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The Queen is an "Extreme-Threat" class ARC, a colossal six-legged monstrosity that serves as the guardian of the Harvester. She is currently the most powerful enemy in ARC Raiders, designed to dominate the battlefield with overwhelming firepower and heavy armor. Speculated to share kinship with the First Wave's Baron, she is a significantly more advanced and lethal iteration. She does not roam freely but is anchored to Harvester Events (marked by a chain-link icon on the map), typically spawning in high-value zones like the Spaceport or Dam Battlegrounds. Her presence alone changes the dynamic of a raid, turning the area into a no-go zone for unprepared squads.
Mortar Barrage: Fires a volley of 2–5 high-explosive mortar shells from her top dome. These arc high into the air and rain down on player positions, dealing massive Area of Effect (AoE) damage and leaving persistent burning patches on the ground.
Death Ray (Laser Beam): A high-intensity, sustained laser beam that tracks targets in line-of-sight. It charges up with a distinct audio cue before firing. This attack melts health and shields almost instantly and has near-perfect tracking, making open-field movement suicidal.
EMP Pulse: If Raiders get too close to her legs, she emits a powerful EMP blast that disables gadgets and HUDs, leaving players vulnerable.
Ground Slam: A devastating melee attack where she rears up and slams her front legs down, creating a shockwave that deals massive damage and knocks back anyone in melee range.
Summoning: Periodically calls in reinforcements, typically lower-tier ARCs like Ticks or Drones, to distract and harass players.
Leg Joints (Kneecaps): Her primary weak points are the glowing yellow joints on her six legs. Concentrating fire on a single joint will eventually break it, causing her to stumble or collapse.
Head Core ("The Eye"): When a leg joint is destroyed, the Queen will stagger and her central "Head Core" (often referred to as the eye or brain) will drop and open up. This is the critical damage window. Unleash your highest DPS weapons (rockets, heavy snipers) into this exposed core.
Stun Vulnerability: She is highly susceptible to Showstopper grenades (EMP grenades). A well-placed Showstopper can stun her for approximately 10 seconds, creating a safe window to damage her joints or core without fear of retaliation.
Strategy:
Positioning is Key: Never fight her in the open. Use a building with a roof (to block mortars) and strong vertical cover (to peek-shoot against the laser). The Power Gen Complex in Dam Battlegrounds is a prime example of a good defensive position.
The "Wolfpack" & "Hullcracker": Heavy weapons are non-negotiable. The Hullcracker rocket launcher is the meta for stripping her armor and damaging joints. Wolfpack launchers are excellent for dealing burst damage to her or clearing her summons.
Blaze Trap Cheese (Solo): There is a known strategy where players sneak behind her and attach a Blaze Grenade Trap to her chassis. Shooting the trap can deal massive damage, sometimes enough to kill her quickly, though this is risky and may be patched.
Team Coordination: Focus fire on one leg at a time. Breaking a leg is the only way to reliably expose the core. Splitting damage across multiple legs wastes time and ammo.
The Queen drops some of the most valuable items in the game, specifically the materials needed for end-game "Legendary" weapon crafting.
Main Debris:
Queen Reactor (Legendary – Critical Drop: Required for crafting the Jupiter and Equalizer weapons)
Advanced Mechanical Components
Advanced Electrical Components
Small Debris:
Queen Reactor (Rare chance to drop from smaller chunks)
Kill XP: ~1,000 XP
Looting XP: ~1,000 XP for looting the main Core / ~300–500 XP per small debris part.
Total Potential: 5,000 – 8,000 XP (This can vary significantly based on how many parts you loot and damage dealt).
Where do I find The Queen? She does not roam randomly. She is exclusively found guarding Harvester Events, which are marked by a unique chain-link icon on your map. Look for these events in high-tier zones like Spaceport or Dam Battlegrounds.
Can I kill The Queen solo? Yes, but it is extremely difficult and ammo-intensive. You will need a Hullcracker with 40+ rockets, a Heavy Shield to tank the laser, and a safe building to kite her around. The "Blaze Trap" strategy mentioned above is the most efficient solo method if you can pull it off.
What is the Queen Reactor used for? It is a Legendary crafting component. You need it to craft the Jupiter (Legendary Rifle) and the Equalizer, which are among the best weapons in the game.
How do I dodge the Death Ray? You can't "dodge" it in the traditional sense; it tracks too perfectly. You must break line of sight. As soon as you hear the charge-up sound, get behind a wall or rock. Do not try to outrun it.
Is the loot shared? Loot in ARC Raiders is generally first-come, first-served, but the Queen drops multiple piles of debris. However, the main Queen Reactor is often in the primary wreckage, so be quick to loot if playing with randoms.
What happens if I don't kill the summoned enemies? They will swarm you and force you out of cover, likely leading to your death by the Queen's laser. Clear the adds (especially Rocketeers or drones) immediately with Wolfpack rounds or grenades before refocusing on the boss.