We had two minutes left and the Comet was already bearing down on my squad. It arced across the sky like a streetlight about to snap and land in the courtyard. You could feel the plan split: grab the Igniter or bail and respawn.
I’m going to walk you through the fastest, no-fluff way to hunt Comets, snag the Comet Igniter, and put it to work in the Weather Monitor Project. You’ll get exact tactics I use, the one tool that makes the fight trivial, and what to do if the drop doesn’t show up.
On most raids you’ll notice Comets spawn far less often than Fireballs. How to get the Comet Igniter in ARC Raiders
How do I get the Comet Igniter in ARC Raiders?
Destroy a Comet and salvage it. That’s the rule: a full kill plus a salvage action is what can drop the Comet Igniter. There’s no fixed spawn timer, so you’re hunting events, not coordinates.
Practical tip: I found reliable spawns around the landmark shown above during Weather Monitor runs—your game may place Comets elsewhere, but knowing a hotspot saves time. The Comet is rarer than Fireballs and Pops but shows up more often than the Surveyor.
Where does the Comet spawn in ARC Raiders?
The Comet doesn’t sit in one spot. Think of it as a roaming event that can appear along flight paths and open fields on the map. It behaves differently from the Surveyor: while Surveyors flee when spotted, Comets will actively close and detonate near you.
When a Comet locks on, it rolls toward your position and then charges an explosion. If it pins you against geometry, you will die. That’s why you must force the fight at range—start soft with long-range fire so it takes damage before it closes.
Use a Hullcracker if you have one. During the charge animation the Comet exposes its core; that exposure is your damage window. Shoot the core to shave the fight time and increase your salvage odds.
One caveat: a destroyed Comet does not always drop an Igniter. You may need several attempts. Treat every Comet kill as a swing for the fences—collect what drops, then keep moving.
On the Weather Monitor run you’ll notice a short checklist of required parts. How to use the Comet Igniter in ARC Raiders
What is the Comet Igniter used for in ARC Raiders?
Right now the Comet Igniter’s primary listed use is in the Weather Monitor Project. Slot it into the Weather Monitor stage to progress that system and trigger its follow-up objectives.
I’ve also seen the community trade extra Igniters for quick credits in Discord channels and marketplaces tied to ARC Raiders players. If you prefer gear over grind, you can sell surplus Igniters to buy other components or ammo.
Comet Igniters are also used in recipes for explosives and specialty rounds in some crafting trees. If you play on Steam or via the game’s official launcher, check patch notes and the ARC Raiders wiki for any new recipes—developers have been adding items and tweaks each season.
Quick strategy: keep a stack of Igniters if you’re running Weather Monitor missions back-to-back. If a Comet doesn’t cough one up, you can still finish the project by saving up from multiple runs.
When you face a Comet next, will you play it safe and snipe the core, or rush in for a risky salvage that might pay off big?