How to Kill the Queen in ARC Raiders Without Getting Your Ass Handed to You

This spider-legged nightmare is the toughest fight in the game, but with the right gear and a little patience, the loot is more than worth the ammo bill.

The Queen is the big one, the toughest end-game boss in Arc Raiders. Taking this massive bastard down requires precision, teamwork, and a whole lot of ammo, but the high-tier loot makes it worth every bullet you spend.

I've thrown myself at this thing enough times to figure out the rhythm. It's a long, punishing fight, but it's a predictable one. Here's my guide on how to kill the Queen and get out with the goods.

Where to Find the Queen

First, you can't just stumble upon this thing. The Queen only spawns near the Harvester during a Harvester Event.

When you're looking at the map, you need to find one with that little 'link' icon next to it. That's your ticket. Once you load in, you can't miss it. It's a giant, spider-like mechanical monster guarding the Harvester.

What You're Up Against

Knowing your enemy is half the battle. This is an Extreme-Threat ARC, and it has a few nasty tricks. Its weak points are its joints (the "knees") and, after you break a leg, its Head Core that drops into view.

Here’s the crap it will throw at you, formatted just how you like it.

Queen Stats & Mechanics

This is an Extreme-Threat ARC with 22,000 HP and full-plated armor. Its weak points are the joints ("knees") and the Head Core that exposes itself after you break a leg.

Attack	What to Look For & How to Avoid
Mortars	Fires 2-5 shells that create flaming ground. You'll get visual/audio cues. Dodge roll away and don't stand in the fire.
Laser Beam	A loud charge-up sound precedes a high-damage beam. Break line-of-sight immediately. A Heavy Shield can save you from an instant knockdown.
EMP Pulse / Ground Slam	Close-range melee attacks. It picks randomly, so just stay away from its feet. Have your Snap Hook ready to escape.

The Gear That Actually Works

Don't even think about trying this fight without the right loadout. This is an end-game boss, so bring your end-game gear.

For your primary weapon, it's the Hullcracker, no question. It's the best ARC killer in the game, period. I bring about 200-250 rounds for a solo, or 70-100 per person in a trio.

As a secondary, I like the Venator. It's great for those pesky Wasps and Hornets that show up, and it works just fine against any human intruders trying to steal your kill. The Anvil is another solid choice for sustained damage.

For grenades, the Showstopper is non-negotiable. It stuns the Queen for 10 seconds, giving you a clean damage window. The Wolfpack grenade is also a beast, but I save it for the adds like Rocketeers, since its targeting can be iffy on the Queen's core.

You need healing. Lots of it. I pack multiple Herbal Bandages, Shield Rechargers, and a few Defibrillators for my teammates. For your augment, craft the Combat Augment III (or II). It lets you equip the Heavy Shield, which you'll absolutely need.

Gadget-wise, the Snap Hook is essential. It lets you reposition, dodge the laser, or even jump on the Queen to hit its core.

Finally, and this is crucial: put a Raider Hatch Key in your goddamn safe pocket. You don't want to win this fight and then die at extraction because all the elevators are swarming.

The Strategy: How to Actually Kill It

Okay, you're in, you're geared, and the Queen is staring you down. Don't fight it in the open.

My preferred method is to find a good piece of cover, like a building. On the Dam Battlegrounds map, the Power Gen Complex on the north side is perfect. It gives you good angles from the staircase or rooftop and limits your exposure.

Now, you play a patient game. The strategy is simple: break a leg, then burn the core.

Have one person peek to bait the mortar attack. As soon as the shells are in the air, everyone else unloads on a single leg joint. Focus your fire.

Once the joint breaks, the Queen will stagger and its Head Core will drop into view. This is your moment.

Throw a Showstopper to stun it for 10 seconds. Everyone immediately swaps to high DPS, more Hullcracker shots, Anvil, whatever you've got—and dumps everything into that glowing core.

The second you hear the laser charge up, get back into cover. Don't get greedy.

Rinse and repeat. Rotate to the next leg, break it, burn the core. All while this is happening, you must control the adds. Use Wolfpacks or shock grenades to delete the Rocketeers that spawn.

If you're solo, it's the same idea but lonelier. Kite the Queen around a big rock, peek-shooting a leg joint. When the core drops, step out, fire a short burst, and immediately hide before the beam tracks you. It's a long, tedious fight, so make sure you brought a backup weapon in case your first one breaks.

The Payday: Queen Loot and Rewards

Once it's dead, loot fast. The Queen drops one of the richest loot pools in the game.

Here’s the payday you're working for.

Queen & Harvester Loot

Once it's dead, loot fast. The Queen and the Harvester it guards drop one of the richest loot pools in the game.

Item Drop	What It Is
Queen Reactor	The jackpot. A legendary-tier drop used for end-game crafting, like the Jupiter or Equalizer weapons.
Magnetic Accelerator	The key component you need to craft your own Hullcracker.
High-Tier ARC Parts	A pile of ARC Alloy, Advanced Powercells, Motion Cores, Circuitry, Coolant, Steel, etc..
Harvester Loot	Don't forget to loot the Harvester itself for more ARC items and a potential Blueprint.

That's everything I know. The fight is an ammo-hungry, high-stress nightmare, but it's a predictable nightmare.

Commit to one leg at a time, manage the adds, play around the mortar windows, and don't get zapped by the laser. Do that, and you'll be farming Queen Reactors in no time.

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