Planks are a common crafting material in ARC Raiders, the extraction shooter developed by Embark Studios. They became especially important with the Frozen Trail update, which introduced the Outpost and its construction requirements. If you are gathering supplies for an Outpost project or furniture, you will need to collect wooden planks during raids or trade for them back in Speranza.
Buy Planks From Celeste
The quickest option is to visit Celeste in Speranza and check her trade inventory. She sells Planks for three Assorted Seeds each, with no purchase limit reported in the current version. This is useful if you only need a few pieces and would rather avoid spending a full raid searching for them.
For the Sheltered Retreat project, check the stage requirements before heading topside. A stage asks for three Planks and five Sheet Metal, alongside materials. Celeste sells both, so buying them costs 24 Assorted Seeds. Other Outpost upgrades may need different quantities, so confirm your list in your project menu before spending seeds or starting a raid.
Best Places to Find Planks
Planks can appear across the maps, but residential areas are the strongest places to start. Look for houses, shops, offices, and other buildings with furniture or storage containers. The new Pendola Pass map is a particularly useful option, with Old Town offering many potential loot spots.
Prioritise these locations:
- Old Town, Pendola Pass: Start here if you want to focus on Planks. Search houses carefully, especially rooms filled with drawers, cupboards, wardrobes, and other furniture.
- Commissary Supermarket, Pendola Pass: Check stacking boxes, cupboards, and storage areas. The supermarket is useful if you want to gather Planks while looking for other supplies.
- Researcher Lodgings and nearby residential areas: Search suitcases, closets, drawers, and console chests as you move through buildings.
- Other residential zones: Houses and commercial buildings on other maps can also provide Planks, so use nearby loot areas when your starting location makes a long trip risky.
Which Containers Should You Search?
Do not just rush through a building and open the first container you see. Check furniture and storage that fits the location. Planks can appear in kitchen cupboards and benches, wardrobes, closets, drawers, suitcases, console chests, television units, trash bins, office desks, filing cabinets, and stacking boxes.
Some containers are poor choices for this particular item. Refrigerators, freezers, and cash registers are not useful places to search for Planks. Skipping them saves time, especially when other Raiders may be nearby.
A Simple Plank Farming Route
For a focused run, land near Old Town on Pendola Pass and move from one house to the next. Search the rooms with the most furniture, including bedrooms, kitchens, and storage areas. Check cupboards and drawers, then move on once you have cleared the building.
Use these habits to make each run more efficient:
- Search several nearby buildings instead of crossing the map for one container.
- Keep track of how many Planks you still need.
- Avoid unnecessary fights when your goal is simply to gather materials.
- Leave when you have enough supplies, especially if your backpack contains valuable loot.
- If Old Town is too dangerous or far from your spawn, search the nearest residential area instead.
Should You Buy or Scavenge?
Choose Celeste if you need Planks quickly, have spare Assorted Seeds, or are only short by a small amount. Scavenge if you want to preserve your seeds or collect several resources during the same raid. Remember that ARC Raiders is an extraction game. Finding Planks does not help if you lose them before returning safely. Keep an eye on nearby enemies, plan your exit, and avoid carrying more loot than you can reasonably protect.
