I didn't get hooked on ARC Raiders because I'm chasing a highlight reel. I'm chasing that one drop that fixes a build, funds the next kit, and makes the whole raid feel worth it. Once you start thinking that way, locked rooms stop feeling optional and start feeling like the point. You'll hear people talk about "efficient routes," but what they really mean is getting to the right door with the right key, then getting out alive with ARC Raiders Items that actually matter ARC Raiders Items.
Why Buried City Pays
If you want the cleanest risk-to-reward loop, Buried City is hard to beat, and Town Hall is the reason. The credits alone can swing a run from "barely broke even" to "I can re-gear twice," usually somewhere around 40k to 70k if you don't waste time. But the money isn't the real hook. It's the blueprints and oddball parts that just don't show up as often elsewhere. The catch is obvious: it's popular, it's noisy, and people rotate through it like they've got a timer in their head. That's fine. High traffic doesn't kill you; sloppy timing does.
Don't Open the Door First
Most deaths at key rooms look the same. Someone hears a lull, rushes the lock, and gets deleted while staring at the inventory screen. So do it in order. First, clear the angles you can actually clear. Second, make the approach annoying for anyone pushing you. Mines on the obvious lane, a barrier to break line of sight, anything that buys you ten seconds. Third, open the room and loot like you're on a clock, because you are. Grab the high-value containers first, then the stuff that stacks, and leave the "maybe" items behind. If you're solo, that little kill zone at the entrance isn't sweaty play. It's basic survival.
Keys, Maps, and Night Runs
Not every key room is worth your best key, and not every map asks for the same approach. Dam and Blue Gate reward quick entry and faster exits. Spaceport can punish you with long sightlines. Stella Montis is all about learning where people like to post up. In general, I'll take a room with fewer entry points every time, even if the loot is a touch worse, because fewer doors means fewer bad surprises. One more thing: stop burning premium keys in daytime raids. Save them for night. It's harsher, sure, but the payoff feels better, and the darkness gives you options—slow rotates, quieter exits, and fewer people tracking you from across the map ARC Raiders Coins.
Get Out With It
Inside the room, don't turn into a magpie. If you're in a squad, call roles before the lock even clicks: one loots, one watches, then swap if you need to. If you're alone, pre-pick your exit and commit to it the moment you're heavy. That 70k haul is imaginary until you're extracting, and half the time the smartest play is leaving one crate untouched so you can move clean. Build your runs around survival, not ego, and when you do need to restock, it's a lot easier to stay consistent with cheap ARC Raiders gear that keeps you in the loop instead of resetting you back to nothing.