The Headwinds update for Arc Raiders has added seven brand-new quests, and while many of them are challenging, A Prime Specimen easily stands out as one of the most frustrating. That is saying a lot, especially when other missions like Movie Night throw you straight into a Shredder den and With a View asks for oddly specific Exodus items.
The biggest problem with A Prime Specimen is not the difficulty. Right now, the quest appears to be bugged for many players, making it far more annoying than it should be. Still, if you are trying to push through it, here is a clear and simple breakdown of how the quest works, what you need to do, and what to try if things do not trigger properly.
How to Start A Prime Specimen in Arc Raiders
The first objective in A Prime Specimen is straightforward on paper. You need to obtain two Arc Powercells.
Arc Powercells are a common Arc material used to craft shield charges, so there is a good chance you already have some stored in your inventory. If you do, you can simply bring them with you into a raid. That is exactly what many players have done to save time.
If you do not have any Arc Powercells, you can easily find them during a run. They drop from Arc machines, which are fairly common across the map. Once you have two Arc Powercells ready, your next destination is Blue Gate.
Where to Find the Arc Deforester in Blue Gate
After entering Blue Gate, your goal is to locate an Arc Deforester. This is where the quest starts to become tricky.
Arc Deforesters are large, cylindrical wreckages scattered across the map. There are three known Arc Deforester locations in Blue Gate:
- Adorned Wreckage, on the western side
- Barren Clearing, also to the west
- Near Ridgeline, on the eastern side of the map
Any of these three locations can be used to complete the quest. You only need to successfully interact with one Arc Deforester, but reaching it safely is often easier said than done, especially if enemies are nearby.
How to Complete A Prime Specimen Step by Step
Once you reach an Arc Deforester, the quest requires a very specific sequence of actions. Missing a step or having the event bug out can stop your progress entirely.
Here is exactly what you need to do.
First, climb into the main chamber of the Arc Deforester. Inside, look to the left side where you will see an exposed circuit panel. Interact with this panel to consume one Arc Powercell. When this works correctly, flames will activate to your right.
Next, wait for the fire to stop completely. Do not rush this part. Once the flames are gone, move to the end of the chamber and interact with the second circuit. This will consume your second Arc Powercell.
After that, exit the chamber and head outside. From there, climb up to the higher platform that leads back into the Arc Deforester from above. Once you are on the platform, interact with the wall to search the back of the wreckage. This final interaction is what completes the objective.
If everything triggers correctly, the quest should update as soon as you finish this step.
Why A Prime Specimen Is Bugging Out for Many Players
This is where most players are running into problems.
Right now, A Prime Specimen often fails to trigger the quest event properly. When this happens, you may find that the Arc Deforester cannot be interacted with at all. The circuit panels simply do nothing, even if you have Arc Powercells in your inventory.
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed fix at the moment. If the Arc Deforester does not respond, you have two options.
The first option is to travel to one of the other two Arc Deforester locations on the Blue Gate map. Sometimes the quest will work at a different site during the same run.
If that does not help, the only remaining solution is to end your run and try again. This is frustrating, but for now, it appears to be the only workaround until the issue is addressed in a future update.
Tips to Reduce Frustration During This Quest
While the bug cannot be fully avoided, there are a few things you can do to reduce wasted time.
Always bring two Arc Powercells with you before entering Blue Gate. This prevents you from having to hunt for materials during a run that might already be broken.
If one Arc Deforester does not work, do not spend too long waiting. Move on to another location quickly or extract and reset the run.
Also, be prepared for combat. Arc Deforester areas can attract enemies, and dying before finishing the interaction means you will need to start over.
Final Thoughts
A Prime Specimen has the potential to be an interesting quest, but the current bug turns it into one of the most irritating missions in Arc Raiders’ Headwinds update. Until Embark Studios rolls out a fix, patience is unfortunately part of the challenge.
If you manage to get the event to trigger correctly, the steps themselves are simple. The real battle is fighting the game’s inconsistency rather than the enemies around you.
If this guide helped you get through the quest, share it with other Arc Raiders players, and keep checking back for more updates, fixes, and walkthroughs as the game continues to evolve.
