Complete Arc Raiders Workbench Upgrade Guide (July 2026)
To upgrade workbenches in Arc Raiders, access the Workshop from the lobby, select your desired workbench, click “Level Up,” and exchange the required materials. Each workbench upgrades to Level 3 using different resources found throughout the maps or obtained from defeated ARC enemies. Prioritize the Gunsmith first for better weapons, then focus on Medical Lab for survival items.
Quick Reference: All Workbench Upgrades
| Workbench | Level 1 Requirements | Level 2 Requirements | Level 3 Requirements | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunsmith | 20x Metal Parts, 30x Rubber Parts | 3x Rusted Tools, 5x Mechanical Components, 8x Wasp Drivers | 3x Rusted Gears, 5x Adv. Mechanical Components, 4x Sentinel Firing Cores | Weapons & Attachments |
| Gear Bench | 25x Plastic Parts, 30x Fabric | 3x Power Cables, 5x Electrical Components, 5x Hornet Drivers | 3x Industrial Batteries, 5x Adv. Electrical Components, 6x Bastion Cells | Shields & Augments |
| Medical Lab | 50x Fabric, 6x ARC Alloy | 2x Cracked Bioscanners, 5x Durable Cloth, 8x Tick Pods | 3x Rusted Shut Med Kits, 8x Antiseptic, 5x Surveyor Vaults | Healing Items |
| Refiner | 60x Metal Parts, 5x ARC Powercell | 3x Toasters, 5x ARC Motion Core, 8x Fireball Burners | 3x Motors, 10x ARC Circuitry, 6x Bombardier Cells | Material Conversion |
| Utility Station | 50x Plastic Parts, 6x ARC Alloy | 2x Damaged Heat Sink, 5x Electrical Components, 6x Snitch Scanners | 3x Fried Motherboards, 5x Adv. Electrical Components, 4x Leaper Pulse Units | Gadgets & Tactical Gear |
| Explosives Station | 50x Chemicals, 6x ARC Alloy | 3x Synthesized Fuel, 5x Crude Explosives, 5x Pop Triggers | 3x Laboratory Reagents, 5x Explosive Compounds, 3x Rocketeer Drivers | Grenades & Explosives |
| Scrappy | N/A | 1x Dog Collar | 3x Lemons, 3x Apricots | Passive Resource Generation |
Understanding the Workshop System
The Workshop in Arc Raiders serves as your central hub for crafting and upgrading equipment. Unlike many extraction shooters, Arc Raiders features a comprehensive crafting system where upgrading your workbenches is crucial for long-term success. Each workbench specializes in different types of equipment, from weapons and medical supplies to tactical gadgets and material processing.
Contents
The base Workbench you start with cannot be upgraded and only provides basic ammo crafting. However, six additional workbenches can be built and upgraded to Level 3, each unlocking progressively more powerful items and blueprints. Additionally, Scrappy the rooster acts as a passive resource generator that can be upgraded to Level 5.
Pro Tip: Use the Track feature in your stash to highlight required materials during raids. This makes finding upgrade materials significantly easier and ensures you don’t miss valuable resources.
Step-by-Step Workbench Upgrade Process
- Access the Workshop from the top navigation bar in the Speranza lobby
- Select the Workbench you want to upgrade from the available stations
- Click “Level Up” in the top bar of the workbench menu
- Exchange Required Materials if you have them in your inventory
- Confirm the Upgrade to unlock new crafting options
Remember that workbench upgrades are purely resource-based – no XP or experience points are required. This means you can focus entirely on material gathering and efficient raiding to progress your workshop capabilities.
Complete Gunsmith Workbench Guide
The Gunsmith is arguably the most important workbench to upgrade first, as it directly impacts your combat effectiveness through better weapons and attachments.
Level 1 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 20x Metal Parts, 30x Rubber Parts
- Unlocks: Ferro, Hairpin, Kettle, Rattler, Stitcher, and basic weapon attachments
- Material Locations:
- Metal Parts: Industrial areas, vehicles, buy from Celeste
- Rubber Parts: Residential areas, electrical zones, medical buildings
Level 2 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Rusted Tools, 5x Mechanical Components, 8x Wasp Drivers
- Unlocks: Arpeggio weapon
- Material Locations:
- Rusted Tools: Scrapyard in Dam Battlegrounds, mechanical/industrial loot areas
- Mechanical Components: Craft in Refiner, recycle from guns/mods, mechanical areas
- Wasp Drivers: Kill Wasp drones (common flying enemies)
Level 3 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Rusted Gears, 5x Advanced Mechanical Components, 4x Sentinel Firing Cores
- Unlocks: Bettina, Renegade, Hullcracker (high-tier weapons)
- Material Locations:
- Rusted Gears: Cars and buses (Checkpoint in Blue Gate is best location)
- Advanced Mechanical Components: Craft in Refiner, recycle from high-level weapons
- Sentinel Firing Cores: Kill Sentinel enemies (heavily armored ARC units)
Combat Strategy: Sentinels are heavily armored but vulnerable to headshots. Use heavy ammo weapons like the Anvil or Ferro for maximum effectiveness. Consider bringing explosive grenades to weaken their armor before engaging with firearms.
Comprehensive Gear Bench Upgrade Guide
The Gear Bench focuses on defensive equipment and augments that significantly increase your survivability during raids.
Level 1 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 25x Plastic Parts, 30x Fabric
- Unlocks: Light Shield, Medium Shield, Combat Mk. 1, Looting Mk. 1, Tactical Mk. 1
- Material Locations:
- Plastic Parts: Technological areas, residential buildings, buy from Celeste
- Fabric: Hospitals, commercial zones, buy from Celeste
Level 2 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Power Cables, 5x Electrical Components, 5x Hornet Drivers
- Unlocks: Heavy Shield, Combat Mk. 2, Looting Mk. 2, Tactical Mk. 2
- Material Locations:
- Power Cables: Office buildings across all maps (Power Gen in Dam is excellent)
- Electrical Components: Electrical areas, craft in Refiner, recycle from Wasp Drivers
- Hornet Drivers: Kill Hornet enemies (aggressive flying ARC units)
Level 3 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Industrial Batteries, 5x Advanced Electrical Components, 6x Bastion Cells
- Unlocks: Combat Mk. 3 variants (Aggressive, Flanking), Looting Mk. 3 variants (Cautious, Survivor), Tactical Mk. 3 variants (Defensive, Healing)
- Material Locations:
- Industrial Batteries: Industrial areas, cars and buses
- Advanced Electrical Components: Craft in Refiner, recycle from Mk3 Augments
- Bastion Cells: Kill Bastion enemies (large, heavily armored ARC units)
Enemy Strategy: Bastions are slow but incredibly tough. Focus on leg shots to immobilize them, then target their weak spots. Team coordination is essential – have one player draw attention while others focus fire on critical areas.
Medical Lab Complete Upgrade Guide
Survival in Arc Raiders often comes down to your healing capabilities, making the Medical Lab a crucial workbench for progression.
Level 1 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 50x Fabric, 6x ARC Alloy
- Unlocks: Herbal Bandage, Shield Recharger, Adrenaline Shot, basic Bandage
- Material Locations:
- Fabric: Hospitals, commercial zones
- ARC Alloy: Defeat any ARC enemies and loot their wreckage
Level 2 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 2x Cracked Bioscanners, 5x Durable Cloth, 8x Tick Pods
- Unlocks: Sterilized Bandage, Surge Shield Recharger
- Material Locations:
- Cracked Bioscanners: Medical Research in Stella Montis, Hospital in Buried City
- Durable Cloth: Craft in Refiner, recycle Ripped Safety Vests, medical/commercial areas
- Tick Pods: Kill Tick enemies (small, fast-moving ARC units)
Level 3 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Rusted Shut Medical Kits, 8x Antiseptic, 5x Surveyor Vaults
- Unlocks: Vita Spray, Vita Shot (advanced healing items)
- Material Locations:
- Rusted Shut Medical Kits: Rare drops in medical cabinets, hospitals
- Antiseptic: Medical areas, hospitals, clinics
- Surveyor Vaults: Kill Surveyor enemies (scouting ARC units with detection abilities)
Healing Strategy: Surveyors can detect you through walls, making them dangerous but valuable targets. Use silenced weapons or approach from unexpected angles to eliminate them before they alert other enemies.
Refiner Workbench Mastery Guide
The Refiner is unique among workbenches as it allows you to convert basic materials into advanced components, making it invaluable for crafting high-tier items.
Level 1 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 60x Metal Parts, 5x ARC Powercell
- Unlocks: Crude Explosives, Durable Cloth, Electrical Components, Mechanical Components
- Material Locations:
- Metal Parts: Industrial areas, vehicles
- ARC Powercell: Defeat powerful ARC enemies like Rocketeers, Surveyors, The Queen
Level 2 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Toasters, 5x ARC Motion Core, 8x Fireball Burners
- Unlocks: Advanced Electrical Components, Advanced Mechanical Components, Antiseptic, ARC Circuitry, ARC Motion Core, Explosive Compound, various gun parts, Mod Components
- Material Locations:
- Toasters: Pale Apartments/Ruby Residence in Dam, residential kitchens (rare spawn)
- ARC Motion Core: Defeat large ARC enemies (Surveyors, Leapers, Rocketeers, Bastions)
- Fireball Burners: Kill Fireball drones (explosive flying enemies)
Level 3 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Motors, 10x ARC Circuitry, 6x Bombardier Cells
- Unlocks: Magnetic Accelerator, Power Rod (high-tier crafting components)
- Material Locations:
- Motors: Car engines, garages, Checkpoint in Blue Gate
- ARC Circuitry: Defeat ARC Probes and enemies, craft in Refiner
- Bombardier Cells: Kill Bombardier enemies (massive explosive ARC units)
Advanced Strategy: Bombardiers are among the toughest enemies in Arc Raiders. Take out their Spotters first to prevent them from calling reinforcements. Use Wolf Pack grenades or Snap Grenades to weaken their armor before engaging with heavy weapons.
Utility Station Complete Guide
The Utility Station provides access to tactical gadgets and equipment that can give you crucial advantages in both PvP and PvE situations.
Level 1 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 50x Plastic Parts, 6x ARC Alloy
- Unlocks: Barricade Kit, Binoculars, Door Blocker, Firecracker, Li’l Smoke Grenade, Remote Raider Flare, Smoke Grenade
- Material Locations:
- Plastic Parts: Technological areas, residential buildings
- ARC Alloy: Defeat ARC enemies
Level 2 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 2x Damaged Heat Sink, 5x Electrical Components, 6x Snitch Scanners
- Unlocks: Lure Grenade, Raider Hatch Key, Zipline
- Material Locations:
- Damaged Heat Sink: Tech loot areas, Launch Towers in Spaceport
- Electrical Components: Electrical areas, craft in Refiner
- Snitch Scanners: Kill Snitch enemies (reconnaissance ARC units)
Level 3 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Fried Motherboards, 5x Advanced Electrical Components, 4x Leaper Pulse Units
- Unlocks: Photoelectric Cloak, Snap Hook, Tagging Grenade
- Material Locations:
- Fried Motherboards: Breachable containers in Electrical/Tech areas
- Advanced Electrical Components: Craft in Refiner, recycle from Mk3 Augments
- Leaper Pulse Units: Kill Leaper enemies (fast, agile ARC units)
Tactical Advantage: The Photoelectric Cloak is one of the most powerful items in the game, rendering you invisible to ARC enemies. However, it emits a beeping sound that can alert other players, so use it strategically when avoiding player contact.
Explosives Station Strategic Guide
The Explosives Station focuses on area denial and crowd control through various explosive devices that can turn the tide of difficult engagements.
Level 1 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 50x Chemicals, 6x ARC Alloy
- Unlocks: Gas Grenade, Light Impact Grenade
- Material Locations:
- Chemicals: Industrial areas, laboratories, buy from Celeste
- ARC Alloy: Defeat ARC enemies
Level 2 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Synthesized Fuel, 5x Crude Explosives, 5x Pop Triggers
- Unlocks: Blaze Grenade, Shrapnel Grenade, Snap Blast Grenade
- Material Locations:
- Synthesized Fuel: Loot from Stella Montis, buy from Celeste, break down Wolfpack grenades
- Crude Explosives: Loot from Pops and Fireballs, craft in Refiner
- Pop Triggers: Kill Pop enemies (small explosive ARC units)
Level 3 Requirements & Crafting
- Materials Needed: 3x Laboratory Reagents, 5x Explosive Compounds, 3x Rocketeer Drivers
- Unlocks: Heavy Fuze Grenade, Explosive Mine, Wolfpack (tracking grenade)
- Material Locations:
- Laboratory Reagents: Medical Research in Stella Montis, Hospital in Buried City
- Explosive Compounds: Breachable containers in Industrial areas, craft in Refiner
- Rocketeer Drivers: Kill Rocketeer enemies (flying ARC units with missile attacks)
Explosive Strategy: The Wolfpack grenade is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, deploying smaller explosives that track enemies. Save these for emergency situations or high-value targets like Bombardiers and Queens.
Scrappy Upgrade Complete Guide
Scrappy is unique among workbenches as he functions as a passive resource generator, providing materials automatically as you play.
Upgrade Requirements & Rewards
| Level | Requirements | Time-Based Rewards | Max Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Fledgling | N/A | 3-12 crafting items, 3-5 seeds | 50x each item |
| 2 – Forager | 1x Dog Collar | 3-13 crafting items, 3-7 seeds | 50x each item |
| 3 – Scavenger | 3x Lemons, 3x Apricots | 3-14 crafting items, 3-9 seeds | 50x each item |
| 4 – Treasure Hunter | 6x Prickly Pears, 6x Olives, 1x Cat Bed | 3-15 crafting items, 3-11 seeds | 50x each item |
| 5 – Master Hoarder | 12x Mushrooms, 12x Apricots, 3x Very Comfortable Pillows | 3-16 crafting items, 3-13 seeds | 50x each item |
Scrappy Material Locations
Level 2 Materials:
- Dog Collar: Pale Apartments/Ruby Residence in Dam, residential loot areas
Level 3 Materials:
- Lemons: Olive Grove in Blue Gate, Lush Blooms events
- Apricots: Red Lakes in Dam, Olive Grove in Blue Gate, Lush Blooms events
Level 4 Materials:
- Prickly Pears: Red Lakes in Dam, south border in Buried City
- Olives: Olive Grove or Village in Blue Gate
- Cat Bed: Pale Apartments/Ruby Residence, residential areas
Level 5 Materials:
- Mushrooms: Water Treatment, Scrap Yard, Wreckage, Swamp in Dam Battlegrounds
- Apricots: Multiple locations (see Level 3)
- Very Comfortable Pillows: Santa Maria Houses and Plaza Rosa in Buried City, residential areas
Scrappy Mechanics:
- You must spend at least 1 minute in a raid to receive rewards
- Maximum rewards are achieved after 15+ minutes in raid
- Extracting successfully reduces rewards compared to dying in raid
- Expedition bonus sometimes increases rewards inconsistently
- Scrappy holds up to 50x of each item despite UI showing 100 for seeds
Advanced Material Farming Strategies
Map-Specific Farming Routes
Dam Battlegrounds:
- Checkpoint: Best for Rusted Gears and Motors (cars/buses)
- Pale Apartments/Ruby Residence: Toasters, Dog Collars, Cat Beds
- Red Lakes: Apricots and Prickly Pears
- Water Treatment/Scrap Yard: Mushrooms
Blue Gate:
- Olive Grove: Lemons, Olives, Apricots
- Industrial areas: Basic materials and components
Buried City:
- Hospital: Medical supplies, Bioscanners, Antiseptic
- Santa Maria Houses/Plaza Rosa: Very Comfortable Pills
- South border: Prickly Pears
Stella Montis:
- Medical Research: Laboratory Reagents, Bioscanners
- Various locations: Synthesized Fuel
Spaceport:
- Launch Towers: Damaged Heat Sinks
Enemy-Specific Farming
High-Value Targets:
- Bombardiers: Bombardier Cells (tough but rewarding)
- Sentinels: Sentinel Firing Cores (heavily armored)
- Surveyors: Surveyor Vaults (detection abilities)
- Bastions: Bastion Cells (slow but tough)
- Rocketeers: Rocketeer Drivers (flying missile units)
Common Enemies:
- Wasps: Wasp Drivers (common flying drones)
- Hornets: Hornet Drivers (aggressive variants)
- Fireballs: Fireball Burners (explosive drones)
- Pops: Pop Triggers (small explosive units)
- Ticks: Tick Pods (fast small enemies)
- Snitches: Snitch Scanners (reconnaissance)
- Leapers: Leaper Pulse Units (fast melee units)
Efficient Raiding Strategy
- Plan Your Route: Based on materials needed, choose the appropriate map and plan an efficient route
- Track Materials: Use the tracking feature to highlight required materials
- Prioritize Enemies: Focus on high-value ARC enemies for rare materials
- Loot Systematically: Check every container, especially in high-tier areas
- Time Management: Spend 15+ minutes in raids for maximum Scrappy rewards
- Team Coordination:
- Assign roles for different material types
- Share information about enemy locations
- Coordinate attacks on tough enemies like Bombardiers
Blueprint System Integration
Blueprints are essential for crafting advanced items and must be used in conjunction with appropriately leveled workbenches.
Finding Blueprints:
- Most reliable: Locked room containers
- Occasionally: Quest rewards
- Must be extracted successfully to learn
Blueprint Usage:
- Extract the blueprint in your Safe Pocket
- Return to Speranza
- Consume the blueprint to add it to the relevant workbench
- Ensure workbench is at required level
- Craft the unlocked item
Blueprint Identification:
- Learned blueprints have a checkmark in the top-right corner
- Unlearned blueprints show no checkmark
- Sort by status to easily identify new blueprints
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Selling Materials Too Early: Don’t sell basic materials before checking upgrade requirements
- Ignoring Scrappy: Even low-level Scrappy provides valuable passive income
- Wasting Rare Materials: Save rare ARC drops for high-level upgrades
- Poor Route Planning: Wasted time in raids reduces efficiency
- Not Using Tracking: Missing the tracking feature makes finding materials much harder
- Extracting Too Early: Missing out on maximum Scrappy rewards
- Soloing Tough Enemies: Some ARC enemies require team coordination
Pro Tips from Experienced Raiders
- Celeste Trading: Buy basic materials from Celeste when convenient, but farm rare materials yourself
- Recycling Strategy: Recycle unwanted items for components rather than selling
- Refiner Priority: Upgrade Refiner early to convert excess basic materials
- Event Farming: Lush Blooms events provide excellent fruit for Scrappy upgrades
- Container Priorities: Focus on locked rooms and high-tier areas for blueprints
- Enemy Weaknesses: Learn enemy weak spots for efficient farming
- Loadout Optimization: Bring appropriate weapons for target enemy types
Community Resources
Official Resources:
- Official Discord Server: Real-time discussions and developer updates
- Official Website: Patch notes and announcements
- Reddit Community: Player discussions and strategies
Community Tools:
- Arc Raiders Wiki: Comprehensive game information
- YouTube Guides: Visual tutorials for specific farming routes
- Twitch Streams: Live gameplay and strategy discussions
Frequently Asked Questions
What workbench should I upgrade first in Arc Raiders?
Prioritize the Gunsmith Workbench first, as better weapons and attachments directly improve your combat effectiveness and ability to farm materials from tough enemies. After Gunsmith Level 2, focus on the Medical Lab for improved healing capabilities.
Can you upgrade the base Workbench in Arc Raiders?
No, the base Workbench that you start with cannot be upgraded. It’s permanently locked at Level 1 and only provides basic ammo crafting. All other workbenches (Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Refiner, Utility Station, Explosives Station) can be upgraded to Level 3.
How do I track materials needed for workbench upgrades?
In your stash screen, select the workbench you want to upgrade and click the “Track” option. This will add a magnifying glass icon to required materials, making them glow during raids and easier to spot.
What’s the maximum level for Scrappy in Arc Raiders?
Scrappy can be upgraded to Level 5 (Master Hoarder). Each level increases the amount of passive materials he generates during raids. Level 5 requires 12x Mushrooms, 12x Apricots, and 3x Very Comfortable Pillows.
Do I need to extract blueprints to learn them?
Yes, blueprints must be successfully extracted and placed in your Safe Pocket to guarantee you can learn them. Once returned to Speranza, consume the blueprint to add it to the relevant workbench’s crafting options.
How long should I stay in raids for maximum Scrappy rewards?
Spend at least 15 minutes in raids to receive maximum Scrappy rewards. The time is based on your personal time in raid, not the total raid duration. Anything over 15 minutes provides the same maximum reward.
Can I craft advanced materials without upgrading workbenches?
No, advanced materials and items require both the appropriate blueprint and a workbench at the required level. For example, Level 3 weapons need both their blueprint and a Level 3 Gunsmith Workbench.
What happens if I die in a raid with blueprints?
If you die with a blueprint in your regular inventory, you’ll lose it. Always place important blueprints in your Safe Pocket (special inventory slot) to ensure they’re extracted even if you die.
How do I get Synthesized Fuel for the Explosives Station?
Synthesized Fuel can be obtained by: 1) Finding it in Stella Montis, 2) Buying from Celeste, or 3) Breaking down Wolfpack grenades which provide 2x Synthesized Fuel each.
What’s the most efficient way to farm ARC Alloy?
ARC Alloy drops from all defeated ARC enemies and husks. Focus on areas with high ARC density and bring weapons effective against your target enemies. The more enemies you defeat, the more ARC Alloy you’ll accumulate.
Ready to dominate Arc Raiders with your fully upgraded workshop? Bookmark this guide for quick reference during your upgrade journey, and join our gaming community for more expert tips and strategies. Check out our Arc Raiders system requirements guide to ensure your setup is optimized for the best raiding experience!
