If you have jumped into the Flickering Flames update in Arc Raiders, you have probably figured out pretty fast that hiding underground is not the play anymore and that you need a steady flow of ARC Raiders Coins to really make the effort pay off.

How The Merit Loop Really Works

The whole event is built around stacking Merits, and the key number to keep in your head is 600. Hit 600 Merits, you get a payout. Simple on paper, but it feels different when you are in the field trying not to get deleted. Every time you cross that 600 mark, you are looking at proper rewards: stuff like the High-tech Hiker outfit, Raider Tokens, and a nice mix of emotes so your character does not just stand there like a statue. The trick is not just farming, it is about knowing when to stay out and when to bank. If you push your luck too long and lose everything on the way back, that is on you.

Why Candleberries Are Ruining Everyone's Runs

Most players hit the same wall: Candleberries. On paper they sound like a throwaway item, but right now they are the piece that slows everything down. If you are just dropping into random conditions, you are wasting time. You want Cold Snap weather, nothing else comes close. During a Cold Snap, the maps feel packed with bushes that can spawn berries. They are bright red, but you will still run past them if you are only watching your radar or trading shots non-stop. Slow down when you hit dense foliage, do a quick sweep, then move on. It is boring work, but if you ignore berries, you will end up stuck on later stages with nothing to hand in.

Breaking Down The Five Project Stages

Your scavenging feeds into five stages of the Flickering Flames project, and each stage has its own shopping list. Stage one, Candlelight, wants simple scrap: Empty Wine Bottles, Plastic Parts, and Durable Cloth. After that you hit Decorations, which asks for Candle Holders, Light Bulbs, and Industrial Batteries. Then comes Presents, where things get a bit more combat focused, since you need Snap Blast Grenades along with Duct Tape and Film Reels. Later on, Beverages shows up, and you will still be juggling random junk on top of the constant Candleberry grind. The last stage, Meals, has you hunting for Mushrooms, Frying Pans, and even Music Albums, which feels more like raiding a thrift shop than a war zone, but that is how the event is wired.

Playing The Long Game Without Burning Out

The event runs all the way until 13 January 2026, so you do not have to live in the game to clear it. Treat it like a loop you dip into a few nights a week instead of a full-time job. Plan your raids around Cold Snap windows, build runs that circle through known berry spots, and bank Merits whenever you hit that 600 mark instead of getting greedy. Over time, you will unlock all the outfits, tokens, and emotes while still having room to mess around with friends or try other games, and if you ever feel like you need a little boost on the currency side, you can always look into buy game currency or items in RSVSR through the trusted source at rsvsr ARC Raiders Coins.