Alright Raiders, time’s running out faster than you think. The first Expedition opens on December 15 and shuts again on the 21, and if you miss it you’re stuck until the next cycle. Resetting your Raider doesn’t sound fun – you’ll lose your levels, your gear, and those blueprints you fought hard to get – but it’s the only way to lock in permanent buffs. Those carry across every future run, and that’s huge. I’ve been grinding for the 6-stage caravan build and it’s no joke to stockpile what you need. For the base alone, you’re scavenging 150 Metal Parts and 200 Rubber Parts – a lot of dumpster diving. If you don’t invest now, you’ll regret it when you see others stacking XP boosts, Scrappy materials bonuses, and extra stash slots while you’re still running basic stats. And if you can max out your stash value before you leave, you can grab up to five bonus skill points. That’s worth a push, even if it means leaning on ARC Raiders Coins to speed things up.

Skills That Keep You Alive

Skill points are precious, and there’s no respec option, so a bad choice sticks with you. Right now, the meta’s tilted hard toward mobility. I’ve dumped points into Nimble Climber and Marathon Runner, and it’s a game changer. You can outrun ARC machines and pull yourself out of danger spots before they even aim. If you’re going solo, mix in Survival skills like Looter’s Instincts so you’re not missing loot in the dark. Speed beats armor in the early game – try to tank too soon and you’ll end up swarmed before you can react.

Blueprint Hustle

Blueprints wiped with the last reset, so now’s the time to hunt down the good ones. When you roll into the next cycle, you’ll be ready to craft them instantly. I’ve been camping the Blue Gate breaches for the Bobcat SMG and the Vulcano. It’s tough, especially with Cold Snap weather making visibility awful. If you start cutting it close on time, you’ll want shortcuts. Farming scrap for forty hours might not be realistic with real life in the mix, so have a plan to get your stash value capped fast.

Final Push

With departure closing on the 21, every hour counts now. Whether you’re chasing those mobility perks, finishing off caravan stages, or grinding for weapons, don’t stall. Missing the Expedition window means you’ll spend the next cycle watching others run laps around you. If the grind looks too steep, some players cut down the wait by grabbing resources or rare drops through cheap Raider Tokens, letting them focus on gameplay instead of endless farming. Just make sure you’re packed and ready before the gate shuts – there’s no second chance this round.