What to know

  • Expeditions permanently retire your current Raider, ending their journey in the Rust Belt and transferring progress only through long-term systems rather than character stats.
  • Most core progression resets after departure, including inventory, levels, skills, and quests, while select meta unlocks are preserved for future Raiders.
  • Rewards scale based on Expedition completion and stash value, granting lasting buffs such as bonus XP, extra materials, repair efficiency, and additional skill points.
  • Missing the Expedition departure window results in losing all buffs, meaning careful timing and preparation are essential to secure long-term benefits.

The Expedition system in ARC Raiders represents a major progression milestone, resetting your Raider while preserving long-term advantages. It encourages strategic planning, resource investment, and timing to ensure future Raiders begin stronger and more efficient.

Screenshot by: NerdsChalk

About Expeditions in ARC Raiders

Undertaking an Expedition is a permanent decision that sends your Raider beyond the Rust Belt, marking the end of their current run.

Screenshots by: NerdsChalk

Preparation is handled through multiple construction and resource stages, where you build and outfit a caravan before departure. Once the Expedition begins, most character-specific progress is reset.

However, Expeditions are not a loss - they are an investment. Certain unlocks, currencies, and meta progression systems persist across Raiders, allowing each new run to benefit from previous efforts. Repeated Expeditions further strengthen these long-term advantages.

Expeditions operate on a fixed calendar, with each preparation stage unlocking sequentially. Once construction is complete, a limited departure window opens, and failing to send your Raider before it closes results in the loss of all Expedition-related buffs for that cycle.

What resets vs what carries over

This section outlines which progression elements are wiped when an Expedition begins and which rewards and unlocks persist for your next Raider.

Screenshot by: NerdsChalk
Reset on Expedition
  • Inventory items
  • Coins
  • Player level and skill points
  • Blueprints and quests
  • Workshop, stash upgrades, and Raider Den progress
Kept for the next Raider
  • Unlocked maps and Codex entries
  • Raider Tokens, Cred, and Merits
  • Cosmetic unlocks
  • Active leaderboards and Trials
  • Bonus skill points and stash slots earned from Expeditions

Rewards and buffs

Completing an Expedition grants lasting buffs for your next Raider, such as increased XP gain, extra Scrappy materials, improved weapon repair efficiency, and additional stash space.

Screenshot by: NerdsChalk

These bonuses remain active until your next Expedition, with bonus skill points awarded based on the total value of items left in your stash at departure, making each run a meaningful step in long-term progression.

Tips for Expedition

  • Start contributing resources early so you are not rushed when the departure window opens. Missed timing means lost buffs.
  • Maximize your stash value before leaving, as higher-value stockpiles translate directly into bonus skill points for your next Raider.
  • Commit to Expeditions consistently, since repeated completions steadily stack powerful long-term bonuses.
  • Think beyond the current run - each Expedition strengthens future Raiders, turning short-term losses into lasting progression.

We hope this Expedition guide brought clarity and saved you time. Your feedback means a lot, so feel free to comment with suggestions, ideas, or questions. We monitor the comments closely and try to respond quickly to anyone who needs assistance or further explanation.