The Arc Raiders Solo Guide: How to Rat Your Way to Riches (When You Can't Aim)
So you're jumping into the meat grinder alone? You brave, stupid bastard. This isn't a hero shooter; it's a PvPvE extraction game. Being solo is brutal, and you're at the bottom of the food chain. This guide isn't for heroes. It's for survivors.
I've been running solo missions, and let me tell you, it's a different game. You can't trade hits, you can't rely on a revive, and every noise feels like a death sentence. But you can succeed. You just have to change your entire mindset. You're not a soldier; you're a rat. And rats get the cheese.
Embrace the Free Loadout (No More Gear Fear)
This is the most important tip for any solo, so I'm putting it first. At the map screen, you can select "FREE LOADOUT". This gives you the bare-bones essentials. Why is this great? Because it offers "absolutely zero loss". You can die a hundred times and not lose a single thing of value.
Use this to learn the maps, complete quests, and just get a feel for the game. Dying is just part of the process, and a lot of your quest progress saves even if you die. It's all just "baby steps" until you feel confident. One crucial thing: when you get back to Speranza, always remember to unload your backpack and re-select the Free Loadout before the next run.
Movement is Your Lifeblood
As a solo, you can't out-fight a squad. But you can out-run and out-maneuver them. Holster your weapon (H or 5, depending on your binds) to sprint significantly faster. More importantly, slide. Sliding down any hill or slope is fast, makes you a tiny target, and, best of all, regenerates your stamina. Be fast, be mobile, and pick fights you can actually win (or just run away). If you know you're screwed, pop an adrenaline shot and just bolt. Most raiders won't bother chasing you.
You're a Ghost, Not a Soldier
Your job is to not be seen. If you spot another player, don't engage. Find some bushes, go prone, and stop moving. A moving target draws the eye.
Your best stealth tool isn't a suppressed rifle (which is still loud); it's your melee weapon. Melee is silent and can one-hit weaker bots like Ticks and Wasps, and it's perfect for quietly taking out alarms and turrets. Gadgets are your real squad now. Smoke grenades, mines, and decoys are how you disengage or set traps.
The 'Please Don't Shoot Me' Emote Actually Works
This sounds insane, but I'm not kidding. If you get cornered and have no way out, don't just stand there and die. Hold 'G' to bring up the emote wheel and use the "DON'T SHOOT!" emote. I've had over a dozen encounters where the other player just... stops. They stare, maybe they emote back, and then they just walk away. It won't work every time, but it's a hell of a lot better than a guaranteed death.
How to Extract Without Getting Ambushed
Getting the loot is easy. Getting it out is the hard part. The big, noisy elevators and subways are death traps where squads camp. Quieter Raider Hatches are better, but you need a key.
As soon as you spawn, open your map and tag a "no-risk zone" elevator so you have a plan. Here's a pro-tip: you can call an elevator and just... walk away. It has a 2-minute auto-recall. Let some other poor bastard fight the campers, then just sprint in at the last second. And remember, you can still extract while you're downed. If you get shot crawling into the lift, just keep going. As long as you're inside when the door closes, you win.
A Few Final, Hard-Won Lessons
A "win" for a solo is just getting out alive. If you find one good item or finish one quest, just extract. Greed kills.
Also, your shield is not extra health. It only blocks part of the damage. If your health is low, HEAL. If you go down as a solo, you're dead. Period.
And finally, learn the weak spots. You can't afford to trade hits or waste ammo. Hit the robot's thrusters, legs, or back-mounted battery packs. Ping everything to identify threats, especially the hornets at elevators that can stun-lock you. Play smart, play patient, and live to rat another day.