Arc Raiders has a relatively small number of maps, but the game tries to make the experience of playing on each of them far more interesting than the number would suggest. It does this, in part, because of the Map Conditions system.
In this guide, we’re going to go through all known Map Conditions so far, and explain what to expect from each one.
Map Conditions are best thought of us a bundle of game modifiers that can blend weather, time-of-day changes, and throw in a gameplay twist or two. If you’ve spent any time playing Arc Raiders, you may actually be more familiar with some of them than you might realise.
For instance, if you’ve been on the lookout for olives, lemons and apricots – and any other naturally-occurring item in the game’s world, you’ll more than likely have heard of Lush Blooms. This is one such Map Condition, and it’s one we’re going to cover in this guide.
Arc Raiders has so many more, of course. In fact, the game’s received several new Map Conditions in a recent update. You’re more likely to have seen at least one of those active on one or more of the game’s maps, so it helps to understand what each of them offers.
Hidden Bunker
Hidden Bunker is a recent addition to the list of Map Conditions. When this modifier is active, there’s going to be a sealed, hidden bunker somewhere on the outskirts of the Spaceport map.
The game gives you subtle cues when you’re nearby so you can spot it, but you’ll also notice how much Arc activity is around it compared to other areas of the map. Of course, that also tends to attract other Raiders, as everyone tries to figure out the puzzle.
Yes, there’s a puzzle to unlock the bunker itself, and it involves activating four antennas around the map before the bunker can be unlocked. While there are things to interact with inside, the community is trying to piece together what the real significance of them is.
Hidden Bunker is a very challenging Map Condition, so only get in if you’re ready for a fight. This event also turns off all Raider Hatches, and decreases the number of available Extracts – be prepared to not make it out.
Lush Blooms
As we explained in the opening of this article, Lush Blooms is a Map Condition that only affects natural resources. Anything from fruits, vegetables, seeds and other similar items spawns much more frequently on the map when Lush Blooms is active.
This also affects baskets that be found all around the game’s maps, many of which contain rare natural items as well. In other words, even if you don’t like the idea of hanging around the edges of the map and fighting other players for tree spawn, you can still find more plentiful natural items elsewhere in the area.
Night Raid
This one might seem self-explanatory, but it has a few elements that may not be immediately obvious. Yes, when Night Raid is active you’ll essentially be loading into a darker version of whichever map it’s available on.
The maps are moonlit, so it’s not going to be completely pitch black. However, you can very much expect large sections to be covered in darkness. It’s certainly going to be harder to see other players normally, as you’ll probably spot their flashlights before you see the players themselves.
But that’s not all, Arc units also become more aggressive under Night Raid conditions. Depending on your situation, you may be able to use that to your advantage. To compensate, Night Raids offer more plentiful keys, which is good for players looking to farm any particular key(s).
Loot behind locked doors is also going to be of higher quality, so it pays to save your keys until you can use them on a Night Raid. All of that makes Night Raids far more lethal when it comes to PvP, because many of the players you come across will be there for top-tier loot and they won’t mind slaughtering everyone for it.
Electromagnetic Storm
Electromagnetic Storm has to be one of the most fun Map Conditions so far in Arc Raiders. This lightning storm won’t just give you a scare every few seconds, it can also become a major ally against Arc enemies.
The game offers you plenty of warning so you can avoid where lightning is going to strike, which you really should heed – unless you want a nice hit to your Shields, or risk potentially dying. On the flip side, Arc units get completely knocked out by the same lightning bolts.
If you can time it right, you can easily get one (or several) Arc units caught in the blast, making them much easier to take down. Indeed, this particular Map Condition is perfect for when you have a Quest to take down some of the heavier, more menacing Arc enemies. Just don’t linger in the loot menu for too long.
Prospecting Probes
Prospecting Probes is another one of the more simple Map Conditions in Arc Raiders. When it’s active, the number of Arc Probes and Couriers is going be increased, which is great for Quests that want you to find and crack them open.
Even beyond the requirements of the Quests themselves, Prospecting Probes is great if you’re on the hunt for all of the items that spawn within the Probes themselves. The frequency of probing also means you won’t have to travel vast distances to crack open several in quick succession.
All the more reason to get what you want and quickly extract.
Husk Graveyard
Husk Graveyard is one of the more common Map Conditions in Arc Raiders, and among the easiest to explain. If you’ve played any of the game so far, you’ll definitely have seen the husks of long-dead Arc machines. These can be breached and looted, and Husk Graveyard simply increases the number of husks you can find as you explore the map.
The event can be quite useful if you’re after the items that spawn inside Arc husks, especially the bigger husks that take longer to crack into, seeing as now they’re going to be more plentiful.
Harvester
Harvester is something of a server-wide PvE event that requires squads of players to coordinate. The Map Condition spawns a Harvester machine, which normally would be enough to bring players to it, except, of course, it’s surrounded by a Queen.
The Queen is one of the largest and most threatening Arc units in the entire game. Multiple well-equipped players must team up to take one down, otherwise nobody stands a chance. Even setting aside the Harvester itself, taking down a Queen means everyone present will be swimming in high-tier loot.
In one of Arc Raiders’ pre-launch tests, this particular Map Condition was responsible for some of the most heartwarming moments of player cooperation.
Uncovered Caches
Unlike Hidden Bunker, Uncovered Caches is a far easier and more straightforward Map Condition in Arc Raiders. Raider Caches, which can be found buried just beneath the surface on many maps, offer some of the more valuable loot in the game.
All this Map Condition does is that increases the number of Raider Caches scattered around the map. Some of them are rigged to blow up, however, so be careful around them, and don’t take too long looting.