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SoulframeQueen and Matriarch
To kill the Queen in ARC Raiders, strip her leg armor and shoot the structure beneath, or hit the head spot. To kill the Matriarch, strip her two front plates and shoot the red core in her head. Bring a squad, Hullcrackers and Wolfpacks; they drop the reactors that craft the Equalizer and Aphelion.
To kill the Queen in ARC Raiders, strip the armor from her legs and shoot the structure beneath, and to kill the Matriarch, strip her two large front plates and shoot the red core inside her head. Both are group bosses that Game Rant rates Ultra Rare (Apr 4, 2026). Embark's first-year figures count 3,920,595 Queens and more than 2,919,521 Matriarchs destroyed, as GamesBeat reported (Oct 30, 2026), yet only 8.0% of Steam players hold A Tale for the Ages, for destroying the Queen (Oct 31, 2026). Patch notes are checked through update 2.3.0 (Oct 27, 2026); no reliable source gives official health values as of Oct 31, 2026. The clip shows the Matriarch's front armor (Feb 25, 2026).
Quick facts
| Queen weak points | Leg structure under armor, a spot on the head |
| Matriarch weak points | Red core in the head, leg joints |
| Queen attacks | Mortars, lasers, EMP |
| Matriarch attacks | Rockets, gas mortars, flashbang mines, summoned ARC |
| Unique drops | Queen Reactor, Matriarch Reactor |
| Top loot since 2.0 | Inside the leg pieces, not the leg armor |
| Destroyed in year one | 3,920,595 Queens, over 2,919,521 Matriarchs |
| Matriarch tracker maps | Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport, read Oct 31, 2026 |
Sources: Game Rant, TheGamer, KeenGamer, Embark's 2.0 notes, GamesBeat, Embark's Map Conditions tracker.
How to kill the Queen
The Queen attacks with mortars, lasers and an EMP, and TheGamer says she takes group coordination (Feb 27, 2026). Game Rant's method is to strip the leg armor, then shoot the exposed skeletal structure; a spot on the head also takes heavy damage (Apr 4, 2026). PC Gamer named the Hullcracker and Wolfpack as the best damage (Dec 17, 2025). The 2.0 explosive rework helps with this job: the Hullcracker now deals over 50% more to armor plates and around 30% less to fragile parts (Oct 8, 2026), so use launchers on the plates and rifles on what they expose.
Her stomps were unfair for a long time and Embark has patched them repeatedly: she steps over things more often since 1.29.0 (May 19, 2026), stomp knockback stopped going through walls in 1.36.0 (Jul 7, 2026), and hits through walls or from too far were fixed in 1.42.0 (Aug 21, 2026). Aim assist has tracked her leg joints and weak spots since 1.26.0 (Apr 28, 2026).
How to kill the Matriarch
The Matriarch arrived with North Line on Nov 13, 2025 and appears only through her map condition, not at random, Destructoid says (Nov 15, 2025). Embark's tracker lists that condition on Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport (read Oct 31, 2026); KeenGamer also named The Blue Gate in Nov 2025. Her Dam spawn moved in 1.7.0 (Dec 16, 2025). See Map Conditions. In the clip, from that launch week, The Gaming Merchant rates Dam Battlegrounds the best map for her and advises against The Blue Gate.
Her core is the target. Game Rant says strip the two large front plates, wait for the force field, or stand on her head until the core pops out; then focus fire, and a Deadline on the core finishes it quickly (Apr 4, 2026). Shooting her leg joints limits her movement.
KeenGamer describes three phases (Nov 17, 2025), and the fight may have shifted since:
- Long-range assault. She bombards from afar. Stay in cover and hit the body core with high-damage weapons.
- Rush. She advances with mortars, missiles and flashbang mines. Keep moving.
- Swarm. She summons Bombardiers, Bastions, Leapers, Rocketeers and drones. Clear Rocketeers and Bombardiers first, then shoot the exposed core when her armor drops.
Her full shield blocks all damage: use it to heal, revive and reposition. Leave gas at once, since coughing interrupts aim and sprinting, and break line of sight to drop missile locks. The Photoelectric Cloak works against her missiles since 1.42.0, and the Grappling Hook works inside her active shield since 2.3.0 (Oct 27, 2026). Since 2.0 she can use all her ranged attacks again, after a known issue. Her stomp through tall cover or from on top of her was fixed in 1.45.0 (Sep 8, 2026). In the clip, Embark's designers explain her called-in ARC, flashbangs and gas.
KeenGamer calls her mechanically harder than the Queen but with less total health, one guide's view with no numbers; TheGamer calls her larger and deadlier.
Best loadout
KeenGamer's Matriarch loadout (Nov 17, 2025) is the fullest we can cite; no guide we could read gives a separate one for the Queen. In the clip, The Gaming Merchant wants a Heavy Shield, a Hullcracker and about 140 rounds (Nov 13, 2025).
| Slot | Item |
|---|---|
| Augment and shield | Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive Build), Heavy Shield |
| Healing | 10 Surge Shield Rechargers, 10 Herbal Bandages |
| Burst damage | Hullcracker IV with 144 or more Launcher Ammo |
| Stagger | Anvil IV or Venator |
| Grenades | 6 Wolfpacks |
| Utility | Snap Hook, Barricades |
Source: KeenGamer, Nov 17, 2025. Since then, 2.0 put a daily purchase limit on Launcher Ammo, so save up, and 2.3.0 raised the Heavy Shield's charge from 80 to 90. More on Best Loadouts and Shields and Augments.
Queen loot and Matriarch loot
| Boss | Drops (TheGamer, Feb 27, 2026) | Unique part used for |
|---|---|---|
| Queen | ARC Alloy, Advanced ARC Powercell, ARC Motion Core, ARC Circuitry, ARC Coolant, ARC Flex Rubber, ARC Thermo Lining, ARC Synthetic Resin, ARC Performance Steel, Advanced Mechanical and Electrical Components, Magnetic Accelerator, Queen Reactor | Equalizer: 1 Queen Reactor, 3 Magnetic Accelerators, 3 Complex Gun Parts |
| Matriarch | ARC Alloy, ARC Circuitry, ARC Performance Steel, Advanced ARC Powercell, ARC Flex Rubber, ARC Synthetic Resin, Magnetic Accelerator, Matriarch Reactor | Aphelion: 1 Matriarch Reactor, 3 Magnetic Accelerators, 3 Complex Gun Parts |
Sources: TheGamer, Dexerto's Equalizer page (Apr 17, 2026), Dexerto's Aphelion page (Apr 17, 2026). Both recipes need the weapon's blueprint and Gunsmith level 3.
Where the loot sits changed. 1.13.0 (Jan 27, 2026) lowered the chance of unique parts in armor pieces, to make them harder to get without a kill, and 2.0 moved the higher-tier loot from the leg armor to the leg pieces; armor can still hold some. So after a kill, loot the legs first. KeenGamer's claim that one fight can yield six or more reactors predates both changes. The Aphelion blueprint itself left the Matriarch for Stella Montis in 1.7.0: see Blueprints and Best Weapons. The clip, from Nov 23, 2025, predates both changes.
We found no quest naming either boss in the quest lists we could cite. They do turn up in Trials: the final week of Trials Season 5 set Queens and Matriarchs as the targets (Sep 15, 2026). See Events and Feats.
Harvester event
The Harvester is a downed ship with the Queen nearby, a puzzle you enter for legendary blueprints. Game Rant's guide (Oct 31, 2025) is the only full walkthrough we can cite, so check it against your own game. It calls the event random; Embark's Map Conditions tracker lists Harvester on its schedule (read Oct 31, 2026). On Dam Battlegrounds it is common, southeast of the Power Generation Complex near Red Lake, with the Queen nearby. Game Rant says you need at least one teammate. In the clip, Embark's designers call the Queen its guard dog.
How to get into the Harvester and finish it, per Game Rant:
- Get in. Bring a Zipline if you can. Wait for the Queen to move away from an exhaust vent, then breach the ventilation doors.
- Watch the center pillar. Blue means an EMP from the Queen that drains shields, not health. Red means leave through the vents until it passes.
- Find three capsules behind panels in the upper section, and insert all three in the pillar before it flashes red. If it does, reinsert them.
- Shoot the yellow wall buttons. Shoot or melee all of them before the next missile; those you destroyed stay gone if the sequence restarts. The Dolabra works on them since 2.0.
- Loot three containers that come out of the pillar, then leave through the vents when the Queen turns away and head for extraction or a Raider Hatch.
The containers hold legendary blueprints such as the Jupiter and Equalizer (Oct 31, 2025). Those are not tied to the Harvester now: 2.3.0 lets Dolabra, Bobcat, Equalizer, Jupiter, Tempest and Vulcano blueprints drop in any major map condition, with that pool's chance slightly lowered (Oct 27, 2026). Separately, 1.21.0 fixed getting stuck inside it (Mar 24, 2026). A related item is the Buried Harvester Payload at the Emperor's base on Pendola Pass, which the Sizing Things Up quest has you search (TheGamer, Oct 8, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
How do you kill the Queen in ARC Raiders? Strip the armor from her legs with launchers and explosives, then shoot the exposed structure beneath; a spot on her head also takes heavy damage. Bring a group, Hullcrackers and Wolfpacks.
What is the Matriarch's weak point in ARC Raiders? The red core inside her head. Strip the two large front plates, wait for the force field to drop or stand on her head until it pops out, then focus fire, Game Rant says (Apr 4, 2026).
What does the Queen drop in ARC Raiders? Rare ARC materials, Magnetic Accelerators and the Queen Reactor used to craft the Equalizer. Since update 2.0 (Oct 8, 2026) the higher-tier loot sits in her leg pieces, not the leg armor.
Where is the Matriarch in ARC Raiders? She appears only through her map condition. Embark's tracker listed it on Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport when read on Oct 31, 2026, and the schedule changes.
What is the Queen Reactor for in ARC Raiders? Crafting the legendary Equalizer, with 3 Magnetic Accelerators and 3 Complex Gun Parts at Gunsmith level 3 and the Equalizer Blueprint, per Dexerto (Apr 17, 2026).
How do you get into the Harvester in ARC Raiders? Wait for the Queen to move off an exhaust vent, then breach the ventilation doors. Inside, insert three capsules in the center pillar, then destroy the yellow wall buttons to release the loot, Game Rant says (Oct 31, 2025).
What loot is in the Harvester in ARC Raiders? Three containers holding legendary blueprints such as the Jupiter and Equalizer, per Game Rant (Oct 31, 2025). Since update 2.3.0 those blueprints can also drop in any major map condition.
How many Queens have been killed in ARC Raiders? Embark's anniversary figures, as GamesBeat reported them on Oct 30, 2026, count 3,920,595 Queens and more than 2,919,521 Matriarchs destroyed in the first year.
Sources
- Live Update 2.3.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Oct 27, 2026
- FROZEN TRAIL - 2.0 Update, Embark Studios, Oct 8, 2026
- Store Update 1.46.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Sep 15, 2026
- Live Update 1.45.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Sep 8, 2026
- Live Update 1.42.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Aug 21, 2026
- Live Update 1.36.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Jul 7, 2026
- Patch Notes 1.29.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), May 19, 2026
- Riven Tides - Patch Notes Update 1.26.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Apr 28, 2026
- Patch Notes 1.21.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Mar 24, 2026
- HEADWINDS - Patch Notes 1.13.0, Embark Studios (Steam news), Jan 27, 2026
- COLD SNAP - December Update 1.7.0 Patch Notes, Embark Studios (Steam news), Dec 16, 2025
- NORTH LINE - November Update 1.2.0 Patch Notes, Embark Studios (Steam news), Nov 13, 2025
- Map Conditions, Embark Studios, read Oct 31, 2026
- ARC Raiders Global Achievements, Steam, read Oct 31, 2026
- Embark shares ARC Raiders play data after a year: 6 billion rounds played, GamesBeat, Oct 30, 2026
- How to Destroy All ARC Machines Fast, Game Rant, Apr 4, 2026
- Harvester Puzzle, Game Rant, Oct 31, 2025
- All Enemies Weaknesses And Loot Drops, TheGamer, Feb 27, 2026
- How To Complete Sizing Things Up In Arc Raiders, TheGamer, Oct 8, 2026
- How To Defeat the Matriarch Boss Easily, KeenGamer, Nov 17, 2025
- How to find the Matriarch, Destructoid, Nov 15, 2025
- How to beat this week's Trials in Arc Raiders, PC Gamer, Dec 17, 2025
- Equalizer stats, crafting and upgrades, Dexerto, Apr 17, 2026
- Aphelion stats, crafting and upgrades, Dexerto, Apr 17, 2026
- The Best Way to Beat EVERY Arc in Arc Raiders in 2026!, Fallout Plays, Feb 25, 2026 (video)
- ARC Raiders - How To Beat The NEW Matriarch Boss, The Gaming Merchant, Nov 13, 2025 (video)
- The Evolution of ARC Raiders S2: EP4 - Constructing New ARC Machines, Embark Studios, Oct 25, 2026 (video)
- Arc Raiders Guide - How To Farm The Queen Easily With A Cheap Loadout, The Gaming Merchant, Nov 23, 2025 (video)
Moments
The Best Way to Beat EVERY Arc in Arc Raiders in 2026!
Fallout Plays
ARC Raiders - How To Beat The NEW Matriarch Boss
The Gaming Merchant
- The Matriarch arrived with North Line on Nov 13, 2025 and appears only through her map condition, not at random…
- Her core is the target. Game Rant says strip the two large front plates, wait for the force field, or stand on her…
- KeenGamer's Matriarch loadout (Nov 17, 2025) is the fullest we can cite; no guide we could read gives a separate one…
The Evolution of ARC Raiders S2: EP4 - Constructing New ARC Machines
ARC Raiders
Arc Raiders Guide - How To Farm The Queen Easily With A Cheap Loadout
The Gaming Merchant
Related
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Bastion, Bombardier and ShredderTo kill a Bastion or Bombardier in ARC Raiders, hit the yellow leg joints to slow it, then the yellow canister or cylinder at the back. A Bombardier also relies on Spotters, so kill those first. A Shredder dies to its bottom thruster, with two Trigger Nades enough to finish one.
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Ground ARCSmall ground ARC in ARC Raiders die quickly once you know the spot. One hit kills a Tick, one medium shot pops a Pop, a Fireball falls when its panel opens, and two heavy shots behind the barrel kill a Turret. The Leaper is the dangerous one, best hit with heavy ammo on the eye and Blaze Grenades.
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Crafting and the WorkshopARC Raiders' Workshop has a Workbench, six upgradable stations (Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Explosives Station, Utility Station, Refiner) and Scrappy, the rooster who gathers materials between raids. Station costs below are from Nov 2025 guides; update 2.0 added Gunsmith 4, which takes 3 Radial Press, 3 Magnetic Accelerator and 1 Emperor Modulator.
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MaterialsIn ARC Raiders keep what upgrades and quests want (ARC parts, Rusted Gear, Batteries, Sensors), recycle junk with no other use, and sell Trinkets and high-value oddities. Every published keep or sell list predates Frozen Trail (Oct 8, 2026), so use the game's item tracking for new materials.
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See also
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Best LoadoutsThe cheapest ARC Raiders loadout is the Free Loadout, which costs nothing. The best-known budget kit is Game Rant's Ferro and Stitcher on Looting Mk.1, about 13,000 Coins in Dec 2025. No allowed press loadout has been republished for update 2.0 or later, so every kit here carries its date.
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Shields and AugmentsARC Raiders has three shields (Light, Medium, Heavy) and an Augment decides which of them you may wear, along with your backpack slots, weight limit and safe pockets. Mk.1 and Mk.2 Augments craft at the Gear Bench or sell at Lance; Mk.3 Augments need Gear Bench 3. Heavy Shield charge rose to 90 in update 2.3.0.
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BlueprintsARC Raiders blueprints unlock crafting recipes and are mostly random loot, best in high-loot areas, locked rooms and major map conditions. Since update 2.3.0 (Oct 27, 2026) the Dolabra, Bobcat, Equalizer, Jupiter, Tempest and Vulcano blueprints can drop in any major map condition, at a slightly lower chance.
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Best WeaponsThe Anvil is the one ARC Raiders gun placed in S tier on all five press lists read here, and Renegade, Tempest and Venator also rank high. Every list predates update 2.0, and none ranks the Bantam, Stiletto or amplified weapons as of Oct 31, 2026.
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