How to complete Unexpected Initiative in Arc Raiders

Arc Raiders Unexpected Initiative - Raiders in Buried City — (Image credit: Embark Studios)

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Search for fertiliser in Grandioso Apartments
Search for a water pump in Piazza Roma

The Unexpected Initiative quest in Arc Raiders is the jankiest one I've played so far, partly because it asks you to acquire items you can also get in other locations, but still gives you specific location-based objectives you have to complete. For example, if you've got a water pump and fertiliser in your stash already, you don't seem to be able to immediately complete the quest.

Instead, you'll have to follow Tian Wen's instructions, heading to the Grandioso Apartments and Piazza Roma in Buried City to grab them there as well, all in one run. Here's exactly where to find the fertiliser and water pump for Unexpected Initiative. There's probably not much point bringing a safe pocket considering you have to do all this in one run regardless of materials, so maybe go for a free loadout instead.

Search for fertiliser on the rooftop of the Grandioso Apartments

Arc Raiders Unexpected Initiative - Fertiliser location — You'll have to head to the rooftop of the Grandioso Apartments (Image credit: Embark Studios)

You can start with either of these steps, but I'll begin with this one since it's listed first in the quest. Head to the Grandioso Apartments in west Buried City and climb to the rooftop—this usually requires you to zipline up a lift shaft, cross between the buildings, and then take the stairs up.

Arc Raiders Unexpected Initiative - Fertiliser — Look for the orange soil-filled pots and don't forget to pick up your fertiliser after interacting (Image credit: Embark Studios)

Now, there are multiple points where you can grab fertiliser on the rooftop, either at the southernmost corner, or the northeast corner. Either way, you're looking for soil-filled orange terracotta plant pots with the yellow-marked interaction icon above them. Doing so will drop some fertiliser, so make sure to stow this in your inventory.

Search for a water pump in the broken rooftop gardens at Piazza Roma

Arc Raiders Unexpected Initiative - Water pump location — You can find a water pump on top of the big apartment buildings in south Piazza Roma (Image credit: Embark Studios)

Your next goal is the Piazza Roma, specifically, the rooftops of the two big apartment buildings just to the north of the Grandioso Apartments, south of where Piazza Roma is listed on the map. Again, climb to the top of the building via zipline and stairs to reach the roof. As with the fertiliser, there are multiple spots where you can get a water pump, both at the northwest and southeast corners of the roof.

Arc Raiders Unexpected Initiative - Water pump — Interact with the big tank with the motor and hose attached and don't forget to grab the pump after it drops (Image credit: Embark Studios)

You're looking for a big glass tank with a motor and hose attached, which is sticking into the soil of a planting bed. Interact with the yellow icon and a water pump will drop, so squirrel that away as well. Now you've got everything you need to bring to Tian Wen, I suggest cautiously exfilling as fast as you can.

There's a metro station nearby in Piazza Roma so hopefully it's still active for you. Return to Speranza and deliver the goods to Tian Wen.

Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.

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