ARC Raiders BluePrints are only one part of getting ready for Update 1.42. With the Phantom Targets Player Project expanding on August 18, 2026, players who want a smooth start to Part 2 should finish the active Part 1 objectives and prepare the right equipment before the update arrives.

ARC Raiders BluePrints can be useful to keep in mind while sorting your storage, but the immediate priority is completing the Phantom Targets requirements. The event runs until September 6, so there is time to finish everything, but clearing Part 1 early gives you more freedom to focus on the new combat objectives when the expansion goes live.

Finish the Cargo Elevator Antennas

The first stage is simple in theory. You need to interact with three extraction antennas positioned at the top of cargo elevators. The real challenge is reaching the objective without getting caught in an awkward fight.

Dam Battlegrounds and Riven Tide Spaceport are sensible places to look if you want to keep the run relatively controlled. Once you reach a cargo elevator, climb to the top and check the corners for the antenna. Use the Upgrade interaction when you find it.

The interaction itself makes you vulnerable, so this is much safer with a teammate. One player can activate the antenna while another watches for ARC machines or other players. There is little reason to lose a full loadout over an objective that only takes a few seconds to complete.

Collect the Parts Before You Need Them

The second stage is more involved because it asks you to deal specific amounts of damage with salvaged ARC components. You need 50 damage with Pop Triggers, 500 with Wasp Drivers, and 1,000 with Leaper Pulse Units.

Do not immediately sell every component you find. If you know you are working on Phantom Targets, keeping these items in storage can save you several searches later. Pop Triggers work well against Shredders, while Wasp Drivers can be thrown and shot to trigger their explosive effect.

Large ARC machines are generally better targets for these objectives. Knocking down a Bastion or Bombarder first gives you a safer window to deploy the parts and build up the required damage.

Build a Fire-Damage Stockpile

The third stage asks for 1,500 total fire damage against ARC machines. That makes fire-based equipment worth keeping even if you normally do not carry much of it.

Blaze Grenades, Firefly Burners, Fireball Burners, and Flame Sprays can all contribute. High-health enemies such as Bastions are particularly useful because they can survive the burning effect long enough for the damage to accumulate.

There is also a small tactical detail worth remembering. Avoid throwing several fire items onto the same target at exactly the same time. Let the existing burn effect run its course before adding another source of fire damage. This gives you a better chance of getting the full damage value from each effect.

Save Your Energy Weapons

Another objective requires three final killing blows against eligible major ARC variants with energy weapons. Bastions, Leapers, Vaporizers, and Rocketeers can count toward the requirement.

Weapons such as the Aphelion, Dolabra, Jupiter, and Equalizer are worth retaining if you find them. Selling them for quick inventory space may seem reasonable, but having an eligible energy weapon ready can make this objective much easier.

You do not have to waste rare ammunition throughout the entire encounter. Damage the target with a normal ballistic weapon first, then switch to the energy weapon when the ARC machine is close to death. Land the final shot and move on.

Prepare for the Flying ARC Objective

The final Part 1 objective requires 20 flying ARC kills. This is another task where preparation matters more than complicated strategy.

Hullcrackers and Rascals can provide useful explosive firepower, and Wasps are convenient targets because their movement is relatively predictable. If you are deliberately farming the objective, enter raids with your launcher and explosive ammunition already prepared.

Get Ready for Part 2

Completing Part 1 also gives useful rewards, including a Dolabra, Jupiter, Vita Spray, Aphelion Raider Token, Combat Mk.2 Heavy Shield, Snap Hook, and Horizontal Grippy. These rewards give you some extra resources going into the next phase.

If you still need missing equipment, it may be worth checking the market before the event becomes busier. Players looking to save preparation time can also buy ARC Raiders Items when they need specific gear rather than spending several raids searching for it.

Make August 18 Easier

The Phantom Targets expansion does not require complicated preparation, but it rewards players who organize their storage and finish the earlier objectives. Having fire gear, energy weapons, ARC components, and launcher ammunition ready means fewer distractions once Part 2 opens.

For players already collecting ARC Raiders BluePrints and other valuable gear, the main idea is simple: keep useful equipment instead of selling everything immediately. A little preparation now should make the first Part 2 raids much more straightforward.