A new player project - High-Gain Antenna is added with the ARC Raiders Flashpoint update. To finish this project, you’ll need to gather a variety of materials, and one of the most important ones is the Assessor Matrix. This guide will focus on how to use and get Assessor Matrix easily and quickly in ARC Raiders.
What Is Assessor Matrix in ARC Raiders?
The Assessor Matrix is an Epic item added to ARC Raiders with the Flashpoint update. It’s not a weapon, attachment, or consumable—instead, it’s a key resource you need to collect to progress through the High-Gain Antenna project. Unlike common materials, the Assessor Matrix is not easy to find; it only spawns in specific in-game conditions and requires some effort to loot. Visually, you won’t see the Assessor Matrix until you loot it from ARC Assessor. It’s a small, collectible item that goes straight into your stash once you pick it up, so you don’t have to worry about carrying it around or losing it if you die. Just remember: you can store it in your stash ahead of time, which is helpful because you’ll need a lot of it for the High-Gain Antenna project.
What Is Assessor Matrix Used for in ARC Raiders?
The main use for the Assessor Matrix is to complete the High-Gain Antenna player project. This project has three stages, and the Assessor Matrix is required for the second and third stages—you can’t finish these stages without it.
High-Gain Antenna Stage 2: Data Logger
To complete the Data Logger stage, you need 6x Assessor Matrix. Once you donate all the required materials, you’ll get these rewards:
1x Bobcat III
1x Extended Light Mag III
1x Vertical Grip III
100x Raider Tokens
High-Gain Antenna Stage 3: Parabolic Dish
The final stage of the High-Gain Antenna project requires even more Assessor Matrix—18x Assessor Matrix in total. Along with other materials, donating these 18 matrices will unlock these valuable rewards:
1x Vita Spray
1x Photoelectric Cloak
1x Snap Hook
400x Raider Tokens
Is Assessor Matrix a one-time use item?
Yes. Once you donate Assessor Matrix to the High-Gain Antenna project, it’s consumed and you’ll need to collect more if you need it for later stages.
ARC Raiders Assessor Matrix Location: Where to Find It
The Assessor Matrix can only be found from ARC Assessors that spawn during the Close Scrutiny map condition. This is a special map state that’s not active all the time, so you’ll need to wait for it to appear or join a match where it’s already active. Close Scrutiny increases the spawn rate of ARC materials and high-tier ARC machines. It’s the only map condition where ARC Assessors spawn, which means it’s the only place you can get the Assessor Matrix. Unlike some other map conditions, Close Scrutiny doesn’t change the map’s appearance much—you’ll only notice the difference when you see Assessors falling from the sky. Close Scrutiny can appear on most maps in the game, but it never spawns on Stella Montis (since that’s an indoor bunker). You’ll know you’re in a Close Scrutiny match if you hear an audible cue and see a probe icon on your HUD when an Assessor lands.
ARC Assessors are large, cone-shaped ARC machines that fall from the sky during Close Scrutiny. They don’t smash down like other ARC machines—instead, they land gracefully and immediately set up. The easiest way to find them is to look up at the sky for bright red laser beams—each Assessor shoots three giant red beams into the sky, making them hard to miss. Assessors can spawn in random locations across the map, but they’re marked on your HUD with a probe icon once they land. You’ll also notice that more Assessors spawn around the map after you loot one, so if you miss the first one, just keep an eye out for more red beams. They’re most common in maps like Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and Blue Gate—but again, never on Stella Montis. Assessors are heavily guarded by ARC enemies, especially Vaporizers. As soon as you get close to an Assessor, ARC enemies will swarm you, so be prepared for a fight before you try to loot it.
How to Get Assessor Matrix in ARC Raiders?
Step 1: Wait for or Join a Close Scrutiny Match
First, you need to be in a match with the Close Scrutiny map condition. You can either wait for it to appear in the game’s map rotation or join a lobby where other players are already in a Close Scrutiny match. Since Close Scrutiny increases ARC material loot, it’s also a great time to gather other materials you need for the High-Gain Antenna project (like ARC Coolant or Surveyor Vaults).
Step 2: Locate an ARC Assessor
Once you’re in a Close Scrutiny match, look up at the sky for red laser beams—this is where an Assessor has landed. You can also check your HUD for the probe icon, which marks the Assessor’s location. Move quickly but carefully toward the beams—other players will also be heading there to loot the Assessor, so you might have competition.
Step 3: Clear the Defending Enemies
Before you can loot the Assessor, you need to defeat the ARC enemies guarding it. The most dangerous of these are Vaporizers, but you’ll also face other ARC machines like Sentinels or Hornets. Make sure you bring plenty of healing items, shields, and a weapon that’s good at taking down ARC enemies. If you’re playing in a group, have two players distract the enemies while the others loot the Assessor—this makes the process much easier.
Step 4: Breach and Search the Assessor
Once the enemies are dead, approach the Assessor. You’ll need to climb up its legs (wait for the platform to appear if needed) and breach and search its three containers. Each container has a chance to drop the Assessor Matrix, along with other valuable materials for the High-Gain Antenna project. Be quick—if you take too long, the Assessor might launch into the sky and disappear, and you’ll lose your chance to loot it. If you’re having trouble with the enemies, use a Smoke grenade to mask your presence, then quickly breach the containers and use a Photoelectric Cloak to escape to safety.
Step 5: Repeat and Collect Enough Matrix
Each Assessor doesn’t drop a guaranteed number of Assessor Matrix—you might get 1 or 2 per loot, so you’ll need to loot multiple Assessors to get the 6 (for Stage 2) and 18 (for Stage 3) you need. Don’t worry if you don’t get any from the first Assessor—more will spawn around the map, so just keep looking for red beams and trying again. If you die, you won’t lose the Assessor Matrix you already collected (it’s stored in your stash), so you can try again without losing progress.
Tips for Getting Assessor Matrix Easily
Focus on Close Scrutiny Matches Only: Since Assessor Matrix only spawns during Close Scrutiny, don’t waste time in other map conditions. Use this map condition to gather all the materials you need for the High-Gain Antenna project—you’ll get more Arc materials overall, which will save you time later.
Be the First to the Assessor: When you see red beams in the sky, move quickly. Being the first to reach the Assessor means you can clear the enemies and loot it before other players arrive. This also gives you a better chance to get more Assessor Matrix and other valuable ARC Raiders loot.
Bring the Right Gear: Always bring healing items (like Vita Sprays), shields, and a weapon that’s effective against enemies. Vaporizers are especially tough, so a weapon with high damage or armor-piercing capabilities will help. If you have a Photoelectric Cloak, use it to sneak past enemies or escape after looting.
Store Matrix in Your Stash: You can gather Assessor Matrix ahead of time and store it in your stash. This way, when you reach Stage 2 or 3 of the High-Gain Antenna project, you’ll already have the matrix you need and won’t have to grind at the last minute.
Play in a Group: Looting Assessors is easier with teammates. Have one or two players distract the enemies, while others breach and search the Assessor. This reduces the risk of dying and makes the process faster. You can also split up to look for multiple Assessors at once.
Don’t Give Up If You Fail: It’s normal to die while trying to loot an Assessor—they’re heavily guarded, and other players might steal the loot. If you die, just respawn and look for another Assessor. More will spawn, so you’ll get another chance. You might even find that later Assessors have fewer enemies guarding them.
ARC Raiders Assessor Matrix Recycling
If you have extra Assessor Matrix that you don’t need for the High-Gain Antenna project, you can recycle it into other valuable materials. Recycling the Assessor Matrix is a great way to get useful resources that you might be missing for other projects or upgrades. When you recycle 1× Assessor Matrix, you will get the following materials:
1× Advanced Mechanical Components: A rare refined material used to craft advanced weapons and upgrade the Gunsmith workstation.
3× Advanced ARC Powercell: A rare material that’s also required for the first stage of the High-Gain Antenna project (Sturdy Base), as well as other late-game upgrades.
ARC Raiders Assessor Matrix Salvaging
Salvaging is different from recycling: while recycling turns the Assessor Matrix into crafting materials, salvaging yields a smaller but still valuable reward. When you salvage 1× Assessor Matrix, you will get:
2× Advanced ARC Powercell: This is fewer than the 3× you get from recycling, but salvaging is faster and can be useful if you only need Advanced ARC Powercell and don’t want to lose the Advanced Mechanical Components that come with recycling.
To decide between recycling and salvaging, consider what materials you need most. If you need both Advanced Mechanical Components and Advanced ARC Powercell, recycling is better. If you only need Advanced ARC Powercell, salvaging is a quicker option.