As you progress through ARC Raiders and start building out your base, you’ll eventually hit a wall that requires specific resources. One of those resources is mushrooms—a Nature item needed for upgrading Scrappy the Rooster and potentially other crafting recipes. The problem? Mushrooms aren’t exactly lying around everywhere, and if you don’t know where to look, you can waste entire raids searching blindly.
This guide covers the best mushroom spawn locations in ARC Raiders, focusing primarily on Dam Battlegrounds (the first map everyone has access to). We’ll show you three reliable spots where mushrooms are most likely to spawn, explain what they’re used for, and share some practical farming tips to make your collection runs more efficient.
What Are Mushrooms Used For in ARC Raiders?
Before we dive into locations, let’s talk about why you need mushrooms in the first place.
Mushrooms are primarily used for:
- Scrappy’s upgrades (your loyal rooster companion)
- Crafting recipes at various Workshop benches
- Quest requirements (certain missions may ask for mushrooms)
Scrappy upgrades are particularly important because they unlock useful abilities and bonuses that help you survive longer in raids. If you’re stuck on a Scrappy upgrade requiring mushrooms, this guide will get you unstuck fast.
Important: Mushrooms Have Random Spawns
Before we get into specific locations, here’s something critical to understand: mushrooms spawn randomly, but certain locations have much higher spawn rates than others.
What this means:
- You’re not guaranteed to find mushrooms at these spots every single raid
- Multiple items can share the same spawn point
- Sometimes you’ll find mushrooms, sometimes you’ll find other Nature items
- Checking multiple spots per raid increases your odds significantly
That said, the locations we’re covering are the most consistent spots players have reported finding mushrooms. Visit all three during a single raid, and you’re very likely to walk away with at least one mushroom.
Best Mushroom Locations on Dam Battlegrounds
Let’s break down the three most reliable mushroom farming spots on Dam Battlegrounds—the starting map everyone has access to.
Location #1: Hydroponic Dome Complex (Southwest Corner)
Map position: North of Water Treatment Control
Why this spot is good:
- High loot value area
- Tagged with Nature, Industrial, and Security items
- Multiple potential spawn points
- Often less contested than central areas
How to find mushrooms here:
- Head to the Hydroponic Dome Complex
- Navigate to the southwest corner of the facility
- Look for a large building with rectangular pools of muddy water
- Check along the edges of the pools for mushrooms growing
What to watch for:
- Mushrooms share spawn locations with Great Mullein (another plant)
- If you see Great Mullein instead, mushrooms won’t be there that raid
- Still worth checking because it’s one of the most reliable spots
Bonus loot at this location:
- Fireball enemies sometimes spawn here
- Destroying them drops Fireball Burners
- There’s a Feat (achievement) for defeating Fireballs
- Another Feat requires using Fireball Burners to destroy a Fireball
If you’re farming this area anyway, might as well knock out those Feats while you’re at it.
Combat tip: The Hydroponic Dome Complex can have ARC machine patrols. Make sure your weapons are upgraded and you have adequate healing before engaging. If you’re undergeared, consider using Safe Pockets to protect any mushrooms you find before moving into combat zones.
Location #2: Wreckage Area (Fallen Tree Log)
Map position: Southwest of Testing Annex, East of Scrap Yard
Why this spot is good:
- Less traffic than major POIs
- Quick to check
- Clear visual landmark (giant busted robot)
- Often has additional Nature items nearby
How to find mushrooms here:
- Locate the Wreckage area (look for the massive destroyed robot)
- Find the fallen tree log behind some debris
- Check on and around the log for mushroom spawns
What to watch for:
- This spot is smaller than the Hydroponic Dome, so it’s faster to search
- The fallen log is a specific spawn point—don’t just search randomly
- If mushrooms aren’t on the log, check the immediate surrounding area
Strategic note: The Wreckage area is relatively central on the map, making it a good mid-raid stop. If you’re already moving through this area for other objectives like ARC Courier hunting or coin farming, swing by this spot for a quick mushroom check.
Location #3: South Swamp Outpost / Old Battleground
Map position: West side of Dam Battlegrounds
Why this spot is good:
- Multiple mushroom spawn points across a wider area
- Dense Nature resource zone
- Good for combining with other Nature item farming (like lemons and apricots)
How to find mushrooms here:
- Head to the South Swamp Outpost or Old Battleground areas
- Look for trees and logs throughout the zone
- Check on and around fallen logs, tree trunks, and wooded areas
- Mushrooms can spawn on multiple trees, so search thoroughly
What to watch for:
- This is a larger search area than the previous two spots
- Multiple potential spawn points means higher chance overall
- Takes longer to search completely
- Watch for ARC machines and other players
Farming efficiency tip: If you’re specifically farming mushrooms and other Nature resources, this is the spot to dedicate time to. The South Swamp/Old Battleground area is rich in Nature-tagged items, so you can often complete multiple resource objectives in one sweep.
How To Efficiently Farm Mushrooms
Now that you know where to look, let’s talk strategy for maximizing your mushroom farming efficiency.
Route Planning
Optimal mushroom farming route:
- Start: Hydroponic Dome Complex (if you spawn nearby)
- Mid-raid: Wreckage area (quick check while moving)
- End/Backup: South Swamp Outpost (if you haven’t found mushrooms yet)
This route lets you hit all three spots without backtracking excessively. Adjust based on your spawn location and other objectives.
Combine Farming with Other Objectives
Don’t make entire raids just about mushroom hunting. Combine it with:
- Coin farming in high-value areas
- Completing quests and Feats
- Gathering other Nature resources
- Looting security lockers
Multi-tasking means every raid is productive, even if mushrooms don’t spawn.
Use the Resource Tracking Feature
If your Workshop allows you to track specific resources, enable tracking for mushrooms. This puts an eye icon on mushrooms when you’re near them during raids, making them much easier to spot.
Check Nature-Tagged Locations
When selecting your deployment zone, look for locations with the Nature tag underneath the landmark description. These areas have higher spawn rates for organic items like mushrooms, lemons, apricots, and other food/plant resources.
Farm with Friends
If you’re playing with a squad, split up to cover multiple mushroom spawn locations simultaneously. One person checks Hydroponic Dome, another hits Wreckage, and a third sweeps South Swamp. Share what you find based on who needs mushrooms most.
Protect Your Mushrooms
If you find mushrooms and still have a lot of raid time left, consider storing them in your Safe Pocket if you have room. You don’t want to lose them in a random firefight.
Extract Safely
Once you’ve collected your mushrooms, prioritize safe extraction. If you have a Raider Hatch Key, use it—mushroom farming raids don’t need to be high-risk affairs.
What If You Can’t Find Mushrooms?
Let’s say you’ve checked all three spots and found nothing. Here’s what to do:
Try Again Next Raid
Remember, spawns are random. Sometimes RNG just isn’t on your side. Queue up for another raid and try again—odds are you’ll find mushrooms on your next run.
Expand Your Search to Other Nature Zones
While we’ve focused on Dam Battlegrounds, mushrooms can spawn in other Nature-rich areas on different maps. If you’ve unlocked Buried City or other maps, look for:
- Forested areas
- Swamps and wetlands
- Gardens and parks
- Any location with Nature tags
Check Community Resources
Player communities often share updated spawn locations and farming tips. If spawn rates change with game updates, other players will report it.
Verify You Need Mushrooms
Double-check what Scrappy’s upgrade or your quest actually requires. Sometimes the item name can be confusing, and you might need a different Nature resource entirely.
Beyond Dam Battlegrounds: Buried City and Other Maps
While this guide focuses on Dam Battlegrounds (the most accessible map), mushrooms can spawn on other maps too.
Buried City mushroom farming:
- Check Nature-tagged zones
- Explore garden areas and green spaces
- Look for fallen logs and tree-based spawn points
- Similar principles apply as Dam Battlegrounds
We mentioned our interactive map for Buried City in the intro—if you’re farming on that map regularly, use map resources to identify Nature zones where mushrooms are likely to spawn.
Additional Tips for Scrappy Upgrades
Since mushrooms are primarily used for Scrappy upgrades, here are some related tips:
Plan Your Scrappy Upgrades
Before farming mushrooms, check what other materials Scrappy’s upgrade requires. You might need mushrooms AND other Nature items simultaneously. Farm everything in one go to save time.
Example: If the upgrade needs mushrooms, lemons, and apricots, hit Nature-rich zones and grab all three.
Prioritize Scrappy Upgrades
Scrappy’s abilities are genuinely useful for survival. Don’t sleep on these upgrades—get them done as soon as you have the materials.
Expand Storage if Needed
If you’re hoarding crafting materials for multiple upgrades, make sure you have enough stash and backpack space to store everything comfortably.
Final Thoughts
Mushroom farming in ARC Raiders doesn’t have to be a frustrating grind. By focusing on the three main spawn locations—Hydroponic Dome Complex, Wreckage area, and South Swamp Outpost—you’ll find mushrooms consistently without wasting hours running around aimlessly.
The key is efficiency: hit multiple spots per raid, combine mushroom farming with other objectives, and always have a plan for safe extraction once you’ve collected what you need.
Yes, RNG can be annoying sometimes, but with the right approach, you’ll have all the mushrooms you need for Scrappy’s upgrades in no time. For more resource farming guides and survival tips, check out our complete beginner’s guide or learn how to optimize your PC settings for smoother raids.
You can download ARC Raiders on PlayStation, Xbox, or through the official website. Now get out there and collect those mushrooms, Raider!
Quick Reference:
- Best map: Dam Battlegrounds
- Location 1: Hydroponic Dome Complex (southwest corner, muddy pools)
- Location 2: Wreckage area (fallen tree log)
- Location 3: South Swamp Outpost/Old Battleground (trees and logs)
- Used for: Scrappy upgrades, crafting recipes
- Pro tip: Check all three spots per raid to maximize chances
