ARC Raiders Frigate Guide: Board, Sabotage & Escape

The ARC Raiders Frigate is one of the biggest new challenges coming with Frozen Trail on October 8, 2026. Instead of fighting it like a normal boss, Raiders will need to board the vessel, move through its interior, deal with ARC and other players, complete the objective, secure the loot, and escape.

This guide covers everything Embark has confirmed about the Frigate so far, including where it appears, how the encounter works, Hydra, PvP risks, and what we still need to verify when Frozen Trail goes live.

01What Is the Frigate?

02Frigate Quick Overview

03Where Does the Frigate Spawn?

04How to Board the Frigate

05How to Complete the Frigate

06Hydra on the Frigate

07Frigate PvP

08Best Frigate Loadout

09Frigate Loot & Rewards

10How to Escape

11Can You Solo the Frigate?

12Is It Dead Reckoning?

13How to Prepare

14Frigate FAQ

What Is the Frigate in ARC Raiders?

The Frigate is a massive airborne ARC vessel coming with the Frozen Trail update. Embark describes it as one of ARC's largest vessels and a high-level challenge aimed at experienced Raiders.

The encounter is different from a normal ARC fight. Raiders must find a way aboard, enter the Frigate, move through internal passageways, unlock routes, and defend themselves against ARC threats inside the ship.

Other players can enter the same encounter. That means the Frigate is a true PvPvE activity where cooperation, timing, and knowing when to fight can matter as much as raw damage.

You can read Embark's official Frigate reveal in the Frozen Trail First Look.

The Frigate Is Not a Normal ARC Boss

The Frigate should not be treated like a Queen, Matriarch, or another target that you simply kill by dealing enough damage. Press coverage from Embark's Frozen Trail preview describes the encounter as a boarding and sabotage activity instead of a traditional boss kill.

That changes the goal. Your job is to survive the approach, board the vessel, complete the internal objectives, deal with enemies and hazards, secure the rewards, and get back out.

ARC Raiders Frigate Quick Overview

Here is what is confirmed before Frozen Trail launches. Exact boarding routes, puzzle steps, loot tables, and the best loadouts still need to be verified in the live game.

Where Does the Frigate Spawn?

The Frigate is closely connected to Pendola Pass. The new map contains a fallen Emperor, and Embark says ARC responds to that unprecedented event by sending the Frigate to patrol the area.

That makes Pendola Pass the Frigate's main story setting at Frozen Trail launch. The map itself is an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub located beyond the Rust Belt.

Can the Frigate Appear on Other Maps?

Yes, according to press Q&A coverage from the Frozen Trail reveal. The Frigate is described as a world event that can appear on other ARC Raiders maps, so it does not seem to be permanently locked to Pendola Pass.

Embark has not yet published the complete list of eligible maps or the exact spawn rules. We will add those details after October 8 once the activity is live and can be tested directly.

How to Board the Frigate

Embark has confirmed that Raiders must find a way to get on board, but the studio has not yet published the exact boarding method. That means guides claiming a final step-by-step route before launch are going beyond what has been officially shown.

The confirmed flow is simple for now:

• Find an active Frigate encounter
• Reach the Frigate safely
• Locate the boarding method
• Get onto the vessel
• Secure the first interior area before progressing deeper

Once Frozen Trail is live, this section will be updated with the exact boarding location, interaction requirements, timing, and the safest approach route.

How to Complete the ARC Raiders Frigate

The complete live sequence is not public yet, but Embark and the Frozen Trail press preview give us a clear outline of what the encounter involves. The exact switches, routes, puzzle steps, and sabotage interaction will be added once they can be verified in-game.

Step 1: Board the Frigate

The first challenge is getting onto the vessel. Embark deliberately describes this as something Raiders must figure out, so expect the approach itself to be part of the activity rather than a simple menu interaction.

Step 2: Navigate the Interior

Once aboard, Raiders enter the Frigate's internal passageways. The environment is close-range and takes place hundreds of feet above the ground, so normal open-map positioning will not always work.

Expect tight angles, limited escape routes, and pressure from both ARC and other players.

Step 3: Unlock New Paths

Embark specifically says Raiders will need to unlock paths as they progress through the ship. That suggests the encounter has gated areas instead of letting players sprint straight to the final objective.

The exact doors, switches, rooms, or puzzle interactions have not yet been published.

Step 4: Complete the Frigate Objective

Press-preview coverage describes the Frigate as a sabotage encounter with puzzle elements. That means progress is tied to completing objectives inside the ship, not simply damaging the Frigate itself.

We will add the full solution once the live objective can be completed and checked from start to finish.

Step 5: Fight the ARC Defenders

ARC enemies remain active throughout the encounter. One confirmed threat is Hydra, a Frigate-specific turret that can pressure an entire squad at once.

You should expect the encounter to punish teams that focus only on the objective while ignoring the machines protecting it.

Step 6: Deal With Other Raiders

The Frigate is not a private PvE instance. Embark says other Raiders will be chasing the same prize, which means you may have to cooperate with them or fight through them to progress.

That creates an important decision: fighting another squad too early may leave both teams weak enough for ARC to finish the job.

Step 7: Sabotage the Frigate

Current preview information says the encounter centers on sabotaging the Frigate rather than destroying it. The exact sabotage point and interaction are still unknown before launch.

Step 8: Loot and Escape

Completing the objective is only useful if you survive with the rewards. The final live guide will include the loot route, escape method, any timer involved, and the safest way to leave after the sabotage is complete.

Hydra: The Frigate's Unique ARC Enemy

Hydra is the new ARC enemy most directly tied to the Frigate. Embark describes it as a turret made from three stacked autonomous sections, giving it enough firepower to threaten an entire squad.

Unlike Bully or Skulker, Hydra does not chase you around the map. Its danger comes from controlling space and forcing Raiders to deal with several weapon systems at once while trying to move through the Frigate.

How to Fight Hydra

Embark's current advice gives us a basic strategy before launch:

• Use hard cover instead of standing in open sightlines
• Split Hydra's attention between multiple Raiders
• Move quickly when it changes targets
• Attack during short openings instead of forcing damage through constant fire
• Avoid letting the whole squad stack in one exposed position

Exact weak points, health values, damage types, and the best weapons against Hydra are not public yet. Those will be added after launch testing.

Frigate PvP: Cooperate or Fight?

The Frigate may create one of the most unusual PvP situations in ARC Raiders. Multiple groups can be inside the same high-value activity while ARC enemies are still active around them.

Embark directly frames the encounter around a choice between collaborating or cutting through other Raiders. Neither option will always be correct.

• Cooperating can make ARC-heavy rooms easier to clear
• Fighting early can waste ammo, healing, and time
• Waiting too long can give another team control of the objective or loot
• Close corridors make third-party attacks especially dangerous
• Hydra pressure can punish teams that tunnel vision on PvP

The best Frigate strategy may end up being less about winning every fight and more about choosing the right fight at the right time.

Best Loadout for the ARC Raiders Frigate

There is not enough live information yet to recommend a final Frigate meta loadout. Any exact weapon ranking before October 8 would be guesswork because the full encounter, enemy durability, room sizes, and loot-risk profile have not been tested publicly.

What we can already say is that a good Frigate loadout should handle both close-to-mid-range PvP and sustained ARC pressure. A setup that is excellent against machines but helpless against another Raider team will be risky inside the vessel.

Weapons

Prioritize a weapon you can control in tight corridors and another option that can deal reliable damage to ARC. Frozen Trail also introduces Amplified Weapons, which may become especially useful for high-end activities like the Frigate.

Our ARC Raiders Amplified Weapons Guide explains how the new fifth quality level and branching weapon upgrades work.

Healing, Ammo and Utility

A Frigate run is likely to be resource-heavy because you may need to fight ARC, Hydra, and other players before you can leave. Do not enter expecting one quick boss fight.

Bring enough healing and ammunition to survive several combat phases. Utility that helps you reposition or break enemy angles may also be more valuable inside the ship than it is on an open map.

Best Frigate Loadout Table

We will fill this table with tested recommendations after Frozen Trail launches.

ARC Raiders Frigate Loot and Rewards

Embark presents the Frigate as a dangerous opportunity that skilled Raiders will want to pursue despite the risk. That strongly suggests valuable rewards, but the studio has not published the final loot table yet.

We will update this section after launch with:

• Frigate-exclusive loot, if any
• Blueprint drops
• Weapons and gear
• ARC materials
• High-value containers
• Best loot rooms
• Average value from a successful clear

Until the activity is live, avoid claims that a specific item is guaranteed from the Frigate.

How to Escape the Frigate

The final escape method has not been fully shown yet. What matters is that the Frigate encounter does not end when you reach the objective. You still need to survive long enough to leave with the rewards.

After October 8, this section will include the exact exit point, whether sabotage starts a timer, whether players can leave early, and the safest route from the objective to the escape point.

That information will be especially important for solo players because staying aboard too long could turn a successful objective into a lost kit.

Can You Solo the Frigate?

Embark describes the Frigate as a challenge for highly skilled Raiders, but it has not announced a minimum squad size. That means solo entry may be possible, but we do not yet know whether completing the activity alone will be practical.

The biggest problem for solos may not be Hydra itself. It may be handling ARC objectives while also watching for full Raider teams in narrow corridors.

Solo vs Duo vs Trio

This comparison will be updated with live testing after launch.

Is the Frigate the Dead Reckoning ARC Operation?

Before Embark officially revealed the Frigate, datamined files connected a large boardable ARC encounter with the name Dead Reckoning. That led many players to assume Dead Reckoning would be the final public name of the activity.

Embark did not use the Dead Reckoning name in the Frozen Trail First Look. The studio simply calls the vessel the Frigate and describes the boarding encounter directly.

For now, the safest wording is that Frigate is confirmed, while Dead Reckoning remains an unconfirmed leaked name. We will only treat the two as the same activity if Embark uses that name publicly or the live game confirms it.

How to Prepare for the Frigate Before Frozen Trail

You cannot practice the Frigate itself before October 8, but you can make sure your account is ready for a high-level PvPvE activity.

• Reach a comfortable Raider level
• Keep several strong weapon kits ready
• Build a reserve of healing and ammunition
• Finish important current progression before Frozen Trail
• Prepare to unlock and research Amplified Weapons through the Outpost Research Workstation
• Practice fighting ARC without losing awareness of nearby Raiders

If your account is behind before launch, our ARC Raiders Leveling Boost can help you reach your target level. You can also use our ARC Raiders Buy Weapons service to build a stronger weapon reserve before Frozen Trail arrives.

ARC Raiders Frigate FAQ

When does the Frigate release in ARC Raiders?

The Frigate releases with the Frozen Trail update on October 8, 2026.

What is the Frigate?

The Frigate is one of ARC's largest airborne vessels and a new high-level PvPvE encounter. Raiders board it, move through its interior, complete objectives, fight ARC and other players, then try to escape with the rewards.

Can you destroy the Frigate?

Current preview information says the Frigate is not a traditional boss that you destroy through raw damage. The activity focuses on boarding and sabotaging the vessel.

How do you board the Frigate?

Embark has confirmed that players must find a way aboard, but the exact boarding method has not been published yet. This guide will be updated with the full route after launch.

Where does the Frigate spawn?

The Frigate is strongly tied to Pendola Pass, where ARC sends the vessel in response to the fallen Emperor. Press Q&A coverage also says the Frigate can appear as a world event on other maps.

Is Hydra inside the Frigate?

Yes. Embark specifically confirms that Hydra is found aboard the Frigate.

Can other players enter the same Frigate?

Yes. The encounter is PvPvE, and Embark says players may need to cooperate with or fight other Raiders while progressing through the vessel.

Can you solo the Frigate?

Embark has not announced a minimum party size. Solo completion may be possible, but its practical difficulty will need to be tested after October 8.

What loot does the Frigate drop?

The complete loot table has not been revealed yet. Embark describes the Frigate as a dangerous opportunity for skilled Raiders, but exact item drops and reward rooms still need launch-day verification.

Is the Frigate the same as Dead Reckoning?

That has not been officially confirmed. Dead Reckoning appeared in older datamined information, but Embark did not use the name during the official Frozen Trail reveal.

What is the best loadout for the Frigate?

A final best loadout cannot be verified before launch. The safest early approach is to prepare for both sustained ARC combat and close-to-mid-range PvP, then update your setup once the encounter is live and tested.