In the extraction-shooter ARC Raiders, players are always on the lookout for key crafting materials to enhance their base and gear. One such item is the Cracked Bioscanner. In this guide, you’ll learn why it’s important, where you’re most likely to find it, and how to improve your odds of acquiring one.
The Cracked Bioscanner is a rare item used in crafting and base-upgrade systems within ARC Raiders. It can be:
- Found through scavenging loot in the field.
- Recycled into useful materials such as rubber parts and batteries.
- Required for upgrading certain stations, like medical labs or workshops.
Because of its dual use—either for direct upgrade or as a breakdown product—it becomes a high-priority item to seek early on.
Why you should prioritise it
Acquiring a Cracked Bioscanner early gives you a competitive edge:
- It helps you upgrade your base infrastructure faster, which means access to better healing or gear-mod systems sooner.
- If you choose to recycle it, you gain materials that might be harder to farm otherwise—letting you divert time away from grinding basic loot.
- Knowing where it tends to appear means you can tailor your extraction runs to maximise your return instead of wandering randomly.
Best locations to search
While there is no guaranteed spawn point for the Cracked Bioscanner (loot is randomized to some extent), players have found consistent patterns in the maps of ARC Raiders. The best strategy is to focus your efforts on medical-themed zones. The following locations offer higher chances:
- The hospital building in the map Buried City. Several players report finding one or more Cracked Bioscanners inside this medical facility.
- Medical storage or clinic areas on other maps, especially zones marked as “healthcare” or near medical-ward buildings.
- Enemy outposts or loot-dense eruption zones that have medical crates or themed containers.
Since loot is randomised, your best approach is to visit multiple high-chance zones per run rather than rely on one single fixed spot.
Step-by-step strategy to hunt one
To make your search efficient, follow this structured plan:
- Plan the run: Choose a map and mode where extraction is feasible and you can route through medical-themed areas. For example: Buried City hospital → adjacent clinic → loot zone.
- Enter the medical zone: Once inside, focus on loot containers, shelves, and beds or cabinets in the hospital/clinic area. Many reports list hospital carts or metal cabinets as spawn points.
- Check high-density loot spots: If a medical area has many crates or containers, those are better than random hallway spawns.
- Loot efficiently: Since you are targeting a rare item, avoid spending too long in one spot. If you haven’t found it after checking 2-3 containers in the area, move to the next zone.
- Extract with value: Even if you don’t find the Cracked Bioscanner, loot other useful items. If you do find one, ensure you exit the map safely—losing it due to extraction failure would set you back.
- Repeat and refine: Over multiple runs, you’ll develop a feel for which building layouts and containers spawn the item more often. Adapt your route accordingly.
What to do with the Cracked Bioscanner
Once you’ve secured one, you have a couple of options:
- Use it for upgrades: For example, the medical lab upgrade might require two Cracked Bioscanners plus other materials.
- Recycle it: If you have surplus or you’re farming many, recycle one for crafting materials such as rubber parts and batteries which are valuable.
Decide based on your current base-upgrade path. If you need the crafting materials more than the part itself, recycling may be better.
Tips to maximise your chances
- Go with a team: If you’re playing co-op, split up to cover multiple medical zones and converge later, boosting total spawn checks per run.
- Pay attention to zone colours: High-risk zones (yellow or red) often have more loot density. These zones frequently host rare items.
- Don’t linger too long: Spending excessive time searching one building increases the risk of extraction failure. Balance loot time with safety.
- Mark containers mentally: As you repeat runs, you may subconsciously note which container types spawn the item more often.
- Prioritise extraction: Once you acquire the Cracked Bioscanner, don’t treat it as just another loot item. It has value and should be treated accordingly.
