Ever since Cold Snap dropped in mid-December 2025, the Rust Belt hasn't just felt "harder", it's felt meaner. The cold doesn't politely wait for you to finish looting. It bites while you're checking corners, while you're reloading, while you're deciding if that fight is worth it. If you're planning your runs around faster clears and tighter routes, a stash of ARC Raiders Coins can take the edge off the prep so you're not stuck outside rummaging through the same crates for the tenth time.

1) Treat Weather Like an Enemy

You'll notice it right away: standing still is basically a mistake now. Frostbite stacks while you're doing "safe" stuff, like reading a terminal or waiting for a patrol to move. So don't. Cut the hesitation. Push room to room, keep your path simple, and don't start a long duel out in open snow unless you've got a clean exit. Blizzards are the worst for this. Visibility drops, audio gets weird, and suddenly you're trading shots with shapes instead of targets. If you can't finish fast, disengage and reset inside a building.

2) Small Targets, Small Costs

Ticks and Pops aren't scary, they're expensive. They burn ammo, they waste time, and time is health in Cold Snap. Most people panic and dump a mag. Don't. Use the Raider Tool when you can; it's quiet and it won't light up the whole area. If a swarm starts to build, fire is still the "delete" button. Blaze grenades and anything that spreads heat will stagger them, and that brief chaos gives you space to grab loot and get moving again.

3) Flyers and Scans Will End Your Run

Wasps and Hornets feel tanky if you shoot the front, because you're basically paying the armor tax. Wait for the hover, get low, and hit the rear thrusters. A couple of solid hits from a Ferro-style rifle and they drop. The bigger threat is the recon stuff. If a Snitch drone gets a full scan off while you're already juggling cold damage, you're in trouble fast. Shoot the underside plating the moment you see it. Even a sloppy fight is better than letting it call friends.

4) Heavies: Break Them, Don't "Fight" Them

Leapers look like they're built to bully you, but they hate getting set on fire. One good incendiary toss forces them to flinch and opens their joints for clean shots. Walkers and Bastion-type units are different. You don't win by spraying. You win by peeling. Aim for kneecaps, rear cylinders, and any spot that looks like it's doing the work. Once the armor cracks and the yellow glow shows, that's your moment to commit and melt it. And if you're not in the mood for endless farming just to stay competitive in this weather, grabbing Raider Tokens cheap can keep your kit ready so your run is decided by your aim, not your inventory.