Let me tell you something straight up – if you’re still hunting for blueprints in ARC Raiders by just randomly opening containers, you’re doing it all wrong. I’ve been there, trust me. Running raid after raid, coming up empty-handed, and wondering if the game’s RNG system just has it out for me personally.
But after spending what feels like an unhealthy amount of time grinding this game (we’re talking hundreds of raids here), I’ve figured out the blueprint system inside and out. And I’m here to share everything I’ve learned so you can stop wasting your time and start building that killer arsenal you’ve been dreaming about.
What Are Blueprints and Why Should You Care?
Before we dive into the farming methods, let’s get one thing straight – blueprints are the backbone of your progression in ARC Raiders. They’re not just fancy collectibles; they’re permanent crafting recipes that let you build weapons, gear, explosives, and utility items whenever you want, as long as you have the materials.
When I first started playing, I made the mistake of treating blueprints like regular loot. Big mistake. These bad boys are investments in your future raiding success. Each blueprint you learn permanently expands your crafting options, making you more versatile and deadly in every subsequent raid.
The best part? Once you learn a blueprint, it’s yours forever. Even if you die in a raid and lose all your loot, those learned blueprints stay safe in your crafting menu. That’s why I always prioritize blueprint hunting over material farming – materials come and go, but blueprints are forever.
The Blueprint Farming Mindset
I need to get this off my chest because I see so many players making this mistake: stop picking up junk when you’re blueprint hunting. Seriously. Your inventory space is precious, and every second you spend debating whether to pick up those three screws is a second you’re not spending checking high-value blueprint spawns.
When I’m on a blueprint run, I’m laser-focused. I’m there for one thing and one thing only – blueprints. Everything else is just noise. This mindset shift alone dramatically increased my blueprint acquisition rate. I went from finding maybe one blueprint every 5-6 raids to consistently pulling 2-3 per run when I’m focused.
Another thing I learned the hard way: blueprints aren’t completely random. I used to think the entire system was just punishing RNG, but after tracking my drops across hundreds of raids, a clear pattern emerged. Different maps have different blueprint pools, and certain locations are way more likely to drop blueprints than others.
The Best Blueprint Farming Methods
1. High-Value Areas (The Red Zones)
Let me start with the most straightforward method that consistently delivers results. Every map in ARC Raiders has areas marked in red – these are high-value zones with increased chances of spawning rare loot, including blueprints.
When I first discovered this, I was skeptical. I mean, why would the game literally tell you where the good stuff is? But after testing it extensively, I can confirm that these red zones absolutely have higher blueprint drop rates.
The catch? These areas are dangerous. You’re going to encounter elite ARC enemies, and you won’t be the only raider looking for loot there. PvP is almost guaranteed in these zones. But if you’re confident in your combat skills or rolling with a squad, high-value areas are the most consistent blueprint farming method in the game.
Pro tip: I always run these zones during night raids when there are fewer players around. The increased darkness actually works in your favor for avoiding unwanted PvP encounters.
2. Locked Rooms and Breachable Areas
This is where the real blueprint magic happens, in my experience. Locked rooms and areas that require breaching are consistently the best sources of high-tier blueprints. There’s something about the game’s loot system that treats these locked spaces as premium loot zones.
I’ve never pulled a blueprint from a regular “Breach and Search” container – those seem to be exclusively for crafting parts. But actual locked rooms behind doors that require keys or breaching tools? That’s where I’ve found some of my rarest blueprints.
The Ruby Residence and the Research and Administration building are particularly good for this. Once you get inside and lock the door behind you, you’re relatively safe to loot at your own pace. Just make sure you have an escape plan – I’ve had more than a few tense moments when other players realized I was in a locked room with valuable loot.
3. Elite ARC Enemy Hunting
This method isn’t for the faint of heart, but the rewards can be incredible. Elite ARC enemies, especially the Queen and Matriarch, have the best possible drop rates for rare blueprints. However, taking these bad boys down requires serious coordination and usually a full squad of three well-equipped raiders.
If you’re running solo or in a smaller group, I recommend targeting the Bastion, Leaper, and Rocketeer elites instead. They’re more manageable but still drop quality loot including blueprints.
My personal favorite elite target is the ARC Surveyor. These floating mechanical nightmares are tough, but they’re one of the few enemy types that can actually drop blueprints. The key is to wait until they start transmitting – that’s when their core is exposed and vulnerable. Unload your heavy ammo then, and you’ve got a good chance at some sweet blueprint drops.
4. Weapon Cases and Specialized Containers
Not all containers are created equal when it comes to blueprint drops. After countless raids, I’ve identified the containers that consistently deliver the goods:
- Weapon Cases: These are my go-to for weapon blueprints. They spawn most commonly in residential areas and have a surprisingly high blueprint drop rate.
- Backpacks and Duffel Bags: Don’t sleep on these! I’ve found some of my best utility blueprints in what looked like ordinary backpacks.
- Silver Raider Caches: These black containers that players often call “blueprint boxes” are exactly what you want to be looking for.
- Medical Duffel Bags: Great for healing and utility blueprints.
I always prioritize these containers over regular loot boxes. The time investment is the same, but the blueprint drop rate is significantly higher.
5. Events and Missions
Timed events and missions are excellent for targeted blueprint farming, especially if you’re looking for specific rare blueprints. The Harvester cycles, in particular, can drop incredible blueprints like the Jupiter energy sniper and Equalizer.
Faction missions are also worth your time, especially if you’ve built up reputation with the various factions. Completing these quests can unlock vendor recipes for later crafting, and some of the mission rewards include exclusive blueprints you can’t get anywhere else.
I make it a point to check the event schedule before each gaming session and plan my blueprint farming around active events. It’s way more efficient than just running regular raids and hoping for the best.
Map-Specific Blueprint Farming Routes
Dam Battlegrounds
This is probably my favorite map for blueprint farming, mainly because of two incredibly consistent spots:
The Broken Bridge Hidden Vault: This spot is pure gold. It’s tucked beneath the raised highway where it ends, between Raider Outpost East and East Broken Bridge. To get there, stand on the edge of the broken section, tap backward to fall off, and quickly grab the ledge underneath. Inside this small chamber, I’ve found weapon cases with surprisingly high spawn rates. The best part? It’s out of the way and rarely contested by other players.
The Dam Ledge Route: Further up the dam itself, along the narrow sidewalks of the Floodgates, there are two barricaded doors that often contain rare loot containers and blueprints. I always make sure to check the area just southeast of this spot too – raider caches sometimes spawn among the debris there.
Buried City
Buried City is a blueprint goldmine if you know where to look:
Marano Station Breach Room: On the northern side of Marano Station, there’s a breachable room that’s one of the most dependable blueprint spots in the entire map. It’s far from central hotspots, so player traffic is usually low. The two breach boxes inside almost always contain valuable loot, and there’s often a weapon case spawn on the left side.
East Housing Windows: These two connected rooms just south of the Piazza Roma metro exit are perfect for quick blueprint checks. The attic room has a reliable weapon case spawn, and the street-level room across the road gives you a second shot at blueprint-eligible containers. I can clear both rooms in under a minute if I’m moving efficiently.
Kitchen Rope Stairwell: Just south of the East Housing Windows, this spot has a kitchen area with a reliable weapon case spawn on the counter. The rope leading to the upper floor lets me skip the staircase and save precious time during my runs.
Blue Gate
Blue Gate is excellent for specific types of blueprints, particularly if you’re looking for Osprey, Torrente, or Venator weapon blueprints. The village area requires a key, but it’s consistently worth the effort.
The Reinforced Reception area is particularly good for blueprint farming. I’ve found that Blue Gate has a different blueprint pool than Dam Battlegrounds – if I’m looking for specific weapon types, I know which map to hit.
Advanced Blueprint Farming Tips
The Night Raid Advantage
I’ve found that running blueprint farms during night raids significantly increases my success rate. There are fewer players around, which means less competition for high-value spawns and fewer PvP encounters. The reduced visibility also works in your favor if you’re trying to avoid other players while hitting the best farming spots.
The Looting Mk. 2 Augment
This is probably the single best investment you can make for blueprint farming. The Looting Mk. 2 Augment gives you two additional Safe Pockets, which means you can potentially extract with a minimum of two blueprints even if you die during the run. I never go on a dedicated blueprint run without this augment equipped.
Squad vs. Solo Play
There’s a big debate in the community about whether it’s better to farm blueprints solo or in a squad. Here’s my take based on hundreds of hours of testing:
Solo Pros: Better chance of finding weapon blueprints, less competition for loot, faster decision-making, quieter movement for stealth approaches.
Squad Pros: Safety in numbers, ability to take on elite enemies, coordinated farming of multiple spots simultaneously, PvP protection.
Personally, I prefer solo runs for most blueprint farming, but I’ll squad up specifically for elite enemy hunting or when I need to clear out high-traffic areas.
The “Bettina” Exception
I need to mention this because it’s caused so much confusion in the community. The Bettina blueprint appears to be bugged and drops everywhere at an unusually high rate. If you’re finding Bettina blueprints constantly, don’t think that’s how all blueprints work – it’s the exception, not the rule. Ignore the Bettina drops and focus on the actual blueprint you’re hunting.
Crafting Priorities After Getting Blueprints
Once you start accumulating blueprints, you need to be smart about what you craft first. Here’s my recommended priority system based on what’s actually useful in raids:
Week 1: Essential Survival Gear
- Basic healing items (bandages, medkits)
- Basic armor and defensive gear
- Utility Station for crafting support tools
Week 2: Mobility and Utility
- Snap Hook (20m grappling for reaching hidden areas)
- Light Stick (for dark areas)
- Lure Grenade (for enemy distraction)
Week 3: Weapons and Combat
- Anvil Hand Cannon (high burst damage against armored targets)
- Ferro (reliable all-rounder weapon)
- Hornet Drivers (excellent for stunning robotic enemies)
- Jolt Mines (great for defensive setups)
I always craft one strong weapon type first before diversifying my loadout. It’s better to have one reliable weapon than multiple mediocre ones.
Common Blueprint Farming Myths Debunked
After spending so much time in the ARC Raiders community, I’ve heard every blueprint farming myth under the sun. Let me set the record straight on a few:
Myth 1: “Blueprints are completely random and tied only to RNG.” Reality: While there is an RNG element, blueprints are definitely tied to specific maps and locations. If you’re looking for a specific blueprint, research which map it’s most commonly found on.
Myth 2: “All containers have equal chances to drop blueprints.” Reality: Absolutely not. Weapon cases, backpacks, and specialized containers have much higher drop rates than regular loot boxes.
Myth 3: “You need to farm in high-traffic areas for the best blueprints.” Reality: Some of my best blueprint finds have been in quiet, overlooked areas that other players skip over.
Myth 4: “The more containers you open, the better your chances.” Reality: Quality over quantity. I’d rather open 5 high-value containers than 50 regular ones.
FAQ: Blueprint Farming in ARC Raiders
How many blueprints are there in ARC Raiders?
There are currently 68 blueprints in the game, though this number may change with future updates. I’ve personally collected about 50 of them, and each one expands my crafting options significantly.
What’s the fastest way to farm blueprints?
In my experience, the fastest method is running targeted routes on specific maps during night raids. Focus on locked rooms, weapon cases, and specialized containers rather than trying to loot everything in sight.
Do blueprints drop from all enemies?
No, most enemies don’t drop blueprints. The exception is ARC Surveyors, which can drop blueprints when destroyed. Elite enemies like the Queen and Matriarch also have good blueprint drop rates.
Can I buy blueprints from vendors?
Some blueprints can be obtained as faction mission rewards or from vendors after building up reputation, but most blueprints need to be found during raids.
What should I do with duplicate blueprints?
Sell them! Duplicate blueprints can be sold for 5,000 coins each, which is a nice boost to your raiding fund. I always sell duplicates immediately to keep my inventory organized.
Are there blueprints exclusive to certain maps?
Yes, definitely. Different maps seem to have weighted blueprint pools. For example, I’ve found that Dam Battlegrounds is better for Anvil blueprints, while Blue Gate is better for Osprey and Venator blueprints.
Do I need to extract with a blueprint to keep it?
Yes, you need to successfully extract from the raid with the blueprint in your inventory to keep it. This is why I recommend the Looting Mk. 2 Augment – it gives you safe pockets for your most valuable finds.
Final Thoughts
Blueprint farming in ARC Raiders doesn’t have to be a frustrating grind. Once you understand the systems and know where to look, you can consistently find the blueprints you need to build the loadout of your dreams.
Remember to stay focused, prioritize high-value containers and locations, and don’t get discouraged by the occasional dry run. Even with the best methods, there’s still an element of RNG involved – that’s just part of the extraction shooter experience.
I hope this guide helps you on your blueprint hunting journey. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finally finding that rare blueprint you’ve been searching for, and knowing exactly where to look makes all the difference.
Happy hunting, Raiders! And don’t forget to bookmark this guide for future reference – I’ll be updating it as new blueprint farming methods are discovered in future updates.
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