If you’re playing ARC Raiders, understanding quests is key to progressing efficiently. One quest that often raises questions among players is “Digging Up Dirt,” given by Celeste after completing Tribute To Toledo. In this guide, I’ll explain how the quest works in practice, what most players do to complete it, and what you should expect along the way.
Who Gives the Digging Up Dirt Quest and Where?
The quest is given by Celeste, who is located in the Buried City. Specifically, you’ll find her near the areas where other post-Tribute To Toledo quests are available. In general, players accept quests from her after finishing the previous related task.
Once you accept the quest, Celeste will give a short briefing: a scout spotted a member of the Tubes Management leaving a dead drop in the Santa Maria Houses area of Old Town. Your task is to retrieve whatever is hidden there.
What Are the Objectives?
The objectives for most players are straightforward:
Locate the Santa Maria Houses in Old Town.
Find the Dead Drop inside the courtyard.
Collect required components:
2x Advanced Electrical Components
2x Speaker Components
In practice, most players spend the first few minutes just navigating Old Town to locate the Santa Maria Houses. The game doesn’t give exact markers at first, so it helps to move slowly and check alleyways. Most hidden items are placed in small indoor courtyards or behind structures that are visible but easy to overlook.
How Do I Find the Dead Drop Efficiently?
When entering the raid, Celeste usually provides a helpful tip: “The alley behind the houses should be the quickest way to get inside. There's a sort of indoor courtyard there that would be the likeliest place to hide something in plain sight.”
In general, most players approach this by:
Using the alleyway she mentions.
Checking all visible crates, benches, and small structures inside the courtyard.
Watching for subtle visual cues like a faint glow or slightly out-of-place objects.
Usually, if you explore the courtyard carefully, finding the dead drop takes no more than a few minutes. Most experienced Raiders don’t have to backtrack once they know the layout.
What Components Are Required and Why?
The quest requires 2 Advanced Electrical Components and 2 Speaker Components. In practice, players often collect these from nearby scavenging points or as drops from minor enemies.
Most players report that Advanced Electrical Components can be found in slightly higher-risk areas, so be prepared for some combat when you go hunting for them. Speaker Components are usually less contested but may require some exploration to locate efficiently.
It’s worth noting that many players choose to complete these objectives in one run rather than returning to Celeste repeatedly, as the quest can be completed in a single loop through Old Town if you’re systematic.
How Do NPC Dialogues Help?
Throughout the quest, Celeste provides short commentary. While these don’t affect objectives mechanically, most players use her lines to orient themselves:
Idle: Provides context on the OTTM (the Tubes Management group). Useful for understanding the story.
Upon entering raid: Hints at the location of the courtyard.
Awaiting completion: Light encouragement; can be ignored if focused on gameplay.
Upon completion: Confirms success and adds story flavor.
In practice, paying attention to these lines helps new players navigate the area faster and reduces unnecessary wandering.
Common Player Strategies
From observation of most players’ behavior:
Stick to the alley route. Shortcuts reduce the risk of encountering tougher enemies.
Scout visually before engaging. Some players rush in and trigger unwanted enemy encounters.
Grab components along the way. This minimizes backtracking.
Check all nooks in the courtyard. Dead drops are often hidden in plain sight but off the main path.
These strategies usually lead to completing the quest in under 15 minutes for players familiar with Old Town.
Post-Quest Notes
After completing “Digging Up Dirt,” players often reflect that:
The OTTM is not as powerful as it first appears. Most players find their encounters manageable with standard gear.
Loot from the quest is consistent, and the main reward is progression in the storyline.
For those interested in resources, you can sometimes find ARC Raiders items for sale on U4N marketplace, which helps when you need specific components for future quests.
In general, this quest is designed to familiarize players with navigating Old Town while introducing small scavenging and exploration mechanics that appear in later raids.
Troubleshooting Tips
Dead Drop not appearing: Make sure you are in the correct courtyard. Players often check the wrong Santa Maria House by mistake.
Components missing: Double-check nearby crates and minor enemy drops; sometimes players assume the items are already in the dead drop.
Enemies too strong: Most players avoid prolonged fights and use cover, or return later if undergeared.
Patience and careful exploration are more effective than rushing. Players who take a methodical approach finish the quest smoothly.
“Digging Up Dirt” is a moderately simple ARC Raiders quest, but players new to Old Town may find the location-finding aspect tricky. By following the alleyways, checking courtyards carefully, and gathering components as you go, most players can complete it efficiently. Paying attention to Celeste’s hints and NPC dialogue adds useful context and reduces wasted effort.
Even though the quest doesn’t have high-level loot, it’s a practical exercise in scavenging, map navigation, and minor combat preparation. Understanding it helps with later raids and more complex objectives.
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