Arc Raiders Workbench & Scrappy Leveling

Jonas Author

Created - 14.02.2026 Updated - 14.02.2026

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The Workbench and Scrappy the Rooster are two very important aspects of Arc Raiders. Lots of players tend to focus on other things though.

If you're smart, you're going to want to upgrade these as soon as possible as it will give you access to better gear in the game. There are lots of mechanics, tips, and tricks to understand when it comes to the Workbench itself so you're going to need our help if you want to get by.

Since we're going to max out the Workbench, you're going to want to get some Arc Raiders Blueprints so that you can start getting amazing gear. Check out RPG Stash's selection of great deals.

Understanding the Workbench System

Arc Raiders' Workshop is basically your home base throttle: the better your stations, the faster you can turn "junk from Topside" into "gear that keeps you alive on Topside."

Here's the mental model that helps:

• Workbench (core station): You start with a free basic bench. It covers basic weapons and most ammo types, which is huge early because ammo burn is real.
• Additional workshop stations: Each station has its own build + upgrade costs (up to level 3) and expands what you can craft.
• Blueprint gating: Some crafts aren't just "have materials → craft." You'll often need:
• the right station level
• the blueprint learned/unlocked
• Scrappy synergy (the quiet MVP): Scrappy passively generates basic materials while you run raids. That doesn't "magically craft for you," but it absolutely changes how often you hit a wall on essentials like Metal Parts, Rubber Parts, Fabric, etc.

Workbench interface flow (the loop):

1. Go into the Workshop.
2. Pick a station (Workbench / other stations as you unlock them).
3. Craft items you've unlocked (and can afford).
4. Upgrade stations when you're bottlenecking on options, not just because you can.

What you can craft + upgrade (in broad strokes):

• Weapons (especially early basics)
• Ammo (the "always relevant" category)
• Items/consumables (your run-savers)
• Station upgrades (the progression backbone)

The trick is understanding that the Workshop isn't just "crafting"—it's tempo control. And Scrappy is your tempo cheat code for basic mats.

Scrappy Leveling Guide

Scrappy (your loud, helpful rooster roommate) sits in your room and passively coughs up basic materials between raids. Training him is one of the cleanest "do it early, feel it forever" upgrades in the game.

How to train Scrappy (fast, without overthinking it)

• Enter Workshop
• Click Scrappy's icon
• Hit Train
• Pay the listed resources
• Repeat as soon as you can comfortably extract with the requirements

Scrappy training requirements (all levels)

The "max level fast" plan (what I'd do)

Instead of randomly hunting one item at a time, batch your raids by map:

• Dam Battlegrounds batch: Apricots + Mushrooms + Prickly Pears + (possible) Dog Collar/Cat Bed/Pillows in residential zones
• Blue Gate batch: Lemons + Olives (and some Apricots)
• Buried City batch: Residential loot grind for Dog Collar/Cat Bed/Very Comfortable Pillows + Prickly Pears (south edge)

That's it. Three map "themes," minimal wasted runs.

"Recommended tasks or missions" for maximizing XP gain

If you're thinking "what mission gives Scrappy XP," don't stress—your real speed comes from short, repeatable loot-and-extract cycles that keep your inventory safe while you stack training materials.

Prioritize:

• Quick extraction runs where the goal is only training items
• Low-commitment raids (light kit) when you're farming dangerous open areas like Olive Grove
• Event farming when available (more on Lush Blooms below)

What Scrappy's level actually does for progression

Let's keep it honest and practical:

• Scrappy leveling improves his passive material generation rate, meaning:
• you refill basic crafting mats more reliably
• you craft ammo/consumables more often without "ugh, I'm out of rubber/fabric again"
• you upgrade stations sooner because the boring essentials aren't constantly missing

So it's not that Scrappy directly buffs your crafting speed—he reduces downtime and smooths the entire crafting loop.

Materials and Resource Management

Scrappy leveling is a shopping list. Your job is to stop treating it like a scavenger hunt and start treating it like supply chain management (sorry, but it's true).

Where to find the key Scrappy materials (quick reference)

Collection tips that actually matter

• Farm edibles during "Lush Blooms" events. These events increase Nature loot spawns, which makes Lemons/Apricots (and similar) far less painful to collect.
• Go "naked" when the zone is a murder field.
  Olive Grove is open, exposed, and often busy with ARC and players. If your goal is just fruit/olives, bring:
• minimal gear
• Adrenaline Shots
• a plan to sprint in, shake trees, leave
• Over-collect Apricots early.
  You need 3 for Level 3… and later 12 more for Level 5. If you're at Red Lakes or Olive Grove, don't leave with just the exact amount. Future-you will thank you.

Avoiding waste (the stealth killer of progression)

• Don't craft "nice-to-have" items when you're one or two upgrades away from a station level that unlocks what you actually need.
• Don't dump your last stack of basics into a craft unless you're sure Scrappy (or your next run) replenishes it.
• Don't hoard forever either—materials sitting in storage aren't helping you win fights.

Crafting Progression and Upgrade Strategy

If you want your Workshop to feel powerful instead of constantly "almost there," you need a simple upgrade philosophy:

Recommended order (practical, not theoretical)

1. Scrappy to Level 3 ASAP
   This is the first point where the passive basics start feeling noticeable.
2. Workbench upgrades when you're ammo/weapon gated
   If you can't reliably craft the ammo you're spending, your runs get expensive fast.
3. Station upgrades that unlock survival tools
   Anything that improves your ability to:
• heal
• move faster / reposition
• sustain longer raids
  …is usually worth it earlier than "cool weapon option #7."

Balancing short-term needs vs long-term goals

Use this quick check:

• Short-term need: "I keep dying because I can't sustain fights / can't restock ammo."
  → craft ammo + core consumables, upgrade whatever supports that
• Long-term goal: "I want consistent PvPvE efficiency and upgrades without farming misery."
  → prioritize Scrappy + station upgrades that reduce bottlenecks

Essential upgrades to prioritize for PvPvE efficiency

A tight list (without pretending we know every meta pick you'll love):

• Ammo stability (crafting access + enough basics to keep it flowing)
• Consumables that let you disengage (speed/sustain > ego fights)
• Workshop unlocks that reduce raid dependence (anything that keeps you from needing a "perfect loot run" to be ready again)

In PvPvE, the winner isn't the toughest guy in the lobby. It's the person who can reset and re-queue fastest with full supplies.

Practical Tips and Best Practices

Efficient Workbench use (daily/weekly rhythm)

• Daily: Craft the boring essentials first (ammo + core consumables).
• Before long sessions: Do one or two Scrappy-material-focused raids so you're not interrupted later by "wait, I still need pillows?"
• After raids: Immediately top up what you spent while it's fresh in your head—don't let your stash drift into chaos.

Combine Scrappy leveling with smart map runs

Here's a clean route logic you can repeat:

• Dam Battlegrounds runs:
• Red Lakes → Apricots + Prickly Pears
• Formicai Hills / Swamp → Mushrooms
• Pale Apartments / Ruby Residence → Dog Collar / Cat Bed / (sometimes) Pillows
• Blue Gate runs:
• Olive Grove → Lemons + Olives + some Apricots
  (Go light. Get in, get out.)
• Buried City runs:
• Santa Maria Houses / Plaza Rosa / Grandioso Apartments → Dog Collar + Cat Bed + Very Comfortable Pillows
• South edge cactus area → Prickly Pears (often safer, away from the main action)

Common mistakes to avoid

• Farming Olive Grove in full kit like it's a dungeon crawl. It's not. It's a shooting gallery with fruit.
• Collecting "exactly enough" Apricots early, then realizing Level 5 wants a mountain more.
• Upgrading stations randomly because you can, then realizing your real bottleneck was basic mats (Scrappy) or ammo sustain (Workbench access).

If your goal is max Scrappy fast and a Workshop that feels like it's accelerating you (not nagging you), keep it simple: batch the right maps, extract often, train immediately, and let the rooster do the boring work.

Do Wonders With The Workbench

The Workbench and Scrappy are two key pieces of the game that will help you improve your performance as much as possible. There are more ways we can help you with the game. Come check out our Arc Raiders gold for sale for some great deals.