Arc Raiders Quests Guide

Arc Raiders has a main story chain of 79 quests plus seasonal event quests. This guide covers all five quest NPCs, quest types, named POI locations across every map, and how to complete the chain efficiently — including the critical rule about quest items and Safe Pockets.

How Quests Work

Quests are permanent progression — they do not reset weekly (Trials are separate). You can run multiple NPC quest chains in parallel. Quest objectives are marked on your HUD/minimap when you are in the relevant area. Quest items should always be placed in Safe Pockets so they survive death.

The Five Quest NPCs

Shani

Crafting and early game quests. Gives weapons and components as rewards. Her Hatch Repairs quest at higher levels rewards a Raider Hatch Key. Start with Picking Up the Pieces.

Celeste

Exploration and scavenging quests. Start with A Bad Feeling and A Balanced Harvest. Has event quests including Bees! (Olive Grove, Blue Gate).

Tian Wen

Tech and engineering quests. Start with A Lay of the Land. Armored Transports quest involves Gate Control Room on Blue Gate.

Lance

Advanced stage quests, often In One Round challenges. Rewards explosives and mods.

Apollo

Expedition and story quests; rewards high-tier items including Pulse Mine and Railgun.

Quest Objective Types

Brief rundown: Travel — reach a named location. Search — loot specific containers. Collect/Deliver — obtain items and bring to NPC. Combat — kill specific ARC enemies. Solve/Puzzle — color puzzles, floor plates. Install/Repair — use items in the world. Photograph — snap-and-salvage tasks. In One Round — all objectives in a single raid; these cannot be split across sessions.

Named Quest POI Locations

One entry per POI: map, general location, and which quest(s) use it.

• Victory Ridge (Dam Battlegrounds) — swampside ridge under broken highway — Tian Wen's Echoes of Victory Ridge.
• Pattern House (Dam) — ruined antenna site — Shani's Our Presence Up There, Greasing Her Palms.
• Reinforced Reception (Blue Gate) — color-coded puzzle area — exploration waypoint, puzzle quests.
• Raider's Refuge (Blue Gate) — camp in the woods — What We Left Behind (Tian Wen).
• Gate Control Room (Blue Gate) — checkpoint at Blue Gate entrance — Lance's Armored Transports.
• Bilguun's Hideout (Spaceport) — ruined shack near container area, east side of depot — Tian Wen's What We Left Behind.
• Trapper's Glade (Blue Gate) — forested area — First Foothold quest reference.
• Olive Grove (Blue Gate) — grove near southwestern extraction — Celeste's Bees! quest.

Important Quest Rules

Only one player per lobby gets credit when picking up a quest item. If your squad needs the same item, one player grabs it this run, others run it again. Workaround: after the first player grabs the item, the squad leaves and immediately re-queues — the item respawns for another player. Always use Safe Pockets for quest items — if you die, the item survives. In One Round quests must be planned carefully — you cannot split them across sessions.

Efficient Quest Progression

Start with Shani and Celeste's first quests on Dam. These unlock Safe Stash and Workbench in the Hideout — critical early upgrades. Once Buried City unlocks (~6 raids) start Tian Wen's chain. Combine objectives: if two quests both need Dam lockers, do them in the same run. Check whether a quest says In One Round before queuing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources