Game Tips Hub

Weapon Stencils let Raiders customize compatible weapons, but collecting them requires more than opening random containers. Some stencils are found Topside, while others come from the Reward Pass or DLC. Before starting a farming run, make room for valuable ARC Raiders Items and prepare a route that covers several container-heavy locations.

How to Get Weapon Stencils

There are three main ways to obtain Weapon Stencils:

• Topside containers: Eight stencils are available through exploration and random loot.
• Reward Pass: Five stencils are tied to the Frozen Trail Premium Pass.
• DLC: One additional stencil is exclusive to the Collector Set.

Topside stencils are not guaranteed drops. You may need several raids before finding one, so focus on areas with multiple searchable containers instead of repeatedly checking a single building.

Best Locations for Farming Weapon Stencils

Pendola Pass: Commissary Supermarket

The Commissary Supermarket is one of the most promising locations reported for stencil farming.

Prioritize the upstairs office bins and staff room boxes. Search the surrounding rooms before moving to another building, as checking multiple containers in one area is more efficient than crossing the map for isolated loot.

Other useful stops include:

• Railyard: Check entrance lockers and office desks.
• Observatory: Search secured rooms when you have the appropriate key.
• Nearby storage areas: Check boxes and containers along your extraction route.

Buried City: Residential and Commercial Areas

Buried City is a practical alternative when Pendola Pass is contested. Focus on buildings with dense container layouts, especially commercial interiors, residential rooms, lockers, and storage spaces.

Search several nearby buildings in one route, then extract rather than spending the entire raid exploring low-value areas.

Blue Gate: Container-Focused Runs

Blue Gate is another option for players who want to combine residential and commercial searches. Prioritize searchable interiors and secured rooms instead of fighting ARC enemies unnecessarily.

The exact stencil drop remains random, so changing maps between runs can help keep your farming route flexible.

How to Get Stencil Parts

Finding a stencil is only the first step. You also need Stencil Parts to apply it to a compatible weapon.

Stencil Parts can appear as Topside loot, particularly in Commercial, Residential, and Industrial areas. Keep an eye on containers during your stencil runs instead of treating the two materials as separate farming objectives.

The application cost depends on rarity:

Save enough parts before applying an expensive stencil, especially if you plan to customize several weapons.

How to Learn and Apply a Weapon Stencil

Follow these steps after finding a stencil:

1. Extract safely and return to Speranza.
2. Open your inventory and select the stencil item.
3. Use the Learn option to unlock its appearance.
4. Open your stash and select a compatible weapon.
5. Enter the Stencils customization menu.
6. Choose the unlocked design and spend the required Stencil Parts.

Remember that stencils are not universal. A design only appears for weapons it supports, so check compatibility before planning a specific weapon appearance.

Important Things to Know Before Applying a Stencil

• Each weapon needs its own application: Learning a stencil unlocks the design, but applying it to another weapon requires additional parts.
• Weapon loss still applies: A customized weapon can be lost when you are knocked out, and another Raider can take it.
• Check compatibility first: Not every stencil works with every weapon.
• Keep spare parts: Avoid spending all your Stencil Parts on one weapon if you want to customize multiple loadouts.

Farming Strategy

For efficient Weapon Stencil farming, start with the Commissary Supermarket on Pendola Pass and check its upstairs office and staff room containers. Move to the Railyard or Observatory if the surrounding area is safe. If the map is heavily contested, switch to Buried City or Blue Gate and continue searching container-dense locations.

Prioritize stencils and Stencil Parts in the same raid, and extract once you have secured valuable finds. Players who want to spend less time preparing equipment for repeated runs can also consider ARC Raiders Boosting as an alternative progression option.