What to know

  • Laboratory Reagents only appear in medical-tagged loot zones and containers (marked by a cross symbol)
  • It is a rare item, not frequently dropped, so time-efficient runs matter.
  • You can sell it for credits, but recycling yields more crafting value depending on your needs. Check what you need more: credits or materials.
  • Extraction is mandatory to keep the reagents after finding them.

In ARC Raiders, Laboratory Reagents represent one of the most sought-after upgrade components. Scarcity and high demand make them a key objective for players seeking to craft the most powerful explosives and gadgets available, with their acquisition serving as a critical bottleneck for workshop development.

Screenshot by: NerdsChalk

Location of Laboratory Reagents

Laboratory Reagents spawn almost exclusively in Medical Zones; these are areas on the map marked with a medical cross (+) icon. Key locations include:

  • Research and Administration in Dam Battlegrounds
  • Hospital and Research Labs in Buried City 
  • Pharmacy in Plaza Rosa (Buried City)

Medical lockers and crates found sporadically on all maps with a Medical tag
Avoid maps like Blue Gate and Spaceport, which lack solid medical loot zones.

Screenshot by: NerdsChalk

How to obtain Laboratory Reagents

Step 1

Target medical locations, especially on the Buried City and Dam Battlegrounds maps.

Step2

On entering, loot every medical crate, locker, cabinet, and shelf.

Step 3

For quick and repeated runs, prioritize the Research and Administration in Dam Battlegrounds and the Pharmacy in Plaza Rosa and the Hospital in Buried City (highest spawn rates but most contested).

Step 4

Once you collect reagents, immediately head for the nearest extraction.

Uses of Laboratory Reagents

  • Upgrade Explosives Station Level 2 to 3: The main use is to unlock the ability to craft top-tier explosives and gadgets, like Wolfpack grenades.
    • Recipe: 3x Laboratory Reagent, 5x Explosive Compound, 3x Rocketeer Driver​
  • Recycling: If not needed for upgrades, one reagent can be recycled into 16 Chemicals and 3 Crude Explosives—both helpful resources for broader workshop crafting

Laboratory Reagents may look like just another loot item in ARC Raiders, but they play a strategic role in crafting progression. Whether you use them as a gate-key to upgrade your Explosives Station or recycle them for materials, the decision impacts your crafting efficiency and how fast you advance.

Keep a full stack of three if you’re ready to upgrade; if not, turn them into crafting parts instead. Prioritize loot runs in medical zones, carry lightly when you pick them up, and treat them as high-value items rather than regular loot.