PVP LAB

BREAK-EVEN CALCULATOR

Build your loadout. See the cost of dying. Know your extract target.

LOADOUT
0.0 / 30.0
EQUIPMENT
AUGMENT+
SHIELD+
WEAPON 1+
WEAPON 2+
BACKPACK SPACE0/18
QUICK USE0/4
SAFE POCKET0/1
WHAT YOU'RE BUILDING
ITEMQTYCRAFTTRADEBUY
WHAT TO COLLECT IN RAID
MATERIALQTYFARMTRADEBUY
Add items to your loadout.
SEEDS
--
At Celeste
COINS
--
At vendors
// LOOT GUIDE
DAM
BLUE GATE
STELLA
BURIED
SPACEPORT
DATA: PATCH 1.21.0 · VERIFIED: MARCH 26, 2026 · 517 ITEMS · 146 RECIPES · 53 UPGRADE CHAINS · SOURCE: ARCRAIDERS.COM

How the Break-Even Calculator Works

Build your exact in-game loadout using the interactive tool above. Select your augment, weapons (any tier I through IV), shield, backpack items, quick-use slots, and safe pocket. The calculator breaks down every item into its full replacement cost using three methods: crafting from raw materials, buying with seeds at Celeste, or purchasing with coins from vendors like Tian Wen, Lance, and Apollo.

For crafted items, the tool performs deep material decomposition. A Magnetic Accelerator isn't just "1 item" -- it's 2 Advanced Mechanical Components + 2 ARC Motion Cores, which break down further into Metal Parts, Rubber Parts, Steel Spring, and ARC Alloy. Switch between Raw Materials view (fully decomposed base items) and Top Level view (recipe components) to see the cost from different angles. All item data is sourced from the official Arc Raiders patch notes and verified against in-game values.

Crafting Cost Quick Reference

WEAPONTYPETIER I SEEDSVENDOR COINSTIER IV SEEDS
FerroBattle Rifle71,42547
HairpinPistol71,35048
StitcherSMG122,40086
KettleAssault Rifle142,52086
RattlerAssault Rifle28N/A122
Il ToroShotgun4215,000265
RenegadeBattle Rifle7521,000474
VenatorPistol75N/A474
BettinaAssault Rifle63N/A494
TempestAssault Rifle155N/A646+
// LEARN MORE ABOUT REPLACEMENT COSTS

Understanding Replacement Costs

There are three ways to replace gear you lose in a raid. Crafting is the cheapest path but requires collecting raw materials or buying them with seeds at Celeste. Seeds let you skip the grind by purchasing finished items directly, but not every item is available this way. Coins are the most expensive option, buying directly from vendors, but it's instant with no crafting required.

The Break-Even Calculator lets you mix and match these methods per item. Craft your weapons (cheapest), buy bandages with seeds (convenient), and use coins for your shield (if you have the RC). The raw materials card updates in real time to show exactly what you need based on your choices. For more on Arc Raiders economy mechanics, see RaidTheory's open dataset which powers this calculator.

Upgrade Chain Costs

Higher-tier weapons (II, III, IV) require crafting the base Tier I weapon plus paying upgrade materials at each tier. The calculator handles this automatically. Select any weapon, pick your tier, and see the full chain cost. For example, an Il Toro IV requires 16 Mechanical Components, 7 Simple Gun Parts, and 2 Heavy Gun Parts across all four tiers. Fully decomposed to raw materials, that's 112 Metal Parts, 48 Rubber Parts, and 15 Simple Gun Parts -- 265 seeds if you buy everything at Celeste.

Use the Damage Calculator alongside this tool to compare whether upgrading to Tier IV is worth the material investment for your playstyle.

Map Loot Guide

After calculating your loadout cost, use the Loot Guide to plan your extract. Select your map (Dam Battlegrounds, Blue Gate, Stella Montis, Buried City, or Spaceport) to see which materials you can farm, what sells best by RC-per-kilogram, and how many of your loadout materials are available on each map.

High-value sellables like trinkets (10,000+ RC at 0.2kg) and recyclables from weapon cases (Ion Sputter, Magnetron at 6,000 RC) provide the best value-to-weight ratio for breaking even. Check individual key room guides for the highest-value locked rooms on each map.

FAQ

How much does it cost to craft a Ferro IV?

Crafting a Ferro IV from scratch costs 47 seeds at Celeste if you buy all base materials. The chain requires: Tier I (5 Metal Parts + 2 Rubber Parts) plus three upgrades adding Metal Parts, Simple Gun Parts, and Mechanical Components. Alternatively, buy a Ferro IV directly from Tian Wen for 8,700 coins. Use the calculator above to see the exact material breakdown.

What is the cheapest PVP loadout in Arc Raiders?

A Ferro I + Light Shield + Bandage loadout costs approximately 16 seeds to craft from base materials. The Ferro is an S-tier PVP weapon that 2-taps through medium shields to the head. At this price, you're profitable after a single extract. At this price point, you're running one of the most cost-effective PVP setups in the game.

Should I craft or buy weapons with coins?

Crafting is almost always cheaper. A Ferro I costs 7 seeds (~700 coins worth of materials) to craft versus 1,425 coins from Tian Wen. An Il Toro I costs 42 seeds to craft versus 15,000 coins. The only time buying with coins makes sense is when you have excess RC and need gear immediately without farming materials.

How do I break even on a raid?

Calculate your total loadout replacement cost using the tool above, then extract with sellable loot worth at least that amount. Focus on high RC-per-kg items: trinkets (10K-50K RC/kg), recyclables from weapon cases (2K-4K RC/kg), and ARC enemy drops (3K RC/kg). The Loot Guide section shows the best items to grab on each map.

What are the best items to sell in Arc Raiders?

By RC-per-kilogram: Lance's Mixtape (50,000 RC/kg), Breathtaking Snow Globe (35,000 RC/kg), Playing Cards (25,000 RC/kg), Fine Wristwatch (15,000 RC/kg). For reliable finds, recyclables like Ion Sputter and Magnetron (4,000 RC/kg) spawn in weapon cases on every map. See the Loot Guide for map-specific recommendations.

How many seeds for a medium shield?

Crafting a Medium Shield costs 20 seeds worth of materials (1 ARC Circuitry + 4 Battery). The ARC Circuitry requires 8 ARC Alloy which must be looted from ARC enemies. Alternatively, buy directly from Lance for 6,000 coins. If you can't farm ARC Alloy, coins are the easier path for shields.

Arc Raiders is a trademark of Embark Studios AB. KillMath is not affiliated with Embark Studios. Item data sourced from RaidTheory (MIT License) and verified against official patch notes. Weapon and enemy stats verified by the KillMath community.

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