Arc Raiders throws a lot of different ARC robots at you, and most have names that don't tell you much about what they actually do. Fireballs are the exception. These small metallic spheres deal fire damage to anyone who gets too close, and you'll need to track them down for several early quests while also farming them for valuable crafting materials.
This guide covers every confirmed Fireball spawn location, explains how to farm Fireball Burners efficiently, and walks you through completing the quests that require these fiery enemies.
What Are Fireballs?
Fireballs are small, spherical ARC enemies that deal fire damage. They attack by opening their metallic shell and spewing flames at players who get too close. Their attack pattern matters because you can only destroy them efficiently when their shell is open.
Don't Confuse Fireballs with Pops
New players mix these two up constantly. Here's how to tell them apart:
- Fireballs are slightly larger spheres that deal fire damage by spewing flames.
- Pops are smaller electric variants that zip toward you like angry Roombas and explode on contact.
If you're getting rushed by small balls that detonate with electrical damage, those are Pops. Make sure you're hunting the right enemy for your quests.
Quests and Materials That Require Fireballs
You'll need to find Fireballs for several reasons:
- Fight Fire With Fire
- The Right Tool
- What Goes Around (you need to destroy an ARC enemy using a Fireball Burner)
Fireball Locations By Map
Fireballs spawn almost exclusively inside buildings. You'll find them in tight hallways and enclosed rooms, which makes them harder to spot than flying enemies. They tend to lurk in darker indoor environments, so take your time when searching.
Dam Battlegrounds (Start Here)
Dam Battlegrounds is your best bet for Fireball hunting. The difficulty is lower than other maps, and spawn points are clustered together. Most areas on this map contain Fireballs, though finding them takes patience since they hide indoors.
Your First Stops
Control Tower and Research & Administration should be your starting points. They're right next to each other and sit near common spawn locations, letting you check both areas in a single quick run.
Other Confirmed Locations
| Location | Notes | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Control Tower | Most reliable spawn point | ★★★ |
| Research & Administration | Adjacent to Control Tower | ★★★ |
| Water Treatment | Reliable indoor spawns | ★★☆ |
| Hydroponic Dome Complex | High-quality loot area, expect competition | ★★☆ |
| Testing Annex | Confirmed spawn location | ★★☆ |
| Primary Facility | Reliable Fireball location | ★★☆ |
Buried City
Metro entrances on this map frequently spawn both Pops and Fireballs. You'll often run into them on your way to extraction, making metro runs a good way to knock out multiple objectives at once. The northern sections of the map also contain Fireball spawns.
Spaceport (Harder Map)
Spaceport runs at a higher difficulty than Dam Battlegrounds, so only head here if you're properly geared or striking out on the easier maps.
Flight Control and Control Tower B6 are your targets on this map.
Best Route for Farming Fireballs
If you're new to Fireball hunting, follow this approach:
- Drop into Dam Battlegrounds. Lower difficulty and more spawn points make this the obvious choice.
- Hit Control Tower first. It's one of the most reliable spots.
- Walk over to Research & Administration. Since it's right next door, you can cover both locations quickly.
- If you come up empty, try Hydroponic Dome Complex. Navigation is straightforward, but watch for other players.
- Check Water Treatment and Testing Annex if needed.
- Search inside buildings, not outdoors
- Focus on tight hallways and small rooms
- Spawns aren't guaranteed every raid, so patience helps
How to Kill Fireballs Quickly
Fireballs have a specific vulnerability window you can exploit for fast kills.
Wait for the Shell to Open
When a Fireball is passive, its closed shell protects it. The shell opens when it prepares to attack, and that's your window.
Weapons and Timing
A heavy weapon like the Ferro can one-shot a Fireball when its shell is open. Lighter weapons work too but require multiple hits.
Here's the process:
- Get close enough to trigger the Fireball's aggression
- Watch for the shell to start opening
- Fire as soon as you see the vulnerable interior
- With good timing and a Ferro, you'll destroy it before taking any fire damage
Getting and Using Fireball Burners
How to Obtain Them
Kill a Fireball and loot the body. The Burner shows up in your inventory as an uncommon recyclable material.
One thing that trips people up: Fireball Burners look like standard recyclables, not grenades. The game doesn't categorize them as throwable weapons even though you can throw them.
What They Do
Throwing a Fireball Burner creates a small fire on impact. They work like weak incendiary grenades in practice, though the game treats them as crafting materials.
Completing "What Goes Around"
Apollo's quest requires you to destroy an ARC enemy using a Fireball Burner. A single Burner usually won't deal enough damage to kill an enemy from full health, so here's what works:
- Weaken your target with your gun first
- Get the enemy's health low
- Throw a Fireball Burner to land the killing blow
Crafting and Recycling
Beyond the quest, you'll need multiple Fireball Burners for the Refiner level two upgrade. Build up a small stockpile early so you're not scrambling later.
Extra Burners can be recycled into ARC Alloy, which breaks down further into Metal Parts, Light Shields, ARC Circuitry, or an ARC Motion Core.
Quick Reference: All Fireball Locations
Common Questions
Pops are smaller and rush at you before exploding with electric damage. Fireballs are slightly larger and attack by spewing fire while staying in place.
You're probably shooting while the shell is closed. Wait until the Fireball opens up to attack, then fire. The closed shell absorbs most of your damage.
At minimum, one for "What Goes Around" plus several more for the Refiner upgrade. Grab extras when you see them.
You can throw them and they create fire, but they're weak. Don't expect to kill full-health enemies with them. They're better as finishing moves or crafting materials.
