Getting stronger in ARC Raiders isn’t just about what you pick up out in the field, it’s also about what you build back at base. Workbenches and Workshop stations are where you turn scrap into actual gear, weapons, and supplies. The tricky part is figuring out how to upgrade them, especially early on when the game doesn’t explain much.
ARC Raiders: How To Upgrade Workbenches
You’ll find all your upgrade options in the Workshop area at Speranza, your main hub. After finishing Topside missions and making it out safely, you’ll bring back materials and blueprints that you can use here.
Inside the Workshop tab, you’ll see seven main stations, each one handles different stuff like weapons, shields, or explosives. You can level each of them up to a maximum of three times.
Before you hit that upgrade button, the menu shows exactly what materials you’ll need. Each new level unlocks better crafting recipes and, in some cases, brand-new types of gear. Mechanical Components are one of the key resources you’ll often need for these upgrades, especially when working on weapon or gear-related benches.
Just keep in mind, the basic Workbench you start with can’t be upgraded. That one’s just for early-game essentials like weapons and ammo. Everything else, though, can be leveled up once you start gathering the right materials and blueprints.
How to Access the Upgrade Option
Its understandable to miss the upgrade button because it’s not placed in an obvious spot. When you open any bench in the Workshop, look at the top of the screen.
You’ll see a small “Level Up” button near the black menu bar, next to your currency display. Selecting it will show the materials required for the next upgrade level on the right side of the screen.
If the button isn’t showing up, you’re likely checking the starter Workbench. That one can’t be leveled up, so you’ll only see upgrade options on other stations like the Gunsmith, Gear Bench, or Medical Lab.
How Upgrading Works in ARC Raiders
Upgrading a station improves what you can craft. Here’s a quick rundown of the process:
- Run Topside missions and extract to bring back materials and blueprints.
- Go to Speranza and open the Workshop tab.
- Choose the station you want to upgrade and click “Level Up.”
- Check the right side of the screen to see what materials are needed.
- Use Traders or the Refiner station to get missing items if needed.
You can also use Supply Call Stations during missions to restock or send collected loot back early, which helps free up inventory space for more materials. Every time you raise a station’s level, you’ll see new crafting recipes or components appear in its list.
Base Workbench (Weapons and Ammo)
The Base Workbench is available from the start and covers the basics. You can craft early weapons, different ammo types, and simple consumables here. However, this bench stays at level 1 and doesn’t have any upgrade options.
Gunsmith (Weapon Crafting and Parts)
The Gunsmith unlocks once you gather the materials to build it. It lets you craft weapons and weapon parts.
- Level 1: Requires 20× Metal Parts and 30× Rubber Parts. Unlocks basic weapon crafting.
- Level 2: Needs 3× Rusted Tools, 5× Mechanical Components, and 8× Wasp Driver. Adds new weapon recipes.
- Level 3: Not fully detailed yet, but introduces higher-tier weapon crafts.
Gear Bench (Shields and Suits)
This station is for shields and suit loadouts.
- Level 1: Costs 25× Plastic Parts and 30× Fabric. Unlocks Light and Medium Shields, and Mk.1 loadouts.
- Level 2: Needs 3× Power Cable, 5× Electrical Components, and 5× Hornet Driver. Adds Heavy Shields and Mk.2 loadouts.
- Level 3: Adds Mk.3 loadouts like Looting Mk.3 (Cautious) and other high-tier items.
Medical Lab (Healing and Med Supplies)
Here you can craft medical items and healing tools.
- Level 1: Costs 50× Fabric and 6× ARC Alloy. Unlocks basic med crafting.
- Level 2: Needs 2× Cracked Bioscanner, 5× Durable Cloth, and 8× Tick Pod. Adds advanced med kits.
- Level 3: Still not fully listed, but items like Vita Spray appear as late-game crafts.
Explosives Station (Grenades and Throwables)
Used for crafting different types of grenades and explosives.
- Level 1: 50× Chemicals and 6× ARC Alloy. Unlocks Gas and Light Impact Grenades.
- Level 2: 3× Synthesized Fuel, 5× Crude Explosives, 5× Pop Trigger. Unlocks Blaze Grenade.
- Level 3: 3× Laboratory Reagents, 5× Explosive Compound, 3× Rocketeer Driver. Unlocks additional high-level explosives.
Utility Station (Gadgets and Tools)
This one handles gadgets and field tools.
- Level 1: 50× Plastic Parts and 6× ARC Alloy. Unlocks Binoculars, Smoke Grenade, Barricade Kit, and more.
- Level 2: 2× Damaged Heat Sink, 5× Electrical Components, 6× Snitch Scanner. Adds Lure Grenade and Zipline.
- Level 3: Unlocks advanced gadgets like the Photoelectric Cloak, Snap Hook, and Tagging Grenade.
Refiner (Material Conversion)
The Refiner is one of the most useful stations later in the game. It turns common salvage into higher-grade materials.
- Level 1: 60× Metal Parts and 5× ARC Powercell. Unlocks Electrical and Mechanical Components.
- Level 2: 3× Toaster, 5× ARC Motion Core, and 8× Fireball Burner. Lets you refine advanced components and ARC circuitry.
- Level 3: Not fully detailed, but expected to include rare endgame conversions.
Finding Upgrade Materials in ARC Raiders
Most of the required materials are found during Topside runs. Make sure to extract safely so the items are added to your storage. Some rare components can be bought from Traders in Speranza, while others show up once you upgrade your Refiner.
You can even recycle older gear or extra items to get some materials back, very handy when you’re running low on the basics. If you ever feel stuck and can’t craft anything new, start by upgrading the stations you use the most.
Getting your Gunsmith or Gear Bench to level 2 makes a huge difference since that’s when better weapons and shields start showing up. Level 3 upgrades are more of a late-game thing, but they’re totally worth it once you have all the rare stuff needed to craft them.
Upgrading benches is really the main way to keep your loadout improving in ARC Raiders. It might not be super obvious at first, but once you spot that “Level Up” option and start farming materials, you’ll realize how much it opens up your crafting options and overall power.
