ARC Raiders Harvester Guide

Welcome, Raiders! In this ARC Raiders Harvester guide, we’ll explain to you how to complete the puzzle and what loot you’ll end up with if you take your chances in one of the most dangerous map conditions in the game. We’ll start by explaining what this map condition is, what you’re going to need, how to do it in a group or as a solo (yes, its doable solo), as well as name some of the possible loot items you’ll be able to find and escape with.

If you want the loot from Harvester without risking one of the most expensive gear in the game, you can buy ARC Raiders Harvester boost at Skycoach. Get every single item from the Harvester and the Queen delivered to you quickly and safely. Check out the service details by clicking the link.

Read our other ARC Raiders guides:

• Beginner's Guide
• How to Farm Coins
• Best Settings
• Weapons Tier List
• Best Builds
• Leveling Guide
• Crafting Guide
• Dam Battlegrounds Map Guide

 

 

What Is the Harvester Event?

ARC Raiders Harvester event is a rotating world activity that appears on select maps:

• Dam Battlegrounds - South-East of the Power Generation Complex, at the Red Lakes
• Spaceport - between the Maintenance Hangar and Staff Parking at the south side of the map.
• Blue Gate - to the west of the Checkpoint POINT, right in the middle of the map.

It’s a large, mechanical structure guarded by an ARC Queen and several heavy units, but you don’t have to fight them to earn rewards. The real goal is to breach the structure, complete the timed ARC Raiders Harvester puzzle inside, and claim valuable loot before extraction.

When active, the event is marked on your map by a distinct Harvester symbol. Inside the structure, players face alternating environmental hazards—orange fire waves that burn health and blue pulses that drain shields. Managing these while searching for three hidden canisters and disabling internal alarms is the key to finishing the event. BLOG20

Once the Harvester is deactivated, it releases three central loot canisters containing rare materials and ARC Raiders legendary weapons. The structure also becomes a fortified base, which many players then use to fight the ARC Queen for additional high-value drops. Completing the puzzle itself, however, is enough to secure excellent rewards without ever engaging the boss.

How to Complete the Harvester Puzzle in a Group

Running the Harvester puzzle with a team of three is the most efficient and secure way to clear the event. The Queen patrols the area outside, so assign one player to breach the door while the others cover or distract nearby ARCs. Once inside, the puzzle activates instantly, and coordination becomes essential.

Inside the Harvester, the reactor alternates between two pulse types:

• Orange/Red Glow – Firewave: Fills the room with flames that deal direct health damage. Leave immediately and re-enter once it stops.
• Blue Glow – Shield Pulse: Emits an EMP burst that drains shields but doesn’t harm health. Keep shields unequipped so you can ignore it safely.

Your objective is to find and install three canisters into the central reactor core. Here’s how to organize it:

1. Locate the Canisters

• One canister is already placed in the center.
• The remaining two are hidden in breachable cabinets on the upper floor.
• Split up and breach quickly—ignore regular loot until all canisters are found.

2. Install the Canisters

• Gather near the center and slot all three at once.
• Doing this simultaneously prevents reset delays and triggers the next stage.

3. Destroy the Alarm Nodes

• Yellow alarm panels will light up along the walls and balconies.
• Shoot or melee each one. Use vertical melee attacks for higher panels.
• Divide tasks—two players clear above, one handles the ground level.

When every alarm node is destroyed, the Harvester powers down and drops three loot containers filled with valuable materials and legendary weapon blueprints.

Before extraction:

1. Peek outside to check the Queen’s position.
2. Use zip lines or safe routes to exit quickly.
3. Assign one player to carry a Raider Hatch Key for a guaranteed extraction point.

With proper teamwork, the full puzzle can be cleared in around five minutes, rewarding your squad with steady high-tier loot and blueprints—without ever having to fight the Queen.

How to Complete the Harvester Puzzle Solo

Doing the ARC Raiders solo Harvester is riskier but entirely doable if you plan ahead. Your main focus is speed, positioning, and pulse management—anything that delays you increases the chance of being interrupted by players or the Queen.

Approach from the Queen’s blind side and stay crouched to avoid detection. Breach the Harvester door as soon as you’re close, then move directly inside. Keep your shield unequipped from the start so blue EMP pulses can’t drain it.

Once inside, follow this solo loop:

1. Move Fast, Don’t Loot

• Sprint to the upper walkway and begin breaching every cabinet in sequence.
• Ignore anything labeled “Search.” Only stop when you find a canister.
• One canister is already in the middle; you need two more from the upper level.

2. Watch the Core’s Color

• When it glows orange/red, exit immediately to avoid fire damage.
• When it glows blue, stay put and keep working—the EMP only affects shields.

3. Slot and Reset

• Bring all canisters to the center. Insert one at a time while the room is stable.
• If a pulse starts mid-action, stop immediately, step out, and continue once safe.

4. Clear the Yellow Alarms

• After inserting all canisters, yellow nodes will activate along walls and balconies.
• Use vertical melee or precise shots to destroy each one quickly.
• Work in a clockwise pattern so you don’t miss any.

5. Loot and Leave

• When the last node breaks, three loot canisters appear in the center.
• Prioritize legendary blueprints or rare materials first.
• Wait until the Queen wanders off before leaving the structure.

If executed smoothly, you can finish the puzzle in about eight minutes. It’s one of the safest solo profit routes in ARC

Raiders—just stay quiet, move fast, and never fight what you can avoid.

Recommended Loadout for the Harvester Event

Preparation makes all the difference when taking on the Harvester Event. The puzzle and the Queen both drain resources fast, so it’s best to bring a mix of heavy firepower, healing, and extraction tools before entering the zone.

Primary Weapon

• Hullcracker Launcher – The best overall weapon for both the Queen fight and dealing with ARC enemies. Even at level one, it’s reliable, but upgrading to level four massively boosts fire rate and damage output.

Buy it from the gun shop (30,000 credits) and stock up on launcher ammo—either crafted from blueprints or bought for 3,000 each.

Secondary Weapon Options

• Anvil – Heavy ammo weapon for killing elite ARCs or PvP threats.
• Venator – Great all-purpose choice and highly effective in PvP.

Ammo Count

• Bring 60–80 launcher shots per player in a group.
• Bring 150–200 shots when running solo for a safe buffer.

Defensive Gear

• Medium or Heavy Shield minimum.
• Keep shields unequipped during the Harvester puzzle to avoid EMP drain.
• Use Surge Shield Recharges or Vita Spray for panic healing.

Healing & Utility Items

1. 10 Bandages and 10 Shield Recharges minimum.
2. Wolfoack for emergency clearing if a Rocketeer or ARC rushes in.
3. Zip Lines for repositioning or quick escape routes.
4. Raider Hatch Key for guaranteed extraction near the Harvester.

Augment Recommendation

• Tactical Mark III – Provides three safe pocket slots (vital for storing Queen Reactors, Magnetic Accelerators, or blueprints). Also supports medium shields and more healing items.

Optional Tools for Solo Runs

• Door Blockers to seal entrances when fighting or puzzling alone.
• Barricades to cover doorways.
• Jolt or Explosive Mines for defense—but place sparingly to avoid triggering them accidentally during pulses.

 

Puzzle Rewards and Legendary Blueprints

Even without fighting the Queen, this is the ARC Raiders best loot farm. Once the last yellow alarm node is destroyed, the reactor powers down, and three loot containers appear in the center of the room. Each canister can hold rare crafting materials, credits, or even weapon blueprints.

The most valuable rewards include:

1. Legendary Weapon Blueprints – Chance to obtain the Jupiter Sniper Rifle and the Equalizer LMG. Both require Gunsmith Level 3 and Complex Gun Parts to craft.
2. Energy Ammo & Materials – A steady supply of resources for crafting or upgrading weapons.
3. Credit Value – Puzzle clears alone can yield high-value drops that easily sell for tens of thousands of credits.

To secure your loot safely:

• Transfer the most valuable items (like blueprints) to your safe pockets immediately.
• Wait for the Queen to move away from the Harvester entrance before exiting.
• Extract using a Raider Hatch Key if available for a guaranteed escape.

The ARC Raiders Jupiter blueprint allows you to craft this weapon at Gun Bench level 3. You could also get lucky and get the ARC Raiders equalizer blueprint, which is an energy beam weapon. You can complete the Harvester puzzle multiple times across event rotations. Since you don’t need to defeat the Queen, this becomes one of the most reliable ways to farm high-end materials and legendary blueprints with minimal risk.

How to Defeat the Queen (Optional Boss)

The Queen ARC is the optional boss guarding every Harvester event. You don’t have to do the ARC Raiders queen fight to complete the puzzle, but defeating her yields some of the most profitable loot in the game. The encounter is extremely dangerous, so preparation and timing are key to a successful run.

If you want to learn how to beat the Queen in ARC Raiders, the first thing you should know is that it works best from inside a deactivated Harvester, which acts as a fortified base once the puzzle is finished. Its roof blocks mortar fire, and its doorways provide clean sightlines to the Queen’s weak points. Teams can hold positions at the two main doors and the upper balcony for maximum coverage and constant damage uptime.

During the battle, prioritize firing at the Queen’s faceplate—the red sensor that opens when she charges her laser attacks. This is her critical weak spot and where most damage registers. Her main attacks include:

• EMP Burst – Disables shields and briefly stuns you. Take cover behind walls or the Harvester structure.
• Laser Charge Beam – Sweeps the area and leaves burning fire trails. Move laterally and wait for openings.
• Rapid-Fire Lasers – Short bursts that can melt health quickly if you stay exposed.
• Mortar Fire – Arcing explosives that mark the ground with flames. Use these moments to reposition and reload.
• Stomp Attack – Deals heavy damage if you stand too close to her legs. Keep a distance whenever possible.

For group runs, a coordinated team using upgraded Hullcrackers can kill the Queen in about four minutes. Two players should focus on consistent DPS from the doorway while one alternates from the balcony to draw aggro and spot other players. Begin the fight with roughly 15 minutes left in the raid to minimize the risk of PvP interference. BLOG20

Solo players can attempt the fight from a fortified window room on the Dam Battlegrounds, but it’s significantly riskier. You’ll need door blockers, barricades, 150–200 launcher rounds, and triple healing supplies. Focus on the left window for better visibility and shift sides after each volley to manipulate her fire patterns. A clean solo kill usually takes 12–15 minutes.

Once she’s defeated, loot her remains immediately and prepare for incoming scavengers. The Queen’s drops include ARC Raiders queen reactor, Magnetic Accelerators, and a mix of rare crafting materials. Secure everything valuable in your safe pockets before leaving, then extract as fast as possible.

Conclusion

The Harvester Event is one of the most rewarding and versatile activities in ARC Raiders. It combines puzzle-solving, environmental hazards, and optional boss combat into a single high-stakes encounter. You can complete the puzzle for guaranteed loot and legendary blueprints, or push further to defeat the Queen for endgame crafting materials and a huge credit payout.

For most players, the smart route is to complete the puzzle, extract, and return later when better equipped or in a stronger squad. Those confident enough to challenge the Queen should do so inside a cleared Harvester to take full advantage of its natural defenses.

Whichever route you take, preparation decides everything—bring the right gear, manage resources carefully, and always plan your escape before engaging. The Harvester Event rewards patience and precision, turning each successful clear into one of the most profitable runs in ARC Raiders.

F.A.Q.