The Fifth Expedition is shaping up to be one of the most important progression moments in ARC Raiders. Players who have spent time collecting ARC Raiders BluePrints, improving their loadouts, completing quests, and building up their accounts now have a final chance to decide how much of that progress they want to reset or preserve.
For players who have followed the current Expedition system from the beginning, ARC Raiders BluePrints are only one part of the decision. Expedition 5 runs from September 8 to September 29, 2026, and it will be the final Expedition before Embark Studios pauses the system until early 2027 for a major progression overhaul. That makes preparation more important than usual.
Decide How You Want To Handle Quest Progress
The biggest change in Expedition 5 is the option to preserve quest progress. Previous Expeditions were built around a much harder reset, with quest progress, blueprints, and vendor standings being wiped when a Raider departed.
This time, players can choose whether they want that traditional reset or would rather keep their storyline progress.
For some Raiders, the full reset is still part of the appeal. Starting over creates a fresh progression path and gives experienced players another reason to revisit familiar quests. However, players who have spent a lot of time completing the storyline may prefer to keep what they have already earned.
There is a trade-off to consider. Certain high-level unlocks will receive alternative acquisition methods for players who preserve their quest progress. The Hullcracker Blueprint is one example. Therefore, keeping your quests does not necessarily mean permanently losing access to important unlocks.
Think About The 5/5 Milestone
Expedition 5 is also the final opportunity to progress through the current prestige system before the planned hiatus.
Players who have already completed the first four Expeditions can aim for the 5/5 milestone. Completing all five provides permanent benefits, including 60 additional storage slots and progression toward the extra skill point cap.
The Zenith Outfit is another important reward. Reaching the 5/5 milestone unlocks this account cosmetic, giving collectors a strong reason to complete the final Expedition.
However, not everyone needs to chase it. If you have only completed one or two previous Expeditions, you should consider how much time and effort another reset would require. The reward is valuable, but the decision should fit your current goals rather than forcing you into a grind you do not enjoy.
Check Your Caravan Progress
Your Caravan deserves a separate review before the deadline.
The Caravan requires five demanding material-donation stages, and the later stages can take significant preparation. If you are already close to finishing, now is the time to calculate what materials are still missing and organize your remaining raids around them.
If you are far behind, rushing blindly may not be worthwhile. Any partially completed Caravan left when the Expedition window ends will be wiped and converted into Ermal Vouchers.
Those vouchers still have practical value. They can be used for Ermal trade offers, weapons, and ARC parts, or converted into Coins. This means unfinished Caravan progress will not simply vanish without compensation.
Maximize Your Damage Milestones
The damage challenge is another area where preparation can pay off.
Players can earn up to five additional Skill Points by reaching total damage milestones of 5,000, 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, and 100,000. If you want the maximum number of points, review your current progress before the Expedition ends.
You should also check whether you missed Skill Points during Expeditions 2, 3, or 4. The discounted catch-up mechanic provides a final opportunity to recover missed points before the system enters its long break.
Instead of treating these challenges as a separate grind, combine them with normal raids whenever possible. Your weapons, materials, and other objectives can progress at the same time.
Remember The Registration Step
There is one detail that should not be overlooked. Completing your Caravan does not automatically register your Raider for departure.
For Expedition 5, you must manually enter the departure interface and register between September 8 and September 29. There will be no Last Call period after the deadline, so waiting until the final hours is a bad idea.
If you are also preparing your inventory, checking ARC Raiders BluePrints, or gathering materials, leave enough time to complete the actual registration.
The final Expedition is also a good moment to organize your remaining resources and decide whether you want to buy ARC Items to fill gaps in your preparation. The important thing is to make the decision before the deadline instead of discovering too late that your Raider was never registered.
For players who want to enter Expedition 5 with fewer preparation headaches, planning your materials, weapons, quests, and storage ahead of time can make the final run much smoother. The current Expedition system will soon be unavailable, so every remaining preparation decision matters.
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