Select Language:
There are many dangerous enemies in Arc Raiders, but one of the strangest is the Surveyor. Unlike other ARC enemies that want to attack right away, the Surveyor prefers to run away if it detects you. It’s annoying to fight because of its speed and evasiveness, but defeating it is worth it since it drops valuable loot like Surveyor Vaults, Mechanical Components, and ARC Motion Cores.
The Mechanical Components are used to upgrade your Medical Lab, so it’s important to know how to successfully take down Surveyors and claim their Vaults.
How to Defeat Surveyors
Surveyors are uncommon ARC enemies that look like large metal balls rolling around the map. Sometimes they stop to send a bright blue energy beam into the air. The blue beam indicates where the Surveyor is, so watch out for it. Keep in mind, Surveyors don’t stay in one place; they move along a set path and stop at intervals. When they pause, open their armored shell, and shoot the blue beam, that’s your chance to attack.
It’s best not to chase a Surveyor aggressively, especially when it notices you, because it moves very fast and can roll off the map if you’re near the edge. It’s smarter to set up an ambush instead of following it directly.
The weak points are the core and antenna that the Surveyor exposes when firing the blue beam. Use explosives or shoot at these points with your firearms during these pauses. Usually, shots won’t destroy it instantly, so expect the Surveyor to flee, flash its lights, and make more noise afterward.
Unless you corner it, you’ll likely need to follow the Surveyor until it calms down and exposes its core again. When the Surveyor is unaware of your presence, its lights will turn blue. The core will only be exposed when the lights are blue, giving you a perfect shot opportunity.
You can also shoot the Surveyor immediately upon spotting it, but this will use more ammo—about 2 to 3 clips depending on your gun and team size.
My favorite weapons against Surveyors are the Arpeggio, Renegade, Anvil, and Bettina. Sniper rifles like the Ferro work well if you’re aiming specifically at the core. Explosives like Snap Blast Grenades are highly effective—three well-placed grenades can take it down quickly.
Where to Find Surveyor Vaults
Surveyor Vaults can only be obtained by damaging and defeating Surveyors. As the Surveyor takes damage, it will shed pieces of its shell, which can be looted. These pieces are almost always lootable and often contain Surveyor Vaults.
As the Surveyor takes hits, shell fragments will fall off around the area. Collecting these pieces increases your chances of getting Vaults—approximately 3 to 5 Vaults per defeated Surveyor, especially if you loot all shell debris. Looting all armor pieces can help you gather enough Vaults in one session to upgrade your Medical Table.
While Surveyors can show up on any map, they are most often found at Spaceport or The Blue Gate. The Blue Gate map is my go-to, particularly around the Village in the northwest corner. Keep in mind, they might not spawn immediately after a match starts, so find a good vantage point and watch for the blue beam to locate one.
Always store your Surveyor Vaults in your Safe Pocket to prevent losing them if you are eliminated. These Vaults remain valuable because they can be broken down into two Mechanical Components and two Arc Alloys. That makes them a helpful resource for upgrades or repairs, especially if you’re collecting many.
Finally, hunting Surveyors alone isn’t as intimidating as it seems. The Arc Raiders community is friendly, and you don’t often have to worry about enemy players shooting you in the back when tackling these enemies solo. Happy hunting!
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
