Expeditions in ARC Raiders are a voluntary, cyclical “Project” that let you retire a Raider and start fresh with account-level perks and temporary buffs. You’ll assemble and load a caravan over several stages, then choose a one‑week window to depart. The system is designed so you know exactly what you’re giving up, what persists, and what you gain until the next Expedition cycle.
How the Expedition Project works
Expeditions unlock as a Project at level 20. Each cycle runs on a schedule: you get roughly 60 days to gather materials and complete the caravan build, followed by a 7‑day departure window. If you miss that week, your Project progress is preserved for the next cycle’s window.
When you send a Raider on an Expedition, you permanently leave the Rust Belt with that character. Core progression is reset, while a defined set of account and meta progress carries over to your next Raider. Completing Expeditions also grants buffs that last until the next departure window, and certain benefits stack with repeated completions (within limits).
What resets and what carries over
| Will be reset | Will be kept |
|---|---|
| Stash upgrade progress | Unlocked maps |
| Inventory items | Unlocked workshop stations |
| Blueprints | Codex entries |
| Coins | Raider Tokens |
| Player level | Cred |
| Skill points | Raider Decks progress |
| Raider Den | Leaderboards |
| Workshop (station levels) | Trials |
| Quests | Cosmetics |
| Personal event progress | |
| Bonus skill points earned from Expeditions | |
| Bonus stash slots earned from Expeditions |
Caravan build stages (1/6 to 6/6)
You’ll complete five build stages with specific material turn‑ins, then a sixth “Departure” stage with no additional materials. Stages must be finished in order. You can contribute items as you collect them; contributions are consumed when committed.
| Stage | Name | Goal | Required materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/6 | Foundation | Base structure and frame | 150× Metal Parts 200× Rubber Parts 80× ARC Alloy 15× Steel Spring |
| 2/6 | Core Systems | Wiring, ventilation, essential power | 35× Durable Cloth 30× Wires 30× Electrical Components 5× Cooling Fan |
| 3/6 | Framework | Walls, roof, core installs, layout | 5× Light Bulb 30× Battery 20× Sensors 1× Exodus Module |
| 4/6 | Outfitting | Storage, benches, utilities, fittings | 5× Humidifier 5× Advanced Electrical Components 3× Magnetic Accelerator 3× Leaper Pulse Unit |
| 5/6 | Load Stage | Stock combat, survival, provisions, materials | See value thresholds below |
| 6/6 | Departure | Send your Raider during the 7‑day window | No materials; remaining stash is auto‑contributed on departure |
Load Stage item value thresholds (5/6)
The Load Stage is based on the in‑game sell value of items you donate in each category. Donations are consumed and do not grant currency. You can turn in anything that fits the category until the total value threshold is met.
| Category | Total value required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Combat Items | 250,000 Coins | Weapons, grenades, and similar combat gear |
| Survival Items | 100,000 Coins | Medical, shields, rigs, gadgets |
| Provisions | 180,000 Coins | Food, keys, trinkets, valuables |
| Materials | 300,000 Coins | Crafting and repair materials |
Total combined value: 830,000 Coins.
Departure window and bonus skill points
Once the 7‑day window opens, you can depart any time within that week. Stage 6 requires no further materials. On departure, all items still in your stash are contributed to the Expedition automatically. Your next Raider can gain up to five bonus skill points based on the total value of those contributed items.
Rewards and buffs you can expect
Expeditions deliver a mix of temporary account buffs and lasting unlocks:
- Account buffs active until the next Expedition departs, such as increased XP gain, extra Scrappy materials, improved weapon repair yields, and additional stash space.
- Bonus stash slots and bonus skill points that persist as Expedition‑earned benefits.
- Permanent account unlocks and unique cosmetics tied to Expedition completions.
Buff magnitudes can increase with consecutive Expedition completions, up to a defined cap. These benefits are designed to smooth progression, not grant direct combat advantages over players who haven’t reset.
Planning your run
- Timeline: Expect ~60 days for stages 1–5, followed by a 7‑day departure window. If you don’t depart in time, your Project progress rolls forward to the next cycle.
- Turn‑ins: Contributions are one‑way. Commit materials as you collect them to free stash space.
- Sequencing: Stages complete in order. You can’t skip ahead, but you can chip away at the current stage as you play.
- Rarity breakers: Some items in stages 3–4 (Cooling Fans, Light Bulbs, Humidifiers, Magnetic Accelerators, Leaper Pulse Units) can be the bottleneck. Prioritize routes and activities that reliably produce them.
Handled deliberately, Expeditions turn a late‑game surplus into account‑level flexibility. Work through the build stages, budget the Load Stage targets, and pick a departure window that fits your schedule—your next Raider will feel faster to bring online, and your account gains a set of durable perks until the cycle turns again.
