Arc Raiders Digging Up Dirt Quest Guide

Arc Raiders is filled with quests that blend exploration, stealth, and environmental awareness, and "Digging Up Dirt" stands out as a fan-favorite for its mix of simplicity and subtle challenge. Given by Trader Celeste, this quest tasks you with locating a hidden dead drop in the Buried City-a mission that sounds straightforward on paper but often stumps even veteran raiders.

This guide breaks down every step of the Digging Up Dirt quest, from accepting the mission to claiming your rewards. We'll cover preparation tips, precise navigation to the Santa Maria Houses, how to access the hidden courtyard, and strategies to avoid common pitfalls. By the end, you'll complete the quest efficiently and add valuable resources to your inventory. Completing this task can help you obtain more ARC Raiders Items, materials, and other rewards.

Quest Overview: What You Need to Know First

Before diving into the field, understanding the basics of the Digging Up Dirt quest will save you time and frustration. This is a post-tutorial quest, meaning you must first complete "Tribute to Toledo" to unlock it from Celeste, one of the game's key traders.

The quest takes place entirely in the Buried City map, specifically focusing on the Santa Maria Houses in Old Town. Your two core objectives are simple: locate the Santa Maria Houses and find the dead drop hidden inside their courtyard. Unlike many Arc Raiders quests, extraction is not required-once you interact with the dead drop, the quest completes immediately, even if you die afterward.

Difficulty-wise, the quest is moderate. It doesn't require high-level gear, but it does demand careful traversal and awareness of enemy patrols. The biggest challenge lies in accessing the courtyard, as ground-level entry is blocked, forcing you to use rooftop routes and vertical navigation.

Preparing for the Quest: Loadout and Tips

Preparation is key to a smooth run, and Digging Up Dirt is no exception. Since extraction isn't mandatory, there's no need to risk your best gear-opt for a free loadout instead. This protects your valuable equipment from loss if you encounter hostile Arc machines or other raiders.

Choose your game mode wisely. Normal mode offers balanced enemy density, making it ideal for casual runs or first-time attempts. If you crave a challenge (and better loot), try a Night Raid-just be warned: visibility is limited, enemies are tougher, and excessive flashlight use will attract unwanted attention.

Pack traversal tools to make navigation easier. Ziplines and climbing gear are especially useful, as you'll need to move between rooftops and descend safely into the courtyard. Stealth items like smoke grenades can also help you avoid Arc patrols and other players roaming the Buried City.

Step 1: Locate the Santa Maria Houses

Start by spawning into the Buried City map. Open your map and head toward the Old Town region-this is where the Santa Maria Houses are located. Unlike large, obvious landmarks like the yellow bell tower or Plaza Rosa, the Santa Maria Houses blend into the surrounding architecture, so keep a close eye on your minimap as you approach.

The Santa Maria Houses are positioned between the Town Hall and Plaza Rosa, marked by a small cluster of buildings with distinctive pink and yellow exteriors. As you get closer, your quest marker will update to guide you, but don't rely solely on it-use the environment to orient yourself. Look for the yellow bell tower on top of one of the buildings; this is a reliable landmark to find the Santa Maria Houses.

Once you reach the area, you'll notice that all ground-level doors are locked or blocked. This is intentional-you'll need to access the buildings from the rooftops to proceed. Ignore any ground-level paths; they will only waste your time.

Step 2: Access the Hidden Courtyard

The courtyard (where the dead drop is hidden) is not an open-air space like you might expect-it's tucked inside one of the Santa Maria Houses, making it easy to miss. Follow these steps to reach it safely:

First, climb to the rooftops of the buildings north of the Santa Maria Houses. From here, face south toward the yellow bell tower. You'll see a metal walkway leading to the yellow building-ignore this and instead climb the pink building to your left.

Once on the pink building's roof, look for an open window. Climb through it to enter the building's upper floor. Inside, you'll find a zipline-use it to descend one floor without taking fall damage. This zipline is crucial; jumping down directly will likely hurt you or alert nearby enemies.

After descending, turn left and look for a large hole in the wall. This hole leads directly to the courtyard. Walk through it, and you'll find yourself in a small, sand-covered room-the courtyard you've been searching for. Be cautious here: the courtyard is a hotspot for Arc machines, including sentinel turrets on the ceiling and fireball-wielding enemies.

Step 3: Find and Interact with the Dead Drop

Once inside the courtyard, the dead drop is easy to spot-it's the only prominent landmark in the small space. Look for a small, cylindrical object sticking out of the sand in the center of the courtyard, near a fountain-like structure.

Approach the dead drop and press the interact button. You'll see a short animation as your character retrieves the hidden item. As soon as the interaction is complete, the quest will mark as finished-you don't need to do anything else, even if enemies are closing in.

If you're in a Night Raid, use your flashlight sparingly here. The courtyard's enclosed space means light will travel far, attracting enemies. If you spot Arc machines, take them out quietly with a silenced weapon or avoid them entirely-you've already completed the quest's main objective.

Quest Rewards and Next Steps

After completing the quest, return to Celeste to claim your rewards. You'll receive 2 Advanced Electrical Components and 2 Speaker Components (some sources note 4 Speaker Components, but the standard reward is 2). These components are essential for crafting and upgrading weapons, gear, and base facilities, making this quest well worth your time.

Celeste will also share a short dialogue revealing that the dead drop exposed a "mole problem" within the OTTM, adding a small lore snippet to the game's story. This dialogue is optional, but it's a nice touch for players who enjoy Arc Raiders' world-building.

While extraction isn't required, it's still a good idea to plan a safe exit. The Buried City's central location means you're likely to encounter other players on your way out. Head to the Southern or Eastern Station-both are close to the Santa Maria Houses and offer quick extraction options.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced raiders make mistakes on this quest. Here are a few to watch out for: Don't waste time trying to enter the Santa Maria Houses from the ground-all ground-level entries are blocked. Rooftop access is the only reliable way in.

Don't overlook the zipline when descending from the upper floor. Jumping down will cause fall damage, which can leave you vulnerable to enemies. The zipline is there to make your descent safe and quiet.

Don't forget that extraction isn't required. If you're overwhelmed by enemies after interacting with the dead drop, you can die without losing progress. There's no need to risk your gear for an unnecessary extraction. If you want more resources, you can choose to buy ARC Raiders Gear on MMOEXP.

With this guide, you'll complete the Digging Up Dirt quest quickly and efficiently. Remember to prepare properly, use the rooftop routes, and stay alert for enemies. The rewards are valuable, and the quest is a great way to practice vertical navigation and stealth-skills that will serve you well in Arc Raiders' mid- and late-game content.