The Workshop in ARC Raiders is where survival meets innovation. It’s your hub for crafting weapons, utilities, armor upgrades, and consumables that shape every raid you undertake. Knowing how to upgrade each station — and where to find the right materials — is key to progressing efficiently.
The Workshop acts as the backbone of your progression. Every piece of salvage you extract — whether it’s a driver from an ARC machine or a circuit salvaged from wreckage — feeds into one of the seven crafting stations.
Each station has three upgrade levels, and every tier unlocks new blueprints and improved crafting recipes. Only the Workbench remains static, serving as your base crafting tool throughout the game.
Tip: Upgrading isn’t just about unlocking new gear — it directly affects your survival odds during raids. Stronger weapons, sturdier armor, and better healing supplies make every extraction smoother.
List of All Workshop Stations
ARC Raiders features seven key crafting stations:
- Workbench
- Explosive Station
- Gear Bench
- Gunsmith
- Medical Lab
- Refiner
- Utility Station
Each one specializes in a specific category — from crafting grenades and medkits to upgrading augments and refining rare components.
Workbench
The Workbench is your default, non-upgradable station. It’s available from the start and handles basic crafting like ammo, entry-level weapons, and light consumables.
Craftable items include:
- Basic weapons (Ferro, Kettle, Hairpin, Stitcher)
- Light, heavy, and shotgun ammo
- Shield Recharger and Bandages
- Looting Mk.1 augment
You’ll use this bench throughout the game for fundamental supplies, even after unlocking advanced stations.
Explosive Station
The Explosive Station creates all things that go boom — from grenades to powerful area-control weapons. It’s ideal for players who prefer high-impact or crowd-control playstyles.
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | 50 Chemicals, 6 ARC Alloy |
| 2 | 3 Synthesized Fuel, 5 Crude Explosives, 5 Pop Triggers |
| 3 | 3 Laboratory Reagents, 5 Explosive Compound, 3 Rocketeer Drivers |
Material Tips: Rocketeer Drivers drop from flying bombardment drones. These appear during high-threat raids — plan your farming runs accordingly.
Gear Bench
The Gear Bench is your defense hub, crafting shields, augment suits, and other protective gear.
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | 25 Plastic Parts, 30 Fabric |
| 2 | 3 Power Cables, 5 Electrical Components, 5 Hornet Drivers |
| 3 | 3 Industrial Batteries, 5 Advanced Electric Components, 6 Bastion Cells |
Level 2 unlocks the Heavy Shield, a must-have for solo Raiders or those tackling high-risk missions. Hornet Drivers can be farmed from Hornet ARC patrols around industrial sectors.
Gunsmith
The Gunsmith station handles all your weapon crafting and modifications. It’s the most impactful upgrade path for combat-focused players.
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 Metal Parts, 30 Rubber Parts |
| 2 | 3 Rusted Tools, 5 Mechanical Components, 8 Wasp Drivers |
| 3 | 3 Rusted Gears, 5 Advanced Mechanical Components, 4 Sentinel Firing Cores |
Notable Unlocks:
- Level 2: Arpeggio I rifle (great mid-range control)
- Level 3: Jupiter energy sniper for long-range precision
Farming Tip: Sentinel Cores are guaranteed from Sentinel turrets. Hunt them in fortified zones when fully geared.
Medical Lab
The Medical Lab is where healing items and medical upgrades are crafted.
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | 50 Fabrics, 6 ARC Alloy |
| 2 | 2 Cracked Bioscanners, 5 Durable Cloth, 8 Tick Pods |
| 3 | 3 Rusted-Shut Medical Kits, 8 Antiseptic, 5 Surveyor Vaults |
At higher levels, you’ll unlock Vita Spray, an instant-use healing item that’s perfect for aggressive playstyles. Tick Pods drop from Tick ARC units found around abandoned facilities.
Refiner
Unlike the other stations, the Refiner focuses on material conversion — turning common parts into rare, high-tier components.
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | 60 Metal Parts, 5 ARC Powercells |
| 2 | 3 Toasters, 5 ARC Motion Cores, 8 Fireball Burners |
| 3 | 3 Motors, 10 ARC Circuitry, 6 Bombardier Cells |
The Refiner becomes vital once you hit other stations’ Level 2 upgrades. It reduces your dependence on RNG farming by producing advanced components from bulk materials.
Utility Station
The Utility Station produces tactical gadgets — scanners, ziplines, cloaking devices, and other utilities that support flexible playstyles.
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | 50 Plastic Parts, 6 ARC Alloy |
| 2 | 2 Damaged Heat Sinks, 5 Electrical Components, 6 Snitch Scanners |
| 3 | 3 Fried Motherboards, 5 Advanced Electrical Components, 4 Leaper Pulse Units |
At Level 3, you gain access to the Photoelectric Cloak, enabling temporary invisibility for stealth extractions or repositioning. Combine this with ziplines from Level 2 to create your own traversal network.
Scrappy the Rooster – Passive Resource Generator
Scrappy is your mechanical companion who periodically delivers crafting materials while you’re away. Upgrading him increases both the frequency and quality of these drops.
Material examples:
- Dog Collars – found near residential areas
- Lemons & Apricots – gathered from Marano Park orchards
Even if you raid casually, Scrappy’s deliveries ensure steady resource accumulation over time.
Material Farming Hotspots
Knowing where to farm efficiently saves hours of grinding. Here’s where to target each major material type:
| Location | Primary Materials |
|---|---|
| Spaceport | Electrical Components, ARC Circuitry |
| Dam Battlegrounds | Metal Parts, Mechanical Components |
| Marano Park | Fabrics, Chemicals, Fruits for Scrappy |
| Abandoned Facilities | Mixed Components, ARC Unit Drivers |
Plan raids based on your current upgrade goals — and don’t forget to stash high-value drops in your safe pockets before extraction.
Recommended Upgrade Order
For optimal progression, prioritize in this order:
- Gunsmith Level 2 – Early access to better weapons improves survival.
- Scrappy Level 2 – Passive income accelerates future upgrades.
- Gear Bench Level 2 – Heavy shields boost survivability in solo or duo runs.
Afterward, tailor upgrades to your preferred playstyle:
- Combat-focused: Gunsmith → Medical Lab
- Stealth: Utility Station → Gear Bench
- Scavenging/Farming: Refiner → Scrappy
Common Upgrade Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring Scrappy: Passive materials add up fast; skipping his upgrades slows long-term growth.
- Spreading resources too thin: Focus on a few core stations instead of upgrading everything evenly.
- Forgetting safe pockets: Losing rare items on failed extractions wastes hours of effort.
- Neglecting the Refiner: It’s the key to crafting advanced components once you hit mid-game.
Upgrading your Workshop is more than just a crafting grind — it’s the foundation of your entire ARC Raiders journey. Each upgrade unlocks new tactical tools, expands your crafting range, and strengthens your odds of survival against the ARC machines.
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Focus on gathering efficiently, protect your loot during extractions, and steadily push your stations toward Level 3. Before long, your Workshop will transform into a true arsenal of survival. Play Now!
