ARC Raiders’ fourth Expedition changes the reward loop by replacing fourth-run skill point challenge rewards with random temporary blueprints and permanent Raider Tokens, while also capping consecutive buffs and making the Zenith outfit the main new permanent cosmetic prize.
The fourth Expedition keeps the same departure ritual ARC Raiders veterans already know, but the payout on the other side looks very different. The official announcement frames it as an updated reward structure, and for anyone on their fourth run that means the familiar skill points are gone, replaced by a mystery reward system of blueprints and Raider Tokens. If you’ve been weighing whether to depart and reset your Raider topside again, the math on what you actually walk away with has shifted enough to be worth reading before you commit.
- What the fourth Expedition changes about your rewards
- Fourth Expedition window, sign-up, and the caravan trap
- Returning damage challenge and its five reward tiers
- Blueprints and Raider Tokens replace skill points
- Zenith outfit, stash space, and the skill point cap
- Consecutive buff cap and missing a window
- Is the fourth Expedition worth departing for?
- Players on their first, second, or third Expedition
- Frequently Asked Questions
What the fourth Expedition changes about your rewards
This is a reward-structure update, not a new beginner system. The departure flow, the caravan, Hermal’s Vault and Trials all work the way they did — what’s been reworked is what the Expedition challenge pays out once you’re on your fourth run. The damage challenge from the third Expedition returns unchanged, but the rewards attached to it are no longer skill points.
Embark has been clear that the payout depends on your personal progress. If you’re on your first, second, or third Expedition, you keep the older reward structure and continue earning what previous Expeditions offered. The changes below apply specifically to players departing on their fourth Expedition, and that distinction matters for almost every reward in this article.
Fourth Expedition window, sign-up, and the caravan trap
The departure window for this Expedition reportedly opens on 7 July (1 p.m. CST / 11 a.m. UTC / 4 a.m. PT) and runs until 21 July (10 a.m. CST / 8 a.m. UTC / 1 a.m. PT) — roughly 14 days to sign up and finish the requirements. Treat those exact dates as provisional and confirm them against the official post or the in-game UI: other dates have circulated for the current Expedition cycle, including a longer 11 May–21 July window and an older April window tied to a previous Expedition, so the figures don’t all line up cleanly.
Returning damage challenge and its five reward tiers
| Reward tier | Damage required | Fourth Expedition reward |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 5,000 | 1 mystery blueprint + 150 Raider Tokens |
| Tier 2 | 10,000 | 1 mystery blueprint + 150 Raider Tokens |
| Tier 3 | 30,000 | 1 mystery blueprint + 150 Raider Tokens |
| Tier 4 | 50,000 | 1 mystery blueprint + 150 Raider Tokens |
| Tier 5 | 100,000 | 1 mystery blueprint + 150 Raider Tokens |
The damage challenge carries straight over from the third Expedition. Rewards one through five sit on a scaling total of damage dealt to any and all ARC or other Raiders during the departure window, and the thresholds are identical to last time: 5,000, 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, and 100,000 damage. How much damage you deal directly determines how many reward tiers you unlock — there’s no separate objective list, just the same five rungs.
For scale, Embark has described 100,000 damage as roughly equal to destroying around 20 Bastions, and earlier guidance noted that 8,000–10,000 damage is achievable in a single very good round. That makes the lower tiers comfortable for most players and the top tier a genuine grind across the window.
Clearing all five objectives reportedly lands you five blueprints and, by the same per-objective math, around 750 Raider Tokens — though that total is presented as an interpretation of the per-step wording rather than a confirmed number, so don’t bank on the exact figure until it’s verified in-game.
Blueprints and Raider Tokens replace skill points
| Reward type | Permanent or temporary | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Mystery blueprints | Temporary | 1 per cleared objective; reset on your next departure; no duplicates within the five earned; no catch-up banking. |
| Raider Tokens | Permanent | 150 per cleared objective; do not reset between Expeditions. |
| Hermal’s Vault carryover | Carried blueprints persist | Vault blueprints are not covered by duplicate protection, so a mystery draw can duplicate one you brought. |
This is the headline. On your fourth Expedition you no longer earn skill points from the Expedition challenge. Instead you get a mystery reward system: each completed departure objective (tiers one through five, 5,000 up to 100,000 damage) delivers one blueprint plus 150 Raider Tokens, handed to you after you depart. Embark has explicitly called this the first run of the mystery reward system and said it’ll be monitored and adjusted based on feedback.
The draws are pulled from a wide named pool rather than a guaranteed set — having a lot of options in the pool does not mean you’re guaranteed any specific one. The listed blueprints are:
- Heavy gun parts
- Complex gun parts
- Padded stock
- Extended barrel 3
- Muzzle break 3
- Stable stock 3
- Vertical girth 3
- Venador
- Rascal
- Osprey
- Trailblazer
- Anvil
- Patina
- Hallcracker
- Tempest
- Volcano
- Delabra
- Aphelion
- Combat augment mark II
- Flanking
- Tactical defensive
- Looting safekeeper
- Looting survivor
- The wolfpack
- Power descender
- Snap hook
After finishing your caravan, consciously sign up for the Expedition — closing off the caravan does not enroll you, and missing the sign-up means the damage challenge rewards never arrive.
Zenith outfit, stash space, and the skill point cap
| Reward or cap | What changes | Who it matters for |
|---|---|---|
| Zenith outfit (level 1) | New permanent cosmetic for completing the fourth departure | Fourth-Expedition players |
| Stash space | +12 this Expedition, +48 total after four | Anyone departing again |
| Future stash cap | Reportedly maxes near +60 at the fifth Expedition | Long-term repeat departers |
| Bonus skill point cap | Capped at 15; catch-up only for missed points, none new on fourth run | Players still chasing missed skill points |
The standout permanent prize is the new Zenith outfit. Completing your fourth departure unlocks its first level — a permanent cosmetic. Players who haven’t finished their first, second, or third Expeditions are still working toward the patchwork outfits instead, so Zenith is specifically a fourth-run payoff.
You also pick up +12 stash space, bringing the running total to +48 across four Expeditions. Embark has flagged that the fifth Expedition will max out around +60, meaning sixth-and-beyond departures won’t keep climbing to +72 or higher off this track. That cap could line up with the broader progression overhaul expected in the October update, but that connection is openly speculative and the timing isn’t confirmed. Separately, the bonus skill points from Expeditions cap at 15: players can still catch up on points they previously missed, but a fourth-run player won’t be earning new ones from this challenge.
Consecutive buff cap and missing a window
| Buff | Earlier scaling | Fourth Expedition behavior |
|---|---|---|
| XP boost | Reportedly 5% → 10% → 15% | Capped at level 3; a fourth straight run holds the third-level value |
| Scrappy materials boost | Reportedly 6% → 12% → 18% | Capped at level 3; no further increase past the third run |
| Repair boost | Reportedly 60% → 70% → 80% | Capped at level 3; maintained, not increased |
The consecutive buffs — granted for running Expeditions back to back — have also been quietly capped. The XP boost, Scrappy materials boost, and repair boost are now capped at three levels. If your fourth Expedition is your fourth in a row, those values are maintained from your third run but do not increase any further.
Is the fourth Expedition worth departing for?
| Upside | Downside | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Clear, early communication with ~2 weeks of runway | No new skill points on a fourth run | You know the requirements ahead of time — plan your damage farming early |
| Permanent Raider Tokens and +12 stash space | Blueprints are random and temporary | Depart for the permanent gains, not the blueprint lottery |
| Zenith outfit level 1 unlock | Duplicate risk against Hermal’s Vault carryover | Be cautious about which blueprints you carry through the Vault |
| Reward structure stays fresh vs. repeating the same grind | Consecutive buffs capped at three levels | If you’re chasing buff growth, the ceiling is already here |
The honest read is that this is the most missable Expedition so far for veterans, but it isn’t a write-off. The communication is clearer and earlier than past runs, the Raider Tokens and stash space are permanent gains, and Zenith progression is a real new cosmetic. Against that, you’re trading guaranteed skill points for an RNG blueprint pull that can duplicate your Vault carryover, and the consecutive buff cap arrived with no prior warning.
Players on their first, second, or third Expedition
If you haven’t reached your fourth departure yet, most of the above doesn’t apply to you. Earlier Expeditions keep their existing reward structure, so you’re still earning toward the patchwork outfits and still interacting with the older skill point system, including catch-up on points you previously missed. The new mystery rewards, Zenith outfit, and buff cap kick in specifically at the fourth run — so don’t assume a guide written for fourth-Expedition departures describes what you’ll see on your first three.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the fourth Expedition still give skill points?
No. On your fourth Expedition the challenge no longer awards skill points — you get mystery blueprints and Raider Tokens instead. Bonus skill points from Expeditions are capped at 15, and while you can still catch up on points you previously missed, a fourth-run player won’t earn new ones from the challenge.
How many mystery blueprints can you earn?
Up to five, one per completed damage objective across the 5,000, 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, and 100,000 thresholds. They’re drawn at random from a wide named pool, so hitting all five tiers doesn’t let you choose which blueprints you receive.
Can Expedition mystery blueprints duplicate Vault blueprints?
Yes. The five challenge blueprints won’t duplicate each other, but that protection doesn’t cover blueprints you carried over in Hermal’s Vault. A mystery draw can hand you a copy of something you already brought through, and you won’t know until after the Expedition resolves.
Are Raider Tokens permanent after departure?
Yes. Unlike blueprints, which reset when you depart on your next Expedition, Raider Tokens are permanent and carry forward. You reportedly earn 150 per completed objective.
Do you need to sign up after completing the caravan?
Yes. Finishing and closing off your caravan does not automatically sign you up for the Expedition — you have to consciously enroll. Last Call will be active as a final opportunity, but plan to sign up well within the window.
More questions⤵
What happens if you miss an Expedition window?
Missing a window doesn’t erase your existing progress, but your consecutive buffs won’t increase for that period and the buff isn’t active during the missed window. Because you need two Expeditions in a row to raise a buff level, a skipped window leaves your buffs frozen at their current level rather than climbing.
Video help
