How To Equip Medium Shield in ARC Raiders

In the high-stakes extraction zones of ARC Raiders, durability is often the key to surviving a tough encounter or making a safe escape. Your primary line of defense is your shield, but unlike most gear, shields cannot be freely swapped. They are locked behind specific Augments, which means upgrading your protection requires fundamentally changing your loadout and crafting strategy.The game features three tiers of protection: Light, Medium, and Heavy. While Light Shields are accessible to everyone, graduating to the more durable Medium and Heavy Shields requires an investment in advanced gear. The Medium Shield offers the ideal balance—allowing you to take significantly more punishment at a minor cost to mobility.If you’re ready to stop relying on basic protection and start shrugging off damage, here is a complete guide to understanding the shield system, acquiring the necessary Augments, and effectively utilizing Medium Shields in ARC Raiders.

ARC Raiders: How To Equip Medium Shield

The Shield and Augment System Explained

Shield compatibility in ARC Raiders is entirely determined by the Augment you have equipped. Augments serve as the core of your loadout, controlling your carry capacity and thetype of protection you can use. To equip better shields, you must craftand purchase higher-tier Augments.

Shield Tier	Required Augment(s)	Mobility vs. Defense	Access
Light	Free Loadout or Looting Augment	High Mobility, Low Defense	Available to all players (starter gear)
Medium	Combat MK1 or Tactical MK1	Good Balance (Minor Mobility Loss)	Requires Augment crafting and purchase
Heavy	Raider Augment III+	Low Mobility, High Defense	Requires Equipment Bench Level 3+

The Light Shields, available with the starter Free Loadout and Looting Augments, areperfect for scouting and looting builds as they impose no movement speed penalties. However, for direct combat, they simply don't offer enoughprotection.

How to Unlock and Equip Medium Shields

To gain access to Medium Shields, you must obtain and equip either the Combat MK1 Augment or the Tactical MK1 Augment. These two Augments specifically enable the use of Medium Shields andalso provide a welcome increase to your carrying capacity.

Step 1: Obtain a Base Augment Resource

Before you can craft the improved Augments, you first need a base resource: the Free Loadout Augment resource.

• Extraction: The easiest way to get this resource is by successfully extracting with a Free Loadout Augment after a raid.
• Crafting: Alternatively, you can craft the Free Loadout Augment resource at your Equipment Bench.

Step 2: Purchase the Improved Augment from Lance

With the base resource secured, you can now purchase the upgrade.

• Visit the Clinic: Head to the Clinic located at your base.
• Speak with Lance: Interact with the vendor, Lance, who specializes in Augment upgrades.
• Craft and Purchase: Use the Free Loadout Augment resource you acquired to craft and purchase either the Combat MK1 or the Tactical MK1 Augment.

Step 3: Equip the New Augment

• Go to the Loadout Station: Access your Loadout Station (or raid prep screen).
• Equip the Augment: Select and equip the newly purchased Combat MK1 or Tactical MK1 Augment.

Equipping one of these two Augments instantly increases your carrying capacity and, most importantly, enables the use of Medium Shields in your loadout.

The Case for the Medium Shield

While Heavy Shields offer the best protection, that high tankiness comes atthe severe cost of a significant movement penalty, making you a slowtarget. The Medium Shield, enabled by the Combat or Tactical MK1Augment, is often the most practical choice.

• Ideal Balance: Medium Shields present an ideal middle ground, effectively balancing durability and mobility. You can absorb more damage without feeling crippled by movementpenalties, allowing you to reposition during firefights or escape whenthings go sideways.

The Path to Heavy Shields

If your ultimate goal is maximum defense, you must continue your Augment progression:

• Upgrade the Equipment Bench: You will need to upgrade your home base Equipment Bench to Level 3.
• Craft High-Tier Materials: This higher-tier bench unlocks the ability to craft the necessary materials for the Raider Augment III+ and the crafting components for Heavy Shields.

Focus on the Medium Shield first; it provides a tangible upgrade insurvivability that will drastically improve your chances of extractingsuccessfully in ARC Raiders.

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