How to Use a Free Loadout in ARC Raiders

To use a free loadout in ARC Raiders, select Free Loadout when preparing an eligible raid and check the equipment preview before deploying. The game provides a starter kit, so you can go topside without putting your normal equipment at risk. The gear you find during the run still needs to come out with you. A free loadout does not normally give you a safe pocket to protect a valuable pickup if you die.

Select the kit and read the restrictions

1. Start preparing a raid in Speranza and choose the map or condition you intend to play.
2. Open the loadout selection and choose Free Loadout if that raid offers it.
3. Inspect the equipment preview. Check your weapon, ammunition, available items, and augment or storage before confirming.
4. Deploy with one clear goal, such as learning a route, gathering a few materials, or returning with the first useful item you find.

Look at the kit the game gave you before setting your plan. A weapon you didn't expect can change the distance at which you're comfortable fighting. A limited supply of ammunition can make it sensible to avoid a noisy fight even if you could win it. Treat the equipment as enough to start a modest route and let the run tell you what to do next.

If the option is unavailable, read the restriction on the selected raid. Some conditions can require a different loadout. Check the current option before taking equipment from your stash. If you only want to practice a route with minimal exposure, choose a map or condition where the free kit is available.

Loot for one purpose and leave room to move

Pick a goal that fits the kit. A short materials run is useful if you're rebuilding after a loss. A scouting run is useful when you want to learn an approach or exit without risking equipment from your stash. Define the goal before you enter a busy loot area. That makes it easier to decide when the run has already done enough.

As you loot, compare the new item with your current supplies and available space. Keep ammunition that fits the weapon you plan to use. If you find a better weapon, decide whether you have enough compatible ammo before building the rest of the run around it. You can also carry something valuable for extraction without switching to it immediately.

Don't plan around a protected slot unless you can see one on your current augment. If you find something you especially want to keep, move your objective to extraction. Another room can offer more loot, but it also gives other players or ARC time to get between you and the exit.

Plan the exit as soon as the run has paid off

Open the map and identify an available extraction. Check the current raid timer and look for another option in case the first route becomes dangerous. Move toward the exit while you still have time to change your approach. A route that was quiet earlier can become busy once other players start leaving.

Stop short of the final approach and listen. Look for movement and check whether you can reach the interaction without crossing a fight. If the exit is exposed, use cover where you can and keep an eye on what can approach while you wait. You can back away and choose another route if there's still enough time.

For example, if you went out looking for a small stack of materials and found something worth taking home, use the nearest reasonable extraction. Avoid spending the rest of the raid trying to fill every slot. Returning with a usable item is the point of the run.

Recover after a loss

If you die, check what was lost and what you learned about the route. The free kit kept your stash equipment out of the attempt, but it doesn't preserve unextracted loot. Choose a shorter path next time if you ran out of time or got caught near the exit.

If you survived and want to improve the next run, sort what you brought back and decide which pieces you can afford to risk. A custom loadout can give you a more predictable starting weapon and supplies. Use a free kit again if you mainly want to practice. Let the purpose of the raid decide how much to bring.