The Arc Raiders Queen is the second most powerful enemy in the game, and was initially the greatest challenge it had to offer at all. The Queen is a huge, spider-legged robot that uses lasers and missiles to fend off attackers, its plating absorbing any attack you throw at it - or so it would seem.
While it's incredibly tough to beat a Queen when playing solo, it is possible, and even relatively manageable with a competent, well-armed team. More importantly though, you need to know how to do it, especially if you want to access the treasure trove that is the Arc Raiders Harvester, a bunker of loot that the Queen guards ferociously. Belo we'll lay out all the weaknesses and strategies involved in defeating the Queen, and everything you need to know about one of Arc Raiders' toughest foes.
Arc Raiders Queen weaknesses
For an even greater threat, find out how to slay the Arc Raiders Matriarch!
The Queen's main weaknesses are the Core (in the middle of its body) and the leg joints. However, both are covered in armor that will need to be removed by suitable weapons and explosives - once you can reach them then you should be able to do greater damage.
The front of the Queen (or face) is an especially good place to target to remove armor. You'll know when you can see the Core, as it's a red colour that glows and stands out among all the steel.
The Core in particular is extremely vulnerable if exposed, more so than the joints. If you can use a Snap Hook to get onto the Queen's body and plant a Deadline mine on the exposed Core itself, you can do major damage, though obviously this isn't easy or safe as a strategy. You can also use it as a way just to break that exterior armor, as seen above.
Best Loadout and Weapons to defeat the Queen in Arc Raiders
If you're going to fight a Queen in Arc Raiders, you'll need to prioritize high survivability and heavy-duty armor piercing weapons, as well as explosives. Here are some weapons and items we highly recommend you bring if you have them.
- Anvil: Strong, relatively easy to get hold of, with great armor piercing and increased weak point damage, the Anvil does a lot in the hands of any player. Make sure it's upgraded to level 4.
- Hullcracker: Though it took a nerf a while ago, the Hullcracker is still pretty good at shredding Arc armor. If you want to strip the Core of its protection, use the Hullcracker, then switch to the Anvil when it's exposed.
- Equalizer or Jupiter: If you've unlocked these legendary weapons, there are few things that shred armor like them. Still, you're risking something valuable by taking them into these encounters.
- Wolfpack Grenades: These are good for doing major damage, but if another enemy gets drawn in, like a Bastion or Rocketeer, a Wolfpack will make short work of them.
- Trigger 'Nades. If you don't have Wolfpacks to spare, these are a passable alternative.
- Snap Hook and Deadline: As mentioned, ziplining up to the Queen's back and planting these high-power landmines can really hurt her, though you'll need to get away quick before her defenses kick in, or the mine blows you up.
- Either Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive) or Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) Augment. You'll want a Heavy Shield to survive the Queen's attacks, and these are the best Arc Raiders Augments that are compatible with Heavy Shields at all.
- LOTS of healing items. You can't have too many, and they can't be too good. If you've been saving up better options like the Vita Shot, now's the time to use them.
- Defibrillator: Even if you're playing Solo, you're very likely to be working with other solo players to bring the Queen down. If they die, your odds will plummet, so make sure you have the means to save them, as laid out in our guide on reviving enemies and dead teammates in Arc Raiders.
- Ziplines. An ability to quickly get around the map is pretty useful, so while Ziplines might not be essential, they can provide a nice advantage. If you don't have a Snap Hook and there's some space in your inventory, try these.
If you don't have any of the best Arc Raiders guns mentioned above, some alternative options would include the Renegade, Torrente and Ferro, but honestly, what we've listed is what's going to give you the optimum chance. Without any of those, we really can't make any assurances about your odds. Some players have also reported having a lot of success with Stun weapons like the Showstopper, but I personally have had mixed results and can't speak too highly about it – a lot of the time it seemed to have little effect. Still, you might find more success.
Arc Raiders Queen tips and attack patterns
When approaching the Queen, make sure you have cover before you engage. Ideally you want to find a building or bunker with a roof you can hide inside, as you'll need cover both from the sides and from above to have the best chance. Once you're there, fire on the weak points as shown above, and prepare for the following attacks from the queen:
- Mortar launch. The Queen fires multiple mortars at nearby targets that stick into the ground, then explode a moment later. Get far away from them to avoid being hurt.
- Laser beam. The Queen fires a rising laser from her face that does major fire damage. Use cover or roll to the sides at the last second for the best odds. If you're hit, keep rolling to put out the blaze. You can spot the laser charging up before it fires, so make sure you're looking for cover when that happens.
- EMP. If players are too close to the Queen or where her other attacks won't reach, she fires a short wave energy pulse that obliterates players' shields and does damage. You'll see it charging, which is when you need to put as much distance between you and her as possible. The Snap Hook should help you escape here, if you have it.
- Ground Slam: Running around beneath the Queen will cause her to rise up and slam onto the ground, which does major damage. If you're underneath her, watch to see if she starts rising up, but ultimately, don't get underneath her, as there's no advantage to it.
- Stomp. The simple movement of the Queen will do damage if she steps on a player in the process, so watch out for those and get ready to dodge. Destroying the leg joints will cause legs to fall off, meaning there's less things to stomp on you.
Arc Raiders Queen rewards and loot
The Arc Raiders Queen explodes into multiple pieces when killed, each of which can be searched individually. The full list of potential loot and rewards is big enough to fill much of the Arc Raiders Loot Cheat Sheet, and goes as follows:
- Arc Raiders blueprints
- Jupiter
- Legendary
- Queen Reactor
- Epic
- Complex Gun Parts
- Magnetic Accelerator
- Rare
- Advanced Arc Powercell
- Advanced Electrical Components
- Advanced Mechanical Components
- Arc Circuitry
- Arc Coolant
- Arc Flex Rubber
- Arc Motion Core
- Arc Performance Steel
- Arc Synthetic Resin
- Arc Thermo Lining
- Uncommon
- Arc Alloy
The important thing to remember is that other players tend to rush in and loot very quickly, so unless you're willing to pick a fight over the corpse, you'll need to get in fast or risk not coming away with much. The better loot tends also to be on the main body, so make sure you're close to the centre of the carcass, rather than on the legs.
Of course, the Queen is also always guarding the Harvester, a small landing craft filled with loot, but which is also filled with traps and defensive systems that need to be deactivated to safely access its central treasure. It's not too difficult to do this without having to kill the Queen, especially if other players are drawing her attention.
The main reward from all this is the Jupiter (a legendary Sniper Rifle) and the Queen Reactor needed to make both it and the Equalizer. Of course, with the addition of the Arc Raiders Trophy Display project, much of these drops are also put towards completing that.
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