The RPS Advent Calendar 2024, December 18th

Today’s door casts a long shadow

Image credit:RPS

The RPS Advent Calender 2024 is underway! Each day reveals one of our favourite games from this year, leading up to our Game Of The Year on the 24th. Check the main calendar post to see the full list.

Today’s Advent Calendar might take you quite some time to polish off. It’s ridiculously dense, darkly majestic, and popular among masochists. Come then, touch the withered arm and be transported behind door number 18…

It’s Elden Ring : Shadow Of The Erdtree !

Ollie: No matter where you delve or climb in the Land Of Shadow, wherever you point your camera, From Software’s mastery is evident. Elden Ring was an unforgettable, punishing pilgrimage through one of the most stunningly designed worlds on PC, and somehow Shadow Of The Erdtree betters it in nearly every way. The world you’re transported to when you first touch that withered arm is an Escherian nightmare of intertwining landscapes, a vertical labyrinth of connected regions. The new gold standard for open world environment design, and it comes from a DLC.

Like the base game, Shadow Of The Erdtree gives you just the barest, gentlest nudge in the direction of the main story if you want it. But the quantity of fascinating sights and sounds around you ignites an even stronger desire to just pick a direction, and let the game’s tentacular mass of memorable encounters slowly cuddle you to death. The Land Of Shadow is a place where you can spend a hundred hours and entirely miss whole swathes of the map. That’ll be offputting to some, but to me it’s an impressive testament to the world design. This is a truly ancient and complex place. The birthplace of a goddess’s people, before she ascended to godhood. The battleground of several half-forgotten wars, the ramifications of which will take dozens of hours of exploration and lore-gathering to understand. The Land Of Shadow does not know you or owe you anything, until you give it reason to.

The story is also tighter and more intriguing than Elden Ring’s familiar tale of growth from lowly Tarnished to god-slaying legend. The world itself is still packed with some of the most exciting lore in any game, but Shadow Of The Erdtree benefits from a more focused journey. From the start, you know that you’re following in the footsteps of Miquella the Kind - until now, probably the most enigmatic character in the game. Why, and to what conclusion, is a mystery which both you and several other players on the field are racing to piece together. It’s a carefully considered, high-stakes story about free will, revenge, despair, and the greater good. It answers some very longstanding questions about how the world and mythos of Elden Ring fits together, while also adding some fascinating new points of uncertainty and speculation. It’s marvellous, truly extraordinary worldbuilding.

Image credit:Bandai Namco

Of course, the combat and boss fights themselves are still best-in-class. The unforgettable experiences of Malenia , Mohg , and Placidusax from the base game are joined by a series of grand new encounters, some of which I’d consider the most spectacular and gripping boss fights in any game I’ve played. Entirely new weapon classes and schools of magic are free to explore or entirely ignore as you wish. Organically unfurling, DLC-spanning side quests offer you more unforgettable journeys if you desire them. And a new roster of strange NPC companions make for some genuinely edge-of-your-seat-compelling moments of dialogue as you try to figure out who is your ally and who is an enemy waiting for the most beneficial moment to betray, strike, and further their own hidden goals.

Shadow Of The Erdtree further cements Elden Ring as not just the premier open-world game in my mind, but probably the single most engrossing journey that’s currently available to play on PC. I’ll likely play it through again every year until we finally get Elden Ring 2.

Nic: Good worms. The absolute best worms.

Ed: It’s super dense and at times, maybe a bit too dense. But I gotta respect its adventurous vibe, what with its jungles and twisting libraries and fields of eyeballs. I wish the base game had this level of weird. Also yeah, great worms.

James: I, uh, misunderstood the voting rules and didn’t think this was eligible. But if I’d bothered to check, this would get many, many James votes. I had no interest in playing Elden Ring beyond my professional obligations, but the sheer atmosphere of that opening ride into the Land of Shadow was so intoxicating, its call to adventure so loud, I decided to get off my colleagues’ save files and give it a proper go. 261 hours and two complete playthroughs later, my top game of 2024 is in fact Elden Ring, and I have Shadow of the Erdtree to thank. Slash, blame.

Jeremy: I had an interesting experience with Shadow Of The Erdtree, as I was one of the guides folks tasked with tackling all of the intricacies of this massive DLC, so big enough to be its own game. I also had only played a handful of hours of the original Elden Ring, which I’d hoped to run through prior to Shadow Of The Erdtree’s release, but never found the time.

Thanks to a saved game mod, I jumped into the new stuff a week ahead of release and immediately got stomped by those Furnace Golems and crossbow bolted a million times by the Blackgaol Knight . Thanks to my inexperience with the base game, I definitely felt like I was behind on the collective Elden Ring knowledge needed to progress through the DLC in order to write about it, and while all Souls games are an uphill climb in their own right, this one was a particularly steep trek.

But as is the case with most of From Software’s output, that grind of slowly getting better and more accomplished soon kicked in. Now, I can happily say that my Elden Ring experience is a fascinatingly lopsided one, where I’ve played the heck out of Shadow Of The Erdtree but not really touched the main game. And as someone who isn’t terribly keen on open world Soulslikes (this is what made me procrastinate on playing the base game, honestly), perhaps it’s good that I went about it this way. Shadow Of The Erdtree’s intricate map, with layers upon layers of interconnected bits and bobs to discover, is the stuff of a guides writer’s nightmare - but also perfect for someone like me who prefers tight environments and well-designed linearity to one huge sandbox. Someday I’ll go back and probably try to play through Elden Ring “properly,” but for now, I’m happy that I got to dive in DLC first.

And speaking of “DLC first” - if you’re like me and wondering how to get by in those beginning hours of the Shadow Realm… hey, I wrote a guide for that!

Graham: Soulslikes: like roguelikes, but for cowards. (I have not played Elden Ring or Erdtree.)

Head back to the advent calendar to open another door!

Elden Ring

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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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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