- What to know
- Details of unlocking the Staff Lounge in Arknights Endfield
- Why the Staff Lounge is locked in Aburrey Quarry of Arknights Endfield
- Understanding relay towers and long-distance power
- How to route power from The Hub to Aburrey Quarry
- What you get by unlocking the Staff Lounge – Worn Key Card
- Why there is no alternative method to unlock Staff Lounge (as of now)
- Common mistakes while unlocking the Staff Lounge
What to know
- The Staff Lounge in Aburrey Quarry is locked behind a power requirement, not a quest trigger
- You must transmit power from The Hub all the way to the Quarry’s Stockpile Area
- This requires a chain of relay towers, with no shortcuts or alternate routes
- Unlocking the lounge grants access to a Recycling Station and key exploration content
In Arknights Endfield, exploration is often less about combat and more about understanding how the world’s infrastructure fits together. The Staff Lounge in Aburrey Quarry is a perfect example of this design philosophy. At first glance, it looks like just another inaccessible interior space on the map, but in reality, it is a deliberately gated area that teaches you how long-distance power transmission works in Valley IV.
Unlocking the Staff Lounge is not optional fluff. It connects directly to resource efficiency, exploration progression, and later-quality-of-life systems. However, the game never spells this out clearly, which is why many players wander around the Quarry looking for switches, NPC triggers, or missing keys that simply do not exist. The only way inside is power.
Details of unlocking the Staff Lounge in Arknights Endfield
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Valley IV – Aburrey Quarry |
| Locked by | Power requirement |
| Required connection | Relay towers from The Hub to Stockpile Area |
| Minimum towers | 10 relay tower links |
| Key facility unlocked | Recycling Station |
| Extra content | Worn Keycard access and exploration expansion |
Why the Staff Lounge is locked in Aburrey Quarry of Arknights Endfield
The Aburrey Quarry is designed as a semi-autonomous industrial zone that has fallen into partial disrepair. Most of its facilities, including the Staff Lounge, are dormant due to a lack of stable power. Unlike early-game structures that activate automatically when you arrive, Quarry facilities require you to actively restore infrastructure.
The Staff Lounge sits on the eastern side of the Quarry loop, adjacent to the Lifter Central and Stockpile Area. While you can physically reach its door early, interaction remains disabled until the internal systems detect a live power source. This is where relay towers come in.
Understanding relay towers and long-distance power
Relay towers act as power bridges between facilities. Each tower transmits electricity within a limited radius of 80 meters only, and power only flows if towers are placed in a continuous chain. In this case, the chain must start at The Hub Base, the primary power source in Valley IV.
What makes the Staff Lounge tricky is distance. Aburrey Quarry is not directly connected to The Hub’s grid by default. You must manually extend the network across terrain, roads, and elevation changes. The game enforces a minimum of ten relay connections to prevent brute-force shortcuts and ensure you understand how coverage and spacing work.
How to route power from The Hub to Aburrey Quarry
Step 1 – Start from The Hub Base power source
Begin at The Hub Base in Valley IV. This is the only reliable origin point for the power route needed here. From the Hub, identify existing relay coverage and open terrain leading toward Aburrey Quarry.
Roads and constructed paths are ideal because they reduce elevation interference.
Step 2 – Extend relay towers toward the Quarry entrance
Place relay towers incrementally, ensuring each new tower falls within the active radius of the previous one. If you see a tower icon remain inactive after placement, it means the spacing is too wide or terrain is blocking transmission. Adjust placement until the connection line is continuous.
Follow the above mapping to get the towers earlier to the Quarry Stockpile Area.
Step 3 – Push power through the Quarry interior
Once you reach the Aburrey Quarry entrance, the real challenge begins. The Quarry is circular, segmented, and vertically layered. You must continue placing relay towers along the internal pathways, moving through areas like the Transfer Area, Lifter Central, and Loading Area.
Do not try to jump directly to the Staff Lounge. Power must reach the Stockpile Area Power Nexus first. This is non-negotiable and is the most common reason the lounge fails to unlock even after heavy relay placement.
Step 4 – Activate the Stockpile Area Power Nexus
When the Stockpile Area receives power, a visible activation occurs. This confirms that the internal grid is now live. At this point, systems connected to the Quarry’s staff infrastructure begin responding, including the Staff Lounge.
If the lounge remains locked, double-check your relay count and ensure there are no dead zones in the chain. The minimum effective route typically uses ten relay connections, sometimes more depending on placement efficiency.
Step 5 – Enter the Staff Lounge
Once powered, the Staff Lounge door becomes interactive. You can now enter freely, without keys or quests. This moment is intentionally understated, but it marks a major functional unlock in the Quarry.
What you get by unlocking the Staff Lounge – Worn Key Card
The most immediate benefit inside the Staff Lounge is the Recycling Station. This facility allows you to process excess materials into usable components, which becomes increasingly important as your storage fills with low-tier or surplus items.
Beyond that, the Staff Lounge also serves as a narrative and exploration node. Inside, you can interact with NPCs tied to the Quarry’s past operations.
One of these interactions allows you to obtain the Worn Keycard in exchange for Stock Bills from Lonnard in Staff Lounge.
The Worn Keycard is used to open a locked gate at the Listening Post, granting access to an abandoned section of the Quarry.
This area contains additional gatherables and collectibles, making it valuable for completion-focused players.
Why there is no alternative method to unlock Staff Lounge (as of now)
It is important to stress that there is no bypass for this unlock. No enemy drops the key. No side quest auto-opens the door. No story checkpoint flips a switch. The developers clearly intended this to be a systems-based challenge that reinforces Endfield’s infrastructure mechanics.
If the Staff Lounge is locked, the issue is always power. Either the relay chain is incomplete, improperly spaced, or not routed through the Stockpile Area Nexus. Once those conditions are met, the unlock is guaranteed.
Common mistakes while unlocking the Staff Lounge
Many players place relay towers too far apart, assuming visual proximity equals functional connection. Others stop routing power as soon as they reach the Quarry, not realizing the Stockpile Area must be powered specifically. Another frequent issue is dismantling earlier towers to save materials, which silently breaks the chain.
Treat the route as a single system. Every relay matters.
Thanks for taking the time to go through this how to unlock Staff Lounge in Aburrey Quarry guide for Arknights Endfield. If it helped you understand things better, do share your thoughts, impressions, or doubts in the comments section. We keep a close watch and try to respond promptly to ensure you always get the support you need.
