Arc Raiders Turbine Compressors Guide
This guide explains what turbine compressors do in Arc Raiders, where to find them, and how to use them effectively to upgrade your gear and progress through the game. You’ll learn the core mechanics, farming routes, and common mistakes to avoid, so you can spend less time grinding and more time raiding.
What Are Turbine Compressors?
Turbine compressors are a mid-to-high-tier crafting component in Arc Raiders, used primarily for upgrading weapons and equipment to higher rarity tiers. Unlike common salvage, they are not dropped by every enemy—they require targeted farming from specific loot sources, such as supply caches, elite enemies, and certain mission rewards. Because they are consumed in large quantities for late-game upgrades, understanding how to stockpile them efficiently is key to staying competitive.
Where to Find Turbine Compressors
Turbine compressors are most reliably found in the following locations and activities:
- Elite enemy drops: Named or armored enemies in high-level zones have a higher drop chance.
- Locked supply caches: These require a key or a lockpick tool; they often contain 2–5 compressors.
- Mission rewards: Certain main story and side missions award them as one-time bonuses.
- Deconstruction: You can break down unwanted higher-tier gear (green or blue rarity) to salvage compressors, though the yield is low (usually 1–2 per item).
Farming the same low-level area repeatedly is inefficient—enemy drop rates scale with zone difficulty, so focus on the highest-tier zone you can clear reliably.
How to Use Them in Crafting and Upgrades
To upgrade a weapon or armor piece from, say, Common (gray) to Uncommon (green), you need a set number of turbine compressors, plus other materials like metal scraps and adhesive. The exact count varies by item type and current tier, but a typical upgrade path might look like:
- Common → Uncommon: 3–5 compressors
- Uncommon → Rare: 8–12 compressors
- Rare → Epic: 20–30 compressors
You access the upgrade menu at any workbench in the hub area. Select the item, choose “Upgrade,� and the game will show the required materials. If you lack compressors, the menu will highlight them in red, and you can select them to see a hint about where to farm them.
Optimal Farming Strategies
To maximize your compressor yield per hour, follow these steps:
- Unlock the highest-tier zone you can handle—this is usually the second or third map area. Check the recommended power level before entering.
- Run a loop that includes 2–3 elite spawns and 1–2 locked caches. Memorize the spawn points; they are static per map seed.
- Bring lockpicks or keys. You can craft them at the workbench using common materials, or buy them from the vendor (if available).
- Kill elites first—they have the highest drop rate. After clearing a zone, loot all containers, then fast-travel to the next area.
- Deconstruct any unwanted green/blue gear you find along the way. It’s a slow trickle, but it adds up over time.
A typical 30-minute run in a mid-tier zone should yield 10–15 compressors on average, depending on luck and how many caches you open.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many players waste time and resources by making these errors:
- Farming low-level zones: The drop rate is abysmal (under 5% per elite). Always push to higher tiers.
- Ignoring locked caches: They are often the fastest source—each cache can give up to 5 compressors, which is more than most elite kills.
- Selling compressors to vendors: They sell for a small amount of credits, but you will need hundreds later. Never sell them unless you are absolutely certain you have a surplus.
- Upgrading low-tier gear: It is better to save compressors for a weapon you will use for many levels, not a gray pistol you will replace in an hour.
Comparison: Turbine Compressors vs. Other Materials
Unlike common materials like metal scraps (which drop from almost every container) or adhesive (which you get from plants and certain enemies), turbine compressors are a “gate� material. They are the first resource that forces you to change your playstyle from passive looting to active hunting. In contrast, rare materials like microchips are only used for epic upgrades, so they are less of a bottleneck early on. If you are stuck on a rare upgrade, the compressor requirement is usually the limiting factor, not the other materials.
Cost and Trading Considerations
There is no player-to-player trading in Arc Raiders, so you cannot buy compressors from others. The only in-game cost is the time spent farming. However, you can spend credits (the in-game currency) to buy lockpicks or keys at the vendor, which indirectly speeds up your farming. A stack of 5 lockpicks costs roughly the same as one weapon sale, so it is often worth it if you have a reliable cache route. Also, note that compressors are not account-bound—they are shared across your character’s inventory, so you can farm with a higher-level character and transfer them to a lower-level one via the stash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy turbine compressors from the in-game store?
No, turbine compressors cannot be purchased with real money or premium currency. They are only obtainable through gameplay—drops, caches, mission rewards, or deconstruction. Any third-party site claiming to sell them is a scam and may compromise your account.
Do turbine compressors drop from all elite enemies?
Most elite enemies have a chance to drop them, but the drop rate is not uniform. Heavier armored units (like Brutes or Shieldbearers) have a higher chance than lighter elites. Bosses in raid missions are guaranteed to drop at least one, but they are not farmable repeatedly.
What is the fastest way to get turbine compressors?
The fastest method is to run a loop of 3–4 locked caches in a high-tier zone, bringing lockpicks. Each cache has a 70–80% chance to contain compressors, and you can open 4–5 in under 10 minutes. Combine that with killing any elites you encounter along the way.
Can I deconstruct a weapon to get back the compressors I used to upgrade it?
No, deconstruction only gives you a fraction of the base materials (like scrap), not the upgrade components. Once you spend compressors on an upgrade, they are gone. That is why it is important to only upgrade gear you plan to keep for a while.
Are turbine compressors used for anything besides upgrades?
Currently, they are only used for upgrading weapons and armor. They are not used in base building, consumables, or quest items. However, future content updates could add new uses, so it is wise to keep a reserve of at least 50.
Do I need to be a certain level to farm turbine compressors?
There is no level requirement, but the enemies that drop them are typically level 10 or higher. If you are below that, you can still find them in low-tier caches, but the drop rate is much lower. It is more efficient to level up first and then farm.
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