The hum of the ARC sentry was deafening as it scanned the ravaged landscape. Your weapon, a jury-rigged monstrosity, felt inadequate, and a cold dread settled in your stomach as you realized you were outgunned and outmatched. Escape felt impossible, but the answer to surviving this mechanical hellscape lies not in better tactics, but better gear.
Arc Raiders can be a brutal arena, a theater of war where raiders must constantly adapt to survive. Leveling up your Workbenches isn’t just about progression; it’s about tipping the scales in your favor.
There are several Workbenches, each a gateway to new possibilities. If you’re struggling to fortify your base in Arc Raiders, here’s how to do it.
From Scrapheap to Stronghold: Leveling Your Workbench
Ever watch a blacksmith transform raw metal into a gleaming sword? That’s the essence of upgrading your workbench: turning potential into power. Here’s how to raise the level of your Workbenches in Arc Raiders:
- Head to the Workshop from the main lobby.
- Choose the Workbench you want to enhance.
- Find the Level Up option.
- Trade the requested resources.
Workbench improvements depend on resources, not XP. Scavenging is your path forward. You can trade with Celeste for basic materials, a useful early option.
Decoding the Blueprints: Workbench Level-Ups and Requirements
Think of each Workbench as a specialized workshop. Each demands unique materials for upgrades. Some are easily found; others necessitate tangling with the ARC itself.
How do I decide which Arc Raiders Workbench to upgrade first?
Prioritize the Gunsmith. This workbench lets you craft and mod weapons, providing a more direct path to increased combat effectiveness. Securing better firepower early on makes gathering other resources less risky.
Gunsmith
The Gunsmith is the forge of your arsenal, where you create weapons and apply modifications. The better your Gunsmith, the more potent your instruments of destruction become.
| Level | Requirements | Where to Find |
| Lvl 1 | 20× Metal Parts, 30× Rubber Parts | Metal Parts: Industrial areas, vehicles Rubber Parts: Residential, electrical, and medical areas |
| Lvl 2 | 3x Rusted Tools, 5x Mechanical Components, 8x Wasp Driver | Rusted Tools: Industrial areas, vehicles Wasp Driver: Kill Wasp drones. Mechanical Components: Mechanical areas. |
| Lvl 3 | 3x Rusted Gears, 5x Adv. Mechanical Components, 4x Sentinel Firing Core | Sentinel Core: Kill Sentinels. Rusted Gears: Industrial zones or bus wrecks. |
Can you upgrade the basic workbench in Arc Raiders?
Unfortunately, no. The basic Workbench is locked to Level 1, so you’ll always have access to base-level ammo crafting. Focus your resources on the other workbenches to maximize their utility.
Gear Bench
Consider the Gear Bench your personal armory. It provides access to shields and augments, increasing your resilience against ARC attacks.
| Level | Requirements | Where to Find |
| Lvl 1 | 25× Plastic Parts, 30× Fabric | Plastic Parts: Technological and residential areas Fabric: Hospitals, commercial zones |
| Lvl 2 | 3x Power Cable, 5x Electrical Components, 5x Hornet Driver | Power Cable: Residential/Office walls or loose loot. Hornet Driver: Kill Hornets. Electrical Components: Electrical areas. |
| Lvl 3 | 3x Industrial Battery, 5x Advanced Electrical Components, 6x Bastion Cell | Bastion Cell: Kill Bastions. Ind. Battery: Industrial shelves/warehouses. Advanced Electrical Components: Electrical areas. |
Medical Lab
No one survives long without healing. The Medical Lab lets you craft healing items, essential for extending your time in the field. With each improvement, the effectiveness of your salves increases.
| Level | Requirements | Where to Find |
| Lvl 1 | 50× Fabric, 6× ARC Alloy | Fabric: Hospitals, commercial zones ARC Alloy: Defeat an ARC and loot the wreckage. |
| Lvl 2 | 2x Cracked Bioscanner, 5x Durable Cloth, 8x Tick Pod | Bioscanner: Hospitals/Clinics. Tick Pod: Kill Ticks. Durable Cloth: Medical/commercial areas |
| Lvl 3 | 3x Rusted Shut Med Kit, 8x Antiseptic, 5x Surveyor Vault | Surveyor Vault: Kill Surveyors. Med Kits: Rare drops in Medical cabinets. Antiseptic: Medical areas. |
Refiner
The Refiner is alchemy for the apocalypse. You can convert common materials into rare ones. It shortcuts the scavenging process, provided you have base ingredients to transmute.
| Level | Requirements | Where to Find |
| Lvl 1 | 60× Metal Parts, 5× ARC Powercell | Metal Parts: Industrial areas, vehicles ARC Powercell: Defeat powerful ARCs like Rocketeers, Surveyors, and The Queen. |
| Lvl 2 | 3x Toaster, 5x ARC Motion Core, 8x Fireball Burner | Toaster: Residential kitchens (rare spawn). Fireball Burner: Kill Fireball drones. ARC Motion Core: Defeat large ARC enemies (Surveyors, Leapers, Rocketeers, Bastions) for rare drops |
| Lvl 3 | 3x Motor, 10x ARC Circuitry, 6x Bombardier Cell | Bombardier Cell: Kill Bombardiers. Motor: Car engines/Garages. ARC Circuitry: Defeat ARCs like Surveyors, Bastions, and Rocketeers |
Utility Station
Tactical supremacy comes from the Utility Station. Gadgets and specialized equipment can turn the tide of battle. From distractions to defenses, clever tools are often the difference between victory and scavenging your corpse.
| Level | Requirements | Where to Find |
| Lvl 1 | 50× Plastic Parts, 6× ARC Alloy | Plastic Parts: Technological and residential areas ARC Alloy: Defeat an ARC and loot the wreckage. |
| Lvl 2 | 2x Damaged Heat Sink, 5x Electrical Components, 6x Snitch Scanner | Heat Sink: Computer rooms/Server racks. Snitch Scanner: Kill Snitches. Electrical Components: Electrical areas. |
| Lvl 3 | 3x Fried Motherboard, 5x Advanced Electrical Components, 4x Leaper Pulse Unit | Leaper Pulse: Kill Leapers. Motherboard: High-tier tech loot zones. Advanced Electrical Components: Electrical areas. |
Scrappy
Scrappy isn’t like the other Workbenches. He’s a passive resource generator, providing a trickle of materials while you’re out risking your neck. Think of him as a loyal hound bringing you gifts…mostly scrap metal.
| Level | Requirements | Where to Find |
| Lvl 1 | N/A | N/A |
| Lvl 2 | 1x Dog Collar | Dog Collar: Residential areas. |
| Lvl 3 | 3x Lemons, 3x Apricots | Lemons & Apricots: Look for small green trees and shoot/melee them to drop fruit. |
| Lvl 4 | 6x Prickly Pears, 6x Olives, 1x Cat Bed | Prickly Pears: Found at the base of Cactus plants. Olives: Olive Grove in Blue Gate. Cat Bed: Check bedrooms and pet corners. |
| Lvl 5 | 12x Mushrooms, 12x Apricots, 3x Very Comfortable Pillows | Mushrooms: Swamp area. Look near damp logs/water. Pillows: Specifically look for white “Interact” dots on beds in high-tier houses. |
Is there an easy way to find Workbench upgrade materials in Arc Raiders?
Yes! Use the Track option. Tracking adds a magnifying glass icon to the item, making it easier to spot during your expeditions. It’s like having a personal guide to the wasteland.
That’s the anatomy of Workbenches in Arc Raiders. Will you focus on firepower, defense, or utility first, and how will that choice define your survival?