Arc Raiders Candleberry Farming Guide - Flickering Flames

Crush the Fight with ARC Raiders Boosting!

Overwhelmed in ARC Raiders? Our expert boosters are ready to help you dominate enemies, clear missions, and unlock top-tier gear—fast, secure, and 100% professional.

ARC Raiders Boosting

The Flickering Flames event has arrived in Arc Raiders as part of the Cold Snap update, bringing limited-time rewards and a new resource to collect: Candleberries. This guide covers everything you need to know about obtaining Candleberries efficiently, surviving the harsh Cold Snap conditions, and unlocking all 25 event rewards before time runs out.

Event Overview and Candleberry Requirements

The Flickering Flames event is a free, limited-time event available to all Arc Raiders players regardless of level. To unlock every reward, you will need to collect and contribute a total of 260 Candleberries to the Flickering Flames project.

The event provides 180 Candleberries through the Candleberry Banquet merit track as you earn XP and hit milestones. This means you must farm at least 80 additional Candleberries from Cold Snap maps to complete all donations.

How to Obtain Candleberries

There are two primary methods for acquiring Candleberries during the Flickering Flames event:

Method 1: Earn XP and Progress the Candleberry Banquet Project

The most straightforward way to obtain Candleberries is by simply playing the game and earning XP. As you progress through the Candleberry Banquet project track, you will unlock Candleberries at specific milestones:

• 10 Candleberries (first milestone)
• 10 Candleberries (second milestone)
• 20 Candleberries (third milestone)
• 30 Candleberries (fourth milestone)
• 30 Candleberries (fifth milestone)
• 40 Candleberries (sixth milestone)
• 40 Candleberries (seventh milestone)

Completing the entire project track awards 180 Candleberries total. Any activities that grant XP will move you along this track, making this a passive way to accumulate Candleberries while playing normally.

Method 2: Farm Candleberries on Cold Snap Maps

To find Candleberries in the wild, check the global map for missions with the Cold Snap modifier. Only maps with this active condition will contain Candleberry sources.

Within Cold Snap maps, there are three types of Candleberry sources:

Candleberry Bushes

• Distinctive red bushes that stand out against the white snow
• Each bush yields 1 Candleberry when harvested
• Relatively easy to spot once you know what to look for
• Appear to have set spawn locations
• Can blend into other foliage, requiring careful observation

Raider Caches

• New containers added for the event that require breaching to open
• Yield 3 to 5 or more Candleberries per cache
• Also contain other valuable loot
• Emit a ticking noise when you are nearby, helping you locate them
• Can be difficult to spot visually, so listen for the audio cue

Baskets

• Container type that spawns in Cold Snap maps
• Yield approximately 5 Candleberries per basket
• Also contain other items including mushrooms (you will need 7 mushrooms for a later event requirement, so keep any you find)
• Generally the most valuable single pickup alongside Raider Caches

Essential Preparation for Candleberry Farming

Before entering a Cold Snap map to farm Candleberries, prepare your loadout carefully:

Recommended Loadout

Looter Augment (Highly Recommended)
Bring an augment that provides safe pocket slots. Safe pockets protect items from being lost if you die, and since Candleberries only stack to 10, you want to secure your berries as you collect them. One, two, or three safe pocket slots will significantly reduce your risk.

Adrenaline Shots
Your primary goal is gathering resources efficiently, which means covering a lot of ground quickly. Adrenaline shots help you maintain speed as you traverse the map between collection points.

A Weapon for Self-Defense
While your focus is on gathering, you may encounter other players or need to defend yourself. Bring a reliable weapon you are comfortable using. The Stitcher was mentioned as one effective option.

Extra Bandages
Cold damage will require healing, and you may burn through bandages faster than expected. Bring a couple of extra stacks beyond what you normally carry to avoid running out mid-run.

Hatch Key (Optional but Useful)
If you have a hatch key, bring it for a quick, safe extraction once your safe pockets are full. Alternatively, you may find one during your run.

Inventory Management Strategy

Since Candleberries only stack to 10, manage your inventory proactively:

1. Drag Candleberry stacks into your safe pocket slots as you collect them
2. Once all safe pocket slots are filled with Candleberries, consider extracting immediately
3. You can then re-enter and repeat the process with minimal risk
4. Alternatively, continue a full run if you are confident, but understand this increases your risk of losing unsecured berries

Surviving Cold Snap Conditions

Cold Snap maps feature extreme weather that poses a constant environmental threat. Understanding how to manage the cold is essential for successful farming runs.

Cold Damage Mechanics

• After approximately 2 minutes of exposure to the cold outdoors, you will begin taking damage
• A frost effect will encroach around the edges of your screen as a visual warning
• You can use bandages to heal, but you will continue taking damage as long as you remain exposed
• This damage is continuous and will eventually kill you if not addressed

Finding Warmth and Shelter

To escape the cold and stop taking damage:

• Find buildings with roofs and some form of walls
• Enter these structures to warm up and reset your cold exposure
• Wait until all frost effects around the screen edges have completely disappeared before venturing back outside
• Get creative with shelter if you are in a dangerous situation—various structures throughout the map can provide protection

Cold Management Strategy

Plan your route with warmth stops in mind:

1. Identify shelter locations along your farming path
2. Monitor the frost effect on your screen edges
3. When frost begins appearing, head toward the nearest shelter
4. Warm up completely before continuing
5. Keep bandages ready for emergency situations

Blue Gate Map Farming Route

The Blue Gate map is recommended as one of the better locations for Candleberry farming for several reasons:

• Large map size spreads players out, reducing competition for resources
• Cold conditions encourage other players to spend more time indoors
• Abundant Candleberry spawns around the map perimeter
• Multiple Raider Cache and Basket locations

The following route covers five main farming zones. You can complete the entire route for maximum yield (approximately 50 Candleberries per run demonstrated) or hit the locations nearest your spawn point and extract for a safer, quicker approach.

Location 1: Southeast — Northeast of Ancient Fort

This area near the southeastern portion of the map, just northeast of the Ancient Fort, contains multiple collection points:

What to look for:

• Raider Caches spawn along the outside of roads near spawn points in this area
• Candleberry bushes appear near debris in the area—look for the distinctive red color against the snow
• Some bushes may be tucked into other vegetation, requiring closer inspection
• Additional Raider Caches can be found within the debris areas

Navigation notes:

• The double zipline point is visible in this area as a landmark
• An extraction point nearby (heading north) also has berry bushes and Raider Caches in the vicinity
• Listen for the ticking noise of Raider Caches as you search

Starting from this zone, you can expect to collect around 10-12 Candleberries before moving on.

Location 2: North — Pilgrim's Peak Mountainside

Head north toward the Pilgrim's Peak area, focusing on the mountainside nearby rather than the peak itself:

What to look for:

• Multiple berry bushes scattered around the mountainside
• A church building with a tower serves as a landmark for this area
• Berry bushes spawn around the church structure

Location 3: North Village Perimeter

Move toward the village area but stay along the northern edge rather than entering the village proper:

What to look for:

• A berry bush near the pipe with a backpack
• A basket under the small metal bridge where the river runs through the north of the village (yields 5 berries plus other items)
• Berry bushes on the back side of the green houses on the north edge
• A double berry bush spawn near the ruined house on the western edge of the village

Location 4: Western Ridge — West of Adorned Wreckage and Raider's Refuge

This is one of the most productive farming zones on the map:

What to look for:

• Multiple berry bushes line the western ridge
• Basket spawns along this western side
• Additional berry bushes under the broken highway on the southern portion of this area

Why this location excels:

• Players rarely have reason to travel to this remote area
• Resources are often unlooted
• Concentrated spawns make for efficient farming
• An extraction point is located nearby

If you spawn near this area, you could focus exclusively on this zone and extract for a low-risk, efficient farming loop.

Location 5: Southwest — Highway Area

The southwestern portion of the map around the broken highway offers the final collection points:

What to look for:

• A basket spawn under the broken section of highway (this appeared consistently across multiple runs and may be a set spawn)
• Berry bush spawns near the hatch extraction point

Extraction option:

• The hatch extract in this area provides a safe exit
• If your safe pockets are full, extract here to secure your haul
• Consider bringing a hatch key for guaranteed extraction access

Farming Tips and Strategies

Efficient Farming Approach

Quick Run Method (Lower Risk):

1. Enter Cold Snap map
2. Farm the locations nearest your spawn point
3. Fill your safe pocket slots with Candleberries
4. Extract immediately
5. Re-enter and repeat

Full Run Method (Higher Yield, Higher Risk):

1. Complete the entire route hitting all five locations
2. Manage cold exposure carefully with shelter stops
3. Keep valuable berries in safe pockets throughout
4. Extract after covering the full route
5. Yields approximately 50 Candleberries per run

Spawn and Competition Considerations

• Other players farming the same route may have already looted some spawns
• If expected bushes or containers are missing, another player likely reached them first
• Map edges tend to be safer and less contested than central areas
• Cold conditions naturally reduce player density as people seek shelter

Resource Prioritization

When time or inventory space is limited, prioritize in this order:

1. Baskets — 5 berries plus bonus items
2. Raider Caches — 3-5+ berries plus bonus loot
3. Candleberry Bushes — 1 berry each, but easy to spot and collect

Complete Flickering Flames Reward List

Contributing Candleberries and other resources to the Flickering Flames project unlocks approximately 25 rewards. Here is the complete reward track:

The Hi-Tech Hiker cosmetic set includes multiple color variants and accessory pieces that unlock progressively through the track. Additionally, you will earn a total of 250 Raider Tokens across five separate 50-token rewards.

Key Numbers to Remember

The Flickering Flames event is accessible to players at any level, and all rewards can be earned through normal gameplay combined with dedicated Candleberry farming. Focus on efficient routes, protect your berries with safe pocket slots, and manage the cold conditions carefully to maximize your event progress.

Master the Battlefield with ARC Raiders Guides!

Need help surviving ARC Raiders? Our in-depth guides cover everything—combat strategies, gear tips, team roles, and progression tactics to help you dominate every mission.

ARC Raiders Guides