ARC Raiders 5th Expedition Guide and Rewards

The 5th Expedition is the final planned Expedition before the system goes on pause. For players who have been following the Expedition progression, this departure is an important milestone because it offers the final Stash expansion, completes the Zenith Outfit progression, and provides another opportunity to earn Expedition Skill Points.

The fifth Expedition also introduces several quality of life changes based on player feedback. The departure window is longer, quest progress can now be kept, and there will be no Last Call period.

Here is what ARC Raiders players need to know before signing up.

ARC Raiders 5th Expedition Schedule

The fifth Expedition window opens on September 8 at 4 AM PT and closes on September 29 at 1 AM PT. The window lasts three weeks instead of the previous two. Everyone who signs up during the window will depart when it closes.

One important detail is that completing your Caravan does not automatically sign you up for the Expedition.

You must manually register during the departure window.

There will also be no Last Call for the fifth Expedition, so players who miss the sign-up period will not receive another opportunity to join that departure.

How the 5th Expedition Works

The process remains straightforward:

Complete your Caravan.
Wait for the departure window.
Sign up manually.
Complete the Expedition challenge.
Catch up on missed Expedition Skill Points if eligible.
Depart when the window closes.

Expeditions are personal progression, meaning players complete them in order. Caravan contributions can be completed between Expedition windows, but the actual Expedition can only be completed during its scheduled window.

Expedition Rewards

The fifth Expedition offers several permanent and progression-based rewards.

The +12 Stash spaces are particularly useful for long-term players. After completing five Expeditions, the permanent Expedition Stash increase reaches its maximum of 60 spaces.

The fifth Expedition can also complete the Zenith Outfit for players who have progressed through all five departures.

Skill Point Catch Up

Expedition Skill Points have a maximum bonus of 15 points across the system.

Players on their second, third, or fourth Expedition can catch up on missed Skill Points, with the catch-up system tied to the Expedition progression rules. Once a player reaches the full 15-point Expedition bonus, additional catch-up Skill Points are no longer available.

This makes the fifth Expedition especially useful for players who missed some of the earlier departures.

Consecutive Buffs

Players who complete consecutive Expeditions can build three temporary bonuses:

XP boost
Scrappy materials boost
Increased repair value

Each bonus can reach three levels.

These buffs are tied to consecutive Expedition participation, but there is good news for players completing the fifth Expedition. Embark has confirmed that earned consecutive buffs will remain active during the Expedition pause.

That means completing the final departure can still provide a useful long-term benefit even while Expeditions are unavailable.

Quest Reset Is Now Optional

One of the biggest changes for the fifth Expedition is the new opt-in quest reset.

Previously, Expedition progression could require players to repeat the quest line. Based on player feedback, Embark is now allowing players to keep their existing quest progress instead of resetting it.

This is particularly useful for players who have already invested significant time into their quests.

The developers also confirmed that the Hullcracker ARC Raiders Blueprint will receive additional acquisition methods because it was previously tied to the quest line.

What Happens to Your Caravan?

There is an important change after the Expedition system enters its pause.

Caravans will be reset. However, partially completed Caravan progress will not simply disappear.

Embark has confirmed that incomplete Caravan contributions will be converted into Ermal Vouchers of equal value. These vouchers can be used for Ermal offers, traded together with ARC Parts and firearms, or sold for Coin.

If you have unfinished Caravan progress when the Expedition system pauses, make sure you understand this conversion before assuming the materials are simply lost.

What Gets Reset?

An Expedition remains a major progression reset, so players should prepare carefully before departure.

Character progression and accumulated resources associated with the Expedition reset are not intended to carry over in the same way as permanent account rewards.

At the same time, long-term rewards such as Expedition Stash expansions, earned Skill Points, cosmetics, and other permanent progression remain available.

The fifth Expedition also gives players the option to keep quest progress, which is an important difference from previous departures.

Because the exact value of your stored resources can vary greatly, it is worth organizing your inventory and deciding what you actually want to take into the reset before signing up.

Is the 5th Expedition Worth It?

For many experienced players, the answer is yes.

Good reasons to participate
You want the final +12 Stash spaces.
You want to complete the Zenith Outfit.
You still need Expedition Skill Points.
You want to maintain your consecutive buffs.
You are comfortable restarting progression.
You want to finish the current Expedition system before the pause.
Reasons to skip it
You recently completed a strong build.
You have limited time for another progression cycle.
You do not need the permanent rewards.
You would rather keep your current progression intact.
You prefer waiting for the redesigned Expedition system.

The decision ultimately depends on how valuable the permanent rewards are to your account.

What Happens After the 5th Expedition?

The fifth Expedition will be the last one before Expeditions are paused until early 2027.

Embark says the pause will allow the team to work on larger changes instead of continuing with smaller adjustments. The developers specifically identified issues such as the tight departure windows, reward structure, and accessibility for new players as areas that need more substantial improvements.

The team plans to share more details about these changes later.

For players who complete all five Expeditions, the Zenith Outfit will be fully unlocked, while earned consecutive buffs will persist during the pause.

Before the fifth Expedition window closes, make sure you:

Complete your Caravan if you want to participate.
Decide whether to keep or reset your quest progress.
Sign up manually during the departure window.
Complete the challenge if you want the available rewards.
Check your Expedition Skill Point progression.
Organize your current resources before departure.
Confirm which permanent rewards you have already unlocked.
Remember that there is no Last Call.

Most importantly, do not assume that completing the Caravan automatically registers you. You must sign up during the official departure window.

The ARC Raiders 5th Expedition is more than another reset. It marks the end of the current Expedition system before a planned redesign in early 2027.

For players chasing permanent progression, the final +12 Stash spaces, Zenith Outfit, Skill Points, and consecutive buffs make the fifth departure worth serious consideration.

The optional quest reset also makes this Expedition less repetitive than previous ones, while the Caravan voucher conversion provides additional value for unfinished contributions.

If you are ready for another progression reset, this is the final opportunity to complete the current Expedition cycle. If not, there is no need to force it. Expeditions are being paused specifically so the system can return with larger improvements.

The U4GM Team