[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER]
In ARC Raiders Stella Montis is a special map located deep in the northern mountains. It was added in the 1.2.0 patch and it is very different from the Rust Belt. The area is an abandoned facility that is actually well-preserved. It feels cold and sterile and gives you a look at what humanity built before they tried to escape to the stars. The map has two layers so there is a lot of verticality and hidden areas to explore.
Breaking New Ground Unlock This map was not available at launch. The community had to work together to unlock it during an event called Breaking New Ground. Players donated resources like Metal Parts and Chemicals to restore the trapped tunnels leading to the mountain. It was a huge effort but it allowed everyone to access the new region and earn Merits for the "Staking Our Claim" progression track.
Looting the Facility Stella Montis is a high-value area so expect heavy resistance from both ARC machines and other players. The map is split into the Top Area and the Second Layer underground.
Top Area: The best spot here is the Seed Vault which has high rarity Nature loot. You can also check the Eastern Tunnel for electrical parts.
Second Layer: deeper down you find the Medical Research center. this is a hot spot for high tier medical loot. The Cultural Archives is another high rarity zone for Old World items. Be careful when you go underground because it is tight and hard to escape if a team pushes you. check the table below for the full list of POIs.
Looting the Facility Because this is a high-value zone you should focus on finding Rare and Epic loot. be picky with what you take. The Seed Vault in the top area is great for Nature loot and the Medical Research center underground has the best medical items. dont be afraid to check smaller rooms too, sometimes they hide valuable equipment.
Combat and Loadout Tips Stella Montis is full of tight hallways and small corners so you should bring close-range to medium-range weapons. Guns like the Bettina, Torrente or Anvil are perfect here. heavy long-range weapons are hard to use in the tunnels. You should also bring Mines and Barricades. since there are only a few ways to navigate the corridors, placing a mine at a chokepoint is an easy way to get kills.
Enemies to Avoid Watch out for the Shredders. they are small ARC machines but they do heavy area-of-effect damage that can ruin your run. also try to avoid the Loading Bay area. There is almost always a Bastion patrolling there and it attracts too many players. unless you want to third-party a massive fight it is safer to stay away.
Check out other Locations for more info and Event tracker to find out when next event is.