ARC Raiders 1.45 introduces the Ascending the Mountain project, three community rubber ducks, flexible Expedition quest-reset options, and a confirmed retirement timeline for CRED currency. Navigating these changes early ensures you protect hard-earned progress and optimize valuable resources before major seasonal shifts.

Here is a breakdown of what you need to claim, verify, and spend immediately.

Protect Your CRED and Expedition Progress

High-stakes updates often bring hidden pitfalls, primarily around expiring balances and permanent progression choices. Addressing these factors before committing materials to new tasks prevents unrecoverable losses.

Spend CRED before the October 8 deadline

Current timelines place the CRED expiration date on October 8, coinciding with the launch of the Frozen Trail phase. Claimed Raider Deck rewards will remain unlocked on your account, and legacy deck rewards are scheduled to transition into the forthcoming replacement framework.

Because leftover CRED does not carry a verified conversion rate, balance liquidation is mandatory. Prioritize purchases according to account permanence:

Permanent account rewards take priority over disposable inventory when a departure cycle approaches.

Expedition 5: Check your personal reward track

Expedition 5 features a 100,000-damage requirement, but rewards scale based on your individual completion history rather than the global event tier.

Before committing your departure:

1. Confirm personal eligibility, total damage thresholds, and the event closure timer.

2. Review the distinct reward track assigned to your profile.

3. Review specific inventory reset conditions.

4. Choose whether to keep or reset quest progression.

Opting to retain quest progression keeps your milestone marker intact, while resetting restarts the chain from narrative initiation. Blueprints operate on separate account-level flags; retaining active quest lines does not automatically preserve unlearned schematic access.

Finish Ascending the Mountain Without Emptying Your Supplies

Ascending the Mountain serves as a four-tier resource project funding Apollo's experimental pathway outside the primary transit corridors. Because resource targets depend heavily on current economy adjustments, verify all active requirements directly in the game UI before liquidating your stash.

Verify contributions, then donate surplus

Due to early database desynchronizations where some profiles reflected unearned completion stages, double-check your ledger entries after launching the patch.

To complete the project efficiently:

1. Record specific component tallies required on the active page.

2. Lock essential crafting parts required for your primary loadouts.

3. Donate only non-essential surplus materials.

4. Farm missing intermediate parts during routine resource runs.

5. Inspect downstream tiers before selling salvageable leftovers.

Balloon transport elements tie directly into environmental narrative points for Frozen Trail rather than functioning as player-piloted vehicles.

Claim ducks before exploring Bird City

A promotional package containing the MRI Duck, Arcade Duck, and Frosty Duck is distributed directly through the in-game inbox. Check your mailbox prior to scouring world containers.

For players seeking immediate capital, base sell values are structured as follows:

Collectors should hold the original gifts; the cumulative 20,000-coin yield is easily matched through standard salvage extractions. Bird City remains a viable farming point for duplicate drops, though exact container probabilities fluctuate.

Inspect store bundles before buying

The patch spotlight features the Hornet Hunter bundle, alongside the reissue of Static and the scheduled release of Boon. Examine individual piece breakdowns carefully, as cosmetic accessories displayed in promotional renders are not guaranteed to be sold as standalone items.

Fix Controls and Plan for Heavy Extractions

Mechanical refinements alter quick-item management, scanner behavior, and movement penalties under heavy loads.

Manage overencumbrance thresholds

A severe-encumbrance tier limits evasive mobility by disabling sprinting and jumping, restricting movement strictly to base walking speed.

Because load calculations interact dynamically with baseline stamina recovery rates, avoid navigating open terrain near capacity limits. If overencumbered during extraction:

1. Seek immediate structural cover.

2. Test jumping capability before committing to vertical egress routes.

3. Drop low-tier bulk loot to recover standard sprint capabilities.

4. Recalculate pack weight after unstacking consumables.

Separate quick-item cycling from the wheel

Item selection controls can now be split into dedicated keybinds or disabled entirely to prevent inadvertent wheel cycling during tactical encounters. Rebind these inputs to separate keys, verify that emergency healing items remain locked, and confirm input stability under simulated combat movement.

Treat scanner alerts as major hazards

Snitch scanner alert patterns now mirror frontline Snitch beacons, introducing probabilities for elevated ARC reinforcements. Before triggering a scanner, identify secondary exit routes and disengage immediately if heavy units deploy.

When does CRED expire in ARC Raiders?

CRED expires on October 8 alongside the rollout of the Frozen Trail update. Unspent currency will not convert into the replacement system, so balances should be redeemed in the Raider Deck or shop prior to maintenance.

How do you get the three free community rubber ducks?

The MRI Duck, Arcade Duck, and Frosty Duck are delivered straight to your in-game mailbox upon logging into version 1.45. Additional copies can be found as loose loot in urban zones such as Bird City.

Does Expedition 5 automatically reset quest progression?

No, quest progression resets are optional. When initiating departure, players must explicitly choose whether to preserve current quest milestone steps or wipe them clean for a fresh cycle.

What happens if you exceed the severe overencumbrance limit?

Exceeding the maximum carrying threshold disables both jumping and sprinting, locking your Raider to standard walk speed and substantially slowing stamina regeneration.

Are Raider Deck rewards lost when CRED retires?

No, any cosmetics or unlocks successfully claimed from the Raider Deck prior to October 8 remain permanently bound to your account profile.

Summary

ARC Raiders 1.45 requires immediate clean-up before strategic deployment. Prioritize using up the rest of your CRED balance before the October 8 deadline, collect your three gift ducks via the in-game mailbox, and check your personal Expedition 5 milestone track. Coupling intentional resource donations with aggressive loadout weight management will keep your extraction routes safe as the season progresses.