Fall damage has ended more raids than any ARC unit ever could. The Powered Descender, added to ARC Raiders as part of the Riven Tides update by Embark Studios, solves that problem directly. Equip it before leaping from a rooftop or tower, and it slows your descent to something survivable. Getting the blueprint takes a bit of targeted scavenging, and crafting it requires a specific workstation tier plus two components. Here is everything you need to know.
What does the Powered Descender actually do?
The Powered Descender is a utility gadget that slows your fall when you jump or drop from height. The device needs a moment to spin up before it activates, so you need to deploy it before jumping rather than mid-fall. If the charge runs out while you are still descending, the device shuts off and you take normal fall damage the rest of the way down. Plan your drop before you commit to it.
The gadget is one of two new items introduced with Riven Tides, making it a fresh addition to the utility toolkit that most raiders have not yet figured out how to use efficiently.
Powered Descender utility slot
Where to find the Powered Descender blueprint
Like every other blueprint in ARC Raiders, the Powered Descender blueprint does not have a fixed spawn location. It pulls from the general loot pool, which means you are relying on container rolls rather than a guaranteed chest.
That said, one location on the Riven Tides map has emerged as the most consistent farming spot since the update dropped.
Hotel Panorama Azzurro on Riven Tides
The Hotel Panorama Azzurro on the western portion of the Riven Tides map is where players have been finding this blueprint most reliably. The hotel sits in the residential zone of Riven Tides, and the building's layout gives you access to multiple container types in a compact area. Raider Containers and Commercial Lockers on the upper floors have yielded the blueprint repeatedly since Riven Tides launched.
Hotel Panorama Azzurro location
High-value zones and Night Raid
Two additional tactics improve your odds significantly:
- Yellow and red map zones carry a higher blueprint drop rate than standard areas. Prioritize these when you land.
- Night Raid map condition doubles blueprint drop chances across the board. If you can time your run for a Night Raid, do it.
The Dockmaster's Detector is also worth bringing along. It reveals buried containers in the sand that are otherwise invisible, and those containers count toward the general loot pool where the blueprint can appear.
How to craft the Powered Descender
Once the blueprint is in your inventory and you have extracted safely, head back to Speranza and open your crafting stations. The Powered Descender is built at the Utility Station, but only once you have upgraded it to Level III. A lower-tier station will not give you the option.
The two required materials are:
- 1x Power Rod — craftable at the Refiner, or found as Epic-tier loot (extremely rare drop)
- 1x Turbine Compressor — sourced from ARC Turbines found on the Riven Tides map
If your Utility Station is below Level III, you will need to upgrade your workbench progression before the recipe becomes available. Both materials are tied to Riven Tides content, so expect to spend a few raids on that map gathering components.
How to use the Powered Descender effectively
The device requires a brief wind-up before it functions, which means activating it before you step off the edge. Players who jump first and activate second often find the gadget has not fully charged in time, leading to partial protection at best.
A few practical tips based on how the gadget works:
- Activate it while still standing on the ledge, wait for the charge to register, then drop
- On taller structures, consider using stairs or ropes for the upper floors and only using the Descender for the final drop
- The gadget has a charge limit, so it is not a substitute for proper routing on very tall buildings
For shorter buildings, the Powered Descender works cleanly and lets you bypass stairs entirely, saving time during high-pressure raids.
For more ARC Raiders guides covering everything from workbench upgrades to enemy strategies, browse more guides at GAMES.GG.