Of the numerous progression routes available in the extraction shooter *Arc Raiders*, blueprints rank among the most fulfilling. They enhance your weapon arsenal by enabling the creation of a variety of new weapons, gun modifications, grenades, and other items. Upon reaching the maximum level, completing all your quests (many of which reward you with blueprints!), and finishing the expedition project, the real end-game grind involves collecting blueprints.

However, locating blueprints can be quite challenging. Aside from the ones received for quest completions, most players find blueprints sporadically, with little explanation as to why they appear in specific locations.

Based on my extensive gameplay experience, obtaining blueprints consistently proves more difficult than acquiring other types of loot, which are usually situated in designated environmental categories. The loot system genuinely feels random.

Nevertheless, there are effective strategies to boost your likelihood of discovering new blueprints. Let’s delve into it.

### Blueprint hunting? Focus on Night and Electromagnetic Storm Raids

The five distinct maps in *Arc Raiders* feature a regular schedule of activities, including Night Raids, intense lightning storm raids, and the Spaceport’s unique Hidden Bunker event. These activities present fewer extraction points and more hazardous environmental conditions than regular missions.

In my experience, however, participating in these activities significantly enhances your chances of finding blueprints. Additionally, engaging in activities like Night Raids will double the trial points awarded for completing certain tasks, and it’s quite common to receive a blueprint by finishing a trial.

These activities can be perilous, so it’s best to approach them well-prepared or with minimal valuables. Deciding whether to bring your prized weapons or to limit your risk is up to you, but one thing I’ve learned from tackling Night Raids and similar activities is to steer clear of using a Free Loadout whenever feasible.

### Avoid Free Loadouts when searching for blueprints

Free Loadouts are fantastic. They provide a quick way to acclimate without significant risk. However, they lack a safe pocket, which permits you to securely store a single item (that isn’t a weapon or shield) that remains protected even if you fail to extract with it.

Thus, while heading into a Night Raid with a Free Loadout puts you in a position with nothing to lose and everything to gain, securing a blueprint during the run won’t benefit you if you are eliminated without a means to safeguard that item. By the time you start grinding for blueprints and navigating tougher map conditions, you should have sufficient loot to at least assemble a basic loadout with an augment that includes a safe pocket.

Keep in mind, you can always swap a Free Loadout augment for any of the initial augments from Lance in the Traders section of the main menu.

Once you obtain a blueprint, immediately place it in your safe pocket. Don’t take unnecessary risks.

### Now that you have a safe pocket for blueprints, where should you search?

A blueprint might be concealed in a random car hood in a parking lot. It could be discovered in a trash bin hidden away in an alley. Their locations are exceedingly unpredictable, making it challenging to foresee where one might turn up.

For that reason, you should prioritize areas with an abundance of loot containers, particularly office buildings with numerous desk drawers, lockers, and cabinets to search through.

From my experience, it’s not necessarily that specific items like desk drawers and lockers have a higher probability of containing a blueprint, but rather that in a room filled with them, you’re simply opening a greater number of containers, thus increasing your chances of finding a blueprint through sheer volume. Think of them as loot boxes (that don’t cost anything). Do you wish to open one or two, hoping to find something valuable? Or would you prefer to sift through a dozen?

I suggest exploring these locations, as they are brimming with lockers and drawers:

#### Spaceport
– Arrival Building
– Departure Building
– Control Tower A6

#### Dam Battlegrounds
– Research & Administration
– Control Tower
– Testing Annex

#### Buried City
– Plaza Rosa (particularly the locked pharmacy)
– Library
– Space Travel
– Research
– Hospital

As for the remaining two maps, you can indeed discover blueprints there, but based on my knowledge, Blue Gate lacks as many office suites filled with numerous drawers to enhance your chances. However, the Reinforced Reception area is fairly good, though it’s likely to be crowded with other players due to the excellent weaponry found there.

Similarly, Stella Montis, the smallest map in the game, has quickly gained a reputation for being tumultuous. It’s essentially