- What to know
- Quick overview of new augments
- Tactical MK III (Revival) and its impact on survivability
- Safekeeper and why its utility is situational but powerful
- How augment blueprints currently drop
- Best locations for farming augment blueprints
- How to farm augment blueprints efficiently in Stella Montis
- How the new augments compare to existing meta options
What to know
- Two new augments were added in the latest ARC Raiders update
- Tactical MK III (Revival) focuses on self-recovery and emergency survival
- Safekeeper introduces weapon-safe storage, a first for looting augments
- Blueprint farming is slower due to a larger global loot pool
Augments play a central role in shaping how you survive, loot, and extract in ARC Raiders. With the Cold Snap update, the augment system received a notable shake-up through the addition of two brand-new augments. While they expand build variety, they also increase the challenge of farming specific blueprints due to changes in how loot drops work. This guide covers every new augment, explains how they compare to existing options, and outlines the most efficient blueprint farming strategies based on current in-game behavior.
Quick overview of new augments
| Augment | Core purpose | Shield compatibility | Standout feature | Overall role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tactical MK III (Revival) | Sustain & recovery | Light only | Built-in defibrillator | Solo survivability |
| Safekeeper | Item protection | Light, Medium, Heavy | Weapon-safe storage | High-risk PvP & bosses |
Tactical MK III (Revival) and its impact on survivability
Tactical MK III (Revival) is built around passive healing and second-chance mechanics. It restores one health every five seconds, which becomes meaningful over long engagements or extended traversal. Its defining feature is the integrated defibrillator, allowing an automatic self-revive on a 240-second cooldown. This alone makes it appealing for solo players who want insurance against sudden ARC encounters or mistakes during PvE fights.
That said, the drawbacks are important. Storage is extremely limited, offering five quick-use slots and only two safe pocket slots, which restricts ammo, healing, and utility options. More critically, it only supports light shields, locking it out of tank-focused or late-game defensive builds. In practice, Tactical MK III (Revival) works best for careful solo exploration and early progression, but it struggles to compete with Tactical MK II Defensive or Survivor augments when durability or loot efficiency is the priority.
Safekeeper and why its utility is situational but powerful
Safekeeper takes a completely different approach by prioritizing item security over sustain. It includes two trinket slots and one safe pocket slot capable of storing any item, including full weapons. This makes it the first augment in ARC Raiders that can fully protect a weapon from loss.
This feature is especially valuable during Queen events, high-risk PvP encounters, or extraction routes involving top-tier gear. Being able to secure a weapon before pushing into danger fundamentally changes risk management. Safekeeper also stands out as the first looting augment compatible with light, medium, and heavy shields, giving it unmatched flexibility across armor builds.
However, its weaknesses are clear. It has fewer quick-use slots, which limits healing and combat utility. Outside of scenarios where weapon protection is critical, it does not outperform Survivor for general looting or Tactical MK II Defensive for sustained combat. Safekeeper is powerful, but highly specialized.
How augment blueprints currently drop
Blueprint acquisition changed significantly with the Cold Snap update. While augment blueprints still spawn in traditional augment and medical containers, they can now also drop from almost any container type across the map. This includes industrial-style crates, which previously had little relevance for augment farming.
While this technically increases overall drop opportunities, it also dilutes the loot pool, making it harder to target specific augments. Players have reported spending multiple hours looting before finding one of the new blueprints, which aligns with the increased randomness introduced by global drops.
Best locations for farming augment blueprints
| Area | Key room | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Stella Montis | Lobby Checkpoint Security | High density of augment containers |
| Sandbox | Archives | Compact, high-value loot layout |
| Bluegate | Confiscation | Reliable medical container access |
| Buried City | Hospital | Consistent augment blueprint chances |
| Dam Battlegrounds | Testing Addicts | Fast-clear, efficient route |
These locations remain the most consistent sources of augment-capable containers, especially medical containers, which still have a higher-than-average blueprint drop rate.
How to farm augment blueprints efficiently in Stella Montis
Step 1: Choose spawn routes with immediate access
Select routes that allow fast entry into the lobby, business center, or medical research zones. These areas are reachable from multiple spawn points, reducing wasted traversal time.
Step 2: Focus on container clusters
Instead of clearing entire sectors, prioritize rooms with multiple containers close together, especially medical and security-adjacent areas.
Step 3: Open high-capacity containers first
Containers displaying more than three items are more likely to contain a blueprint. Prioritizing these maximizes efficiency per run.
Step 4: Extract immediately after a blueprint drop
Once you secure a new augment blueprint, extraction is usually the optimal choice. The time-to-value ratio drops sharply after the first find.
How the new augments compare to existing meta options
Despite their unique mechanics, neither new augment replaces existing meta staples. Survivor remains the strongest choice for pure looting efficiency, while Tactical MK II Defensive continues to dominate heavy shield and prolonged combat builds.
Instead, Tactical MK III (Revival) and Safekeeper expand playstyle diversity, supporting safer solo runs and calculated high-risk strategies rather than universal dominance.
| Augment Name | Weight Limit | Backpack Slots | Safe Pocket Slots | Quick-Use / Utility Slots | Shield Compat. | Special Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Loadout Augment | 35 kg | 14 | 0 | 4 | Light | Starter pack boost |
| Looting Mk.1 | 50 kg | 18 | 1 | 4 | Light | — |
| Tactical Mk.1 | 40 kg | 15 | 1 | 5 | Light/Med | — |
| Looting Mk.2 | 60 kg | 22 | 2 | 4 | Light | Auto-throw attached ticks |
| Tactical Mk.2 | 45 kg | 17 | 1 | 5+1 utility | Light/Med | Smoke on shield break |
| Combat Mk.2 | 55 kg | 18 | 1 | 1 | Light/Med/Heavy | 1 HP per 5 sec regen (pauses on damage) |
| Looting Mk.3 (Cautious) | 70 kg | 24 | 2 | 5 | Light | Adrenaline on shield break |
| Looting Mk.3 (Survivor) | 80 kg | 20 | 3 | 5 | Light/Med | Regenerates downed health up to 75% |
| Tactical Mk.3 (Defensive) | 60 kg | 20 | 1 | 5 | Light/Med/Heavy | Shield recharger usable while running |
| Tactical Mk.3 (Healing) | 55 kg | 16 | 3 | — | Light/Med | Healing cloud on revive |
| Combat Mk.3 (Flanking) | 60 kg | 18 | 2 | — | Light | Faster equip stowed pistols/hand cannons |
| Combat Mk.3 (Aggressive) | 65 kg | 18 | 2 | — | Light/Med/Heavy | 2 HP per 5 sec regen (pauses on damage) |
| (NEW) Tactical Mk.3 Revival | ~65 kg | 16 | 2 | 5 | Light | Passive regeneration + reusable defibrillator |
| (NEW) Looting Mk.3 Safekeeper | ~65 kg | 18 | 1 | 4 | Light/Med/Heavy | Safe pocket stores any item, heavy shield compatible |
The newest augments reinforce ARC Raiders’ emphasis on specialization over raw power. Both additions are valuable when used correctly, but neither is mandatory. While blueprint farming is slower, smart routing and container prioritization still yield results. Choosing the right augment for your risk tolerance and objectives is more important than ever.
