting processes or found in heavily fortified locations. They are necessary for advanced weapon upgrades and workbench enhancements.
• Nanites: Microscopic robots that enhances weapon capabilities through Nanites.

Resource Acquisition Strategies:

• Exploration: Meticulously explore every nook and cranny of the game world. Abandoned buildings, wrecked vehicles, and hidden caches often contain valuable resources.
• Enemy Encounters: Defeating enemies, especially robotic units, yields a variety of resources. Focus on eliminating high-value targets for a greater reward.
• Mission Rewards: Completing missions and side quests provides a consistent source of resources. Prioritize quests that offer materials relevant to your desired upgrades.
• Resource Depots: Identify and exploit resource depots scattered throughout the map. These locations contain concentrated deposits of specific materials, but they may also be heavily guarded.
• Trading: Some settlements or factions may offer trading opportunities, allowing you to exchange unwanted resources for those you need.
• Dismantling Weapons: Dismantling unwanted weapons can yield valuable materials. Don’t hesitate to break down weaker firearms to obtain components for upgrading your preferred arsenal.

Upgrading Your Weapons: Enhancing Firepower and Performance

Once you’ve unlocked the Gunsmith and gathered the necessary resources, you can begin upgrading your weapons. The upgrade process involves a combination of resource expenditure and strategic decision-making.

Weapon Upgrade Tiers:

Weapons in Arc Raiders typically have multiple upgrade tiers, each requiring progressively more resources and potentially unlocking new functionalities.

• Tier 1 (Basic): Focuses on improving fundamental attributes like damage, accuracy, and reload speed. Requires common resources like Scrap Metal and Polymers.
• Tier 2 (Advanced): Introduces more specialized upgrades, such as increased magazine capacity, reduced recoil, or improved handling. Requires a mix of common and rare resources.
• Tier 3 (Elite): Unlocks the full potential of the weapon, granting access to powerful modifications, unique abilities, or enhanced stats. Requires significant amounts of rare resources and may necessitate a higher-level workbench.

Weapon Upgrade Modules:

Many weapons feature modular upgrade slots, allowing you to customize their performance based on your playstyle.

• Barrels: Modify the weapon’s range, accuracy, and recoil. Options include extended barrels for increased range, suppressed barrels for stealth, and compensators for reduced recoil.
• Magazines: Increase the weapon’s magazine capacity, reload speed, or ammunition type. Options include extended magazines, quick-reload magazines, and magazines that load incendiary rounds.
• Stocks: Improve the weapon’s stability, handling, and recoil control. Options include adjustable stocks, lightweight stocks, and ergonomic grips.
• Sights: Enhance the weapon’s accuracy and target acquisition. Options include holographic sights, red dot sights, and scopes with varying zoom levels.

Upgrade Strategies:

• Prioritize Your Favorite Weapons: Focus your upgrade efforts on the weapons you use most frequently and those that align with your preferred playstyle.
• Balance Stats: Strive for a balanced upgrade distribution, enhancing both offensive and defensive attributes.
• Adapt to Challenges: Adjust your weapon upgrades based on the challenges you face. If you’re struggling against heavily armored enemies, prioritize upgrades that increase armor penetration. If you’re engaging in close-quarters combat, prioritize upgrades that improve handling and reload speed.

Upgrading Your Workbench: Unlocking Advanced Weapon Capabilities

The Gunsmith workbench itself can be upgraded to unlock higher weapon tiers, craft more advanced modules, and access specialized crafting recipes.

Workbench Upgrade Levels:

• Level 1 (Basic): Allows for basic weapon upgrades and crafting of simple modules.
• Level 2 (Intermediate): Unlocks access to Tier 2 weapon upgrades and more advanced modules. Requires a greater investment of resources and may necessitate specific blueprints or schematics.
• Level 3 (Advanced): Enables the crafting of Tier 3 weapon upgrades, specialized modules, and powerful weapon modifications. Requires significant amounts of rare resources and may demand the completion of challenging quests or the acquisition of rare artifacts.

Workbench Upgrade Requirements:

Upgrading your workbench requires a combination of resources, blueprints, and potentially the completion of specific objectives.

• Resources: Gather the necessary materials, including High-Grade Alloys, Electronics, and Polymers.
• Blueprints: Acquire the blueprints or schematics for the desired workbench upgrade. These blueprints can be found in hidden locations, obtained as mission rewards, or purchased from vendors.
• Objectives: Some workbench upgrades may require the completion of specific objectives, such as defeating a challenging boss or completing a series of resource gathering missions.

Workbench Upgrade Benefits:

Upgrading your workbench provides numerous benefits, including:

• Access to Higher Weapon Tiers: Unlock the ability to upgrade your weapons to higher tiers, granting access to increased stats, unique abilities, and powerful modifications.
• Crafting Advanced Modules: Craft more specialized weapon modules, allowing for greater customization and enhanced performance.
• Unlocking Specialized Recipes: Access new crafting recipes for powerful weapons, ammunition, and other essential items.

Strategic Considerations for Weapon and Workbench Progression

• Resource Management: Carefully manage your resources to ensure you have enough materials to upgrade both your weapons and your workbench. Prioritize upgrades based on your immediate needs and long-term goals.
• Blueprint Acquisition: Actively seek out weapon and workbench blueprints. These blueprints are essential for unlocking new crafting recipes and accessing higher upgrade tiers.
• Team Coordination: Coordinate with your teammates to share resources and expertise. Collaborate on upgrading weapons and workbenches to maximize your collective firepower.
• Experimentation: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different weapon upgrades and module combinations. Discover what works best for your playstyle and adapt your loadout to the challenges you face.
• Focus on High-Impact Upgrades: Prioritize upgrades that provide the most significant performance gains. Focus on increasing damage, accuracy, and reload speed for your primary weapons.

By mastering the art of weapon upgrades and workbench enhancements, you can significantly increase your survivability and effectiveness in Arc Raiders. Remember to explore, gather resources, and strategically upgrade your arsenal to conquer the challenges that await.