In Arc Raiders, quests range from straightforward fetch missions to cryptic explorations that test your navigation and stealth skills. The "Digging Up Dirt" quest, given by Trader Celeste, falls into the latter category-simple on paper but surprisingly tricky in ARC Raiders BluePrints  practice. This guide breaks down every step of the quest, from accepting it to extracting safely, ensuring you complete it efficiently and claim your well-deserved rewards.

Quest Overview: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Before diving into the mission, it's crucial to understand the basics of "Digging Up Dirt." This quest becomes available after you complete "Tribute to Toledo," so make sure you finish that prerequisite first to unlock it from Celeste, one of the game's key traders.

The core goal is simple: locate the Santa Maria Houses in Old Town (within the Buried City map) and find a hidden dead drop inside the courtyard. Unlike many Arc Raiders quests, you don't need to extract the dead drop or carry any loot back-interacting with it is enough to mark the quest as complete, even if you die afterward.

Difficulty-wise, the quest is moderate. It doesn't require high-tier gear, but it does demand careful traversal and awareness of enemies, as the Buried City is crawling with ARC forces and rival raiders. A little preparation goes a long way here.

Preparing for the Quest: Loadout and Tips

Preparation is key to avoiding unnecessary frustration. Since you don't need to carry any valuable loot for this quest, using a free loadout is highly recommended. This way, you won't risk losing precious gear if you get eliminated during the mission.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can attempt the quest during a Night Raid. Night Raids offer better loot opportunities but come with increased difficulty: visibility is low, and enemy patrols are more aggressive. If you choose this mode, avoid using your flashlight excessively-raiders and ARC forces detect the beam quickly and will ambush you.

Traversal tools like ziplines or climbing gear can also make the mission easier, especially when navigating the rooftops of the Santa Maria Houses. While not mandatory, they'll save you time and reduce the risk of fall damage.

Step 1: Locate the Santa Maria Houses in Old Town

The first objective is to reach the Santa Maria Houses, which are located in the Buried City map. Spawn into the Buried City and head toward the Old Town area-keep an eye on your map, as the Santa Maria Houses blend in with surrounding architecture and can be easy to miss.

The houses are situated between the Town Hall and Plaza Rosa, so use those landmarks to orient yourself. Unlike larger, more distinct structures in the Buried City, the Santa Maria Houses are a residential block with a subtle presence, so rely on your map marker to stay on track.

As you approach, be cautious of enemy patrols. ARC forces and rival raiders often guard the area, so move quietly or take them out quickly to avoid drawing unwanted attention. Stealth is your friend here-unnecessary combat will only slow you down.

Step 2: Find the Courtyard and the Hidden Dead Drop

Once you reach the Santa Maria Houses, you'll notice a problem: all ground-level doors to the courtyard are locked from the inside. Don't waste time trying to force them open-you need to access the courtyard from above via the rooftops.

Climb to the roof of the second house marked on your map. You'll see a plank connecting this roof to another house-cross the plank, then turn left at the end. Look for a green window or an opening in the roof; this is your entry point into the building interior.

Jump down through the roof opening, and you'll find yourself inside the building. Move forward and look for another opening leading downward-use the attached zipline to avoid fall damage. Once you're on the lower level, turn right and go through the large broken wall to reach the center hall.

The dead drop is located in the center of this hall. It's a small, unassuming container-interact with it to complete the quest objective. You'll hear a confirmation from Celeste, and your quest log will update to show completion.

The nearest extraction points are the Eastern Station or Southern Station-check your map and choose the one that's safer based on enemy positions. If you have extra time, you can loot upper floors for cheap ARC Raiders Items field crates or additional components before extracting.

Quest Rewards: What You Earn for Completing Digging Up Dirt

After completing the quest, return to Speranza and speak to Celeste to claim your rewards. The standard rewards for "Digging Up Dirt" are 2 Advanced Electrical Components and 4 Speaker Components-valuable materials for crafting and upgrading your gear.

Note that older beta versions of the game also awarded a Buried City Residential Master Key, but this has been removed in the full release. The component rewards are now standard and well worth the effort, especially for players looking to upgrade their weapons or equipment.