Headwinds didn't just add a patch-note list on January 27, 2026; it changed the rhythm of Arc Raiders. The Trophy Display Project is now the long-term path, not a panic sprint, and that's the part people are quietly grateful for. No end date hanging over your head, no expedition reset wipe waiting to erase progress. You log in when you can, run a few expeditions, and those materials stack up. If you're planning your grind around upgrades, it also helps to keep an eye on your economy, especially if you're tracking ARC Raiders Coins alongside what you're crafting.
Stage 1 and 2 Feel Like Warm-Up Work
Stage 1, "Roaming Threats," is basically the game teaching you what "steady progress" looks like. You're hunting standard ARC units and cashing in common drops like 15 Pop Triggers, 15 Tick Pods, plus the usual Rusted Bolts and Surveyor Vaults. It's straightforward, and it's meant to be. The Light Gun Parts Blueprint is a practical reward, and the Raider Tokens smooth out those early crafting bottlenecks. Then Stage 2, "Soaring Menaces," nudges you to stop staring at ground level. Expect to farm 20 Wasp Drivers and 15 Hornet Drivers, with Spotter Relays mixed in. The Vita Shot Blueprint is the real prize here—once you've got it, you'll wonder how you ever queued in without it—and the Photoelectric Cloaks can bail you out when a fight goes sideways.
Stage 3 Turns Into a Real Build Check
Stage 3, "Ferocious Foes," is where a lot of players slow down, not because it's impossible, but because it finally asks you to commit. Those 10 Leaper Pulse Units and 5 Bastion Cells don't fall into your lap, and you'll feel it if your loadout's still stuck in "early game habits." You'll also be looking for ARC Performance Steel, which tends to push people into riskier routes or longer runs. Still, the rewards match the effort. The Shotgun Silencer Blueprint changes how loud you can afford to be, and the Kinetic Converter helps your weapon economy in a way that's hard to unsee once it's in your kit.
Stages 4 and 5 Are About Patience, Not Bragging Rights
Stage 4, "Dominant Dangers," is elite hunting, full stop. You're chasing 8 Rocketeer Drivers, 3 Queen Reactors, and piling up Magnetic Accelerators, which usually means tighter planning and fewer "let's just wing it" decisions. The Bobcat IV drop feels like a milestone because it is—you get a fully crafted weapon plus the blueprint to keep making it, and that firepower matters once the game starts punishing hesitation. Stage 5, "Imposing Behemoths," pushes you into Exodus zones for 8 Bombardier Cells and 3 Matriarch Reactors. It's a grind, sure, but it's the kind you can chip away at while learning safer lines and better timings. The Aphelion is the headline, the Snap Hook Blueprint opens up mobility options, and the completion bundle is wild: Jupiter legendary sniper, a playable Acoustic Guitar, the "Howl" emote, and 300,000 Coins. If you're aiming to finish without burning out, pace your runs, bank progress often, and treat the coin injection as part of the plan—some folks even map upgrades around cheap ARC Raiders Coins in RSVSR so the rewards land at the exact moment they need them most.