ARC Raiders Flickering Flames Items Mastery Guide

The Flickering Flames event in ARC Raiders brings a festive twist to the Cold Snap update, challenging players to donate resources for community-wide progress across five project stages. Tied to the Gathering Candleberries merit track, it offers exclusive rewards like the Hi-Tech Hiker outfit set, Space Wrench raider tool skin, and Raider Tokens—perfect for gearing up during the holiday grind. With Cold Snap weather spawning unique red-berry bushes and raider baskets, farming feels rewarding yet urgent, as the event runs until January 13, 2026. (News Banner Step Guide original from Reddit: Made this graphic with all the items you need for the new project :) )

This guide provides streamlined routes to gather all 260+ required candleberries and key items, eliminating endless runs and saving you time for family raids or squad wipes. 

Flickering Flames Event Details Breakdown

Arc Raiders' Flickering Flames, live since December 16, 2025, through January 13, 2026, blends a 27-day Merit reward track with the Candleberry Banquet project. Earn Merits passively (1 per 100 XP on any map) during Cold Snap weather rotations—boost via project stages for faster unlocks. Cosmetics like the HI-Tech Hiker outfit dominate, perfect for Speranza roleplay.

Core Mechanics:

• Merit Generation: Automatic from raids; project completions grant bonus Merits (scales with stages).

• Cold Snap Synergy: Snow, low visibility, slippery terrain—Frostbite ticks damage without shelter/heals.

• Candleberries: Key resource, farmed topside in event weather (e.g., Blue Gate's Trapper's Glade/Olive Grove, Dam Battlegrounds' Treeline/South Swamp).

Playstyle Applications:

1. Solo Grind: Hit Blue Gate for berries (Olive Grove respawns fast)—pair with quick extractions to minimize Frostbite.

2. Squad Push: Divide project crafts; one farms mushies/grenades while others raid for XP Merits.

Community raves about HI-Tech Hiker skins but gripes berry/mushroom scarcity—PTC feedback led to login bonuses (1,000 Tokens).

MMOJUGG Pro Tip: Project ignores Cold Snap's ARC buffs—risk: Squad wipes from swarms delay berry hauls. Optimal: Pre-stock grenades/tape via Stella Monti cafeteria runs, then blitz stage 3 for Merit surge to hit track T20+ before holidays.

Project Stages and Rewards Breakdown

The core of Flickering Flames is the Candleberry Banquet project: donate items to unlock stages sequentially. Each completion nets raid-ready consumables, 2,000 merits (boosting your parallel reward track), and 50 Raider Tokens. Total donations demand precision farming, but low-value scraps like plastic parts make it accessible.

Strategic Play: Solo players can knock out stages 1-2 in one dense Dam Battlegrounds run, prioritizing residential loot. Squads split: one team hits breachables for utilities, another sweeps creature drops. Community feedback on Reddit highlights hoarding wine bottles early—many regret selling them pre-event. This setup turns junk into merits, accelerating your cosmetic unlocks.

Optimized Farming Routes for Zero Waste

Efficiency is king in extraction shooters. Focus on high-density loops covering multiple item themes, repeatable in 20-30 minutes. Start with a "core loop" on Dam Battlegrounds for 70% of non-berry needs.

Primary Route (Dam Battlegrounds - 25-35 mins)

• Power Generation Elevator: Loot the white car (2x Light Bulbs guaranteed high chance).

• Apartment Strip: Hit bottom floors of all three complexes—green kitchen drawers drop Coffee Pots, Frying Pans, Candle Holders (expect 1-2 each).

• Raider Camps: Breach rusty boxes for Water Filters; scan for baskets (Durable Cloth bonus).

• Hydroponics Domes: Shelves and breachables yield Industrial Battery, more filters, early Mushrooms.

• Pipeline to Primary Facility: Extra breachables; extract at Water Treatment (bonus white car Light Bulbs).

Yields: All stage 2/4/5 residential/utilities. If short, loop back.

Gap-Filler Route (Blue Gate - 10-15 mins)

• Dense container zone: Trash cans for Film Reels (near-perfect spawn), small boxes for Duct Tape. Olive Grove buildings during Cold Snap add berries.

Application Analysis: Cheap loadouts let you safe-pocket extras. X posts praise this for sub-hour clears, especially pre-holidays. Pro tip: Extract early if loaded—merits from XP compound passively.

Candleberries and Mushrooms: Cold Snap Specialists

Candleberries (260 total needed) spawn exclusively in Cold Snap: red bushes (1 each, nature zones), raider baskets/caches (3-5, ticking sound), event track (180 free). Mushrooms (7) hug water edges.

Top Farms

• Spaceport Outskirts (Prime): Baskets cluster; trench tree drops 3-4 Mushrooms consistently.

• Blue Gate Fallback: Olive Grove raider caches; church bushes.

• Dam Battlegrounds: Hydroponics water, fallen logs.

Fireball Burners and Utility Hotspots

Stage 4's 10 Fireball Burners come from corpses—no fights needed. Stella Montis Business Center litters bodies late-raid; Sandbox scatters them freely. Cheap loadout, sweep, safe-pocket 3 per run.

Utility Spawns Table

Analysis: Residential theme (pots/pans/holders/albums) thrives in apartments—green drawers are gold. X feedback: "Trash cans changed my life for reels."

Gathering Candleberries Merit Track

Every 100 XP = 1 Merit. Project stages add 10,000 total. Grind topside for dual progress.

Key Unlocks

• 600: Hi-Tech Hiker Outfit

• 4,200 - 14,400: 50 Tokens each (250 total)

• 15,000: Space Wrench Skin

Full track fuels 180 berries, easing donations. Play any map—Cold Snap doubles loot value.

FAQs on ARC Raiders Flickering Flames Event

How many candleberries do I need total?

260 across stages (20+50+60+60+70), but farm 80 extra for merit track shortfalls. Event provides 180 via merits, so targeted Cold Snap runs cover the rest. Prioritize baskets over bushes for efficiency—yields triple.

Where are empty wine bottles most reliable?

Scattered residential loot, but hoard pre-event. Common in Buried City houses or Dam apartments' cabinets. Reddit warns: many sold them cheap—check inventory now.

Best map for Fireball Burners without PvP?

Stella Montis Business Center—corpses everywhere post-wipe. Enter late, no engages needed. Safe-pocket strategy nets 3/run safely.

Mushrooms respawn consistently?

Yes—Spaceport east trench tree (3-4), Dam water pipes. Cold Snap baskets boost. 2 runs suffice; avoid random foraging.

Does project progress carry over expeditions?

Account-wide, yes. Donate freely—merits persist. Pair with skill tree reset for optimized Cold Snap builds.

Snap Blast Grenades for stage 3—farmable?

Craft or loot facilities. Not bottleneck; focus duct tape/film instead. Blue Gate trash cans clutch for reels.

Free tokens in mail?

1,000 Raider Tokens dropped for all—check mailbox. Combines with 250 from project for premium shop buys like Volati set.

Cold Snap everywhere?

Rotates maps (not Stella Montis often). Queue intentionally; boosts loot/XP for merits.

Thanks for Reading

Streamline your ARC Raiders Flickering Flames progress with targeted routes and spawns to snag Hi-Tech Hiker cosmetics swiftly. Stay tuned to MMOJUGG.com for the latest on ARC Raiders. Bookmark this page for instant access mid-session, and swing by our ARC Raiders shop to grab a blueprint that pairs perfectly with event merits.