ARC Raiders Outpost and Research Station Upgrade Guide
Upgrading your Outpost and Research Station in ARC Raiders helps you improve your base and access more advanced equipment and crafting options. Each upgrade requires specific materials, ranging from common resources such as planks and sheet metal to rare components obtained from ARC enemies and special map events. Knowing where to find these items can make progression more efficient and help you plan each raid around your outstanding requirements.
You must reach Level 18 and complete a three-step questline before building your Outpost and Level 1 Research Station. From there, each upgrade introduces new material requirements, making it useful to track both structures together and collect resources whenever their locations overlap.
How to Unlock the Outpost and Research Station
The unlock questline has three steps covering exploration, trading, and combat.
Take a picture at the Ruined Homestead
Purchase a camera from a vendor and travel to the Blue Gate area. Find the Ruined Homestead, locate the building with stables, and take a picture to complete the photography objective.
Trade materials with Celeste
Trade materials with Celeste to obtain planks and sheet metal. These resources can then be exchanged for seeds, a common material that can be looted during raids. Keep track of your available materials so you can prepare for the construction requirements.
Damage flying ARC enemies and Bullies
Deal 800 damage to flying ARC enemies and 300 damage to Bullies. Wasps and drones count as flying enemies, while Bullies are large, dog-like ARC enemies found in Pendola Pass.
Once all three objectives are complete, you can build your Outpost and Level 1 Research Station.
Outpost and Research Station Upgrade Materials
The two structures have different requirements at each level. Use this table to check which materials you need before planning a farming run.
| Upgrade Level | Outpost Materials | Research Station Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Planks, battered paperback books, mini pumps | Initial construction |
| Level 2 | Steel cables, sheet metal, cable strippers | Calculators, raider logbooks, Skulker targeters |
| Level 3 | Epoxy buckets, planks, hand drills | Differential microphones, Exodus technical handbooks, Bully fragmenters |
| Level 4 | Sheet metal, laser levels, insulation rolls | Thermal shakers, ARC data modules, frigate inductor |
The Observatory is useful for several upgrade tiers, while Old Town, Railyard, and Pendola Pass provide other important materials. Some components require defeating specific ARC enemies or participating in the ARC Frigate map event.
Level 1 Upgrades for Both Structures
The initial construction stage requires planks, battered paperback books, and mini pumps.
- Battered paperback books: Search Old Town.
- Mini pumps: Check the Observatory and Railyard, especially shelves, desks, and lockers.
- Planks: Collect them through the available resource and trading routes.
The Observatory is particularly useful because mini pumps can appear in several types of indoor containers. Search multiple storage areas during the same visit to gather materials efficiently.
Outpost Level 2 Upgrade
Upgrading the Outpost to Level 2 requires steel cables, sheet metal, and cable strippers. Steel cables and sheet metal can be traded for seeds with Celeste, while cable strippers are frequently found in the Railyard, Supermarket, and Observatory.
Check shelves and containers at these locations, and collect cable strippers while gathering other materials whenever possible. Combining searches can help you make progress on several upgrade requirements during one raid.
Research Station Level 2 Upgrade
The second Research Station upgrade requires calculators, raider logbooks, and Skulker targeters.
- Calculators: Search the Observatory.
- Raider logbooks: Look in Old Town.
- Skulker targeters: Defeat Skulkers and loot the gun component after the enemy splits apart.
Pay attention to the parts left behind after defeating a Skulker. The targeter comes from the gun portion, so inspect that component rather than assuming the item will be found in the main body loot.
Outpost Level 3 Upgrade
The Level 3 Outpost upgrade requires epoxy buckets, planks, and hand drills. Planks are also used in the earlier construction stage, so keep track of your remaining supply before committing resources to the next level.
Epoxy buckets and hand drills can be found in the Railyard and Observatory. Check desk drawers, bins, shelves, and other containers when searching these areas. Since both locations contain several useful upgrade materials, include them in your farming route when you still need components from earlier tiers.
Research Station Level 3 Upgrade
The third Research Station upgrade requires differential microphones, Exodus technical handbooks, and Bully fragmenters.
| Material | Source |
|---|---|
| Differential microphones | Observatory |
| Exodus technical handbooks | Observatory |
| Bully fragmenters | Defeating Bullies |
Search shelves and containers throughout the Observatory for the two technical items. Bully fragmenters require combat: after defeating a Bully, inspect its two lootable parts, consisting of a large chassis and a smaller, distinct piece. Check the relevant component for the fragmenter before leaving the area.
Outpost Level 4 Upgrade
The Level 4 Outpost upgrade requires sheet metal, laser levels, and insulation rolls. Sheet metal can be obtained through trading with Celeste, while laser levels and insulation rolls are rarer items.
Storm Shelters on Pendola Pass are useful locations for farming these rare components. These pod-shaped buildings sound a loud alarm during blizzards, and players can enter and lock the door for safety while searching for loot.
Search the available containers thoroughly during each visit. Storm Shelters are particularly worth checking when you need laser levels and insulation rolls for the Outpost upgrade or other rare resources for the Research Station.
Research Station Level 4 Upgrade
The highest Research Station upgrade requires thermal shakers, ARC data modules, and a frigate inductor.
- Thermal shakers: Farm Storm Shelters on Pendola Pass.
- ARC data modules: Participate in the ARC Frigate map event.
- Frigate inductor: Obtain it through the ARC Frigate event.
The ARC Frigate event features a large spaceship moving across the map. Since both ARC data modules and the frigate inductor are associated with this event, prioritize it when you need either component. Storm Shelters are also useful for collecting thermal shakers while searching for the rare materials needed by the Outpost.
Manage Resources and Plan Farming Runs
The most efficient way to upgrade both structures is to collect materials by location rather than searching for one item at a time. The Observatory is useful across multiple tiers, Old Town provides books and logbooks, and the Railyard offers several construction materials. Pendola Pass becomes especially important when farming rare components in Storm Shelters or working toward event-related items.
Keep these habits in mind:
- Track both upgrade lists: Record which materials remain for the Outpost and Research Station.
- Combine nearby objectives: Search for multiple required items during the same visit.
- Inspect enemy components: Skulker targeters and Bully fragmenters require attention to specific lootable parts.
- Use Storm Shelters during blizzards: Search them for rare components, including thermal shakers, laser levels, and insulation rolls.
- Prepare for the ARC Frigate event: Target it when you need ARC data modules or a frigate inductor.
Managing your broader resource budget also matters as your base develops. Keeping your ARC Raiders Coins spending organized alongside crafting materials can help you plan equipment purchases while reserving the items needed for upgrades. Players considering cheap ARC Raiders Coins can factor that option into their wider progression budget without losing track of the specific resources required for construction.
Complete Your ARC Raiders Base Upgrades
Outpost and Research Station progression combines exploration, trading, combat, and event participation. Early levels rely on resources found in Old Town, the Observatory, and Railyard, while higher upgrades require rarer components such as laser levels, insulation rolls, thermal shakers, and materials associated with the ARC Frigate event.
Keep an updated list of outstanding materials, collect compatible resources during the same raid, and check the correct enemy components when pursuing combat drops. With a clear farming plan, you can steadily advance both structures and make better use of the resources you gather across ARC Raiders.
