How to find a Deforester in Arc Raiders

Deforesters in Arc Raiders
(Image credit: Embark Studios)

The new A Prime Specimen quest in Arc Raiders is about finding a Deforester husk, then using Arc Powercells to activate it so you can loot it for resources… though doing so triggers a fiery trap that risks killing you if you're not careful. Not only that, but if you're not quick or spawn into the match too late, then the Deforester will already be looted and you'll either have to find another one, or abandon the match altogether and try in the next expedition out. Below I'll explain how to find a Deforester husk and activate it, as well as what you need to do once you're there to complete the Prime Specimen quest.

How to complete A Prime Specimen in Arc Raiders and find a Deforester

A Deforester husk in Arc Raiders

(Image credit: Embark Studios)

To complete the quest A Prime Specimen, you need to do the following:

  1. Find two Arc Powercells
  2. Find a Deforester husk on the Blue Gate map
  3. Use the Powercells to activate the Deforester husk
  4. Survive the fire traps within the husk until you can reach the loot within

The challenge here is that Arc Raiders doesn't do a great job explaining to players what Deforesters are and how you're supposed to activate these massive pieces of machinery once you get there. Activating these husks has actually been a feature for a while, but this is the first time that it's been featured within a quest, added as part of the Arc Raiders Escalation update. To explain it in more detail, we'll cover all the steps below.

Deforester locations

(Image credit: Embark Studios)

At time of writing there are two known locations for Deforester husks in the Blue Gate map, marked on the map above. Deforesters are huge, cylindrical wrecks found there, actually visible when you zoom in on the maps themselves, and they should be hollow when you approach.

Deforesters in Arc Raiders

(Image credit: Embark Studios)

Specifically, what you're looking for is a sparking, electrical panel on the inside of that cylinder, an image of which is shown just above. That's the interaction point that begins the process.

How to activate Deforesters

Deforesters in Arc Raiders

(Image credit: Embark Studios)

To activate the Deforester Husks you'll need two Arc Powercells, either by bringing them into the expedition with you or finding them on Arc robots in-game, both work. Then, once you get to the husk, interact with the sparking electrical panel to begin the process.

WARNING: If no option comes up to do this, that means another player has beaten you to it. Each Deforester can only be looted once per match, so if you're not the first one to it, you won't be able to interact with it at all.

Deforesters in Arc Raiders

(Image credit: Embark Studios)

Once triggered, the inside of the Deforester will begin to intermittently shoot fire. You need to run past it when the fires stop to reach a second panel at the back of the cylinder, where you put a second Arc Powercell. This triggers a new pattern of flames, which you'll need to dodge back out past, then leave and climb onto the new platform that's on the upper half of the cylinder. Dodge past the flames once more, and you can interact with the final loot point of the Deforester, getting all the Arc components inside. Doing so will also shut down the flames, allowing you to leave safely.

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Joel Franey
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.

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