ARC Raiders runs a weekly challenge system called Trials that dishes out exclusive loot and ranking rewards. Season 2 Week 7 brings five challenges that test different parts of your gameplay. This guide covers every trial, explains the mechanics behind each one, and gives you practical strategies to lock down three stars on all of them.
How the Trials System Works
The Basics
Trials are ARC Raiders' ranking system, and they unlock once you hit player level 15. From there, you get access to point-based challenges that reset every week. Finishing these challenges earns points, which convert into stars and exclusive rewards.
Stars and Scoring
Each trial has three achievement tiers marked by stars. You earn points by doing relevant activities during raids, and those points push you toward each star threshold. Every challenge caps at three stars, with a separate reward for each one. Hitting three stars across all challenges nets you the best weekly rewards.
Most trials need around 4,000 points for three stars, though the exact number can shift depending on the specific challenge.
Leaderboard Rankings and Promotions
Your trial performance also determines where you land on a 100-player leaderboard within your current rank. Where you finish affects your rank progression:
- Top 20: Double promotion (2x) when trials reset
- Positions 21-50: Standard promotion (1x)
- Bottom 20: Demotion to a lower rank
Strong trial scores mean promotion. Ignoring trials means you risk losing rank.
Double Points from Major Map Conditions
Playing during Major Map Conditions like Night Raids doubles your trial points. This cuts the grind significantly, though the increased difficulty means you'll face tougher enemies and more dangerous situations. Weigh the faster progress against the extraction risk.
Week 7 Trials Overview
This week has five trials:
- Deliver Carriables
- Damage Ground-Based ARC Enemies
- Open ARC Probes
- Damage Hornets
- Download Information Inside the Hidden Bunker
Here's how to complete each one.
Deliver Carriables
What You're Doing
You need to carry crates to Field Depot locations across the map. A lot of players find this the toughest challenge of the week because you're vulnerable the entire time you're hauling cargo.
Point Target
Delivering around 6 to 8 crates gets you to three stars. Playing during a Major Map Condition cuts that number in half thanks to the 2x multiplier.
Pick the Right Map
Carriables spawn on most maps, but Stella Montis doesn't have any. Skip that one for this trial.
Dam Battlegrounds works well because crates tend to spawn around the outer edges of the map, away from heavy fighting. Running a map you already know helps too, since you need to navigate quickly while slowed down.
Movement Penalties
Picking up a crate slows you down and makes you louder. Your footsteps carry further, which can draw enemies and tip off other players. Plan your routes ahead of time and stay aware of what's around you.
Step by Step
- Load into any map except Stella Montis. Major Map Conditions give you double points.
- Find a Field Crate in buildings, outdoor areas, or along map edges.
- Pick it up and check your map for the nearest Field Depot.
- Take a safe route to the depot, avoiding enemy hotspots.
- Drop off the crate and repeat.
- Once you hit enough points for three stars, get to extraction.
Running With a Team
Squadmates make this trial much easier. While you're hauling the crate, they can watch your back and deal with threats. Solo players have to be extra careful with route planning.
Damage Ground-Based ARC Enemies
What You're Doing
Deal damage to any ARC that walks on the ground. You've got plenty of options here since multiple enemy types qualify, and they all give different point values.
Point Target
You need 4,000 points for three stars. Different enemies are worth different amounts, so your approach depends on how much risk you're willing to take.
Enemies That Count
These ground-based ARCs all work for this trial:
- Tick
- Pop
- Fireball
- Turret
- Surveyor
- Sentinel
- Leaper
- Bastion
- Grenadier (sometimes called Bombardier)
- Matriarch
- Queen
Point Values
Pops give around 400 points each. Bastions are worth over 2,000. Bigger enemies pay more but hit harder.
The Risky Approach
If you've got solid gear and want to finish fast, go after Bastions, Grenadiers, and Leapers. One Bastion kill during a Major Map Condition gives you over 4,000 points, which completes the entire trial in a single fight.
The Safe Approach
Farming Pops and Fireballs is slower but much safer. These enemies die quickly and don't put up much of a fight.
Stella Montis during a Night Raid is perfect for this. Kill around five Pops with the double point multiplier active, and you're done.
Step by Step (Safe Method)
- Load into Stella Montis during a Night Raid.
- Hunt down Pops and Fireballs across the map.
- Kill about five of them (more without the point multiplier).
- Extract once you hit 4,000 points.
Step by Step (Aggressive Method)
- Load into any map during a Major Map Condition.
- Find and engage high-value targets like Bastions.
- Take down one or two.
- Extract immediately after hitting three stars.
Open ARC Probes
What You're Doing
Find ARC Probes on the map and breach them. Most players consider this one of the easiest trials this week since probes are common and don't shoot back.
Point Target
Opening around four probes should get you to three stars under normal conditions. With double points active, you might finish with fewer.
Finding Probes
Probes make a loud pinging sound that helps you track them down. Listen while you explore and follow the audio to find them.
Best Event for This Trial
Probes show up on most maps, but the Prospecting Probes event spawns way more of them. If you can catch this event, the trial goes much faster.
Maps where Prospecting Probes can appear:
- Dam Battlegrounds
- Spaceport
- Buried City
- The Blue Gate
Top Map and Condition Combo
Spaceport during an Electromagnetic Storm has probes everywhere. Crashed ARC probes scatter across the outskirts of the map, and opening them consistently can get you up to 10,000 points in a single run.
Step by Step
- Watch for Prospecting Probes or Electromagnetic Storm conditions.
- Load into an appropriate map (Spaceport for Electromagnetic Storm).
- Listen for pinging sounds and follow them to probes.
- Clear nearby threats, then breach the probe.
- Grab the loot and move to the next one.
- After opening four or more probes (or hitting 4,000 points), extract.
Damage Hornets
What You're Doing
Hornets are flying ARCs that show up across all maps. This trial just asks you to damage them. Once you understand how they behave and where to shoot, it's pretty straightforward.
Point Target
Accumulate 4,000 points by damaging or destroying Hornets. The number you need depends on individual point values and any active multipliers.
How Hornets Work
Hornets are lightly armored fliers that patrol outdoor areas. They often show up alongside Wasps and use an electrical taser attack to stun you, which opens you up for Wasp damage.
They go down fast to focused fire. Two well-placed shots can destroy one.
Where to Shoot Them
- Rear propellers: The fastest kill. Hit the two propellers at the back for critical damage.
- Front armor plates: If you can't get a clear angle on the back, break off the armor protecting the front propellers instead. Takes a bit longer but still works.
Loadout Tips
Weapons with high projectile velocity make tracking flying targets easier. Bring something accurate at range.
Good Map Conditions
Hornets spawn on every map, but certain conditions pack more of them:
- Night Raid
- Electromagnetic Storm
- Hidden Bunker event
These also give you double points.
Step by Step
- Load into any map, ideally during a Major Map Condition.
- Move through outdoor areas where Hornets patrol.
- Aim for their rear propellers for quick kills.
- Use Seeker Grenades and Hullcrackers if you want to speed things up.
- Keep hunting until you hit 4,000 points.
- Extract before dying. Your progress only saves if you get out alive.
Hidden Bunker Download
What You're Doing
This is the hardest and most time-consuming trial of the week. You need to get inside the Hidden Bunker on Spaceport and download data from terminals. The bunker stays locked until players across the map complete specific objectives.
Requirements
- Map: Spaceport only
- Condition: Hidden Bunker Major Map Condition must be active
- Point Target: Download from about four terminals for three stars
Where's the Bunker?
The Hidden Bunker entrance sits south of the Departure Building on Spaceport. The door stays sealed until antennas across the map are aligned.
Opening the Bunker
Four antennas scattered around the map need to be aligned before anyone can enter. They're marked with small pylon symbols, so they're easy to find.
Any player in the raid can activate these antennas. You don't have to do all four yourself. If other players are working on them, you can wait or help out.
Expect ARC waves while you're activating an antenna. They'll attack your position during the alignment process.
Inside the Bunker
The interior has multiple terminals. Walk up to one and start the data download. You have to stay near the terminal while it downloads. Once it finishes, retrieve the data to earn points.
The bunker is dangerous. Heavy ARC units guard the interior, and other players often contest the terminals. Watch your back.
Team Advantage
When someone in your squad downloads data, everyone in the squad gets credit. Coordinate with teammates to cover different terminals or protect each other during downloads.
Step by Step
- Watch for the Hidden Bunker condition on Spaceport.
- Load in when it's active.
- Check your map for antenna locations (pylon symbols).
- Travel to antennas and activate any that aren't aligned yet. Defend against ARC waves during activation.
- If you want to save resources, wait for other players to handle some antennas.
- Once the bunker-open notification pops, head south of the Departure Building.
- Enter carefully, watching for ARCs and hostile players.
- Find terminals and start data downloads.
- Complete four downloads to hit three stars.
- Extract safely.
General Tips for Better Trial Runs
Get Out Alive
All your progress vanishes if you die before extracting. Once you hit the three-star threshold, stop taking risks. Take safe routes, skip unnecessary fights, and focus on reaching extraction.
Use Major Map Conditions
Double points from Night Raids, Electromagnetic Storms, and Hidden Bunker conditions cut your grind time significantly. The tradeoff is tougher enemies and more danger. Know your limits and don't overextend.
Know Your Maps
Familiarity with map layouts helps with every trial. You can carry crates faster, find probes more easily, and locate extraction points under pressure. Stick to maps you know when you have the choice.
Stack Multiple Trials
Several trials overlap on the same map. While hunting Hornets on Spaceport during the Hidden Bunker condition, you might also find probes and ground-based ARCs. Plan runs that knock out multiple trials at once.
Watch Your Resources
Some strategies eat through consumables like Seeker Grenades, Hullcrackers, and expensive ammo. Decide upfront how much you're willing to spend. Heavy investment speeds things up, but cheaper methods work fine if you're patient.
Quick Reference
| Trial | Difficulty | Best Map | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deliver Carriables | High | Dam Battlegrounds | Outer routes, bring teammates |
| Damage Ground ARC | Low-Medium | Stella Montis | Farm Pops during Night Raid |
| Open ARC Probes | Low | Spaceport | Electromagnetic Storm event |
| Damage Hornets | Medium | Any map | Target rear propellers |
| Hidden Bunker Download | High | Spaceport | Coordinate antenna activation |
Finish all five trials with three stars to max out your rewards and lock in a strong leaderboard spot. Extraction is everything. Play smart, know when to push, and always prioritize getting out alive with your points secure.