Your augment decides more about a raid than your gun does. Pick the wrong one and you’re stuck running a light shield into a squad with heavy plates, or you extract with zero safe pockets after a fight you actually won. This guide breaks down all 15 augments in Arc Raiders - stats, perks, and how to craft each one - including one that almost every other guide leaves out.
Table of Contents
What Augments Actually Do
An augment isn’t just a backpack. It’s the single piece of gear that decides which shield tier you’re allowed to run, how many items survive your death in a safe pocket, and whether you get a passive ability that can save a raid outright.
Understanding shields is where this matters most. There are three tiers, and your augment is what determines which ones you can equip:
Light Shield - 40 charge, 40% damage mitigation, no movement penalty. Every augment in the game can use a light shield. It’s the default and the floor, not a build choice.
Medium Shield - 70 charge, 42.5% mitigation, 5% movement speed reduction. Compatible augments: Combat Mk. 1, Combat Mk. 2, Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking), Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive), Tactical Mk. 2, Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing), Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke), Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor), and Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper). That near-doubling of charge for a barely-noticeable 5% speed cost makes this the strongest per-cost upgrade in the game.
Heavy Shield - 80 charge, 52.5% mitigation, 15% movement speed reduction. Only four augments support it: Combat Mk. 2, Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive), Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive), and Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper). The 15% speed penalty is real and affects how you move in every fight. The “Used to the Weight” skill in the Conditioning tree can reduce that penalty by up to 50%, but it doesn’t remove it entirely.
One important mechanic most new players get wrong: shields don’t work like a second health bar. Every hit still damages your HP. The shield mitigates a percentage of that damage as long as it has at least 1 charge remaining - but you can absolutely be killed in one shot through a full shield. A Ferro body shot deals 40 damage; with a Light Shield at full charge, you still take 24 HP damage. The shield is a buffer, not armor.
Safe pockets are the other core function. Weapons and backpack items are lost on death, but anything sitting in a safe pocket stays with you. Keys, rare crafting materials, high-value loot - that’s what safe pockets protect. The number you get is entirely determined by your augment, which is why augment choice is also a direct statement about how much risk you’re willing to take into a raid.
Every augment falls into one of three categories, and each trades capacity for something else:
| Category | Strength | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Best shield access, grenade slots | Smaller backpack |
| Looting | Most backpack slots and weight capacity | Weaker shield access |
| Tactical | Most quick-use slots, balanced utility | Middling everything else |
There’s also the Free Loadout Augment, which you’re stuck with whenever you take a free loadout into a raid. It can’t be swapped mid-round: 35 weight limit, 14 backpack slots, four quick-use slots, zero safe pockets, light shield only. Treat it as a stopgap, not a build.
Augments vs Other Gear: Where They Fit in Your Loadout
It’s easy to lump augments in with the rest of your gear, but they don’t work like anything else you equip. Weapons, shields, and consumables are all things you choose fresh each raid based on what you looted or crafted beforehand. Your augment is different - it’s the fixed frame everything else has to fit inside.
Your shield is the clearest example of this relationship. You don’t pick a shield and then find an augment to match it; you pick an augment and that decision caps which shield tiers you’re even allowed to equip. A Looting Mk. 2 locks you to light shields no matter how many medium or heavy shields you’re carrying in your stash. That’s a structural limit, not a loadout preference, and it’s worth deciding before you start picking other gear for a raid.
Consumables and quick-use items work within the augment’s slot count rather than around it. An augment with three healing slots, like Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing), lets you stack more medical items than one with none - so the augment you choose changes how much of your other gear you can even bring, not just what you’re allowed to equip.
Safe pockets are the other place augments diverge from everything else. Weapons and backpack items are lost on death unless they’re sitting in a safe pocket, and the number of safe pockets you have is entirely dictated by your augment. That makes the augment slot the place to think about risk tolerance for a given raid: more safe pockets if you’re carrying valuable loot out, fewer if you’re optimizing for raw capacity instead.
The practical takeaway is to choose your augment first, then build the rest of the loadout around what it allows. Picking a weapon or shield before locking in an augment risks ending up with gear your augment can’t actually support.
How Augment Durability Actually Works
Augments lose durability in increments of 30 when you’re knocked out, not specifically when you die. That’s a distinct trigger from death itself - getting knocked out is what costs you durability, regardless of how the fight ends afterward. You also can’t remove or swap an augment while you’re deployed Topside, so whatever you bring into a raid is what you’re stuck with until you extract.
Full Augment Stat Breakdown
Mark I Augments (Starter Tier)
Mark I augments have no passive perks. They’re what you craft early to learn how the slot system works before upgrading.
| Augment | Weight | Slots | Quick-Use | Safe Pockets | Shields |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Mk. 1 | 45 | 16 | 4 | 1 | Light, Medium |
| Looting Mk. 1 | 50 | 18 | 4 | 1 | Light |
| Tactical Mk. 1 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 1 | Light, Medium |
Mark II Augments (Rare Tier)
Mark II augments add a passive perk and noticeably better stats. Tactical Mk. 2 in particular punches well above its rarity.
| Augment | Weight | Slots | Quick-Use | Safe Pockets | Shields | Perk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Mk. 2 | 55 | 18 | 4 | 1 | Light, Medium, Heavy | Restores 1 HP every 5s; pauses for 30s after taking damage |
| Looting Mk. 2 | 60 | 22 | 4 | 2 | Light | Auto-removes Ticks after 1 second |
| Tactical Mk. 2 | 45 | 17 | 5 | 1 | Light, Medium | Deploys smoke grenade when shield breaks |
Tactical Mk. 2’s automatic smoke makes it one of the most-run augments in the game relative to its crafting cost. It’s a rare-tier item, and its passive regularly outperforms epics in general PvP situations.
Mark III Augments (Epic Tier)
This is where the augment system gets specialized. Each Mark III variant is built around one specific job. Eight exist in total, and one of them - Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) - gets left off most augment guides entirely, even though it’s a fully craftable, current augment.
| Augment | Weight | Slots | Safe Pockets | Shields | Perk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive) | 65 | 18 | 1 | Light, Medium, Heavy | Restores 2 HP every 5s; pauses for 30s after taking damage. 2 grenade slots |
| Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking) | 60 | 20 | 2 | Light, Medium | Pistols/hand cannons 33% faster to equip |
| Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) | 80 | 20 | 3 | Light, Medium | Regens HP to 75% while downed and stationary |
| Looting Mk. 3 (Cautious) | 70 | 24 | 2 | Light | Auto weak Adrenaline Shot on shield break, integrated binoculars |
| Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper) | 65 | 18 | 1 | Light, Medium, Heavy | Safe pocket holds any item, including weapons |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) | 60 | 20 | 1 | Light, Medium, Heavy | Integrated shield recharger, usable while running |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing) | 55 | 16 | 3 | Light, Medium | Healing cloud on revive, instantly restores 20 HP |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Revival) | 65 | 16 | 2 | Light | Integrated defibrillator, restores 1 HP every 5s |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) | 50 | 19 | 2 | Light, Medium | Upgraded Tactical Mk.2 perk with expanded capacity across the board |
On Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke): it’s effectively Tactical Mk. 2’s smoke-on-shield-break passive carried over into an epic-tier shell, with more backpack slots, an extra safe pocket, and an added deployable slot. If you already like running Tactical Mk. 2, this is the direct upgrade path once you can craft epics.
Note on Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing): the table above shows 3 safe pockets, but it also carries 3 dedicated healing-item slots as a separate stat - the only augment with slots specifically reserved for medical items rather than general inventory space.
Here’s what sets each epic apart in practice:
Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive) is the heavy-shield option for players who want to brawl. Two grenade slots and full shield-tier access make it the pick for anyone pushing fights rather than avoiding them, though the passive heal is slow enough that it rarely matters mid-fight - it’s more useful for topping off between engagements.
Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking) is built around one specific mechanic: stowed pistols and hand cannons equip 33% faster. That’s a real edge for a quick-draw sidearm playstyle. It supports light and medium shields, which is more than most looting augments manage, but the niche perk only pays off if your build is actually built around fast sidearm access.
Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) is the augment most guides point to as the best all-around pick, and the stats back that up: highest weight limit in the game, three safe pockets, and the only looting augment that supports medium shields. The downed-state regen is what separates it from the rest - it can turn what should be a wipe into a successful crawl to extraction.
Looting Mk. 3 (Cautious) goes all-in on raw capacity. Twenty-four backpack slots is the most of any augment, and the integrated binoculars add scouting value most looting builds skip entirely. The cost is light-shield-only access and only two safe pockets, which makes it a riskier pick than Survivor for anything beyond a pure loot run.
Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper) solves a different problem: protecting one specific high-value item. Its safe pocket can hold anything, including weapons, which the other safe-pocket augments can’t do. It also supports all three shield tiers, which makes it more survivable than the other looting epics despite its single safe pocket. The tradeoff is that you’re committing to protecting one item very well rather than spreading protection across several.
Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) is the heavy-shield sustain option. The integrated shield recharger working while you’re running is the standout feature - it means you can top off your shield mid-retreat instead of stopping and exposing yourself. Best suited to PvE grinding and boss fights where the encounter runs long.
Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing) is squad-first. Three safe pockets and three dedicated healing slots make it the augment to bring if you’re playing medic, and the healing cloud on revive gives your downed teammate a head start the moment they’re back up.
Tactical Mk. 3 (Revival) trims some of Healing’s slot space in exchange for a built-in defibrillator, which frees up the inventory slot you’d otherwise spend carrying one separately. It’s the better pick if your squad already has a dedicated healer and just needs faster, more reliable revives.
Which Augment Is Best for Your Playstyle
PvP-focused: Tactical Mk. 2 is the budget pick for a reason - it costs little to craft and the automatic smoke deploys the instant your shield breaks, with no input needed from you. That free window is often the difference between dying in a corridor and making it to cover. Its 45 weight limit feels tight at first, but most PvP players build around it rather than fight it. Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke) is the direct upgrade once you can craft epics: same perk, more backpack slots, an extra safe pocket, and an added deployable slot. If you want raw shield durability over utility, Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive) is the better call - it supports heavy shields and carries two grenade slots, at the cost of giving up the smoke escape option entirely.
Pure loot runs: Looting Mk. 2 is the budget loot runner. Twenty-two backpack slots and a 60kg weight limit cover most loot-focused raids, and the auto-Tick-removal perk is a small but real convenience. The catch is light-shield-only compatibility, which leaves you exposed if a fight finds you. Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) solves that problem and then some: it’s the only looting augment that supports medium shields, on top of the highest weight limit in the game and three safe pockets. The downed-state heal means a fight that should end in a wipe can instead end in a slow crawl to extraction with your loot intact. If you’re optimizing purely for slot count and don’t mind staying on light shields, Looting Mk. 3 (Cautious) has the largest backpack in the game at 24 slots, plus integrated binoculars for scouting ahead.
Squad support: Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing) is built around keeping a team alive - three safe pockets, three dedicated healing slots, and a healing cloud that triggers automatically on revive. Tactical Mk. 3 (Revival) trades some of that slot space for a built-in defibrillator, which means you’re not burning a separate inventory slot on one. If your squad already carries dedicated medics, Revival’s freed-up slot space is usually worth more than Healing’s extra safe pocket.
Solo and boss farming: Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) covers both weight and survivability in a single augment, which matters when there’s no teammate to revive you. Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) is the stronger pick if you’re leaning on a heavy shield for sustained fights against tankier ARC enemies - the integrated shield recharger works while you’re running, so you’re not standing still to top off mid-fight, and you’re not spending inventory space on a standalone recharger either.
For a deeper breakdown of full loadouts by playstyle, see our Arc Raiders loadout guide.
How to Get and Craft Augments
Mark I and Mark II augments can be scavenged directly off the ground or looted from dead players, and both can also be crafted at a Gear Bench with basic materials - no blueprint required. These are the augments you’ll be running for your first several hours, and there’s no harm in burning through plastic and rubber to keep one equipped at all times rather than going in with the Free Loadout Augment.
Mark III augments work differently. Crafting one requires:
- A learned blueprint. You have to find the physical blueprint item during a raid, extract with it still in your inventory, then learn it at your Raider Den’s Gear Workshop. The blueprint is consumed the moment you learn it.
- A Gear Bench upgraded to Level 3. Mark III recipes are locked behind this upgrade tier, so if you’re still running a Level 1 or 2 bench, prioritize that upgrade before farming blueprints.
- 2x Advanced Electrical Component and 3x Processor, gathered separately from the blueprint itself.
Augment blueprints mainly drop from Security Containers, with occasional drops from Medical Containers as well. In practice, that means the most reliable farming isn’t random looting across the whole map - it’s targeting specific rooms known for high container density. Reinforced Reception in The Blue Gate is consistently one of the best single spots for augment blueprints, though it’s also a heavily PvP-contested area, so go in aware of the risk. On Stella Montis, the Lobby, Business Center, and Medical Research rooms all have multiple augment-eligible containers worth clearing in sequence.
Night Raids and other rare map conditions increase the odds of rare and epic blueprints appearing in those containers, so if you’re specifically hunting a Mark III blueprint rather than just gearing up generally, it’s worth waiting for one of those conditions rather than farming during a standard raid.
Key Takeaways
- Augments gate your shield tier, safe pocket count, and inventory space - they’re build-defining, not just storage
- Durability drops by 30 when you’re knocked out, not specifically when you die
- You can’t swap augments while deployed Topside
- 15 augments exist in total, including Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke), which most guides leave out
- Tactical Mk. 2 and Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) are the strongest all-around picks for PvP and looting respectively
- Mark III augments need a learned blueprint, a Level 3 Gear Bench, and specific crafting materials
FAQ
What is the best augment in Arc Raiders?
There’s no single best augment - it depends on your playstyle. Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) is the strongest all-around pick for survivability and loot capacity. Tactical Mk. 2 is the best value pick for PvP, since its smoke perk outperforms most epics relative to its low crafting cost.
How many augments are there in Arc Raiders?
There are 15 augments total across the Combat, Looting, and Tactical categories, plus the Free Loadout Augment you get when you take a free loadout into a raid.
Does augment durability decrease from normal use?
No. Augments only lose durability when you’re knocked out, in increments of 30. Running, looting, and fighting without going down doesn’t affect durability.
Can I swap augments during a raid?
No. Augments can’t be removed or replaced while you’re deployed Topside. Whatever you bring in is what you’re stuck with until you extract.
What’s the difference between Mark I, II, and III augments?
Mark I augments have no passive perks and exist mainly to teach you the slot system. Mark II augments add a passive perk and better base stats. Mark III (epic) augments are specialized around one specific role, like healing, heavy shield sustain, or PvP utility, and require a blueprint to craft.
What is Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke)?
It’s an epic-tier upgrade to the Tactical Mk. 2 augment, carrying over the same automatic smoke-on-shield-break perk with expanded backpack space, an extra safe pocket, and an additional deployable slot. It’s one of the more overlooked augments since many tier lists don’t include it.
How do I get Mark III augment blueprints?
Mark III blueprints drop primarily from Security Containers and occasionally Medical Containers. Reinforced Reception in The Blue Gate and the Lobby, Business Center, and Medical Research rooms in Stella Montis are the most consistent farming spots. Night Raids increase your odds of rare and epic drops.
What materials do I need to craft a Mark III augment?
You’ll typically need a learned blueprint, a Gear Bench upgraded to Level 3, 2x Advanced Electrical Component, and 3x Processor.
Which shields can each augment use?
Shield compatibility varies by augment. Light shields work with everything. Medium shield access goes to Combat Mk. 1, Combat Mk. 2, Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking), Tactical Mk. 2, Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing), Tactical Mk. 3 (Smoke), Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor), and Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper). Heavy shield access is the most restricted - only Combat Mk. 2, Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive), Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive), and Looting Mk. 3 (Safekeeper) support it.
Is Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) worth crafting over Looting Mk. 2?
If you can afford the epic crafting cost, yes. Survivor adds 20 more weight capacity, an extra safe pocket, and a downed-state heal that can turn a failed extraction into a successful one. Looting Mk. 2 is still the better budget pick if you’re optimizing purely for cost-to-slot ratio.
Do augments affect movement speed?
There’s no documented movement speed penalty tied to augments directly - weight limit affects how much gear you can carry before you hit stamina penalties, but the augment itself doesn’t have a separate speed stat.
