Arc Raiders Workshop: Which 6 Stations to Build First?
In Arc Raiders, the Workshop is your hub for crafting gear and upgrading your arsenal, and the six stations you should build first are the Workbench, Armory, Medical Station, Ammo Press, Scrap Processor, and the Gear Locker. These six provide the core loop of crafting weapons, armor, healing items, and ammunition while managing your resources, giving you the best foundation for surviving the early game. This guide explains why each of these stations is essential and the order you should prioritize them.
What is the Workshop?
The Workshop is a persistent, instanced space that you return to between missions. It’s where you craft and upgrade all of your equipment using resources you gather during raids. The Workshop is divided into several distinct stations, each with a specific purpose. Your progression in the game is heavily tied to what you build and upgrade here, as higher-tier gear requires more advanced stations. The six stations we’re focusing on are the ones that directly support your combat effectiveness and survival, which are the most critical in the early game.
The Six Core Stations
While there are more than six stations available in the Workshop, these six are the ones you should prioritize building first because they form a self-sustaining ecosystem for your loadout.
- Workbench: This is the primary station for crafting weapons and weapon mods. Without it, you’re stuck with whatever you find in the field. Building this first lets you create reliable, preferred weapons and customize them to your playstyle.
- Armory: The Armory is where you craft armor and other defensive equipment. Upgrading your armor is crucial for surviving tougher enemies, and the Armory is the only way to get the best defensive gear consistently.
- Medical Station: This station crafts healing items like syringes and bandages. Having a steady supply of medical supplies is non-negotiable for sustained raiding, and this station ensures you never go into a mission empty-handed.
- Ammo Press: This station crafts ammunition for your weapons. While you can find ammo in the world, it’s rarely enough for extended firefights. The Ammo Press lets you convert raw materials into a reliable ammo supply.
- Scrap Processor: This station breaks down unwanted items and raw materials into Scrap, which is a fundamental currency for crafting at other stations. It’s the engine that keeps your crafting economy running.
- Gear Locker: While not a crafting station per se, the Gear Locker expands your inventory space for stored weapons and armor. It’s essential for hoarding high-tier gear you find in raids and for keeping your loadouts organized.
Why This Order?
The order you build these stations matters because they have a dependency chain. The Scrap Processor should be first or second because it generates the Scrap you need for everything else. The Workbench and Armory are next because they directly improve your combat capability. The Medical Station and Ammo Press are then crucial for sustain, and the Gear Locker is a quality-of-life upgrade that becomes more important as you accumulate better loot. This order ensures you have a functional loop: you can process scrap, craft gear, and keep yourself supplied.
How to Unlock and Upgrade Stations
Stations are unlocked through the game’s progression system, typically by completing story missions and reaching certain player levels. Upgrading a station requires specific resources and often requires a higher player level. It’s a good idea to focus on upgrading one station at a time, rather than spreading your resources thin. The Workbench and Armory are the most impactful to upgrade first, as they unlock higher-tier weapon and armor crafting recipes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake is neglecting the Scrap Processor. Without it, you’ll be swimming in unusable raw materials and starved for Scrap. Another is not upgrading the Ammo Press early enough; you’ll find yourself running out of ammunition in the middle of a mission. Finally, don’t ignore the Gear Locker. As you progress, you’ll find legendary weapons and armor that you’ll want to keep, and a small inventory will force you to leave them behind.
Alternatives and Advanced Strategies
Once you have these six stations built and upgraded, you can start looking at other stations like the Explosives Bench or the Field Lab. The Explosives Bench allows you to craft grenades and other throwables, which are excellent for crowd control. The Field Lab is for crafting consumable buffs. These are more situational and can be built later once your core needs are met. For advanced players, consider specializing your loadout: if you favor a specific weapon type, upgrade the Workbench to maximize its potential, and use the Gear Locker to store multiple variations for different missions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rebuild a station if I make a mistake?
Yes, you can usually salvage and rebuild stations, but you will lose some of the resources invested. It’s better to plan your build order to avoid wasting materials.
Do station upgrades carry over between seasons?
In most live-service games, progression like this is reset or partially reset with a new season. Check the official patch notes for the current season to see if Workshop progress is persistent.
Is the Scrap Processor really that important?
Yes. Scrap is the universal crafting currency, and the Scrap Processor is the only reliable way to generate it from raw materials. Without it, your crafting will stall.
What if I prefer melee weapons? Should I still build the Workbench?
Yes, because the Workbench also crafts melee weapons and mods, and you’ll still need a ranged backup for certain situations. It’s a versatile station.
How many stations can I have in the Workshop?
The Workshop has a limited number of build slots, but you can usually place all available stations. The limit is on the level of upgrades, not the number of stations.
Can I move stations after placing them?
Yes, the Workshop is fully customizable. You can pick up and move stations to reorganize your space at any time without penalty.
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