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Arc Raiders Skill Tree

Best Skills, Builds & Allocation Guide

Three trees, 45 skills, and not enough points for everything. Here's how to build smart.

Quick Summary

Skill Trees
3
Total Skills
45
Base Points
76
Max Possible
85+

Start Mobility (stamina is painful early). Use a 2-1-1 split. Reset costs 2,000 coins/point. Expedition bonus gives up to 5 extra points.

How the Skill Tree Works

📊 Point Economy

  • 76 points from leveling (0-75)
  • +5 bonus from Expedition (600K coins each)
  • Catch-up: 300K per missed expedition point
  • • You cannot max all 3 trees — must specialize

🔄 Resets

  • • Added in patch 1.7.0
  • 2,000 coins per skill point
  • • Full 76-point reset ≈ 152,000 coins
  • • Experiment freely — respec whenever you want

⚠️ Deeper skills require "points spent" in earlier nodes. You can't skip to capstones — invest in foundation skills first. This is why a balanced split matters more than going all-in on one tree.

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Conditioning

Combat, Stamina & Breaching — 15 Skills

The combat specialist tree. Reduces penalties from heavy gear, improves breaching speed, and keeps you fighting longer under pressure.

Key Skills

Used to the Weight Reduces shield movement penalty by up to 50%. Essential for heavy loadouts.
Fight or Flight Restores stamina when hit in combat. Keeps you moving during fights.
Proficient Pryer Reduces breach time by up to 30%. Faster access to locked containers and rooms.
Gentle Pressure Reduces noise while breaching. Less likely to attract ARCs or players.

Capstone Skills

Back On Your Feet Health regeneration when critically hurt. Clutch survival skill.
Flyswatter One-hit kills on Wasps and turrets. Saves ammo and time in raids.

Best for: Breaching specialists, frontline fighters, heavy gear users, squad tanks.

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Mobility

Movement, Stamina & Escape — 15 Skills

The most important tree early game. Starting stamina is extremely low — Mobility fixes that. Every player should invest here first.

👈 Start Here — Every Build

Marathon Runner (all 5 ranks) should be your first 5 points regardless of build. The stamina improvement is massive.

Key Skills

Marathon Runner (5 ranks — MAX FIRST) Reduces stamina cost while moving. The single most impactful skill in the game.
Youthful Lungs Increases maximum stamina reserves. More sprint, more dodges, more options.
Effortless Roll Reduces dodge roll stamina cost. Critical for PvP combat survivability.
Carry the Momentum Sprint stamina-free after a sprint dodge roll. Chase or escape seamlessly.

Capstone Skills

Vault Spring Vault without spending stamina. Navigate terrain freely.
Vaults on Vaults Eliminates all vault stamina cost. Ultimate terrain mastery.

Best for: Every player (early game), solo players, escape artists, PvP specialists.

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Survival

Looting, Carry Capacity & Field Utility — 15 Skills

The loot specialist tree. Faster searching, more carrying capacity, and unique access to locked containers and explosive mines. Essential for expedition farming.

Key Skills

Agile Croucher Root skill — must unlock to access the rest of the tree. Improved crouch movement.
Looting Speed Perks Search containers and bodies faster. Spend less time exposed while looting.
Carry Capacity Boosts Haul more loot per raid. Critical for expedition stash farming.

Capstone Skills

Minesweeper Defuse explosive mines instead of triggering them. Safe navigation in trapped areas.
Security Breach Unlock normally inaccessible lockers. Exclusive loot that others can't reach.

Best for: Loot farmers, expedition preppers, stealth looters, resource gatherers.

Best Builds by Playstyle

🟢 Beginner Build (Every New Player)

Use a 2-1-1 split: 2 Mobility, 1 Conditioning, 1 Survival per 4 points.

Priority Order:

  1. Marathon Runner — all 5 ranks first (Mobility)
  2. Youthful Lungs — max stamina pool (Mobility)
  3. Effortless Roll — dodge in fights (Mobility)
  4. Fight or Flight — combat stamina (Conditioning)
  5. Agile Croucher — unlock Survival tree
🔴 Solo PvP Build

Maximum combat survivability. Heavy Mobility + Conditioning focus.

Core Skills:

  • Marathon Runner + Effortless Roll + Carry the Momentum
  • Fight or Flight + Used to the Weight
  • Back On Your Feet (capstone for clutch regen)

Pair with S-tier weapons from the meta tier list.

🟡 Loot Farmer / Expedition Prep Build

Maximum loot efficiency. Survival focus + Mobility base. Ideal for expedition stash farming.

Core Skills:

  • Marathon Runner (escape with loot)
  • Security Breach chain (unlock exclusive lockers)
  • Minesweeper (safe navigation)
  • Carry capacity + Loot speed perks
🟣 Squad Breacher Build

Fast breaching, quiet entry, team utility. Conditioning + Survival focus.

Core Skills:

  • Proficient Pryer (30% faster breach)
  • Gentle Pressure (silent breach)
  • Flyswatter (one-shot Wasps/turrets for team)
  • Security Breach (open lockers for squad)

Bonus Skill Points from Expeditions

+5
Bonus points per expedition
600K
Coins per skill point
300K
Catch-up rate for missed points

Each expedition lets you earn up to 5 additional skill points based on your stash value at departure. These points are permanent — they survive future expeditions.

Missed points from the first expedition? The catch-up system lets you recover them at 300K coins each (half price). Your coins contribute to current expedition points first, then roll over to missed ones.

Read the full Expedition 2 Guide →

Related Guides

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Plan Your Perfect Build

Pair the right skill tree with the right weapons. Check the current meta for the best loadouts.