Which Items Should I Keep and What to Drop?

Why Your Backpack Space Matters More Than You Think

In Arc Raiders, you play as a resistance fighter exploring a dangerous, retro-futuristic world. Machines hunt you. The environment can kill you. And your backpack? It fills up faster than you expect. Every time you loot a crate, defeat a machine, or search an abandoned structure, you face the same question: Which items should I keep in Arc Raiders? Keeping the wrong stuff means running out of space for essentials. Dropping the right stuff might leave you unable to craft, repair, or survive the next fight.

This guide will walk you through every major item type in the game. You will learn exactly what to keep, what to sell or scrap, and what to leave behind. No complicated words. No hidden tricks. Just clear advice that works for solo players and teams alike.

Let’s start with the golden rule: If you don’t know what it does, keep one stack and leave the rest.

1. Resources & Crafting Materials – The Foundation of Every Raider

Small title: Always Keep Common Ores and Fabrics – They Build Everything

In Arc Raiders, resources like Scrap Metal, Conductive Alloy, Carbon Fiber, and Circuit Boards are your bread and butter. You use them to craft ammo, repair your gear, and build deployable turrets or shields. Without enough of these, you cannot even restock your basic rifle.

Why keep them?
Even low-tier resources (gray or green quality) are used in dozens of recipes. For example, three Scrap Metal plus two Circuit Boards make a medi-pen. Running out of healing items in a firefight is a quick way to respawn at the station.

What to leave?
If you have more than two full stacks of any common resource (say, 60 Scrap Metal), you can safely drop the extra. Rare resources like Iridium Core or Plasma Battery are harder to find – always keep at least one stack.

Practical tip: Upgrade your backpack’s resource pouch first. It doubles how many ores and fabrics you can carry without taking extra slots.

2. Weapons & Attachments – Damage vs. Weight

Small title: Keep One Primary, One Sidearm, and One Special Weapon

You will find many weapons in crates: ARC-97 Rifle, Shock Repeater, Raildriver, Plasma Cutter, and more. Carrying four guns seems cool, but weight slows your movement and reduces stamina. In a chase with a Scythe robot, slow speed means death.

Which items should I keep in Arc Raiders when it comes to weapons?

• Keep your highest-damage primary weapon for medium range (e.g., ARC-97).

• Keep one light sidearm for close fights (e.g., Shock Repeater).

• Keep one special weapon if it has a unique role – like the Raildriver for long-range sniping or the Plasma Cutter for breaking armored doors.

• Drop duplicate weapons. Two identical rifles just waste space.

• Drop any weapon with less than 30% durability. Broken weapons jam at the worst moment.

Attachments:
Red dot sights, extended magazines, and stabilizers are worth keeping – but only for the guns you actually use. If you find a Precision Grip for a weapon you never carry, sell it at the station. Attachments stack nicely, so you can keep up to five different types without worry.

3. Consumables – Healing, Ammo, and Buffs

Small title: Never Leave Without Three Healing Items

In Arc Raiders, health does not regenerate on its own. You need Medi-Pen, Stimulant, or Bandage to heal. Among these, Medi-Pen is the best – it works instantly. Bandages are slow but stack higher.

Must-keep list:

• At least 3 Medi-Pens or 6 Bandages – always.

• 2 stacks of ammo for your primary weapon (each stack = one reload).

• 1 stack of ammo for your sidearm.

• 1 EMP Grenade – perfect for stunning small machines like Lurker drones.

• 1 Smoke Screen – use it to break line of sight when you run away.

What to drop:

• Food items that give temporary speed buffs (like Energy Bar). They are nice but not essential. Keep only one if you have space.

• Multiple types of grenades. Pick two: one explosive and one utility (EMP or smoke). Drop the rest.

Special case – Self-Revive Kit: If you find this rare item, guard it with your life. It lets you get up after being knocked down. Never drop it. Ever.

4. Keys, Access Cards, and Quest Items

Small title: Blue and Yellow Cards Open Doors – Keep Them Until Used

Many zones in Arc Raiders are locked behind Security Keycard (Lv.1) , Access Dongle, or Biometric Scanner. These items have no other use except opening specific doors or containers. However, they take up precious slots.

Rule of thumb:

• Keep any keycard that matches the area you are in. Example: In the Reactor Sector, a Reactor Access Chip is vital.

• If you are leaving the current map zone (via extraction shuttle), drop all keys – they become worthless on the next map.

• Quest items like Data Drive or Broken Transmitter are automatically saved to your mission log. You do not need to carry them in your backpack after picking them up. Check your quest screen. If the item is marked “Quest Objective”, you can safely discard the physical copy.

Pro tip: Some keys are one-time use. Others stay in your inventory until used. Read the item description – it says “consumable” or “permanent”. Keep permanent ones; use consumable ones quickly.

5. Armor & Suit Modules – Defense That Saves Your Life

Small title: Always Keep the Best Armor Piece – Even If It’s Heavy

Armor comes in three slots: helmet, chest, legs. Examples: Raider Helmet Mk.2, Hardened Vest, Reinforced Greaves. Better armor reduces damage from machine lasers and explosions.

Which items should I keep in Arc Raiders for armor?

• Keep the single highest-level armor you own for each slot. If you have a Mk.3 Helmet (blue rarity), drop all Mk.1 and Mk.2 helmets.

• Keep Suit Modules that give passive bonuses. For instance, Kinetic Capacitor increases sprint duration; Thermal Lining protects against fire zones. These modules stack without taking backpack slots – they install directly into your suit. So always pick them up and equip them immediately.

• Drop broken armor (red durability bar). Repairing costs resources. If you find a new piece, swap and scrap the old one.

Special note – Shield Generator: This backpack-sized device creates a temporary bubble shield. It is heavy but invaluable for team revives. Keep one if you play support role. Otherwise, drop it for ammo.

6. Junk & Vendor Trash – What to Sell Without Regret

Small title: Anything Described as “Trade Goods” Is Safe to Sell

Arc Raiders has filler items like Broken Processor, Rusty Gear, Old Circuit, and Tarnished Medal. Their only purpose is to be sold at the vendor for Credits. You use Credits to buy medipens, ammo packs, and backpack upgrades.

How to handle junk:

• Keep only as many junk items as you need to fill empty slots before extraction.

• A full stack of 10 Rusty Gears sells for 500 Credits. A single gear sells for 50. So wait until you have a full stack before extracting.

• If your backpack is full and you find a valuable resource (like Iridium Core), drop the lowest-value junk item. You can check value by hovering over the item – it shows “Sell price: XX Credits”.

Never keep: Items with zero sell value, like “Scrap Note” or “Empty Canister”. These are environment decorations, not real loot.

7. High-Value Rare Items – The “Don’t You Dare Drop” List

Small title: These Five Items Are Worth Their Weight in Gold

Some items are extremely rare and powerful. If you see any of these, delete other items to make space. Yes, even drop a full stack of ammo – these are that good.

1. Reviver Drone – Automatically revives a downed teammate. Can save a whole squad wipe.

2. Portal Beacon – Creates a one-way teleport back to the safe zone. Instant escape.

3. Overcharge Core – Doubles your weapon damage for 30 seconds. Melts boss machines.

4. Advanced Lockpick – Opens any locked container without a key.

5. Schematic Fragment – Unlocks new crafting recipes. You must extract with it to keep the recipe forever.

One more rule: If you find a Gold-tier item (orange background), keep it even if you do not know what it does. Gold items are endgame materials. You can research them later at the station.

8. Team Play – What to Keep When Playing with Friends

Small title: Share the Load – One Person Carries Ammo, Another Carries Heals

In a squad, you do not all need the same items. Communication is the key to answering which items should I keep in Arc Raiders as a group.

Suggested split:

• Player 1 (Heavy) : Carries extra ammo, grenades, and the team’s Reviver Drone.

• Player 2 (Medic) : Carries 6+ Medi-Pens, Bandages, and the Shield Generator.

• Player 3 (Scout) : Carries keys, EMP grenades, and a long-range weapon.

Items to duplicate: Each player should have their own self-heal (3 Medi-Pens minimum). Do not rely on the medic for everything – in a firefight, you might get separated.

Items to leave for teammates: If you find a weapon attachment that fits your friend’s gun, pick it up and tell them. Do not keep attachments for guns nobody uses.

9. The Extraction Check – Final Inventory Review

Small title: Before Calling the Shuttle, Do This 10-Second Check

You are about to press the extraction button. The shuttle arrives in 60 seconds. Open your backpack and ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I have at least two healing items left? If no, drop a resource and pick up a medipen from a dead machine.

2. Is my primary weapon fully loaded? If no, craft ammo or swap to a backup gun.

3. Do I have any quest items or rare (purple/gold) loot? Those must come with you. Drop common resources to make space.

4. Is my backpack more than 80% full? If yes, you probably carried too much junk. That is fine – just do not slow down your squad.

Final tip: The extraction shuttle has a loot deposit box inside. You can throw items in there even after boarding. So do not panic-drop things on the ground – wait until you are safely inside.

Summary: Keep vs. Drop at a Glance (List Format)

Common resources (Scrap Metal, Fabrics)

• Keep: Up to 2 stacks

• Drop/Sell: Extra stacks

Rare resources (Iridium Core, Plasma Battery)

• Keep: All of them

• Drop/Sell: None

Weapons

• Keep: One per range (primary, sidearm, special)

• Drop/Sell: Duplicates & low durability

Attachments

• Keep: Only for equipped weapons

• Drop/Sell: Others

Healing items

• Keep: 3+ Medi-Pens or 6+ Bandages

• Drop/Sell: Food buffs (keep one)

Grenades

• Keep: One explosive + one utility

• Drop/Sell: Third type

Keycards

• Keep: Match current zone

• Drop/Sell: Other zones’ keys

Armor

• Keep: Best piece per slot

• Drop/Sell: Broken or lower-tier

Junk (Trade Goods)

• Keep: Fill empty slots only

• Drop/Sell: Drop for better loot

Gold-tier items

• Keep: Always keep

• Drop/Sell: Never drop

Quest items

• Keep: Check quest log – discard if auto-saved

• Drop/Sell: Physical copy after log update

Final Words: Practice Makes Perfect

No guide can cover every situation. Sometimes you will keep a Plasma Battery and never use it. Other times you will drop a Self-Revive Kit and regret it for days. That is part of the Arc Raiders experience.

The good news? Every extraction teaches you something. After three or four runs, you will instinctively know which items should I keep in Arc Raiders without even opening the inventory screen. Start with the rules above, then adjust based on your playstyle. Are you a sniper who stays far back? Carry more ammo and fewer heals. Are you a brawler who charges into machine groups? Bring extra armor and self-revives.

Remember: The best item in your backpack is empty space. Because empty space means you are ready to loot that next golden crate.

Now go raid, raider. And watch out for Scythes – they drop the best loot.