ARC Raiders Wipe Explained: Complete Expeditions Guide & Legacy System

Understanding ARC Raiders’ Unique Wipe System

ARC Raiders takes a fundamentally different approach to the extraction shooter wipe cycle that defines games in this genre. Instead of brutal, mandatory resets that erase everything you’ve worked for, the game introduces Expeditions—a voluntary wipe system with a legacy mechanism that rewards strategic players who embrace the cycle.

This isn’t your typical “server wipe and cry about it” scenario. Expeditions transform wipes from something you dread into something you can actually plan for, benefit from, and use as a progression multiplier across multiple characters. Understanding this system is crucial for long-term success in ARC Raiders.

This comprehensive guide explains how Expeditions work, what you keep versus what you lose, the complete crafting requirements, and strategic decisions that maximize your legacy benefits.

What Are Expeditions in ARC Raiders?

Think of Expeditions as a controlled retirement plan for your Raider. When you send a character on an Expedition, you’re essentially saying goodbye to that specific Raider permanently—they venture beyond the Rust Belt (the playable area surrounding Speranza) and never return.

But here’s the crucial part: In exchange for voluntarily retiring your character, you activate a Legacy System that preserves significant progress and grants powerful bonuses to your next Raider.

The Core Concept

Traditional Wipe: Everyone loses everything, starts from zero, no compensation
ARC Raiders Expedition: Voluntary sacrifice with strategic benefits and preserved progress

Key Characteristics:

• Only available to Raiders who reach Level 20 minimum
• Requires building a complete Caravan through the Projects system
• One-way trip (your current character is permanently retired)
• Activates legacy bonuses for all future characters
• Stackable benefits across multiple Expeditions

The genius of this system is that it maintains the fresh-start excitement of wipes while respecting the time investment players make. You’re not losing progress—you’re converting it into advantages for your next playthrough.

How to Unlock the Expeditions Project

Accessing the Expedition system requires meeting specific prerequisites and understanding the interface.

Step 1: Reach Level 20

Your Raider must achieve Level 20 before the Expeditions project becomes available. This level requirement ensures players have experienced enough of the game to make an informed decision about sending their character on an Expedition.

Fastest Leveling Methods:

• Complete quest chains efficiently
• Follow XP farming strategies
• Stack multiple objectives per raid
• Focus on high-XP activities like Baron Husk looting

New players shouldn’t rush to Level 20 just to unlock Expeditions. Take time to learn the game, understand mechanics, and build up resources naturally.

Step 2: Access the Projects Menu

Navigate to your Character Menu and locate the Projects tab. Inside, you’ll find the Expeditions section, which displays the Caravan construction project.

Interface Layout:

• Shows six distinct construction stages
• Lists required materials for each stage
• Tracks your progress toward completion
• Displays departure window status

Step 3: Begin Caravan Construction

Once unlocked, you can start gathering the extensive list of materials needed to build your Expedition Caravan (detailed breakdown in the crafting section below).

Important Note: You don’t need to rush this process. Take your time accumulating resources, especially if you’re still working on Workshop upgrades or other progression goals.

The Wipe Cycle Schedule: Timing Your Expedition

Understanding when wipes occur and how the Expedition departure window works is critical for strategic planning.

60-Day Wipe Cycle

ARC Raiders operates on a 60-day wipe cycle, meaning full server resets occur approximately every two months.

Next Scheduled Wipe: December 14, 2025
Following Wipes: Every 60 days from launch forward

This predictable schedule allows players to plan their progression arcs around wipe dates rather than being surprised by sudden resets.

The 8-Day Departure Window

Here’s where timing becomes crucial. Players who complete their Expedition Caravan during the final week before a wipe gain access to an 8-day departure window to send their Raider on an Expedition.

Timeline Breakdown:

• Days 1-52: Normal gameplay, work on Caravan construction
• Days 53-60: Expedition departure window opens (if Caravan is complete)
• Day 60: Server wipe occurs
• Day 61: New cycle begins with legacy bonuses (if you departed)

Status Indicators:

• “The Expedition Departure Window is now Closed” – Cannot depart yet or missed the window
• “The Expedition Departure Window is now Open” – Can send your Raider on Expedition

Strategic Timing Considerations

Optimal Completion Target: Finish your Caravan between Day 50-53 of the cycle

Why This Matters:

• Finishing too early means sitting idle waiting for the window
• Finishing too late risks missing the departure window entirely
• The sweet spot gives you maximum gameplay time plus guaranteed departure access

What Happens If You Miss The Window:

If you don’t complete the Caravan before the departure window closes, or fail to actually depart during those 8 days, you’ll lose your character to the wipe without receiving any legacy benefits. That’s a worst-case scenario you absolutely want to avoid.

Pro Tip: Start tracking days until the next wipe early in the cycle. Use calendar reminders or in-game notifications to ensure you’re on pace to complete the Caravan with time to spare.

What You Keep vs. What You Lose

The Expedition system creates two categories of progress: preserved legacy benefits and reset elements. Understanding this division helps you plan resource management.

Progress Preserved After Expedition

These elements carry forward to your next Raider, providing immediate advantages from the moment you create a new character:

Permanent Unlocks:

• ✅ Unlocked Maps – All discovered maps remain accessible
• ✅ Workshop Stations & Levels – Keep all Workshop upgrades and unlocked stations
• ✅ Codex Entries – Lore and information remain recorded
• ✅ Raider Tokens – Premium currency persists
• ✅ Coins – Your currency reserves carry over
• ✅ Cred – Secondary currency maintained
• ✅ Cosmetics – All earned or purchased cosmetics stay unlocked
• ✅ Bonus Skill Points from Expeditions – Stacking reward from previous departures
• ✅ Bonus Stash Slots from Expeditions – Permanent storage expansion

These preserved elements create a foundation that makes each successive character progressively stronger and more equipped for success.

Progress Reset After Wipe

Even with Expeditions, certain progress resets to maintain the extraction shooter fresh-start experience:

Lost Elements:

• ❌ Stash Upgrade Progress – Base stash resets (but bonus slots from Expeditions remain)
• ❌ Inventory Items – All gear, weapons, materials, and loot lost
• ❌ Blueprints – Discovered blueprint collection resets
• ❌ Player Level – Return to Level 1 (with XP boost from legacy)
• ❌ Raider Decks Progress – Deck configurations reset
• ❌ Skill Points – Spent skills reset (but bonus points from legacy remain)
• ❌ Active Leaderboards – Rankings reset for new season
• ❌ Raider Den – Den upgrades restart
• ❌ Trials – Challenge progress resets
• ❌ Workshop – Physical workshop resets (but unlocked stations/levels remain)
• ❌ Completed/Pending Quests – All quest progress restarts

Understanding the Trade-Off:

Yes, you lose your entire inventory and collected items. That feels painful initially. But the preserved Workshop stations, currency reserves, and bonus multipliers mean you’ll rebuild far faster than your initial playthrough. It’s a conversion of temporary progress (items) into permanent advantages (multipliers and unlocks).

Expedition Rewards & Legacy Benefits

The real value of Expeditions lies in the stacking benefits you unlock for all future characters. These aren’t minor bonuses—they’re significant multipliers that compound with each successful Expedition.

Core Legacy Buffs

1. Increased XP Gain
Effect: Permanent XP multiplier for all future Raiders
Benefit: Reach Level 20 faster on subsequent characters
Stacking: Increases magnitude with each completed Expedition

This is arguably the most valuable buff. Faster leveling means quicker access to skills, equipment, and endgame content. On your third or fourth Raider, you might reach Level 20 in half the time of your first character.

2. Increased Scrappy Material Gains
Effect: Collect more materials from Scrappy (your companion dog)
Benefit: Faster resource accumulation for crafting needs
Stacking: Compounds with multiple Expeditions

Scrappy becomes increasingly valuable across wipes. More materials mean faster progression on Workshop upgrades, weapon improvements, and essential crafting projects.

Learn more about Scrappy training to maximize these gains.

3. Increased Weapon Repairs
Effect: Weapons maintain durability longer between repairs
Benefit: Reduced maintenance costs and resource expenditure
Stacking: Further improvements with each Expedition

This saves significant coins over time and means your favorite weapons stay operational longer during extended raid sessions.

4. Additional Stash Space
Effect: Permanent extra storage slots added to base stash
Benefit: More inventory capacity for loot, materials, and equipment
Stacking: Each Expedition adds more slots (no cap mentioned)

Inventory management becomes progressively easier with each wipe. By your fourth or fifth character, you’ll have substantially more storage than first-time players.

5. Bonus Skill Points
Effect: Start with extra skill points based on your stash value at departure
Benefit: Immediate access to powerful skills without grinding
Calculation: Based on total coin value of items in your stash when departing

Strategic Implication: Fill your stash with high-value items before sending your Raider on an Expedition to maximize bonus skill points for your next character.

Exclusive Rewards

6. Permanent Account Unlocks
Effect: Special features, mechanics, or content unlocked permanently
Benefit: Progressive expansion of available gameplay elements
Persistence: Stays unlocked across all future characters

Specific unlocks haven’t been fully detailed, but expect things like special quest access, unique vendor options, or advanced features.

7. Special Cosmetics
Effect: Exclusive cosmetic rewards per completed Expedition
Benefit: Visual distinction showing veteran status
Collection: Different cosmetics for each Expedition (collector’s appeal)

These cosmetics serve as badges of honor, showing other players you’re an experienced veteran who’s completed multiple wipe cycles.

Reward Caps & Scaling

Important Note: The guide mentions that “successive completions will increase the magnitude of the buffs up to a global cap.”

This means:

• Early Expeditions provide the largest percentage increases
• Benefits continue stacking but with diminishing returns
• Eventually, you’ll hit maximum buff levels (preventing infinite scaling)
• Even at cap, the cumulative advantages are substantial

Strategic Planning: Complete at least 3-4 Expeditions to reach highly effective buff levels before the scaling caps significantly impact gains.

Complete Caravan Construction Guide

Building your Expedition Caravan requires extensive resources across six distinct stages. This is the most material-intensive project in ARC Raiders, so start collecting early.

Stage 1: Foundation (1/6)

The foundation establishes the basic structure of your Caravan. This is your most resource-intensive stage for basic materials.

Required Materials:

• 150x Metal Parts – Common but high quantity needed
• 200x Rubber Parts – High volume requirement
• 80x ARC Alloy – Rare material from ARC machines
• 15x Steel Spring – Mid-tier crafting component

Farming Tips:

• Metal and Rubber Parts from general loot locations
• ARC Alloy from defeated machines (Motion Core farming areas)
• Steel Springs from Workshop crafting

Time Investment: Expect 5-8 hours of focused farming for Stage 1 materials.

Stage 2: Core Systems (2/6)

Core Systems add the functional components that make your Caravan operational.

Required Materials:

• 35x Durable Cloth – Textile resource from specific loot pools
• 30x Wires – Electrical component (Trash into Treasure quest locations)
• 30x Electrical Components – Mid-tier tech resource
• 5x Cooling Fan – Rare machine component

Farming Tips:

• Durable Cloth from survival-focused loot areas
• Wires commonly found in industrial zones
• Electrical Components from mechanical salvage
• Cooling Fans from specific ARC machine types

Time Investment: 3-5 hours of targeted farming.

Stage 3: Framework (3/6)

Framework construction incorporates advanced technological components.

Required Materials:

• 5x Lightbulb – Common electrical item
• 30x Battery – Energy storage component (Trash into Treasure)
• 20x Sensors – Advanced detection equipment
• 1x Exodus Module – Rare Exodus faction technology

Farming Tips:

• Lightbulbs in residential or commercial buildings
• Batteries from electronic loot pools
• Sensors from high-tech facilities
• Exodus Module is the rarity bottleneck—farm Exodus-tagged locations extensively

Critical Item: The single Exodus Module might take dedicated farming sessions. Check Spaceport and other Exodus-heavy maps.

Time Investment: 4-6 hours, primarily hunting the Exodus Module.

Stage 4: Outfitting (4/6)

Outfitting adds specialized equipment and advanced technology.

Required Materials:

• 5x Humidifier – Environmental control equipment
• 5x Advanced Electrical Component – High-tier electronics
• 3x Magnetic Accelerators – Rare propulsion technology
• 3x Leaper Pulse Units – Specific ARC machine component

Farming Tips:

• Humidifiers from climate-controlled facilities
• Advanced Electrical Components from mechanical component farms
• Magnetic Accelerators from specialized loot pools or crafting
• Leaper Pulse Units from Leaper ARC machines (Into the Fray quest)

Critical Bottleneck: Leaper Pulse Units require hunting specific enemy types. Plan dedicated Leaper farming sessions.

Time Investment: 6-10 hours, depending on Leaper spawn RNG.

Stage 5: Load Stage (5/6)

This is where Expeditions get serious. Stage 5 requires accumulating massive quantities of items categorized by type and total value.

Required Value Thresholds:

• 250,000 Coins Worth of Combat Items – Weapons, ammo, grenades, tactical equipment
• 100,000 Coins Worth of Survival Items – Medical supplies, food, water, survival gear
• 180,000 Coins Worth of Provisions – Food items, consumables, sustenance
• 300,000 Coins Worth of Materials – Crafting resources, raw materials, components

Total Value Required: 830,000 Coins worth of items

Important Clarification: You don’t need 830k coins in currency. You need items valued at 830k total when calculated at their vendor sell prices.

Strategic Approach:

Combat Items (250k):

• Stockpile weapons from blueprint crafting
• Collect high-value attachments (Silencers, Compensators, etc.)
• Gather explosive equipment and tactical grenades
• Farm weapon upgrade components

Survival Items (100k):

• Medical supplies from medical quests
• Healing items and bandages
• Shield recharge equipment
• Food/water with survival tags

Provisions (180k):

• Prickly Pear collection
• Mushrooms farming
• Lemons and Apricots
• Toasters and other food-related items

Materials (300k):

• Synthesized Fuel stockpiles
• Mechanical Components bulk collection
• Rusted Gears and Rusted Tools
• ARC Motion Cores and Sentinel Firing Cores

Optimization Strategy:

Don’t liquidate everything for coins to buy back items. Instead:

1. Farm naturally while completing quests and normal gameplay
2. Hoard items instead of selling them throughout the cycle
3. Check item values regularly to track progress toward thresholds
4. Focus farming on whichever category is lagging
5. Use maximum stash space to store everything

Time Investment: This is ongoing throughout your entire playtime leading up to the wipe. Passive accumulation over 40-50 days of gameplay, or 20-30 hours of dedicated farming if rushed.

Stage 6: Departure (6/6)

The final stage is simply waiting for the departure window to open and actually sending your Raider on the Expedition.

Requirements:

• All previous stages complete
• Departure window is open (final 8 days before wipe)
• Confirmation you’re ready to retire this character

Final Preparation:

• Ensure high-value items fill your stash (bonus skill points calculated here)
• Confirm all quests worth completing are finished
• Take screenshots or notes of your character achievements
• Say goodbye to your Raider!

The Departure Process:

1. Navigate to Expeditions in Projects menu
2. Confirm departure (irreversible decision)
3. Watch your Raider leave Speranza
4. Receive confirmation of legacy bonuses
5. Wait for wipe, then create new character with benefits

Strategic Expedition Planning

Success with Expeditions requires long-term planning and resource management throughout the wipe cycle.

Early Cycle Strategy (Days 1-20)

Focus Areas:

• Level to 20 as quickly as possible
• Unlock Expedition project immediately
• Begin passive material accumulation
• Don’t sell resources you’ll need for Caravan

Avoid:

• Rushing Workshop upgrades that compete with Expedition materials
• Selling valuable materials for short-term coin needs
• Ignoring map exploration and quest completion

Mid Cycle Strategy (Days 21-45)

Focus Areas:

• Complete Stages 1-3 of Caravan construction
• Stock up on Exodus Modules and other rare components
• Farm specific bottleneck items (Leaper Pulse Units, etc.)
• Build surplus materials for Stage 5 value requirements

Balancing Act:

• Continue normal progression and gameplay
• Don’t sacrifice all enjoyment for Expedition preparation
• Stack quest objectives with material farming

Late Cycle Strategy (Days 46-52)

Crunch Time:

• Complete Stage 4 (Outfitting) by Day 50
• Begin final push on Stage 5 value requirements
• Sell surplus items strategically to meet thresholds
• Prepare maximum-value stash for skill point bonus

Target: Caravan fully complete by Day 52-53, leaving buffer time before departure window.

Departure Window (Days 53-60)

Final Steps:

• Confirm all stages complete
• Fill stash with highest-value items possible
• Complete any final quests or activities
• Actually depart during the 8-day window

Critical Reminder: Missing this window means losing everything with zero benefits. Don’t procrastinate the actual departure!

Should You Participate in Expeditions?

The voluntary nature of Expeditions means you can opt out entirely. Here’s how to decide:

Reasons to Send Your Raider on Expedition

✅ You’ve reached late-game progression with minimal goals remaining
✅ You enjoy the fresh-start experience of wipes
✅ The stacking legacy benefits appeal to your long-term planning
✅ You want cosmetic rewards and veteran status
✅ Playing through multiple wipe cycles sounds fun, not tedious

Reasons to Skip Expeditions

❌ You’re still actively progressing and enjoying current character
❌ The material requirements seem overwhelming
❌ You prefer continuous progression without resets
❌ Time constraints make completing the Caravan unrealistic
❌ You’re attached to your current Raider and inventory

The Honest Truth: Expeditions are designed for engaged, long-term players who will play through multiple wipe cycles anyway. If you’re a casual player or uncertain about committing to the game long-term, focusing on enjoying your current character is perfectly valid.

There’s no “wrong” choice here—play the way that’s most fun for you.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Starting Expedition Preparation Too Late
Beginning Caravan construction in the final two weeks creates massive time pressure. Start early, accumulate gradually.

2. Selling Expedition Materials for Short-Term Gains
That Exodus Module or Leaper Pulse Unit you sold for 50 coins? You’ll need hours to find another one.

3. Ignoring Stage 5 Value Requirements
Don’t complete Stages 1-4 then realize you’re nowhere near the 830k total value needed. Track progress continuously.

4. Completing Caravan Too Early
Finishing by Day 30 means sitting idle for 23 days waiting for departure. Enjoy the game; pace yourself.

5. Missing the Actual Departure Window
Complete the Caravan but forget to actually depart during Days 53-60? You get nothing. Set calendar reminders!

6. Not Maximizing Stash Value Before Departure
Your bonus skill points are calculated from stash value at departure. Fill it with expensive items, not garbage.

7. Rushing Without Enjoying the Game
Expeditions aren’t mandatory. If the grind stops being fun, take a break or skip the system entirely.

New Player Perspective on Expeditions

If you’re brand new to ARC Raiders, here’s what you need to know about Expeditions:

First Wipe Cycle: Focus on learning the game, not Expeditions

• Experience all maps and mechanics
• Complete quest chains naturally
• Learn survival strategies
• Understand the extraction system
• Master combat and skills

Second Wipe Cycle: Consider your first Expedition

• You now understand the game deeply
• Material farming routes are familiar
• You can plan efficiently for Caravan construction
• The legacy benefits will feel immediately rewarding

Long-Term: Expeditions become routine

• Each cycle, you’re stronger from the start
• Progression feels faster and more satisfying
• You’re contributing to a long-term account power curve

Don’t stress about Expeditions during your first 60 days. Learn, explore, and have fun. The system will still be there when you’re ready.

Platform Access & Resources

Play ARC Raiders:

• Official Website: ARC Raiders
• PlayStation: PS Store
• Xbox: Xbox Store

Essential Guides for Expedition Preparation:

• Complete Loot Table & Farming Guide
• All Quests & Missions List
• Workshop Upgrade Guide
• Coin Farming Methods
• Stash & Storage Expansion

Final Thoughts: Embracing the Expedition Cycle

ARC Raiders’ Expedition system represents one of the most player-friendly approaches to wipes in the extraction shooter genre. Instead of dreading server resets, you can strategically plan for them, convert temporary progress into permanent advantages, and genuinely look forward to starting fresh with multiplied benefits.

The key is understanding that Expeditions aren’t just about preserving progress—they’re about progression acceleration. Your second character will reach milestones faster than your first. Your third character faster than your second. By your fourth or fifth Raider, you’ll be experiencing the game with substantial advantages that make each playthrough smoother and more enjoyable.

Yes, the Caravan material requirements are extensive. Yes, you’ll lose your inventory and items. But the alternative is losing everything anyway without any benefits when mandatory wipes hit other games in this genre.

Start planning early, accumulate resources naturally through gameplay, and don’t treat Expeditions as a stressful obligation. They’re an optional system designed to reward engaged players who enjoy the wipe cycle fresh-start experience.

Now get out there, reach Level 20, and start building that Caravan. The Rust Belt may be harsh, but the rewards for those brave enough to venture beyond it are well worth the journey.

Safe travels, Raider.

Looking for help with specific Caravan material farming? Check our comprehensive resource guide for optimal farming locations and strategies.