There’s not a lot of things within your control in ARC Raiders. Between the merciless RNG of the loot you find and the… merciless players you can bump into, it can feel like getting something you actually want out of a raid is almost impossible. However, that’s where blueprints come in. You don’t have to pray and beg to find a specific gun or maybe even a snap hook if you can make one yourself with items that are, in fact, easier to find.
Better blueprints means you can also be stronger from the start of a raid. Some players even purchase ARC Raiders blueprints to skip even looking for them, and that’s where this article comes in. We will talk about everything you need to know about farming for blueprints versus buying them, why it’s important, and if it’s worth it.
Why They Matter
Blueprints are the gold of this game, not because of their literal worth in the market but because of what they mean for you as a player. Once you unlock a blueprint in your base, you can now craft this piece of gear or weapon anytime, only costing you the varying rarities of materials they might need, which can also be crafted if you have their blueprints.
These blueprints will be yours for as long as you want them to, because if you opt into an expedition, you will lose them.
There’s a couple of reasons having blueprints for gear you really like is important:
- Less dependence on the random factors for good items. Whether it was a good place to loot or looting a fellow player.
- Having your favorite gear from the start of a raid is a game changer when it comes to survivability.
Right now there’s more than 70 ARC Raiders blueprints in the game, and they will probably keep adding more! Suffice to say that there’s plenty of players who made collecting them an obsession for them. As it is, technically yet another progression system within the game.
Farming: The “Intended” Way
Let’s talk farming.
Blueprints can drop randomly in literally any kind of container within the game; even the hoods of cars have a very little chance of having one, so don’t leave any stone unturned!
Blueprints are also rare items, so, as with all the other rare items, it’s usually easier to find them in high risk zones, those areas with the red or yellow borders on the map. However, even exploring exclusively these zones doesn’t really guarantee that you will find even a single blueprint in your raids.
It’s been the experience of thousands of gamers now that they go out exclusively looking for blueprints, fighting raid after raid, beating unbeatable odds only to not find any blueprints in their travels. Then in one raid where they were just walking around, they found a couple of blueprints back to back in a zone that’s usually ignored by most players. The game likes to laugh at you like that.
The Actual Feel of Farming
You would think farming blueprints is pretty straightforward and predictable, but
- Some raids are great!
- Others have you open the same boxes and containers, hoping for the same luck as last time, only to be disappointed.
- When you finally find a blueprint… it’s a duplicate.
There’s an upside and a downside to this approach.
The Upside
Farming works! Once you learn maps and have a “patrol” set out for a good path to loot on your way you can start predicting matches better. Blueprints become more usual than before… which, while it still isn’t a lot, is better than nothing!
The Downside
This takes a lot of time, maybe even multiple sessions. Some players don’t really have the necessary time to put into grinding these rare items, that’s not even mentioning if they’re looking for specific ARC Raiders blueprints.
Farming Methods
The experience in farming blueprints varies a lot depending on how you actually go about it. 2 players can have a wildly different experience:
- One can allot a few hours at night with their regular group of friends, each with some sort of knowledge of the grinding “meta.”
- Another barely has enough time to log into the game a couple of times a week after coming back from their job.
They both interact with the exact same system, but their outcomes could be further apart when talking about results.
This is where marketplaces usually enter the chat. Not to replace gameplay, not to act as “cheats.” But to help give a good experience to those that can’t put in the time.
Purchasing Blueprints: All About Experience
ARC Raiders doesn’t have an auction house or any way for players to trade items outside of a raid. This was by design. However, players filled this gap quickly by selling items in different marketplaces. Offering blueprints and rare items, among other things.
Saying this is “paying to cheat” would be oversimplifying a bigger issue.
Players partaking in this don’t do it to avoid playing or just to make the game easier for themselves. They just want the same game experience that people who have more time to grind have. At the end of the day, their guns shoot the same, and they take the same amount of damage. There’s no wrongdoing in wanting to get a specific blueprint.
Buying a blueprint:
- Nullifies dealing with the RNG in the game.
- Lets you enjoy raids without having to chase an item that might or might not be somewhere.
And crucially – you still have to extract, survive, and play the game. Nothing about blueprint ownership replaces skill.
A Side-by-Side Look
Here’s how the two approaches shake out when you strip away the emotion:
| Approach | What It Emphasizes | Best For | Trade-Offs |
| Farming Blueprints | Exploration, RNG, organic progression | Players with time and patience | Inconsistent results, duplicates |
| Buying Blueprints | Time efficiency, build certainty | Players with limited playtime | External cost, needs trust |
Notice something? Most players don’t stay at the extremes. They drift toward the middle.
Why Buying Can Actually Improve the Game Loop
Here’s a subtle truth: ARC Raiders feels best when you’re experimenting with gear.
Blueprint access enables that experimentation. When players are locked out of core items for dozens of hours, they tend to play safer, repeat fewer builds, and disengage sooner.
Marketplace access can:
- Reduce early-game friction
- Help late-game players refine loadouts
- Keep momentum going between sessions
Instead of chasing one missing blueprint across endless raids, players can redirect that energy into harder zones, higher stakes, and better fights.
That’s not bypassing content – it’s redistributing effort.
The Harsh Reality
Let’s be honest for a second.
Modern extraction shooters live or die by retention. Systems that respect player time tend to keep communities healthier. Third-party marketplaces exist because there’s a genuine demand for flexibility – not because players hate the game.
Used responsibly, purchasing blueprints becomes less about “cheating” and more about curation. You’re curating your experience so the hours you do play feel intentional.
That’s not a bad thing.
So… Farm or Buy?
The real answer is uncomfortable but true:
It depends on what you value more – discovery or control.
If you love the surprise, the tension, the moment-to-moment uncertainty, farming will always feel more authentic.
If you value momentum, consistency, and having your preferred tools ready when you log in, buying makes practical sense – especially when done selectively rather than excessively.
Most experienced players end up doing both, even if they don’t always admit it.
FAQs
How rare are blueprints?
They’re intentionally rare and RNG-based. Some players find them early, others may go many raids without seeing one.
Can you farm a specific blueprint?
Not reliably. Higher-risk areas improve overall loot quality, but targeting a single blueprint can take a long time.
Does buying blueprints break progression?
No. You still need materials, workshop upgrades, and successful raids to use them.
Final Thoughts
Blueprints sit at the crossroads of ARC Raiders’ identity. They’re rare enough to feel meaningful, but impactful enough to shape how you play. That tension is intentional – and it’s why the “farm or buy” debate isn’t going away.
What matters isn’t how you got your, say, Torrente blueprint.
What matters is what you do with it once you drop back into the ruins, ARC drones humming in the distance, loadout ready, plan in place.
However you got there – that part’s up to you.