Embark has shifted the first Expedition window for ARC Raiders just a bit, and while that might sound annoying at first, it is actually a free boost for anyone chasing value. Instead of kicking off on the 15th, the run now goes from December 17th to the 22nd, which means a couple more days to grind, stack gear and squeeze every coin of value into your stash before the big choice. That extra time is huge if you are aiming to cash out with a strong Caravan, especially if you are already planning your route, your squad and even where to pick up rare drops or trade for high-end ARC Raiders Items as you push toward the cap.
Big Reset, Big Payoff
The reset system looks brutal on paper, but once you break it down it is actually pretty fair. You choose when to leave the Rust Belt, hit that depart button and wipe your Raider’s progress. Levels, crafted gear, stash items, all of it goes. A lot of players see that and back off straight away. But the rewards stick around forever, and that is where it gets interesting. You can lock in up to 5 Skill Points based on the total value of your stash when you go, with 1 million value for each point. Hit 5 million and you are done. On top of that, your stash gets +12 permanent slots, which is massive in an extraction game. Extra space means less time playing inventory Tetris and more time grabbing loot that actually matters.
How To Hit The 5M Mark
If you want the full 5 points, you cannot just coast on safe routes. You need risk, but smart risk. Stella Montis at night is rough, with robots everywhere and fights that drag out way longer than you expect, but once you learn the patterns it turns into a gold mine. Queen Cores and Bastion Cells drop often enough there that a few clean runs can spike your stash value fast. If you are queuing solo and do not fancy getting shredded in the dark, Blue Gate in the daytime is a decent alternative. Tempest blueprints are not as flashy, but they add up. One thing people forget: everything sitting in your stash counts. So dump the junk. Sell duplicates to traders now instead of letting them clog space that could be holding higher tier gear.
Starting Over, But Stronger
When the reset hits on the 22nd and you have taken part, you respawn with nothing on your Raider but with a serious head start. No slow intro missions, no being boxed into early zones, you get straight access to all maps and can roll into proper builds way faster than new players. Those 5 extra Skill Points feel like skipping weeks of grind and open up builds that usually take a whole season to reach. If going back to zero gear makes you feel stuck, there is another route: some players grab rare items, Mythics or alloys through trading or sites like ARC Raiders BluePrint so they can jump right back into high-tier PvP instead of crawling through low-risk raids again. The whole event is basically a test of how bold you are willing to be with your stash and how much you value long-term power over short-term comfort.
