Arc Raiders Merits Guide: How to Earn Merits Fast

If you have been grinding Arc Raiders since the North Line update dropped, you have probably seen the buzz about the new currency called Merits. The community is rallying hard right now, because Merits are the key to pushing the entire playerbase into the next big piece of content: the Stella Montis map. And yeah, if you are like me and fully invested in Arc Raiders progression systems, you probably want to stay ahead of the curve while everyone figures out the best way to contribute.

Before we get deep into strategy, here is a quick heads up. If you ever find yourself short on resources or just want a little boost in overall progression, some players use third party platforms like PVPBank to buy Arc Raiders coins. You do not need it to earn Merits, but it can help with other in game upgrades if you choose to go that route.

Anyway, let us break down Arc Raiders Merits from top to bottom. I am going to explain what Merits are, how they work, why they matter, and how you can maximize your gains while helping the entire community push toward unlocking Stella Montis. As someone who has no life when major updates land, trust me this system is more important than it looks on paper.

What Are Merits in Arc Raiders

Merits are a brand new limited time event currency introduced with the North Line update. While a lot of currencies in Arc Raiders are personal progression tools, Merits are very different because they fuel community wide progress. In other words, your individual contributions help unlock a massive milestone for every single player in the game.

Right now Merits exist for one purpose:
Fund the Breaking New Ground project and eventually unlock the Stella Montis map.

The developers designed Merits to give the Arc Raiders community a shared goal, and so far it is working. The entire playerbase is funneling resources into this communal project to push the global donation bar further.

But here is the important part many players miss:
Merits are not the same thing as the actual donation items.
You donate materials, and you earn Merits as a reward. Later, Merits will have their own redemption phase with exclusive rewards.

How to Earn Merits in Arc Raiders

This part is extremely straightforward, but also extremely grind heavy depending on how deep you want to go.

**There is only ONE way to earn Merits in Arc Raiders right now:

Donate materials to the Breaking New Ground project.**

That is it. No side quests.
No loot drops.
No secret objectives.
No alternative currencies.

If you want Merits, you donate resources. And you can donate any of the following materials in packs of five:

Metal Parts
Fabric
Rubber Parts
Plastic Parts
Chemicals

These are common early and mid game crafting materials, and if you have been raiding consistently, chances are you have stacks of them sitting in your inventory. That is exactly why the developers chose these items—they wanted Merits to be accessible, not gated behind hardcore content.

Maximum Merits You Can Earn

As of the North Line update, you can earn a total of 900 Merits.
This number is fixed for now, so do not expect to go beyond it until the next phase of the event drops.

And yes, you get Merits only for your first donations. Once you hit the Merit cap, you can still donate to help the community progress toward Stella Montis, but you will not get any more Merits out of it.

Why Merits Matter So Much

Let us be clear. Merits are not just some side currency or filler mechanic thrown into the update. They are tied to Arc Raiders long term progression and map expansion.

1. Merits help unlock Stella Montis for everyone

The Breaking New Ground project is a community wide unlock. The more players donate materials, the faster Stella Montis opens. If you want to explore new terrain, fight new ARC threats, unlock new quests, and access the next phase of the Arc Raiders roadmap, Merits are your ticket.

2. Merits will be used to claim exclusive rewards

This part is huge. The developers have already confirmed that Merits become a currency for rewards in the next phase. We do not know exactly what those rewards will be yet, but considering how the North Line update teased long term progression, expect something meaningful:

Exclusive cosmetics
Upgrade materials
Event gear
Limited items you cannot get elsewhere

This is why veteran players are grinding materials nonstop. Even if Stella Montis takes some time to unlock, Merits are going to matter again pretty soon.

3. Merits create a long term community driven cycle

We finally have a progression system where:

You donate
You earn Merits
You push global progress
You unlock a map
You redeem Merits for rewards

It is a full content loop that keeps players invested instead of rushing through a one and done update.

Best Ways to Farm Materials for Merits

This is where the real grind begins. To earn Merits efficiently, you need to stockpile materials fast. After going through several hours of post update gameplay, here are the most effective methods.

1. Farm ARC enemies in high density zones

Metal Parts and Plastic Parts drop like candy in areas with heavy ARC presence. Bombardier and Bastion enemies in particular drop materials consistently, so running high traffic ARC zones pays off.

2. Hit loot dense regions repeatedly

If you want Fabric and Rubber Parts, focus on exploring structures rather than fighting. Storage rooms, abandoned buildings, and transport depots all have item caches that drop crafting materials reliably.

3. Clear Raider Caches

These always have a chance to drop Chemicals or other mid tier materials. Since they also count for container looting objectives now, you are killing two birds with one stone.

4. Do not ignore smaller lootables

Anything you can loot contributes. Probes, husks, briefcases, broken machinery—grab everything. Materials accumulate faster than you realize.

5. Play with a squad for speed clears

Faster clears equal more materials per hour. This is especially true on maps where spawn pacing is inconsistent.

How Much Should You Donate

This depends entirely on your goals.

If you want to maximize Merits:

Donate until you hit the 900 Merit cap. No exceptions.

If you want to help unlock Stella Montis faster:

Donate everything you can spare. The map will not open unless the entire community contributes.

If you are playing casually:

Donate materials as you collect them. You will still earn Merits without burning out.

What Happens After the Merit Phase Ends

The developers have confirmed that Merits will be used to redeem rewards in the next phase of the event. While they have not revealed specifics yet, here are the most likely scenarios based on previous Arc Raiders event structures:

Event cosmetics
Blueprints
Rare crafting materials
Augments
Unique visual overrides
Limited run weapon skins

Whatever they end up doing, Merits will matter. They are not a throwaway currency, and the devs have been hyping this system for a reason.

Why the Merit System Works So Well

As someone who has been playing loot based shooters for over a decade, Arc Raiders does something really smart with Merits:

It creates a sense of community.
It gives players personal progression.
It ties the update into a long term plan.
It motivates everyone to log in regularly.

This is the kind of system that keeps a game alive between major patches. It gives raiders something to work toward, even if they have already maxed out builds or completed quests.

Final Thoughts on Arc Raiders Merits

The Merit system is easily one of the most interesting additions in the North Line update. It is simple, rewarding, community driven, and tied to real long term content. Whether you are a casual raider or a hardcore grinder like me, you are going to want to collect as many Merits as you can before the next phase hits.

To recap:

Merits are earned only through donating materials
Max Merits is 900
Merits help unlock Stella Montis
Merits become a currency for rewards later
Donating helps the entire playerbase progress

If you care about progression, exploration, or just want a front row seat when Stella Montis finally opens, you definitely want to farm materials and stack Merits now.