If you’re serious about progressing in ARC Raiders, you need to understand one fundamental truth: your Workshop is everything. It’s not just a place to craft gear — it’s the backbone of your entire progression system. Better benches = better gear = better survival = more loot = even better gear. It’s a loop, and upgrading your crafting stations is how you climb that ladder.
But here’s the thing: the Workshop in ARC Raiders isn’t just one station. It’s a network of specialized crafting benches, each with its own upgrade path and requirements. The Frozen Trail 2.0 update (October 8, 2026) made this system even deeper, adding the Outpost with its brand-new Research Station and unlocking Amplified Weapons — a fifth quality tier for 15 guns that completely changes end-game progression.
This guide breaks down the entire Workshop system, covers all the Frozen Trail changes, explains how to upgrade each bench, and shares practical tips for gathering materials efficiently.
Understanding the Workshop System in ARC Raiders
Before we dive into upgrades, let’s clarify what you’re actually working with — including everything added in Frozen Trail 2.0.
The Workbench is Just the Beginning
When you first start ARC Raiders, you’ll unlock the basic Workbench, which lets you craft essential gear like weapons, ammo, and armor. This is your starting point — enough to get you into raids without being completely helpless. You can now also craft the new Camera here, which you’ll need to unlock the Outpost.
But to access better gear, advanced modifications, and higher-tier items, you need to unlock and upgrade additional specialized benches. Think of it like a tech tree: each bench focuses on a specific category of items, and upgrading them unlocks better crafting options. All upgradeable stations cap at Level 3 — except the new Research Station, which goes to Level 4.
All Crafting Benches in ARC Raiders (Updated: Frozen Trail 2.0)
Here’s the complete list of crafting stations available in the Workshop, including everything added with Frozen Trail 2.0:
| Bench / Station | Function | Max Level |
|---|---|---|
| Workbench | Craft basic gear (weapons, ammo, armor, cameras) | Free / Base |
| Scrappy (The Rooster) 🆕 | Companion that passively gathers materials and seeds each round | 5 |
| Gunsmith | Craft and upgrade weapons plus weapon mods (barrels, grips, mags, muzzles, stocks) | 3 |
| Gear Bench | Craft shields (Light, Medium, Heavy) and augments up to Mk. 3 | 3 |
| Medical Lab | Craft bandages, shield rechargers, Adrenaline Shots, Vita Sprays, Defibrillators | 3 |
| Utility Station | Craft gadgets: light sticks, Barricade Kits, Ziplines, Snap Hook, Photoelectric Cloak | 3 |
| Explosives Station | Craft grenades and mines up to the Showstopper, Trailblazer and Surge Coil | 3 |
| Refiner | Process raw materials into advanced crafting components | 3 |
| Research Station (Outpost) 🆕 | Unlock Amplified Weapons — the new fifth quality tier for 15 guns | 4 |
Each bench has its own upgrade path, meaning you’ll level them individually based on your playstyle. If you’re combat-focused, the Gunsmith is critical. If you prefer survivability, prioritize the Medical Lab and Gear Bench. And if you want access to the new Amplified Weapons system, the Research Station at the Outpost becomes your end-game goal.
Frozen Trail 2.0: The Outpost and Research Station
This is the biggest Workshop addition since launch. The Outpost is a second base you unlock separately from Speranza, and it comes with the brand-new Research Station bench — the only way to access Amplified Weapons.
How to Unlock the Outpost
Unlocking the Outpost requires completing the Sheltered Retreat project, which has three steps:
- Research Topside Living Conditions: Take a photo of any farmland house around the Ruined Homestead on Blue Gate — you need a Camera (buy from Shani, craft at the Workbench, or find one Topside)
- Gather Building Materials: 3 Planks, 5 Sheet Metal, 10 ARC Alloy, and 3 Advanced Electrical Components
- Safe Guard the Building Site: Distract and destroy ARC machines so construction can proceed
Once unlocked, you can expand it with modules, decorate it with furniture crafted from Designs (100 furniture designs were added in this update), and use the Research Station to push your weapons to their maximum potential.
Research Station Upgrade Costs
The Research Station goes to Level 4, and each level requires a matching Outpost level. Higher tiers demand parts from the new Frozen Trail ARC enemies:
| Level | Required Materials |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 3 Mini Pumps, 35 Planks, 5 Battered Paperbacks |
| Level 2 | 3 Calculators, 3 Raider Logbooks, 5 Skulker Targeters (drop from new Skulker enemies) |
| Level 3 | 3 Differential Microphones, 3 Exodus Technical Handbooks, 6 Bully Fragmenters (drop from new Bully enemies) |
| Level 4 | 3 Thermal Shakers, 3 ARC Data Modules, 1 Frigate Inductor (from the Frigate ARC Operation) |
What Are Amplified Weapons?
Amplified Weapons are a fifth quality tier added in Frozen Trail 2.0. They’re available for 15 existing weapons and open up branching upgrades you can’t get anywhere else — things like a fully automatic Burletta, a scoped Renegade, or a drum-mag Rattler. Key things to know before you amplify:
- Amplifying a weapon is permanent and cannot be reversed
- You need both the Gunsmith AND the Research Station at Level 4
- Amplified weapons drop to 10% durability if you die with one — don’t take them into fights you’re not confident about
- Amplified weapons are repaired with Amplified Fragments, not standard repair materials
Scrappy (The Rooster) — New Passive Station
Frozen Trail 2.0 also added Scrappy, your rooster companion who automatically gathers materials and seeds for you after each round. Upgrading Scrappy is low-effort since his costs are mostly food items found in Nature-tagged zones, but the passive income adds up over time. Max him out when you have the spare materials:
- Level 2: 1 Dog Collar
- Level 3: 3 Lemons, 3 Apricots
- Level 4: 6 Prickly Pears, 6 Olives, 1 Cat Bed
- Level 5: 12 Mushrooms, 12 Apricots, 3 Very Comfortable Pillows
How To Upgrade Crafting Benches (Step-by-Step) in ARC Raiders
The upgrade process is the same for all benches, so once you understand it, you can apply it universally.
Step 1: Access the Level Up Tab
- Approach the crafting bench you want to upgrade in your Workshop
- Interact with it to open the crafting interface
- Look for the “Level Up” tab at the top of the screen
- Click on it to view upgrade requirements
This tab shows you exactly what resources you need to collect before you can upgrade the bench to the next level.
Step 2: Check Upgrade Requirements
Each bench level requires specific resources. Here’s a snapshot of what to expect across all six upgradeable stations:
| Station | Level 1 Cost | Level 3 Cost (ARC parts required) |
|---|---|---|
| Gunsmith | 20 Metal Parts, 30 Rubber Parts | 3 Rusted Gear, 5 Advanced Mechanical Components, 4 Sentinel Firing Cores |
| Gear Bench | 25 Plastic Parts, 30 Fabric | 3 Industrial Batteries, 5 Advanced Electrical Components, 6 Bastion Cells |
| Medical Lab | 50 Fabric, 6 ARC Alloy | 3 Rusted Shut Medical Kits, 8 Antiseptic, 5 Surveyor Vaults |
| Utility Station | 50 Plastic Parts, 6 ARC Alloy | 3 Fried Motherboards, 5 Advanced Electrical Components, 4 Leaper Pulse Units |
| Explosives Station | 50 Chemicals, 6 ARC Alloy | 3 Laboratory Reagents, 5 Explosive Compound, 3 Rocketeer Drivers |
| Refiner | 60 Metal Parts, 5 ARC Powercells | 3 Motors, 10 ARC Circuitry, 6 Bombardier Cells |
Early upgrades use common materials you’ll find in most raids. Higher tiers require ARC machine parts, so you’ll need to fight for them.
Step 3: Track Required Resources
Here’s a pro tip: you can track resource requirements directly from the Level Up tab.
How to track resources:
- In the Level Up tab, find the resources you need
- Click the track button next to each resource
- An eye icon will appear on these items during raids
- This visual marker helps you spot tracked materials in the field
This feature is a game-changer. Instead of randomly looting and hoping you find what you need, tracked items are highlighted, making resource farming exponentially more efficient.
Step 4: Farm the Required Materials
Time to hit Topside and gather resources. Here’s where understanding loot tags becomes critical.
Using item tooltips to find resources:
- Hover over any required item in the Level Up tab
- Read the tooltip at the bottom
- It will list tags indicating where to find that resource
- Match those tags to landmarks on your raid maps
Common tag-to-resource patterns:
- Nature tag: Look for lemons, apricots, and organic materials in gardens and green zones
- Industrial tag: Metal parts, mechanical components in factories and complexes
- Military tag: Ammo, weapon parts, tactical gear in fortified areas
- Residential tag: Medical supplies, common loot in houses and settlements
Always check location tags before deploying. When selecting your drop zone, click on landmarks to see their tags. If the landmark’s tag matches what you’re farming, that’s where you go.
Step 5: Use Safe Pockets for Valuable Materials
If you’re farming rare upgrade materials, use your Safe Pockets to protect them. The last thing you want is to die with a full inventory of crafting materials you need for a critical bench upgrade — especially the ARC parts needed for Level 3 upgrades or Research Station materials.
Prioritize securing:
- Rare materials needed for higher-tier upgrades
- Skulker Targeters, Bully Fragmenters, and Frigate Inductors for the Research Station
- Resources from dangerous areas (like Harvester event loot)
Step 6: Return and Upgrade
Once you’ve collected all required materials:
- Return to Speranza (or the Outpost for the Research Station)
- Head to the appropriate crafting bench
- Open the Level Up tab again
- Click the upgrade button
- Your bench levels up, unlocking new crafting recipes
Important: Make sure you have enough stash space to store all the materials you’re farming. As of Frozen Trail 2.0, the stash now goes up to 328 slots maximum (with all upgrade tiers), so you have more room than before.
Which Benches Should You Upgrade First?
Not all benches are created equal, especially early in the game. Here’s a priority guide based on impact — updated for Frozen Trail 2.0.
Priority 1: Workbench (Foundation)
- Unlocks basic gear improvements across the board
- Required for general progression
- Now also lets you craft Cameras — needed to start the Outpost unlock quest
The Workbench is still your first move. You’ll need it at a solid level before other benches become fully useful.
Priority 2: Gunsmith (Combat Power)
- Better weapons = easier raids
- Weapon mods dramatically improve performance
- Gunsmith Level 4 is required for Amplified Weapons — the end-game weapon tier added in Frozen Trail 2.0
The Gunsmith is now even more critical than before. Beyond the standard Level 3 cap, pushing it to Level 4 with the Research Station unlocks Amplified Weapons — the highest power ceiling in the game right now.
Priority 3: Medical Lab (Survivability)
- Better healing items = more raid longevity
- Defibrillators and Vita Sprays are unlocked at higher levels
- Reduces reliance on found medical supplies
Critical for pushing into more dangerous zones, including the new Pendola Pass and Frigate ARC Operation added in Frozen Trail 2.0.
Priority 4: Gear Bench (Defense & Augments)
- Advanced armor keeps you alive longer
- Augments provide powerful passive bonuses up to Mk. 3
- Heavy Shield got a significant buff in Frozen Trail 2.0 — lower durability decay and less movement penalty, making it even more valuable
Don’t sleep on this bench once you’ve got decent weapons and healing. The Heavy Shield buff makes Gear Bench Level 2 more impactful than it used to be.
Priority 5: Utility Station & Explosives Station (Situational)
- Less critical for basic survival
- Note: the Snap Hook was nerfed in Frozen Trail 2.0 (reduced range, doubled durability cost) — the new Grappling Hook fills that role and is found Topside or bought from Shani
- Explosives deal over 50% more damage to ARC armor in Frozen Trail 2.0, making the Explosives Station more useful against heavy ARC enemies
These benches enhance your tactical options. Upgrade them once your core gear is solid — or earlier if you love explosives for ARC fights.
Priority 6: Refiner (Mid-to-Late Game)
- Processes raw materials into advanced components needed for high-tier upgrades
- Most useful once you’re pushing into Level 3 upgrades on other benches
- Early-game materials are plentiful enough without refinement
The Refiner becomes crucial in late-game when you’re grinding toward Amplified Weapons, but it’s not urgent early on.
Priority 7: Research Station at Outpost (End-Game Goal)
- Unlock once Gunsmith is at max level and you’re ready to pursue Amplified Weapons
- Requires farming new ARC enemy parts (Skulker Targeters, Bully Fragmenters, Frigate Inductors)
- Level 4 Research Station + Level 4 Gunsmith = access to the highest power tier in the game
This is your true end-game progression path. Don’t rush it — get your core benches solid first, then invest in the Outpost.
Tips for Efficient Resource Farming
Combine Farming with Quests
Don’t make separate raids just to farm crafting materials. Combine resource farming with quest completion, coin farming, and other objectives. Multi-tasking saves time and maximizes efficiency. Frozen Trail 2.0 added 22 new quests and quest XP rewards, so there’s even more reason to mix your objectives.
Let Scrappy Do Some Work
Upgrade Scrappy (The Rooster) whenever you have the food materials to spare. His passive gathering adds up across sessions and can supply common crafting items without any extra effort from you. Check what he’s brought in at the start of each session before heading Topside.
Learn Landmark Tags
Memorize which landmark tags correspond to which resources. The more familiar you are with the tag system, the less time you’ll waste searching blind.
Farm New ARC Parts on Pendola Pass
The Research Station’s higher upgrade tiers require parts from the new Frozen Trail enemies. Skulker Targeters, Bully Fragmenters, and Frigate Inductors only drop from specific enemies:
- Skulkers (ambush-type enemies) — drop Skulker Targeters
- Bullies (aggressive charge-type enemies) — drop Bully Fragmenters
- Frigate Inductors — only available by completing the Frigate ARC Operation that appears on main maps
The Frigate Inductor is especially rare — you need one for Level 4 Research Station. Prioritize boarding the Frigate whenever it spawns.
Always Use the Tracked Items Feature
Seriously, always track the resources you need. That eye icon is a lifesaver during chaotic raids when you’re trying to loot efficiently under pressure.
Farm with Friends
Playing with a squad lets you cover more ground faster. Split up to search different areas, then share resources based on who needs what for their bench upgrades.
Blueprints vs. Bench Levels
Here’s something crucial to understand: finding a blueprint doesn’t automatically let you craft that item.
How Blueprints Work
- Blueprints unlock the recipe for an item
- You still need the appropriate bench at the required level
- If your bench isn’t high enough, you can’t craft it yet
Example: You complete the Harvester event and score a legendary weapon blueprint. Great — but if your Gunsmith is only Level 2 and the blueprint requires Level 3, you’re stuck until you farm the upgrade materials.
Strategic takeaway: Prioritize upgrading benches for the blueprints you actually have. Found a great weapon blueprint? Push the Gunsmith. Got legendary armor blueprints? Focus on the Gear Bench.
Additional Workshop Tips
Know the Expedition Reset
Completing an Expedition resets all Workshop station levels back to zero in exchange for permanent account bonuses. Think hard before triggering an Expedition if you’ve invested heavily in your benches. It’s a major trade-off, not a minor inconvenience.
Don’t Hoard Materials Endlessly
It’s tempting to save every crafting material “just in case,” but if you have enough to upgrade a bench, do it. Higher bench levels unlock better gear, which makes future farming easier. The sooner you upgrade, the sooner you benefit.
Sell Excess Materials for Coins
Drowning in common materials you don’t need? Sell them for coins. Use those coins to buy rarer materials. Check our coin farming guide for the best money-making strategies. Note that Shani’s offers are now Coin-based in Frozen Trail 2.0, so having coins on hand is more useful than ever.
Unlock Skills That Boost Crafting
The Frozen Trail 2.0 Skill Tree revamp added some strong crafting-oriented options. Check the new Nomadic Crafting and Field Repair skills in the Survival branch — Field Repair is particularly useful for keeping gear up mid-raid without burning resources. See our best skills guide for a full breakdown.
Check Security Lockers for Rare Materials
Security lockers often contain higher-tier crafting materials. If you’re farming for bench upgrades, always breach security areas when possible.
Watch for the Anvil Rarity Change
The Anvil moved from Uncommon to Rare in Frozen Trail 2.0, and the Anvil Splitter is no longer a standalone mod — it’s now an Amplified upgrade option. Tian Wen no longer sells the Anvil; it rotates through the weekly Nomadic Envoys instead. If you have Anvil Splitter items in your stash, you can sell them or recycle them into Amplified Fragments.
Final Thoughts
Upgrading your Workshop crafting stations is the core progression loop in ARC Raiders, and Frozen Trail 2.0 made it deeper than ever. The addition of the Outpost, Research Station, Amplified Weapons, and Scrappy has given players a genuine end-game progression target beyond just maxing out the six core benches.
The key is understanding the full system: track your resources, match tags to landmarks, prioritize the benches that fit your playstyle, and plan your path toward the Outpost if Amplified Weapons are your goal. And if you’re thinking about triggering an Expedition, know exactly what you’re resetting before you commit.
For more progression tips and survival strategies, check out our complete beginner’s guide or learn how to optimize your settings for the best performance.
You can download ARC Raiders on PlayStation, Xbox, or through the official website.
Quick Reference (Updated: Frozen Trail 2.0, October 8, 2026):
- Upgrade location: Level Up tab in each crafting bench
- Station cap: Level 3 for all core benches; Level 4 for the new Research Station
- New station: Research Station at the Outpost — unlocks Amplified Weapons (fifth quality tier)
- New companion: Scrappy the Rooster — passively gathers materials each round, levels up to 5
- Amplified Weapons: Require Gunsmith Level 4 + Research Station Level 4 — permanent, cannot be reversed
- Track resources: Use eye icon to highlight materials during raids
- Priority order: Workbench → Gunsmith → Medical Lab → Gear Bench → Outpost/Research Station
- Key tip: Completing an Expedition resets all Workshop levels — plan accordingly
