The final Expedition cycle gives ARC Raiders players an unusual situation. The current system is not simply continuing into another season; Expedition 5 is expected to be the last run before the feature is paused until early 2027. That makes ARC Raiders BluePrints, quest progress, Caravan materials, and permanent rewards worth reviewing before committing to a departure.

If you have been collecting ARC Raiders BluePrints throughout the current Expedition cycle, the upcoming reset should make you think about what you actually want to keep. Expedition 5 runs from September 8 through September 29, 2026, and several decisions made during this period can affect your progression for the remainder of the year.

Quest Preservation Changes The Usual Reset Previous Expeditions were straightforward in one important way: departing meant accepting a major progression wipe. Quest progress, blueprints, and vendor standings were reset as part of the process.

Expedition 5 introduces more flexibility by allowing players to preserve quest progress.

That means you no longer have to automatically choose between a complete reset and losing access to previous storyline progress. Players who want to keep their quests can do so, while those who enjoy rebuilding their progression can still take the traditional route.

The main consideration is future unlock access. Embark Studios has indicated that alternative methods will exist for certain high-tier unlocks when quest progress is preserved. The Hullcracker Blueprint is particularly relevant here.

For players who care about collecting everything through the original progression path, resetting may remain attractive. For everyone else, preserving quests can save considerable time.

Consider Your Expedition History The second major decision is whether you should complete Expedition 5 at all.

If you have already completed Expeditions 1 through 4, the fifth run completes the current 5/5 milestone. This provides permanent benefits, including 60 extra storage slots and additional progression toward the skill point cap.

The Zenith Outfit is another reward tied to completing the full five-Expedition path. Since the current system will be unavailable for several months afterward, this is effectively the final chance to earn the reward under the existing structure.

Players who have not completed the earlier Expeditions should look at the amount of work required before making a commitment. There is no reason to rush simply because this is the final Expedition if the required progression does not fit your schedule.

Make A Realistic Caravan Plan Caravan progress can also determine how you spend your remaining time.

The Caravan has five material-donation stages, with each stage requiring a substantial amount of resources. If you have already completed most of them, concentrating your remaining raids on missing materials could be worthwhile.

However, players who are still near the beginning should consider whether finishing everything before September 29 is realistic.

There is a safety net for incomplete work. Any unfinished Caravan progress at the end of the Expedition window will be converted into Ermal Vouchers. These can be used for Ermal's available trade offers, weapons, and ARC parts, or exchanged for Coins.

That conversion means you can still receive value from partially completed progress, but it is not a replacement for completing the Caravan itself.

Use The Damage Challenge Efficiently The Expedition damage milestones are another opportunity to improve permanent progression.

The five targets are 5,000, 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, and 100,000 total damage. Reaching them can provide up to five bonus Skill Points.

If your current damage total is close to another threshold, consider making it part of your normal raid routine. There is little reason to create an unnecessarily complicated farming plan when regular combat can move you toward the same milestone.

The catch-up mechanic is equally important. Players who missed maximum Skill Point rewards during Expeditions 2, 3, or 4 can use the discounted catch-up option before the system goes on hiatus.

Registration Is Separate From Preparation One mistake could undermine all of your preparation: forgetting to manually register for departure.

Finishing your Caravan does not automatically sign your Raider up for Expedition 5. You need to open the departure interface and complete the registration yourself between September 8 and September 29.

There will be no Last Call period after the deadline. Once September 29 passes, players will have to wait for the system's planned return in 2027.

That makes the final week a poor time to start everything from scratch. Whether you are gathering ARC Raiders BluePrints, working on damage milestones, or completing Caravan stages, keep the registration deadline visible.

If your preparations reveal missing resources, some players may prefer to cheap ARC Items rather than spend their final days chasing every missing piece through raids. The important part is making that decision early enough to avoid unnecessary pressure.

Expedition 5 is best approached as a final checkpoint for the current progression system. Review your quests, Expedition history, Caravan status, Skill Points, and inventory before you commit. A little planning now can prevent a frustrating last-minute scramble when September 29 arrives.