Escape From Tarkov: Arena – Beginner’s Guide & Top Tips

Getting started on your first raid in Escape from Tarkov: Arena can be difficult. There is so much going on with so many options to choose from. From loadouts to character selection.

That is why today we’re bringing you the ultimate beginner’s guide on Escape from Tarkov: Arena, with some tips along the way. So without further ado, let’s get started!

Currencies

Just like with running a successful business, there are some basics you need to know about the economy, resources, and currency you deal in. In Escape from Tarkov: Arena, there are two main currencies that you need to keep track of. These are ARP and Roubles.

ARP stands for Arena Reputation Points and represents your current rank in the game. For each win, you gain 25 points, and for each defeat, you lose 25 points. Pretty basic stuff for now.

Roubles on the other hand are used to purchase presets. For each win, you gain a certain amount of Roubles depending and varying on the number of kills and your overall performance in the match.

Selecting Presets

Now that we’ve covered the basics of economics, let’s get into the game mechanics themselves. Firstly, there are five categories you can choose from. These are Rating, Assault, CQB, Scout, and Marksman.

For now, you only need to focus on the Rating list as this is directly linked to your ARP. The more ARP you have, the better the loadouts you will unlock. A higher rank means better rewards, naturally.

The other four categories are unlocked via the skill tree. Please remember that to level up the skill tree, you need to play and gain a certain amount of EXP with the class in question to progress further. For example, focus more on playing with CQB.

We’ve covered the best loadouts in Escape from Tarkov: Arena in another article, be sure to check it out here! In short, when choosing your weapon, keep track of the following stats:

• Weapon damage,
• Ammo type,
• Sights used,
• Armor,
• Grenades & Stims.

Remember that the armor you get can come damaged, thus impacting its performance greatly!

Weapon Spawns

Important to remember is that once the round starts, you cannot change the loadout you chose earlier. However, there are options for you to increase your chances of survival if you’re sneaky enough. Namely, there are two options to choose from when you opt for scavenging for other gear.

First, you can loot items from killed players. This can prove highly effective, although it is worth noting that it puts you at greater risk. The second option carries less risk as it involves finding default weapon spawn locations from which you can loot ammo, attachments, and weapons.

Traps to Avoid

STM-9

STM-9 is easily one of the most broken weapons in Escape from Tarkov: Arena at the moment. While it is true that it will get you kills. And a lot of them. However, it will not give you any EXP to progress your classes further. Meaning it is pointless.

Not only this but you will get used to a broken weapon. Meaning in turn that once you grab a more balanced weapon, you will be absolutely garbage at the game. Don’t let yourself fall for this one!

Attachments

Most of the loadouts in Escape from Tarkov: Arena come with pre-attached sights, muzzles, and other goodies you find on assault rifles, submachine guns, LMGs, etc. Because of this, most players completely forget that they can use an entirely different setup on their favorite gun.

Just because it comes with a specific scope, does not necessarily mean that you have to use that particular scope. You can tailor the gun to suit your playstyle and be adapted to your personal preference.

Scoreboard

While it may seem like a pointless tip, please give it a chance. Keeping track of how many players are alive on each team can mean all the difference. Especially if you are solo queuing. There is an enormous difference between going against 1 enemy player and 3 enemy players.

Keeping track of this can influence which steps you take and how you play, increasing or decreasing your chances of success each round.

VOIP vs. Radio Communication

This one is fairly simple but often disregarded by players for reasons unknown to us. In practice, VOIP communication allows everyone to hear what you are saying. Including the enemy team. VOIP chat is activated via the K key.

Your alternative is the team radio, activated by pressing the J key. The radio communications method does not allow the enemy players to hear what you’re saying and thus gather intel on you and your teammates. It is a much safer option to communicate with your team without giving away any precious info.

ALSO READ: Escape From Tarkov: Arena – Best Loadouts to Use