The Beastmaster of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, part two: the Zone bites back

Even in a no-guns run, Chornobyl’s mutants aren’t keen to cooperate

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When last we left myself , on a mission to survive S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 by weaponising its monsters instead of shooting its guns, my one-with-nature experiment was yielding mixed results. At best. I’d successfully lured some bandits into the deadly lair of a bucket-tossing Poltergeist, but several attempts at more actively siccing mutated pigs on the Zone’s human baddies had all failed, even when I’d seemed to actually tame one.

Now, my only friend lay dead at my feet, and I’m in dire need of some new beasts to master. And some cash. It turns out that a fighting style that involves letting shopping trolley-sized swine creatures chew on my heels is bad for the ol’ HP, and having recently blown my savings on half a sausage, I’m forced to shift focus from my current debt collection mission towards a means to fill my own coffers.

A trip to rescue a Catholic stalker’s treasured icon nearly solves both my problems at once. It’s a paying gig, and on my way out of the anomalous poppy field he lost it in, a mind-warping roar heralds the arrival of a Bloodsucker. Perfect! These guys are tougher and far more lethal than the stray dogs and Flesh piggies I’ve been counting on thus far, and unlike the one I met in the tutorial, this one has no qualms with chasing me back towards the nearest bandit camp.

Sadly, not even the Zone’s deadliest hunters are a match for the Zone itself. In his eagerness to suck blood, the Bloodsucker charges straight into a whirligig anomaly that I’d just sidestepped, trapping himself in an invisible vortex that spits him out as snapped corpse. Lamenting that the premature fatality rate of my intended minions is approaching 100%, I return to Zalissya for meds and trudge off to complete what quests I can.

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This, surprisingly, turns out to be quite a few: I manage to repair some radio masts, track down a lost stalker squad, and uncover some tradeable artifacts, all without firing a shot. By the time I feel like another crack at luring around some wildlife, I’m significantly better-equipped, though this doesn’t stop my freshly acquired Flesh gang from being immediately gunned down by some gopniks barely fifty yards from where I picked them up. Isn’t A-Life supposed to be broken ? Why does it keep spitting out roaming bands of dickheads to kill my pets on sight?

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/GSC Game World

The problem, I decide, is that I’m adopting them from the wrong places. The Lesser Zone is where newbie stalkers cut their teeth, and barring some exceptionally rare Bloodsuckers – stupid localised tornadoes – it’s populated largely by weaker beings. What I really need is to head north, towards the ruins of Reactor Number 4 itself, where the bigger, bitier beasts would surely congregate in greater numbers.

To get there, there’s a little more main questing to do, including a sneaky infiltration of a military base – not quite the kind of mission where you can bring a pack of growling, irradiated animals with you. Regardless, I get discovered upon contact with the very first guard patrol I encounter, and deploy a new (yet rules-compliant) tactic of just sprinting straight past them. This works far better than I’d envisaged, if only because I’m constantly pumping in medkits to replace the body matter that all the shotgun shells keep blowing off. I even dash far enough ahead for an uninterrupted chat with the most shootable NPC in all of Eastern Europe, yet my vow to never pull a trigger outside of cutscenes means he gets off with merely being beaten unconscious.

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After escaping, I’m free to leave the Lesser Zone behind and venture north-eastward, through the charmingly named region of Garbage and into a storm-ravaged set of plains. While only sparely dotted with the towering concrete shells of a few old bases and abandoned construction sites, I had a feeling this would make a more bountiful recruiting ground for my mutant army.

Sure enough, the area’s only semi-intact town is infested with Snorks, unnaturally agile humanoids with gas masks melted into their faces and a talent for pack hunting. Even better, there’s a gang of thugs congregating just outside the town’s borders, apparently unaware of the hungry, hopping dangers within. It could hardly be a better setup: all I’d need to do is lead the Snorks through a single treeline, immediately adjacent to their nest, and I could take out the existential threat that these three malnourished looters would surely amount to.

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All the more infuriating, then, when none of that happens. The Snorks happily come for my flesh inside the town itself, but upon stepping into the trees, they immediately lose interest and bounce back home. Likewise, the bandits take potshots from a distance, but only at me, and steadfastly refuse to advance beyond their camp and into the Snork’s scent range. I spend several exasperated minutes dashing back and forth between them like a busybody friend trying to get two single introverts to speak to each other at a party, only giving up when realising how many healing items this matchmaking service is costing me.

And just like that, it’s back to moping. At this point it feels like the Zone itself is unwilling to let me succeed – sometimes, when you’re actually trying to avoid a fight, humans and mutants alike will pursue you like the fucking T-1000, so it’s hard not to take this sudden dedication to defensive ground-holding like a personal affront. Indeed, when I wander too close to a nearby vehicle yard, the lone gunman that shoos me away with a Kalashnikov shows zero interest in chasing me beyond his little concrete kingdom. Still, I oblige, heading off to explore the terrain and scale an unfinished high-rise.

After an extended wander with still no beasts by my side, I’m beckoned over by a Lt. Semydomov of the paramilitary Duty faction. He requests my help in clearing out a local facility of yet more bandits, and I oblige – I know it doesn’t really count, but having some friends do all the fighting for me is kind of what I’m about. If it pans out I can at least have the slightest taste of what successful beastmastering would vaguely resemble. As it happens, the Duty boys really do wipe the floor with the crims, though Lt. Semydomov is displeased by my lack of mucking in, delivering unto me a truly post-apocalyptic telling off.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/GSC Game World

Again, I’m getting the sense that the Zone really doesn’t want to play ball, what with its partially pacifist Snorks and now a heavily-armed neutral faction clearly able to get the job done without me. Just as I’m about to give up on this region and try my luck in Garbage, however, a familiar scream blurs my vision. It’s another Bloodsucker, and yes, he’ll do.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/GSC Game World

I’ve just scavenged more meds and have a good idea of where the anomaly dangers zones are, so my only issue this time is finding a suitable target to unleash the mini-Cthulhu on. Not far to the south, there’s an anomalous, Control -ass mountain of safes that I’ve previously seen guarded by raiders, but this time they’re nowhere to be found. The bandits from earlier, too, have finally abandoned their camp.

It’s sundown, the Bloodsucker still taking swings at my back, by the time another familiar site hoves into view. It’s the vehicle yard where I’d previously dodged that lone shooter, and he will also do. The 7.62mm welcome isn’t extended to me and my travelling companion this time, so I lead him straight inside, meeting not a band of dishevelled crooks but a contingent of armoured soldiers. Huh! Maybe the first fella left. There’s no time to ponder the circumstances of this change in tenancy, though, because the Bloodsucker is already gouging holes in the mercs, slashing one down almost instantly while a second retreats outside. The ‘sucker is relentless, shrugging off multiple point-blank buckshot shells before felling him as well. I dart up a pile of old cable spools so he’s not tempted to go for me next, and watch as his bloodied form stomps through a loading bay before finally falling to a full auto burst from an unseen third trooper.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/GSC Game World

The lone survivor is graceful in victory – he must presume the creature’s arrival 0.0045 seconds after mine was an unfortunate coincidence, and doesn’t even consider the possibility that I’d just dragged it over half of Ukraine looking for lives to end. I’m satisfied, though, with this positive K/D ratio. That leaves little left to do but respectfully loot the bodies, including that of a Lt. Sem… Semydomov. Oh. Ohhhhhh. This was the place from earlier, but also the place from earlier-earlier, just approached from a different angle so I didn’t… ohhhhhhhhhhh. Hey Semy, isn’t that funny?

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/GSC Game World

Alright, “Get lost”, I hear ya.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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