ARC Raiders Snap and Salvage Quest Guide: How to Find Magnetron and Flow Controller

If you have made it to Stella Montis in ARC Raiders, you already know the game stops holding your hand. The difficulty ramps up, the loot becomes more meaningful, and the quests start feeling like real extraction shooter objectives instead of simple errands. The ARC Raiders Snap and Salvage quest is one of the first times the game asks you to juggle exploration, map knowledge, and RNG-dependent resource hunting all in one run. In this guide, I am breaking down everything you need to know as a player who has actually fought their way through this place more times than I care to admit.

And yes, before we dive into the details, I’ll drop one helpful tip. If you ever get tired of grinding for materials or you just want to speed up your early progression, some players prefer grabbing a little boost from third-party currency sellers. If that is your thing, make sure you stick to reputable platforms like PVPBank, where many players go to buy ARC Raiders coins quickly and safely. Not required, but it can make life easier when RNG is not on your side.

Now, let’s get into the full ARC Raiders Snap and Salvage Quest Guide, step by step, with all map locations, strategies, and tips for grabbing the Magnetron and Flow Controller without losing them to a stray ARC patrol or another raider collapsing your run.

What Is Snap and Salvage in ARC Raiders

Snap and Salvage is the third quest you receive from Tian Wen in the Stella Montis region. Unlike earlier missions, which mostly involve exploring small sections of the facility, this one pushes you through multiple layers of Stella Montis and requires you to secure two rare materials that only spawn in specific areas or lockers.

The quest objectives include:

1. Take a photo of a Rover in the Sandbox

2. Search for papers in the Security Checkpoint

3. Find a Magnetron

4. Find a Flow Controller

5. Extract with both items and deliver them to Tian Wen

Sounds simple when written out like that, but players quickly learn that the difficulty comes not from the task, but from the environment and the RNG.

Let’s break each step down.

How to Take the Rover Photo in the Sandbox

Your first objective in the Snap and Salvage quest is the easiest one. You need to head to the Robotic Sandbox areas located on the bottom layer of Stella Montis. If you zoom the map in fully, the Sandboxes show up clearly as labeled rooms. You can enter Sandbox A or Sandbox B; either will work.

Inside the Sandbox, you will find:

• A Rover sitting on top of a pile of sand
• A small number of ARC units, usually Pops, turrets, Shredders, or Fireballs

Most of the danger here comes from Shredders. If you are not equipped to handle one, it is absolutely worth stealthing around the room and clearing the smaller units first. Shredders can melt players who are under-armored or caught reloading.

Once the room is secure, walk up to the Rover and interact with it. Your raider will automatically take a photo. When the animation completes, your first Snap and Salvage objective is done.

How to Search the Papers in the Security Checkpoint Room

Your next stop is the Security Checkpoint Room, located near the main lobby on the first floor of Stella Montis. This area is easy to recognize because it sits along the eastern side of the lobby and has a large desk with “Security Restricted Access” displayed nearby.

Important details to remember:

• The door is usually locked
• You may need to breach it unless a previous raider already opened it
• Expect several ARC units patrolling the lobby

Once you breach the door, head inside and move down to the ground floor of the checkpoint. There is a small office with a slitted window overlooking the lobby. Inside that office is a three-sided desk. On top of the desk is a stack of papers. Interact with the papers to complete this stage of Snap and Salvage.

This step is quick, but do not drop your guard. Hearing multiple players fighting in the lobby is common, and the sound echoes through the entire room. If you hear gunfire, either wait it out or rotate around through one of the side passages.

How to Find the Magnetron in ARC Raiders

This is where the Snap and Salvage quest ramps up. Finding a Magnetron is RNG dependent, but you can improve your chances by searching the correct areas.

The Magnetron spawns:

• In the Business Center area in Stella Montis (Layer 1)
• In the Assembly area in Stella Montis (Layer 1)
• Inside breachable lockers
• Inside drawers, red lockers, or mechanical storage units
• In the red lockers of the Rocket Assembly building on the Spaceport map (extremely useful alternative route)

The Business Center and Assembly zones are both packed with breachable containers and hiding spots. The best strategy is to sweep through both rooms in a single run. Magnetrons are rare, so do not get discouraged if it takes several attempts.

Pro tip:
If you find a Magnetron before finding the Flow Controller, store it in your safe pocket immediately. Losing one of these items to another raider or a bad extraction is the quickest way to lose a full hour of progress.

How to Find the Flow Controller in ARC Raiders

The Flow Controller spawns in the exact same categories of locations as the Magnetron. You can find it:

• In the Business Center
• In the Assembly rooms
• Inside breachable lockers and drawers
• In the Rocket Assembly building red lockers on the Spaceport map

However, the Flow Controller seems slightly more common than the Magnetron for many players. That said, RNG can go either way. Some runs you will find three Magnetrons and no Flow Controllers. Other days it is the reverse.

When running these rooms, make sure you:

• Bring enough breaching charges
• Clear ARC patrols before searching (Business Center has dangerous angles)
• Avoid sprinting loudly unless you want another raider to third-party you

The safest path is to search quickly, secure one of the two items in your safe pocket, and then slow down and scout for the second item.

Extracting Safely with Magnetron and Flow Controller

Once you have found both materials, the real challenge begins. Extracting with both of them in your inventory is often the most stressful part of the Snap and Salvage quest.

Tips from a veteran extraction shooter player:

• Never run straight to extraction without scouting
• Avoid peak extraction times when players camp exits
• Stay away from wide open areas
• Use side tunnels in Stella Montis to rotate quietly
• Heal fully before reaching the extraction zone

If you have teammates, have one scout extraction while the other holds the materials. If you are solo, move slowly in the final rooms and listen carefully for footsteps or ARC unit noise.

When you successfully extract with both items, return to Tian Wen. She will take the Magnetron and Flow Controller and complete your Snap and Salvage quest.

Your reward includes:

• Burletta III weapon
• Silencer II attachment
• Extended Light Mag
• 100 Light Ammo

This is a solid reward for a mid-game quest, especially for players trying to diversify their loadouts.

Additional Veteran Tips for Snap and Salvage

To help you succeed consistently, here are some advanced strategies:

Run a weapon with good ammo efficiency

Stella Montis is full of ARC patrols. Running a weapon that burns through ammo too quickly will force you to retreat or abandon the run. High stability rifles or mid-caliber weapons perform best.

Bring spare breaching charges

Both the Business Center and Assembly areas are loaded with breachable storage units. Showing up without charges means wasting an entire run.

Never assume a room is safe

ARC Raiders AI does not always spawn consistently. A room that was empty yesterday might be full of Fireballs and Shredders today.

Always secure your first rare drop

Whether it is the Magnetron or the Flow Controller, pocket the first one you get. Do not risk losing it.

Be patient with the RNG

Snap and Salvage is intentionally designed to slow players down. Some runs will take five minutes. Some may take forty.

Final Thoughts on the ARC Raiders Snap and Salvage Quest

Completing the ARC Raiders Snap and Salvage quest is one of those moments where the game transitions from basic questing into real extraction gameplay. The quest forces you to balance risk, inventory management, map knowledge, and situational awareness all at once. It is a perfect introduction to the pace and tension of later ARC Raiders quests.

Whether you are grinding materials legitimately, teaming up with friends, or getting a progress boost through platforms like PVPBank to buy ARC Raiders coins and speed up your weapon upgrades, Snap and Salvage is a quest every player should complete as early as possible.

Once you hand the Magnetron and Flow Controller to Tian Wen, the quest line opens up significantly, and the rewards you unlock afterward are well worth the effort.