ARC Raiders PvE Mode Guide: Rules, Loot Changes, and Best Uses

The ARC Raiders PvE matchmaking test gives you a lower-pressure way to complete quests, learn Topside routes, fight ARC, and extract without taking direct damage from other Raiders. That makes it useful when your priority is steady progression or protecting resources connected to ARC Raiders Coins, but PvE is not automatically the best farming option because overall loot value is reduced. The test runs from October 13 at 11:00 CEST to October 20 at 11:00 CEST.

 

You can switch between PvE and the standard PvPvE queue during the test. PvE does not create a private session, and it does not remove the normal extraction loop: you still enter Topside, collect loot, deal with ARC threats, complete objectives, and reach extraction successfully.

 

What Changes in PvE Matchmaking

 

The biggest change is zero player-to-player damage. Another Raider cannot simply shoot you and take you out of the run, which removes the need to treat every player encounter as a possible firefight.

 

Offensive throwables follow the same restriction. Stun and fire items do not work against other Raiders, while physical interaction tools such as barricades and ziplines remain functional.

 

The rules you need to remember are straightforward:

 

• Raiders cannot directly damage each other.
• Stun and fire throwables do not affect other players.
• Barricades, ziplines, and other physical interactions still function.
• ARC remains a combat threat.
• Overall loot value is lower than in PvPvE.
• Different squad sizes can appear in the same PvE session.
• PvE runs do not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating.

 

Other Raiders should therefore be treated as neutral players rather than enemies or guaranteed teammates. They may fight ARC near you or use the same area, but your survival plan should not depend on strangers helping you.

 

Plan PvE Runs Around a Specific Objective

 

PvE is most useful when you enter with a clear task. Use it to learn an unfamiliar route, complete a compatible quest, practice dealing with ARC, explore an area you have not learned yet, or reduce the chance of losing objective progress to another Raider.

 

A simple raid plan works well:

 

1. Pick your main objective before deploying. Avoid entering with no goal beyond collecting whatever you find.

2. Move toward that objective first. Do not spend supplies fighting every ARC you encounter if the engagement does not help your route.

3. Keep extraction in mind while looting. A safer queue still requires you to get out successfully.

4. Reassess once the objective is complete. Decide whether additional loot justifies staying Topside longer.

5. Extract while the run is under control. Do not turn a completed objective into a failed raid by overstaying for marginal loot.

 

This is especially useful when learning areas that are difficult to study under normal PvPvE pressure. Without a constant human ambush threat, you can spend more attention on ARC behavior, cover, traversal, loot paths, and extraction routes.

 

Build for ARC Instead of PvP

 

Your loadout priorities change because you no longer need to prepare for direct combat against Raiders. Focus your equipment on the objective, the ARC threats you expect to encounter, and getting back to extraction.

 

That does not make expensive gear risk-free. ARC can still end the run, so avoid bringing extra value simply because PvP damage is disabled. Take what materially improves your ability to complete the planned task and survive the route home.

 

This also changes how you approach fights. You do not need to clear every machine in an area just because combat is safer from third-party Raiders. If an ARC encounter can be bypassed without interfering with your objective, saving ammunition and other resources may leave you in a stronger position for extraction.

 

Know What to Do When ARC Downs You

 

The downed-state rule deserves special attention. After ARC downs you, there is an eight-second grace period before ARC can acquire you again as a target. Once that period ends, movement can allow ARC to re-acquire you.

 

Do not automatically start crawling as soon as you go down. If ARC still controls the surrounding area, unnecessary movement can expose you again.

 

When downed by ARC:

 

1. Stop unnecessary movement.

2. Use the grace period to assess the immediate threat.

3. Check whether ARC still has access to your position.

4. Move only when changing position gives you a better chance of surviving.

 

This is one of the situations where treating PvE as a consequence-free mode can quickly cost you a run.

 

Lower Loot Changes the Farming Strategy

 

PvE reduces overall loot value to compensate for removing direct Raider damage. There is no confirmed universal reduction percentage that applies to every container, item, rarity, or location, so do not plan farming routes around an assumed fixed penalty.

 

The practical choice comes down to consistency versus potential value. PvE can make it easier to finish a planned run because another Raider cannot directly kill you, while PvPvE keeps the standard higher-risk loot environment.

 

Use PvE when failed runs caused by PvP are slowing down a specific quest, route-learning session, or progression goal. If your priority is pushing the standard risk-and-reward loop for loot, PvPvE remains the more appropriate queue.

 

Some Conditions Still Require PvPvE

 

The PvE toggle does not apply to every condition. During the October test, Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, and Redirection remain PvPvE-only.

 

Check the active condition before planning your loadout and route. If your target activity requires one of these conditions, prepare for regular PvPvE instead of building the run around the protection offered by PvE matchmaking.

 

This restriction also makes switching queues useful. You can learn routes or finish compatible progression in PvE, then return to PvPvE when the activity you need is unavailable in the test queue.

 

Use Mixed Lobbies Without Relying on Other Raiders

 

PvE sessions can mix solos, duos, and trios because squad separation is not prioritized. A solo can therefore encounter larger groups, although those Raiders cannot directly damage the solo player.

 

You still need to control your own positioning. Multiple Raiders may occupy the same location, interact with traversal objects, or draw ARC activity into an area. Do not assume that a nearby group will clear enemies, protect your position, or make your extraction easier.

 

The safest approach is to treat spontaneous cooperation as a bonus. Keep enough resources and a clear enough route to finish the raid without depending on another squad.

 

Turn PvE Practice Into Better PvPvE Runs

 

Playing PvE does not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating, so you can use the test to learn without changing that rating. A productive approach is to practice unfamiliar routes in PvE first, then return to PvPvE once basic movement, ARC encounters, and extraction paths are familiar.

 

That reduces the number of problems you have to solve simultaneously in standard matchmaking. Instead of learning the area while also watching for hostile Raiders, you can concentrate more heavily on player positioning and possible ambushes because the underlying route is already familiar.

 

PvE is also better used for targeted progression than endless low-value scavenging. Finish the quest, secure the resources you actually need, and leave when the objective is complete. If you use cheap ARC Items as an optional way to fill progression gaps outside normal farming, focus on items that support an immediate loadout or objective rather than collecting resources without a clear purpose.

 

For the remainder of the October 13–20 test, use PvE to learn routes, complete supported objectives, practice ARC encounters, and improve extraction consistency. Switch back to PvPvE when your target condition requires it or when higher loot potential matters more than reducing the threat from other Raiders.