Keys in ARC Raiders fall into two groups: location keys that open locked rooms for extra loot, and Raider Hatch Keys that let you extract quietly. Use the methods below to secure a steady supply with minimal wasted raids.
Buy Raider Hatch Keys (guaranteed daily source)
Step 1: Reach player level 12 and purchase one Raider Hatch Key from the Security trader Shani in Speranza for 9,000 coins. There is a 24-hour cooldown between purchases.
Step 2: Move the key to your Safe Pocket right away so you don’t lose it if you die mid-raid.
Step 3: Plan your run knowing you have a guaranteed quiet extraction available, which reduces time spent contesting loud elevator exits.
Craft Raider Hatch Keys (repeatable, low randomness)
Step 1: Build the Utility Station in your workshop. This upgrade requires 50 Plastic Parts and 6 ARC Alloy. Once placed, it unlocks key crafting.
Step 2: Gather the recipe per key: 1 Advanced Electrical Component and 3 Sensors. Advanced Electrical Components are made from common electrical materials, while Sensors are a specific loot part.
Step 3: Craft the Advanced Electrical Component first. Use your available electrical scraps and components in the workshop/refiner to assemble it before attempting the key.
Step 4: Farm Sensors efficiently in electrical/technological facilities. The Pilgrim’s Peak complex in Blue Gate is dense with terminals, wall machines, and drawers that frequently yield Sensors and wires. Blue Gate unlocks later in progression, but once you have access, repeated sweeps here reliably stock materials for multiple keys per session.
Step 5: Supplement with traders’ daily stock when available. Picking up small daily quantities of wires and Sensors streamlines the crafting loop and reduces raid time spent on scavenging.
Step 6: Run material farms with a free or expendable loadout. This keeps the risk and coin cost low while you build a key stash.
Loot location keys from the map (free, RNG-dependent)
Step 1: Prioritize red lockers and office storage. Red lockers, filing cabinets, and drawers inside buildings are common containers for keys; learn the interior routes of major POIs to check them quickly.
Step 2: Target high-yield buildings on Dam Battlegrounds. The Research & Administration building and the Ruby Residence apartments are strong spots where keys regularly appear in drawers, cabinets, and lockers.
Step 3: Check downed Raiders. If opponents didn’t store keys in their Safe Pockets, you can recover them from bodies during third-party opportunities or after defensive fights.
Step 4: Secure any key you find by moving it to your Safe Pocket immediately. This prevents losing it to an ambush on the way out.
Where each Dam key is used (and sell values)
| Key | Unlocks | Sell Price |
|---|---|---|
| Raider Hatch Key. | Emergency hatches across all maps for quick, quiet extraction. | 1,000. |
| Dam Surveillance Key. | Locked room in the Water Treatment Control building (Dam Battlegrounds). | 100. |
| Dam Staff Room Key. | Locked room in the Research & Administration building (Dam Battlegrounds). | 100. |
| Dam Control Center Tower Key. | Locked door at the Control Center Tower (Dam Battlegrounds). | 100. |
| Dam Testing Annex Key. | Two different doors inside the Testing Annex (Dam Battlegrounds). | 100. |
Use Raider Hatch Keys effectively
Step 1: Locate a Raider Hatch on your map; the icon resembles a downward arrow over a half-circle. These exits don’t sound an alarm and don’t require a long wait.
Step 2: Group up before activation. One key extracts the entire squad, but the hatch window is short, so stay close and coordinate entry.
Step 3: Save keys for critical raids. Use them when you’re carrying quest items or high-value loot to avoid contested elevator extractions and reduce wipe risk.
Build a small daily routine—buy one key, craft a few, and run a targeted loot sweep—and you’ll keep your stash stocked without burning hours on RNG.
