ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Grappling Hook Guide

The Frozen Trail update arrives in ARC Raiders on October 8, introducing the new Pendola Pass map along with a major addition to movement and combat: the Grappling Hook. The update also adds the Tether Launcher and Yank Grenade, creating new ways to reposition yourself, disrupt other Raiders, and control ARC machines.

The Grappling Hook is mainly a mobility tool, while Tether and Yank focus on controlling movement. Used together, they can create new attack angles, emergency escape routes, and opportunities to punish enemies who rely too heavily on cover.

The following strategies are based on the currently available Frozen Trail First Look and developer preview information. Some interactions and balance details may change when the update goes live.

What the New Gadgets Do

Grappling Hook

The Grappling Hook allows Raiders to climb, rappel, and swing across gaps. It can be used to reach elevated positions, move between buildings, or escape from dangerous situations.

The preview also shows the hook interacting with ARC machines, giving players another unusual movement option during ARC encounters.

Its biggest advantage is flexibility. Instead of always following roads and ground-level routes, Raiders can use vertical terrain to approach or leave an area from different directions.

Tether Launcher

The Tether Launcher is designed around movement control. It can connect targets with a tether and restrict their movement.

One of its more unusual uses is connecting Raiders to ARC machines. This can create chaotic situations where the machine's movement affects the attached Raider.

Tether is therefore less about direct damage and more about creating an opening for yourself or your teammates.

Yank Grenade

The Yank Grenade creates a strong pulling effect that can move nearby targets toward the grenade.

It can be used to disrupt Raiders behind cover and can also pull flying ARC machines toward the ground.

Compared with Tether, Yank is more immediate. It is useful when you need to interrupt an enemy's positioning at a specific moment.

Best Grappling Hook Uses

Reach High Ground

Pendola Pass introduces more vertical movement, making elevated positions valuable.

Use the Grappling Hook to reach rooftops and other high locations before committing to a fight. From there, you can check the surrounding area, look for ARC activity, and identify other Raiders before deciding whether to engage.

The hook also gives you another way to leave high ground quickly if the position becomes unsafe.

Change Cover During Combat

The Grappling Hook can make your movement less predictable.

If an enemy has your current position locked down, repeatedly peeking from the same cover is risky. Instead, use the hook to move toward another piece of cover or change elevation.

A simple pattern is:

Take cover → create pressure → Grapple to a new angle → re-engage.

The goal is not constant movement. It is changing your position before the enemy can comfortably predict your next move.

Cross Gaps and Rotate Faster

The ability to swing across gaps can create alternative routes through Pendola Pass.

This can be useful when a normal road or entrance is being watched by another squad. However, always check your landing area first. A faster route is not necessarily a safer one.

Escape Bad Fights

The Grappling Hook is equally useful defensively.

If an ARC encounter becomes too dangerous or another squad pushes aggressively, changing elevation can help break line of sight and create an escape route.

Save the hook when possible instead of using it every time you move. Having a mobility option available during an unexpected fight can be much more valuable.

Tether and Yank Combat Combos

The new gadgets become more useful when their different functions are combined.

Grapple → Yank → Shoot

Use the Grappling Hook to reach a better angle or close the distance. Once you have the position, throw the Yank Grenade to disrupt the enemy and follow up with your ARC Raiders Items.

This works particularly well when the opponent has limited room to move.

High Ground → Tether → Team Fire

Reach an elevated position with the Grappling Hook, identify an enemy, and use the Tether Launcher to create a movement restriction.

Your teammates can then use the opening to deal damage.

This combination gives each gadget a clear role: Grapple creates the angle, Tether creates the opening, and weapons finish the engagement.

Yank → Grapple → Escape

The same tools can be used when you are under pressure.

Throw a Yank Grenade to disrupt an approaching Raider, then use the Grappling Hook to move toward another piece of cover or a higher position.

The objective is not always to secure a kill. Breaking an enemy push can be enough to survive.

Tether + ARC

When an ARC machine is already involved in a fight, Tether can create another layer of disruption by connecting a Raider to the machine.

This can be particularly useful during chaotic encounters involving multiple players. However, the result will depend heavily on the ARC's movement and the surrounding terrain, so this interaction is worth testing rather than treating it as a guaranteed tactic.

Weapons That Fit the Grappling Hook

The Grappling Hook can work with different weapon types, but close-range and precision setups offer two obvious approaches.

Shotguns and other close-range weapons can take advantage of sudden Grapple pushes. The idea is to use mobility to close distance, attack quickly, and reposition before the enemy can recover.

Precision weapons offer the opposite approach. Grapple to an elevated position, establish a new line of sight, and attack from range.

Frozen Trail also introduces the Stiletto, a light-ammo battle rifle for controlled ranged fire, and the Bantam, a heavy-ammo weapon with a dedicated hip-fire capability. Both give players additional options for testing movement-focused loadouts.

The Frozen Trail update also reworks the Skill Tree, so movement-oriented builds may feel different after launch. It is worth testing your setup rather than assuming your current skill choices will remain unchanged.

Grappling Hook Risks

The new mobility system also creates several risks.

Predictable Movement

If you always Grapple to the same rooftop or use the same escape route, other players can anticipate your landing point.

Exposed Landings

A Grappling Hook can get you out of danger, but it can also move you directly into another exposed position. Always consider where you will land before committing.

Poor Tether Timing

Tether becomes much more useful when teammates are ready to follow up. Using it without a clear plan can expose you without creating a meaningful advantage.

Flash Freeze

Pendola Pass also features the Flash Freeze weather condition. Moving through exposed areas during dangerous weather can add another layer of risk.

Do not assume that using the Grappling Hook automatically makes an exposed route safe.

Solo and Squad Tips

For solo Raiders, the Grappling Hook provides additional options for traversal, repositioning, and escaping unfavorable fights.

In squads, Tether and Yank can become more effective because teammates can immediately capitalize on forced movement.

A simple team setup is:

Grapple: create a new angle or escape route.
Tether/Yank: disrupt enemy movement.
Weapons: capitalize on the opening.

Communication will be particularly useful when trying to coordinate these tools against another squad or an ARC encounter.

Frozen Trail First-Week Tips

When Frozen Trail goes live, focus on learning the new system rather than immediately trying complicated combinations.

• Learn the main vertical routes around Pendola Pass.
• Find reliable Grappling Hook escape points.
• Practice swinging across gaps.
• Test the hook's interactions with ARC machines.
• Learn when Yank can pull Raiders out of cover.
• Test how Tether interacts with Raiders and ARC.
• Try both close-range and precision weapon setups.
• Review your Skill Tree after the rework.
• Watch the Flash Freeze conditions when planning rotations.
• Save at least one movement option for unexpected fights.

The Grappling Hook is the centerpiece of Frozen Trail's new movement system, giving Raiders more ways to use vertical terrain and change their position during a fight.

Tether and Yank add the other side of the equation by interfering with enemy movement. A well-timed Grapple can create the angle, while Tether or Yank can create the opening needed for a weapon follow-up.

The key is not to use these gadgets constantly. Use them with a purpose: reach better cover, change an attack angle, disrupt an enemy push, control an ARC encounter, or create a safer route toward extraction.

Frozen Trail launches on October 8, and the final balance and interactions may change after release. For now, the Grappling Hook, Tether Launcher, and Yank Grenade are shaping up to be some of the most important new tools to learn when Raiders enter Pendola Pass.

The U4GM Team