ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Skill Tree Guide

The Frozen Trail 2.0 update arrived in ARC Raiders on October 8, 2026, bringing major changes to the skill tree. New abilities, relocated perks, and lower unlock requirements give Raiders more ways to customize their playstyle. Every player also receives a free skill tree reset, making this a good time to rethink your build.

With 76 base skill points and up to 15 additional points from Expedition rewards, you cannot unlock everything. The key is choosing the right branch for your goals, whether you prefer aggressive PvP, efficient looting, or a balanced approach.

Frozen Trail Skill Tree Changes

The updated skill tree retains its three main branches: Mobility, Conditioning, and Survival. However, several skills have been removed, new abilities have been introduced, and some familiar perks have moved to different branches.

The main changes include:

13 existing skills removed and 16 new skills added.

11 skills moved to different branches.

The middle choice node now requires 10 points invested in a branch, down from 15.

The first capstone choice unlocks at 30 branch points, with a second choice available at 40 points.

You can earn 76 skill points through leveling, with up to 15 additional points from Expedition rewards. That means your maximum can reach 91 points, but you still need to prioritize the abilities that matter most.

Understanding the Three Branches

Mobility

Mobility focuses on stamina, sprinting, climbing, vaulting, and dodging. It is particularly useful for PvP players who need to reposition quickly or escape dangerous encounters.

Important skills include Youthful Lungs, Nimble Climber, Fight or Flight, Effortless Roll, and Marathon Runner. New abilities such as Wall Run, Sprinting on Fumes, and In the Flow provide additional movement options.

Conditioning

Conditioning improves carrying efficiency, stamina management, and survivability. Skills such as Broad Shoulders, Loaded Arms, and Back on Your Feet can support players who carry heavy equipment or want additional recovery options.

Security Breach is particularly useful for Raiders who regularly search security lockers.

Survival

Survival focuses on looting, crafting, and resource efficiency. In-Round Crafting helps you create supported ARC Raiders Items while topside, while Road Warrior improves resource gains from ARC enemies. Field Repair provides another option for maintaining supported weapons, Shields, and gadgets during a raid.

Best PvP Build: Mobility-Focused

Recommended allocation: 41 Mobility / 24 Conditioning / 11 Survival

For aggressive players, Mobility should be the main priority. Better stamina management and faster traversal help you control engagements, reach cover, and disengage when a fight turns against you.

Prioritize these skills:

• Youthful Lungs: Increase your maximum stamina.
• Nimble Climber: Improve climbing and vaulting speed.
• Fight or Flight: Recover stamina when taking damage in combat.
• Effortless Roll: Reduce the stamina cost of dodging.
• Marathon Runner: Improve sustained movement efficiency.
• In the Flow: Gain movement benefits when chaining actions.
• Sprinting on Fumes: Maintain a sprint when stamina is nearly depleted.

At 40 Mobility points, you can choose two of the three Mobility capstones. In the Flow and Sprinting on Fumes are a strong starting combination for aggressive players. Wall Run is an alternative if you frequently use vertical routes to flank opponents or escape.

Use your remaining points to improve survivability and take useful utility skills. Avoid spending too heavily on looting perks if your main goal is winning fights.

Best Balanced Build: General-Purpose Raiding

Recommended allocation: 30 Mobility / 30 Conditioning / 16 Survival

This build suits players who mix PvP with looting and objective runs. It provides useful movement abilities without sacrificing all your points in combat-related skills.

Start by investing in stamina and climbing improvements in Mobility. Once you reach 30 points, choose a capstone that matches your preferred movement style.

Next, invest in Conditioning for carrying efficiency and survivability. Security Breach is worth considering if opening security lockers is part of your usual route.

Use the remaining points in Survival for looting or crafting utility. In-Round Crafting is useful if you frequently need supplies during a raid, while other Survival perks can support your resource-gathering routine.

This build is a practical choice for most players because it avoids becoming overly dependent on one type of encounter.

Best PvE and Loot Farming Build

Recommended allocation: 40 Conditioning / 30 Survival / 6 Mobility

If your priority is gathering materials, completing objectives, and extracting with valuable loot, invest more heavily in Conditioning and Survival.

Security Breach is a useful choice for accessing security lockers. Road Warrior is worth considering if you regularly fight ARC enemies and want to improve your resource gains. Field Repair can be an alternative if equipment durability often limits the length of your raids.

Prioritize carrying-related skills and stamina management in Conditioning. Then invest in Survival to unlock the resource and crafting abilities that support your route.

The main disadvantage is reduced movement flexibility. Avoid unnecessary fights, plan your route before entering dangerous areas, and leave yourself enough stamina to escape when needed.

Best New Skills to Consider

Wall Run lets you run up a wall for a few steps after sprinting into it. It is useful for vertical traversal and creative repositioning, especially on maps with elevated structures.

In the Flow rewards chained movement actions with improved speed and stamina efficiency. It suits players who frequently combine sprinting, jumping, vaulting, and rolling.

Sprinting on Fumes helps prevent stamina from fully draining during a sprint. However, the effect ends when you take damage or perform another action, so it should not be treated as unlimited stamina.

Weapon Bash and Bull Rush provide additional close-range combat options. They can be useful in the right situation, but moving into melee range is risky against an armed opponent.

Road Warrior is attractive for ARC-focused farming, while Field Repair can help maintain supported equipment during longer raids.

Beginner Skill Recommendations

New players should focus on movement and stamina before committing to an endgame build.

Start with Youthful Lungs, Nimble Climber, and Fight or Flight. Add Effortless Roll and Marathon Runner as you progress, then choose the middle-node skill that best matches your movement habits.

Once you understand the maps and extraction routes, decide whether you want to specialize in PvP, balanced raiding, or resource farming. You can then use your free reset to build toward the capstones you want.

Common Skill Tree Mistakes

Avoid spreading points across all three branches without a clear plan. Doing so can leave you short of the capstones that define your build.

Do not ignore Mobility early simply because carrying and looting skills look attractive. Escaping danger is essential if you want to keep the resources you collect.

Finally, do not choose skills just because another player recommends them. Security Breach is less valuable if you rarely visit security lockers, and Field Repair may not help much if your raids are short.

For PvP, prioritize Mobility and consider In the Flow with Sprinting on Fumes. For balanced raids, split your points between Mobility, Conditioning, and Survival. For PvE farming, invest more heavily in Conditioning and Survival, with Road Warrior or Field Repair depending on your needs.

The best Frozen Trail build is the one that supports how you actually play. Use your free reset to establish a clear direction, test your skills over several raids, and adjust your allocation when you identify a specific weakness.

The U4GM Team