Arc Raiders Groundbreaking Quest Guide
This guide explains how to complete the Groundbreaking quest in Arc Raiders, covering its objectives, the best strategies, and common pitfalls. You’ll learn what to bring, where to go, and how to finish the quest efficiently, whether you’re a new player or a seasoned raider.
What Is the Groundbreaking Quest?
Groundbreaking is a story-related side quest in Arc Raiders that tasks you with destroying a set of ARC construction drones and then recovering their data cores. It’s one of the earlier quests that introduces you to the game’s core loop of exploration, combat, and extraction. The quest appears after you’ve completed a few main story missions and have access to the open-world map. Its main reward is a substantial amount of in-game currency and a unique weapon skin, making it worth completing early.
Prerequisites and How to Unlock
Before you can start Groundbreaking, you must have finished the mission “First Contact” and reached player level 5. The quest giver is the NPC “Chief Engineer Mara” located in the main hub area, near the workbench. If you don’t see the quest marker, make sure you’ve progressed the main story far enough and have completed the tutorial missions. Once unlocked, the quest appears in your journal under the “Side Missions” tab, with a recommended power level of 10.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
- Equip the right loadout: Bring a weapon with medium to long range (like a marksman rifle) and at least two grenades. The drones are fast but have low health, so a high-fire-rate SMG also works well.
- Travel to the marked area: The quest sends you to the “Derelict Factory” region in the northeast corner of the map. Use the fast travel point if you’ve unlocked it, then head to the marked building.
- Locate the construction drones: Inside the factory, you’ll find three ARC drones hovering near a half-built structure. They are guarded by a few automated turrets, so clear those first.
- Destroy the drones: Shoot the drones until they explode. Each drone drops a data core that you must pick up. Be careful: the drones have a self-destruct timer after they take heavy damage, so back away when they start flashing red.
- Collect the data cores: After all three drones are down, pick up the three data cores. They appear as glowing blue orbs on the ground.
- Extract safely: The quest doesn’t require you to extract, but you’ll need to return to the hub to turn in the quest. If you die after collecting the cores, you lose them and must restart the area.
Strategies for Success
- Use cover: The factory has plenty of crates and pillars. Use them to avoid drone fire while you aim.
- Focus on one drone at a time: If you spread damage, all three will self-destruct simultaneously, making it harder to collect cores safely.
- Bring a friend: In co-op, one player can distract the drones while the other shoots. This makes the fight significantly easier.
- Hide behind the structure: The drones’ AI is simple; they often fly into walls. Use this to your advantage by baiting them into a corner.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many players fail this quest by ignoring the turrets first. The turrets deal heavy damage and can down you in seconds, especially if you’re under-leveled. Always clear the turrets before engaging the drones. Another common mistake is picking up the data cores immediately after each drone explodes. If you pick up a core, the remaining drones become more aggressive and fire faster. Instead, destroy all three drones first, then collect the cores in one go. Finally, don’t forget to bring health packs—there’s no healing station in the factory, and you’ll likely take some damage.
Rewards and Why It’s Worth It
Completing Groundbreaking grants you 1,500 credits, 200 XP, and the “ARC-9” weapon skin for your assault rifle. The credits are useful for buying new gear early on, and the skin is a nice cosmetic that shows you’ve completed the quest. More importantly, the quest unlocks a follow-up mission called “Data Recovery” that gives even better rewards, so it’s a good idea to finish it as soon as you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I solo this quest?
Yes, the quest is designed to be soloable, but it’s challenging if you’re under-leveled. If you’re below level 10, consider leveling up a bit first or bringing a friend.
What happens if I die after collecting the cores?
If you die after picking up the data cores, you’ll drop them at the location of your death. You can return to that spot to recover them, but if you die again, they’re gone and you’ll need to restart the quest.
Are the drones weak to any specific damage type?
Yes, drones are vulnerable to electric damage. If you have an electric mod for your weapon, equip it to deal extra damage.
Can I replay the quest for more rewards?
No, Groundbreaking is a one-time quest. Once completed, it cannot be replayed for the same rewards. However, the data cores you collect can be sold for extra credits if you don’t need them for the follow-up mission.
How long does the quest take?
On average, it takes about 20-30 minutes, including travel time. If you die and have to redo the area, it can take longer.
Is there a time limit?
No, there’s no time limit. You can take as long as you need to explore and complete the objective.
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