What to know

  • The Harvester event is time-limited and includes a trapped puzzle and a guarded reward cache.
  • The Queen, a powerful ARC boss, protects the Harvester and patrols the event area.
  • The puzzle consists of 12 sections with traps that must be breached carefully.
  • Rewards include ARC items and guaranteed crafting recipes in the unlocked reward cache.

The Harvester puzzle in ARC Raiders is part of a world event where a massive machine appears guarded by the Queen, the largest ARC enemy. Your goal is to breach the puzzle structure, dealing with traps and timed mechanics, while avoiding or managing the Queen’s threat. Successful completion unlocks a reward cache holding high-value loot and crafting recipes.

How the harvester event works

The event consists of two main parts: the trapped 12-section puzzle structure (must be breached) and the 3-section reward cache (locked behind the puzzle and untrapped). The Queen roams the area, adding difficulty as a strong AI boss. The event appears only during its active rotation on specific maps like Dam Battlegrounds and Acerra Spaceport.

Dealing with the queen and event timing

The Queen is extremely durable and lethal, best tackled with a coordinated team. She can collapse solo or unprepared teams quickly. You can only access the Harvester and its puzzle when the event is active, indicated by the presence of the Queen on the map.

Solving the puzzle: step-by-step guide

The puzzle involves finding and inserting specific canisters into pillars inside the Harvester husk, done in a precise order:

Step 1

Approach carefully, avoiding Queen aggro and clearing enemy patrols.

Step 2

Enter the upper deck of the husk and locate randomized breach points to find containers (canisters).

Step 3

Drop the canisters down to the lower deck.

Step 4

Use buttons surrounding the core on the lower deck to raise pillarssert the canisters into the pillars as per puzzle sequence.

Step 5

During this, avoid or withstand core overload shocks that stun and drain shields but don't kill.

Step 6

Clear yellow probes that spawn on upper and lower levels after container placement.

Step 7

Complete all three pillar insertions and button activations to solve the puzzle and loot the reward caches.

Strategy tips for success

  • Assign team roles: one for puzzle interaction, others for perimeter security.
  • Move deliberately, watch angles, and don't rush due to traps and Queen pressure.
  • Use line-of-sight breaks and keep exit options ready.
  • Loot quickly and extract fast after opening the reward cache.

Rewards

Rewards focus on ARC items with slight variation by ARC subtype, plus one guaranteed crafting recipe from the reward cache every run, making the event a reliable recipe farming opportunity.

he ARC Raiders Harvester puzzle is a high-risk, high-reward event requiring stealth, coordination, and careful puzzle mechanics involving container placement under pressure from the Queen and traps. Mastering the steps leads to some of the best loot and crafting blueprints in the game.