ARC Raiders Blueprint Guide — How to Get Every Blueprint Type

Blueprint Sources — Quick Reference

What Blueprints Do and Why They Matter

Every crafting recipe in ARC Raiders is locked behind a blueprint. Without the blueprint, you cannot craft that item — even if you have all the required materials. Blueprints are permanent unlocks: once acquired and registered, you can craft that recipe as many times as you want, limited only by material supply. This makes acquiring blueprints the single most impactful non-combat progression decision in the game.

Blueprints come in three tiers that broadly correspond to the power level of the items they unlock. Tier 1 blueprints cover basic gear, starter weapons, and fundamental crafting components. Tier 2 covers mid-game weapons, armor upgrades, and most weapon mods. Tier 3 covers top-tier endgame gear and the most powerful weapon configurations. The higher the tier, the harder and more expensive the blueprint is to acquire.

Blueprint acquisition should be treated as a parallel track to material farming. Even if you have the materials for a high-tier item, you can't craft it without the blueprint. Many new players stall their progression by farming materials without first securing the blueprints to use them.

Trader Blueprints — The Primary Early-Game Source

General traders in Stella Montis are your primary source of Tier 1 blueprints. They sell a rotating selection of blueprints each session for Credits. Community reports suggest most Tier 1 blueprints cost between 500–2,000 Credits, with weapon blueprints generally costing more than armor or component recipes. Always check trader stock at the start of each session — new blueprints rotate in regularly.

Specialized vendors sell Tier 1 and Tier 2 blueprints for Seeds. Seeds are earned through daily challenges and specific task completions, making their supply deliberately limited. Do not spend Seeds on Tier 1 blueprints that will eventually appear in general trader stock — save them for Tier 2 options that are not available for Credits.

Endgame vendors unlock after reaching sufficient Expedition standing through completed milestones. These vendors sell Tier 2 and Tier 3 blueprints, often for a combination of Seeds and specific Expedition materials. Reaching these vendors and affording their stock is a significant late-game goal.

Supply Drops — High-Risk, High-Reward Blueprint Source

Supply drop events on the surface map always contain at least one blueprint in the high-tier crate. The tier of the blueprint is partially randomized but skews higher than trader stock — supply drops are the most reliable field source of Tier 2 and Tier 3 blueprints without Expedition progress. Community reports suggest roughly a 30–50% chance of a Tier 2+ blueprint in the main supply crate.

The trade-off is that supply drops are the most contested events on the map. Multiple Raiders will converge on the same location, and the blueprint is only in one crate. Winning the blueprint from a supply drop requires either arriving first, winning the combat, or successfully third-partying survivors. Plan accordingly — bring your best gear to supply drop events.

In-Raid Blueprint Loot — Where to Find Them

• Restricted loot containers in the Spaceport High-Security Wing (keycard required)
• Military crates in the Dam Elite Zone command rooms
• Blueprint Cabinets — specialized container type with a blueprint icon; found in research areas and secure offices
• ARC Command Unit elite enemy drops — approximately 10–20% blueprint chance per community reports
• Locked offices in the Spaceport administration area (Tier 1–2 blueprints, lower competition)
• Secondary crates in supply drop event zones — often ignored while squads fight over the main crate

Expedition Project Blueprint Rewards

Expedition Projects are the most reliable source of specific, targeted blueprints. Each project milestone at higher tiers includes blueprints as reward items, and the project descriptions often indicate which category of blueprint is coming. This means you can plan your Expedition progress around specific blueprint goals — a significant advantage over the randomized supply drop and loot container sources.

Tier 3 blueprints are most consistently acquired through Expedition Project milestones. If you're pushing toward the absolute best gear in the game, investing in Expedition progression is often faster than relying on supply drop luck for top-tier blueprint acquisition.

Blueprint Tier Priority — Early vs. Late Game

Verdict: Spend Credits on Tier 1 weapon and armor blueprints in week one. Reserve Seeds for Tier 2 blueprints that don't appear in general trader stock. Let Expedition Project milestones provide Tier 3 access naturally.

Week-One Blueprint Priority Checklist

1. Buy a Tier 1 primary weapon blueprint (AR or SMG — whichever fits your playstyle)
2. Buy a full Tier 1 armor set blueprint — chest, helmet, legs, arms
3. Buy a medkit blueprint to enable self-sufficient healing supply
4. Check trader stock each session for any new Tier 1 weapon mod blueprints
5. Save all Seeds — do not spend until you have a Tier 2 blueprint in sight
6. Run one supply drop event per session to build blueprint luck alongside structured trader purchases
7. Complete Expedition Project early milestones to unlock the first Expedition blueprint reward