How to Find Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders

To find the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders, you currently have two main options: farm First Wave Caches during the Hurricane map condition, or run Buried City Night Raids and target Residential containers. The Hurricane method is by far the fastest right now – roughly 50% of First Wave Caches contain a blueprint, and Tempest is still a pretty common drop. If a Hurricane isn’t active, Buried City Night Raid is the tried-and-true backup. Check our Event Timers to see which condition is currently running, and use our Buried City Interactive Map to plan your route.

Why You Need the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders

The Tempest is an Epic-rarity fully-automatic assault rifle and one of the most well-rounded weapons in the game. It uses Medium Ammo, has a solid fire rate, manageable recoil, and strong damage output that works in both PvE and PvP. It’s relatively effective against ARC enemies and other Raiders alike, making it a good choice for players who can hit headshots and want one weapon that handles everything. Once you learn the blueprint, you can craft the Tempest at Gunsmith Level 3 as many times as you want – so finding this blueprint is a major milestone for any Raider’s progression. Plan your Loadout around it once you have it.

Best Method: First Wave Caches During the Hurricane

Since the Shrouded Sky update, First Wave Caches have become the single best way to find the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders. These special caches only spawn during Hurricane events and contain some of the best loot in the game, including the Tempest, Bobcat, and Vulcano blueprints. Before the Hurricane was added, the Tempest Blueprint was one of the hardest items to find in the entire game – now it’s dropping regularly from these caches.

For a full breakdown of how to farm First Wave Caches, check out our dedicated First Wave Caches in ARC Raiders guide. The short version: go in naked with just Adrenaline Shots, listen for the distinct electric humming sound the caches make, open as many as you can, Safe Pocket any blueprints immediately, and surrender to requeue. The Hurricane rotates across Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Blue Gate, and Spaceport on an hourly cycle – check our Event Timers so you don’t miss a window.

Important: As of Patch 1.18.0 (March 3, 2026), blueprint drop rates from First Wave Caches have been reduced. They’re still the best source for the Tempest Blueprint, but don’t expect the crazy rates from the first couple of weeks after the Shrouded Sky update. The Dam Battlegrounds map still seems to drop a lot of weapon blueprint during the Hurricane Map Condition, but if drop rates get nerfed further, you’ll want to fall back on Night Raid farming below.

Backup Method: Buried City Night Raid for the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders

Before First Wave Caches existed, Buried City Night Raid was the most reliable way to get the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders, and it’s still your best backup when no Hurricane is active. Night Raids significantly boost blueprint spawn rates across all containers, and the Tempest has historically been a Night Raid exclusive – it does not drop during Electromagnetic Storms or Day Raids. If there’s no Hurricane active, Night Raid is your only option.

Unlike most weapon blueprints that drop from Raider Containers (Weapon Cases, Ammo Crates, Raider Caches), the Tempest is an exception – it spawns from Residential and Commercial containers instead. That means you’re looking at wardrobes, cupboards, desk drawers, kitchen cabinets, lockers, suitcases and even trash cans. Buried City has the highest concentration of these container types, which is why it’s the go-to map.

Best Locations for the Tempest Blueprint in Buried City

Here are the best spots to check during a Buried City Night Raid. You’ll realistically hit one or two locations per run before the area gets looted, so sprint to whichever spot is closest to your spawn and loot everything fast.

Grandioso Apartments – The most frequently cited Tempest drop location in the entire community. This apartment complex in West Village has two similar buildings connected by a bridge. Every floor is packed with blueprint-capable containers: drawers, cabinets, lockers, fridges and cupboards. Start from the ground floor of one building, clear every container, cross the bridge, and clear the second.

Space Travel Building – Another high-priority spot. Head to the second-highest floor and focus on the two main rooms on the left side. These rooms can roll the Tempest Blueprint along with Wolfpack and Defibrillator blueprints. This building is well-known and heavily contested, so be quick.

Red Tower – Head to the second floor and look for a small room with multiple lockers and potentially a Security Breach locker. Quick to clear and less contested than the apartments.

Plaza Rosa Pharmacy – Enter through the breachable door and loot all three floors. Skip the shelves on the first floor and focus on the white lockers and containers inside. It’s near an extraction point so expect traffic.

Santa Maria Houses – Less crowded than other spots, giving you more time to loot undisturbed. Has a bunch of residential drawers and containers, plus it often spawns a weapon case inside. Fast to reach from most spawns and rarely contested – a solid pick when you want to avoid the PvP chaos at Grandioso.

Breachable Room West of Santa Maria – A breachable room on the second floor of a building just west of Santa Maria Houses. The spawn is very rare and random, but multiple community members have confirmed Tempest drops here. Expect heavy player traffic around this room.

Alternative Maps for the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders

While Buried City is the most popular map for farming the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders, it can also drop on other maps during Night Raids. If Buried City Night isn’t available or you want to avoid the competition, try these alternatives:

Blue Gate – Village Area: The Village on Blue Gate has many Residential-style containers packed close together during Night Raid. Don’t ignore wooden drawers and kitchen cupboards – the Tempest can spawn in any Residential container type.

Dam Battlegrounds – Pale Apartments & Ruby Residences: These Residential clusters in the northwest corner of Dam Battlegrounds work well during Night Raid. Container density is comparable to Grandioso Apartments. The Research & Administration area is also worth checking – Commercial-style desk drawers above where the Sentinel Turret spawns have produced Tempest drops from our own testing.

Spaceport: Control Tower and Arrival/Departure Buildings contain weapon case, suitcases and drawer spawns. Some players have reported Tempest drops here during Night Raid, but it’s less consistent than Buried City or Dam.

Tips for Farming the Tempest Blueprint in ARC Raiders

1. Naked Runs Are the Way: Load in with nothing – no shield, no weapons, no augment. You get one Safe Pocket, which is all you need to secure the blueprint if it drops. Sprint to your target location, loot everything, and if you find it, pocket it immediately. If someone beat you to the area or you got a bad spawn, surrender and requeue instantly.

2. Night Raid is Essential: Don’t waste your time running Buried City during the day for this blueprint. The Tempest Blueprint is a Night Raid exclusive – it does not drop during Day Raids or Electromagnetic Storms. Always check the Event Timers and queue specifically for Night Raids. The only other condition that drops it is Hurricane via First Wave Caches right now.

3. Loot Everything – Even Trash Cans: The Tempest Blueprint doesn’t drop from a specific “special” container. It’s just another roll inside the Night Raid loot table, which means it can show up in wardrobes, kitchen cupboards, desk drawers, white coolers, and yes – even trash cans. Don’t skip anything.

4. Check Your Spawn Timer: If you load into a raid and the match is already well underway, there’s a good chance most locations have already been looted. Surrender immediately and requeue for a fresh raid instead of running around an empty map.

6. Hurricane is Still King: Even after the Patch 1.18.0 nerf to First Wave Cache drop rates, Hurricane farming remains significantly faster than Night Raid farming for the Tempest Blueprint. If a Hurricane is active, drop everything and farm it. You can always go back to Night Raids if you get tired of the new physics mechanics during Hurricane maps.

More ARC Raiders Resources

For the full list of every blueprint and where to find them, check out our How to Find Every Blueprint in ARC Raiders guide. If you’re hunting other rare drops, browse our guides on How to Find the Wolfpack Blueprint, How to Get the Equalizer Blueprint, and our First Wave Caches guide. Use our Interactive Maps to plan your routes and track our Event Timers to catch the next Night Raid or Hurricane. Join our Discord community to share your Tempest Blueprint finds or discuss farming strategies with other Raiders!