Arc Raiders has a proper skill tree, which is a rarity for an extraction shooter that expects you to die and lose stuff on the regular. There are 45 skills across three trees – Mobility, Conditioning, and Survival – so you need a plan or you will end up with a weird mix of things that feel like they should work together but do not.
The most simple thing is to start start in Mobility. Stamina is the gating resource in most fights and escapes early on, so anything that stretches that bar is huge. After a Mobility foundation, funnel points into Conditioning to make shields and heavy weapons less crippling. Then dip into Survival for faster loot and in-round crafting when you want more utility on a run.
Why Mobility first
Mobility perks directly affect how often you can sprint, dodge, and actually get away from trouble. If you treat Arc Raiders like a tense game of tag with guns, these skills buy you time and options.
- Marathon Runner – Moving around costs less stamina. This is the bread-and-butter early pick.
- Youthful Lungs – Increases max stamina. Bigger bar, fewer panicked reloads.
- Carry the Momentum – After a sprint dodge roll, sprinting does not consume stamina for a short time. Useful for aggressive repositioning once you have 15 points in Mobility.
- Effortless Roll – Dodge rolls cost less stamina. Better survivability without burning the tank.
- Calming Stroll – While walking, stamina regenerates as if you were standing still. Another 15-point Mobility reward, but it helps in longer runs between engagements.
Conditioning – make shields and guns behave
Conditioning is more situational but pays off in how you feel while carrying a proper loadout. If you like shields or heavier weapons, this tree is your friend.
- Used to the Weight – Wearing a shield does not slow you down as much. If you pick a shield build, unlock this early after Mobility basics.
- Survivor’s Stamina – When critically hurt, stamina regenerates faster. Needs 15 points in Conditioning, but it saves runs that should have been over.
- Downed but Determined – When downed, it takes longer before you collapse. More clutch potential.
- Unburdened Roll – If your shield breaks, your first dodge roll within a few seconds costs no stamina. Another 15-point payout that pairs well with Used to the Weight.
- Loaded Arms – Your equipped weapon has less impact on encumbrance. This sits later in the tree but makes heavier builds playable.
Survival – loot, craft, and carry more
Survival gives tangible run-time benefits. It is less flashy in fights, but the quality of your runs improves a lot once you unlock a few key nodes.
- Looter’s Instincts – Loot is revealed faster when searching containers. Less time standing in a doorway praying you do not get domed.
- Broad Shoulders – Increases your maximum carry weight. More pockets for good stuff.
- Looter’s Luck – Chance to reveal twice as many items. Quick stacking of useful gear.
- Security Breach – Lets you breach Security Lockers. Requires heavy investment in Survival, but those lockers often contain high-grade loot.
- In-Round Crafting – Unlocks field crafting while topside. Combine this with Traveling Tinkerer to widen your crafting options on a run.
- Good as New – While under a healing effect, stamina regeneration is increased. Useful for sustained fights or long escapes once you have 15 points in Survival.
Practical progression roadmap: spend early points to cap out the low-level Mobility nodes, pick up Used to the Weight and Loaded Arms from Conditioning when you need better equipment flexibility, then move into Survival for Looter’s Instincts and In-Round Crafting so each run feels more productive.
We also wrote about Embark calling Arc Raiders a 10-year game and not publishing a public roadmap before launch, which gives a sense of how long these progression choices might matter.
Questions, disagreements, war stories about losing a perfect haul to some punk with a better dodge roll – drop them below and follow us on social. X, Bluesky, YouTube
