Upgrading Workbench and other crafting stations in ARC Raiders is crucial for progress in the game and to create or upgrade powerful weapons and valuable gear. The Workbench is the main crafting hub where you build, improve, and prepare for the raids. But understanding how to upgrade Workbench in the game isn’t immediately obvious. Our guide explains how the upgrade system works in ARC Raiders, what the Workbench does, and how to level up your crafting ability through the Workshop and its connected benches.
How the Workbench Works in ARC Raiders
ARC Raiders’ Workbench is the initial crafting point when you first unlock your operations base, the Raider Den. From here, you can build basic gear like early-tier weapons, ammo, and armor as the starter kit that works well to survive the first few raids and get used to the extraction loop.
Once you progress further into the game, you’ll find out that the Workbench isn’t the only thing in your Workshop. ARC Raiders has introduced the craft system with different stations, separate for specific gear types. To create powerful weapons, better equipment, or healing items, you’ll need to upgrade these benches instead of the basic Workbench.
These are all the benches currently available in the game, and what they do:
| Bench | Function |
|---|---|
| Workbench | Crafts basic early-game gear and ammo. |
| Gunsmith | Crafts and upgrades weapons and attachments. |
| Gear Bench | Creates advanced armor and augments. |
| Utility Station | Builds gadgets and deployables. |
| Medical Lab | Produces healing and shield items. |
| Refiner | Converts base materials into high-quality items. |
| Explosives Bench | Crafts grenades and explosive utilities. |
How to Upgrade the Workbench in ARC Raiders
To upgrade any station in ARC Raiders, look at the top of the interface to see the “Level Up” tab that’s easy to miss and has a lot of players scratching their heads thanks to the complex UI, but that’s where you’ll find the upgrade requirements for every bench.
Choose any one station (let’s say the Gunsmith) and open its Level Up section. You’ll see the list of materials you need to take it to the next tier. Each bench upgrade requires multiple craft materials like Metal Parts, Fabric, Rusted Tools, ARC Alloy, and other components you pick up from raids. There’s also a Track Resources button you can see there that marks required items during missions, which saves you from sifting through piles of random junk.
Once you’ve collected all required items, return to the station, open the same Workbench page, and confirm the upgrade. The process is instant, and the new level unlocks better blueprints and more advanced crafting recipes.
One of the big confusions among players is that the main Workbench itself can’t be upgraded. Yes, you can’t level up the initial Workbench. Unlike the other benches, the base bench doesn’t have a Level Up tab; it remains static throughout the game and gives access to the other stations. The “Workbench” name usually confuses because the whole Workshop area is also sometimes referred to as a workbench. ARC Raiders’ real progression means upgrading the specialized benches, not the early unlocked terminal.
Where to Find Materials for Workbench Upgrades
To hunt down the items, look for the location tag at the bottom of each item’s tooltip that matches the environment categories used by landmarks on the map, such as “Industrial,” “Nature,” “Mechanical,” or “Tech.”
To find a specific component, match its tag with the landmark tag on the map for a better drop rate. For example:
- Mechanical Components mostly drop in Industrial Zones.
- Fabric and Plastic Parts are common loot in Residential or Nature-tagged areas.
- ARC Alloy or Power Cables usually appear in Tech or Spaceport zones.
You can also rely on Scrappy, your base’s scavenger who collects random materials over time. Early Scrappy upgrade saves you a lot of farming trips, as he will deliver crafting resources passively while you play your normal game.
ARC Raiders Upgrade System Overview
The complete upgrade system in ARC Raiders is developed as part of its core gameplay like raid, extract, craft, upgrade, repeat. Every raid you do isn’t only for loot but also to get resources and blueprints you need to craft/upgrade weapons and gear.
Materials and blueprints you obtain expand what you can make, and every station level unlocks tough, more advanced options. The better your Workshop, the greater your future raids.
- Go on raids and collect materials, components, and blueprints.
- Extract alive to keep your loot.
- Back at base, unlock the new blueprints you collected.
- Use materials to upgrade benches and unlock high-tier recipes.
- Craft new or improved gear to take on challenging missions and tough raids.
How to Upgrade the Gunsmith
Gunsmith is the most important bench you should upgrade very early in the game because its higher levels unlock new weapons and advanced modifications that greatly improve combat ability. To upgrade Gunsmith, go to Workshop from the top of the main lobby, click Gunsmith, and then select Level Up from the top menu to find all requirements for any gear. This bench upgrade doesn’t increase weapon stats, but it lets you craft better weapon types and attachments like extended magazines, improved recoil grips, or silencers.
For example:
- Gunsmith I: Basic sidearms and starter attachments.
- Gunsmith II: Mid-tier rifles, SMGs, and improved mods.
- Gunsmith III: Strong weapons and performance attachments.
Most of the crafting costs revolve around Metal Parts, Mechanical Components, and often rare enemy drops like Wasp Drivers or Rollbot Parts.
Tips for Fast Progression
- Prioritize the Gunsmith and Scrappy first. Better weapons and passive resource generation speed up every other upgrade.
- Focus on what you use. Don’t upgrade every bench early on — it’s expensive. Pick the stations you need for your favorite loadout or role.
- Raid intelligently. Use landmarks that match your required resource tags to avoid time waste on random loot.
- Track resources from the Level Up tab. This saves a lot of time since marked materials are easy to spot in the field.
- Upgrade in sync with your blueprints. If you find a high-tier weapon schematic, upgrade the related bench before you craft.
Upgrading in ARC Raiders is a progression route to build a functional Workshop network. The Workbench confusion trips everyone once, but once you understand that it’s just the front end of the system, the upgrade path makes total sense. Keep your Gunsmith and Scrappy ahead of the curve, loot smart instead of random, and your Workshop will turn into an actual upgrade factory instead of a scrapyard.
