If you're looking to understand how the event works, where to find its unique materials, and how to ARC Raiders BluePrints maximize your progress before it ends, this guide covers everything you need to know.
Cold Snap Map Conditions Explained
One of the most impactful additions in the Cold Snap update is the new snowstorm map condition. Entire maps are now blanketed in snow and battered by freezing winds, dramatically changing how raids play out. Unlike standard weather effects in Arc Raiders, these blizzards are not just cosmetic-they actively harm your Raider.
Spending too much time outdoors during a snowstorm will gradually drain your health. Your character gives clear visual cues when frostbite is setting in: they'll begin shivering, rubbing their hands together, and snow will visibly accumulate on their body. If you ignore these warnings, your health will steadily drop.
To counter this, you'll need to move between covered and insulated areas. Entering a building allows your Raider to warm up, which is shown by the snow melting off their clothing. However, not every structure offers adequate protection. Some rundown shacks lack proper insulation, meaning you can still take damage even while indoors. Always pay attention to your Raider's animations-if they're still shivering, you're not safe yet.
As a lighter addition, Cold Snap also introduces snowball piles. These let you craft snowballs and throw them at other players. While they don't deal damage, they're a fun distraction and a small bit of seasonal flavor that adds charm to otherwise deadly raids.
The Flickering Flames Project
At the heart of the event is the Flickering Flames Project, a multi-step objective system similar to Expeditions. Your goal is to donate various materials to help fuel the celebration. Many of these items are familiar resources you may have stockpiled, including things like Empty Wine Bottles, Durable Cloth, and Plastic.
Once materials are committed to the project, they are permanently consumed, so it's important to make sure you don't donate anything you'll need later. Fortunately, most required ARCR Items have limited alternative uses, making them relatively safe to give up.
Each completed step rewards you with Merits, Raider Tokens, and practical, cheap ARCR Items you can bring into raids. These rewards make steady participation worthwhile, even if you don't plan to finish every objective.
How to Find Candleberries
The Cold Snap update also introduces a new, event-exclusive resource: Candleberries. These bright red berries are required to complete the Flickering Flames Project in full, with a total of 260 Candleberries needed from start to finish.
While that number may seem overwhelming, you won't need to gather all of them manually. By progressing through the Gathering Candleberries reward track, you can earn up to 180 Candleberries simply by accumulating Merits through regular gameplay.
Candleberries can also be found directly in raids during Cold Snap conditions. They grow on small bushes scattered throughout snowy maps, typically yielding one to three berries per bush. These bushes are often clustered together, making them efficient to farm if you know where to look.
Another excellent source is Raider Caches during Cold Snap events. These caches commonly contain three to five Candleberries, making them well worth the risk and time required to open. Additionally, rare baskets found in nature-focused points of interest can yield even larger quantities.
Some reliable locations for Candleberry farming include:
The areas around the Hydroponic Dome Complex on Dam Battlegrounds
Marano Park in Buried City
The wooded stretch between Container Storage and East Plains Warehouse on Spaceport
Gathering Candleberries Reward Tracker
The final component of the Flickering Flames event is the Gathering Candleberries reward tracker. This progression path features 25 individual rewards, including cosmetics and additional Candleberries. Advancement on buy ARC Raiders Weapons the tracker is achieved exclusively through earning Merits.
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