ARC Raiders players can now craft Defibrillators mid-round

ARC Raiders players can now craft Defibrillators during a raid after the game’s Frozen Trail update overhauled its skill tree and added new ways to shape a Raider build. The change is particularly useful for support-focused teams that want to revive a squadmate without relying solely on supplies found in the field.

What changed in ARC Raiders

Embark Studios’ official Frozen Trail 2.0 update describes the skill-tree overhaul as a broad rework, with new skills, revised branches and more meaningful choices for players building their characters.¹ The update’s stated aim is to make skill choices a more important part of how each Raider plays, rather than a collection of underpowered upgrades.

Game Rant’s breakdown of the new crafting options identifies Nomadic Crafting as the skill that unlocks additional items during a round, including ammunition and Defibrillators.² That means the ability is not simply a new recipe available to every player from the start: Raiders need to invest in the relevant skill and acquire the required blueprint before every item becomes available.

Why the Defibrillator matters

A Defibrillator can turn a bad fight into a recoverable one, particularly when a team is operating away from a safe extraction route or has already spent its healing supplies. The new crafting option should therefore appeal most to players who prefer a mobile support build, although spending skill points on it means giving up other upgrades in the revamped tree.

The change also makes the skill-tree redesign more tangible. The official notes explain that players now face binary choices in the middle of branches and can select from three options at the end of a branch, rather than simply taking every large node. Nomadic Crafting is one example of that broader push towards deliberate loadout and playstyle decisions.¹

What to unlock first

Players who want to craft Defibrillators mid-round should unlock Nomadic Crafting, obtain the relevant blueprint and check the available recipe before heading into a raid. The ability also covers other support items and ammunition, so it may be more valuable to a coordinated squad than a purely offensive build.

Our opinion

This is the sort of small but meaningful systems change that can make ARC Raiders feel more flexible in a team. Defibrillator crafting will not remove the risk of a failed raid, but it gives support players a clearer job and makes the revamped skill tree matter in the moments when a squad is under pressure.