Riven Tides is already looking like one of the more important ARC Raiders updates so far. The new map seems bigger than many of us expected, the repeated something passed overhead teases almost certainly point to a new flying large ARC, and the expedition system is now much easier to plan around thanks to the damage-based skill point rules.

From a player perspective, that gives us three things to focus on: map awareness, efficient damage farming, and loadout flexibility. That's what this guide is built around.

• What We Know About the Riven Tides Map
• Likely Points of Interest
• The Flying ARC Tease Looks Real
• Why This Matters
• Expedition Skill Points: The Rule That Actually Matters
• Damage Thresholds
• What This Means in Practice
• Best Way to Farm All 5 Skill Points
• Best Approach
• One Problem Still Needs Fixing
• Loadout and Meta Thoughts Before the Update
• What We Should Do Before Riven Tides Launches
• FAQ
• What is Riven Tides in ARC Raiders?
• Is the new large ARC flying?
• Do we need to extract for expedition skill points?
• How much damage do we need for all 5 skill points?
• Does squad damage count for everyone?
• What is the best way to farm expedition points?
• Final Takeaway

↖ What We Know About the Riven Tides Map

The map does not look like a single hotel zone. From what's been shown so far, it appears to have several distinct areas, which usually means better raid variety and less predictable pathing.

↖ Likely Points of Interest

• Hotel exterior and interior
• Beachfront
• Pool area
• Custom house
• Stacking yard / dock area
• Large concrete shoreline structure
• Industrial buildings and a tower landmark

From experience, maps with mixed interiors and open lanes usually play much better over time. Why? Because they give us more than one way to move, fight, and disengage.

If you normally run one safe do-everything build, this map may push you to adapt more than current zones do.

↖ The Flying ARC Tease Looks Real

At this point, it would be surprising if the new large ARC was not airborne in some form. The wording around something passed overhead has shown up too often to ignore, and it lines up with the roadmap mentioning a new large ARC.

↖ Why This Matters

A flying ARC would change how we read the map.

Ground threats are easier to track because we can break sight with terrain and predict movement. An aerial threat creates pressure in open areas and may make beach crossings, revives, and extractions much riskier.

If open ground starts feeling unsafe in Riven Tides, this is probably why.

↖ Expedition Skill Points: The Rule That Actually Matters

This is the biggest practical change for most players:

You earn expedition skill points through damage dealt, not by extracting.

That alone makes the system far less punishing.

↖ Damage Thresholds

The important part is that 100,000 total damage gets all 5 points. It is not a separate stacked total beyond that.

↖ What This Means in Practice

• Solo players can make steady progress
• Bad raids still count if you dealt damage
• Squad players need to spread damage, because progress is individual
• PvE farming may be more consistent than chasing PvP only

Based on current estimates, 100,000 damage is roughly the equivalent of around 20 Bastions, though the exact efficiency will depend on what targets you fight most often.

↖ Best Way to Farm All 5 Skill Points

If our goal is progression, we should stop thinking extract or waste the run and start thinking deal reliable damage every raid.

↖ Best Approach

1. Prioritize consistent ARC fights

2. Do not let one squadmate finish everything

3. Take PvP when it's favorable, not just because it's there

4. Use the full event window instead of trying to force it in one day

This system is much healthier than a stash-value requirement because it rewards action. As players, that's a better fit for how ARC Raiders is actually played.

↖ One Problem Still Needs Fixing

The in-game expedition text needs to match the new system clearly. If the UI still talks about stash value while the real rule is damage dealt, that is going to confuse people.

That may sound minor, but in live-service games it matters a lot. Not everyone reads social posts or patch discussions. Many players only trust what the game itself says.

If you notice friends hoarding ARC Raiders items for expedition rewards, they may simply be following outdated in-game wording.

↖ Loadout and Meta Thoughts Before the Update

One thing many of us have felt for a while is that the same few weapons still do too much of the heavy lifting. Reliable PvE guns and fast PvP options continue to dominate because they are efficient, safe, and proven.

A new map is the perfect time for the sandbox to open up a bit. If Riven Tides really mixes interiors, open coastlines, and industrial cover, then weapon variety should matter more. If it doesn't, most players will fall back into the same old loadouts again.

From my own experience in extraction shooters, players usually do not resist variety—they resist unnecessary risk. If one weapon feels safer in eight out of ten situations, that weapon becomes the default.

↖ What We Should Do Before Riven Tides Launches

The best prep is simple and practical.

• Clear stash clutter
• Keep one PvE-focused setup ready
• Keep one flexible map-testing loadout ready
• In squads, agree to share damage
• Expect open areas to be more dangerous than they look

If you go into Riven Tides with a learn first, optimize second mindset, you'll adjust faster than players who try to force old habits onto a new map.

↖ FAQ

↖ What is Riven Tides in ARC Raiders?

Riven Tides is an upcoming ARC Raiders update that adds a new map, a new large ARC, a new map condition, and the expedition window progression system.

↖ Is the new large ARC flying?

It has not been fully shown yet, but repeated overhead teases strongly suggest the new large ARC is airborne or aerial in behavior.

↖ Do we need to extract for expedition skill points?

No. Damage counts even if you do not extract.

↖ How much damage do we need for all 5 skill points?

You need 100,000 total damage to earn all 5 expedition skill points.

↖ Does squad damage count for everyone?

No. Damage is counted individually, so each player needs to contribute their own damage.

↖ What is the best way to farm expedition points?

For most players, the most reliable way is consistent PvE damage farming with smart PvP taken only when it makes sense.

↖ Final Takeaway

Riven Tides looks promising because it may change more than just the scenery. A bigger-feeling map, a possible flying ARC, and a cleaner progression route through damage all point to a more active and tactical update. The biggest win for us is clarity: deal damage, learn the new spaces early, and build for flexibility rather than comfort alone.