ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node is a Legendary research item found in breachable containers aboard the ARC Frigate. It is worth 1,000 Research Points when studied at the Outpost Research Station, or 3,000 Coins when sold. You don’t need to solve the ship’s cargo puzzle to find one: the exterior wing containers can contain it too.
A shorter Frigate run can help when you’re short of Research Points. You’ll still need to reach unopened containers, avoid hostile ARC and extract with the Node. Here are the known sources, a sensible route for solo Raiders and the key differences between Diagnostic Nodes and the Frigate Inductor.
Where to find ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node
Select a destination currently showing the Frigate map condition. Community Frigate records list Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, Blue Gate, Riven Tides and Pendola Pass as eligible, with Stella Montis excluded. The condition rotates; don’t deploy into an ordinary version of a map expecting the ship to be there.
Once you’ve boarded, start searching the circular breachable containers on the exterior wings and upper decks. The ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node shares these containers with other unusual ship loot, including Frigate Inductors and several Amplification Modules. Nothing guarantees a Diagnostic Node in a specific hatch or on every run.
You can open outer-wing containers before completing the main cargo puzzle. If your goal is research points rather than a quest, that is an excellent place to start. Our Boarding the Frigate guide covers how to reach the ship and deal with the major enemies guarding it.
Fast ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node farming route
Bring a loadout you can afford to lose, sufficient ammunition, healing and a traversal tool you know how to use. Frigate conditions don’t offer Free Loadouts, and fighting on elevated exterior walkways introduces another danger: falling off the vessel.
After boarding, check the nearest unbreached wing containers first. Move along the outside platforms before committing to the central cargo route. If another player has already emptied a container, it won’t produce a fresh drop just because you interact with it. Change direction and look for untouched panels instead.
Once you find an ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node, consider extracting immediately. A research item in your inventory is no use if you’re defeated carrying it. It’s possible to find more valuable loot deeper aboard, but the risks increase as you spend longer near high-level ARC machines and competing Raiders.
When you’re already completing the cargo quest, our Disrupting the Frigate walkthrough explains the power cores and interior puzzle. The puzzle rewards and the exterior research-loot route are separate reasons to board the ship.
Do you need to complete the Frigate puzzle?
No. The ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node can appear in breachable wing containers before you solve the central cargo puzzle, according to current gameplay guides. The cargo area provides more chances to loot, but there is no requirement to finish it for every Diagnostic Node.
This is particularly useful for solo farming. A cautious Raider can check accessible exterior containers and leave when an item worth protecting turns up, rather than forcing the longest possible Frigate run every time.
ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node stats and value
The Diagnostic Node is Legendary, weighs 0.5 kg, stacks to one and sells for 3,000 Coins. Its weight is confirmed by the in-game tooltip shown in current farming guides and agrees with ARC Tracker. Studying it grants 1,000 Research Points. There are no listed crafting recipes, project requirements or quests that consume the Node.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Where it appears | ARC Frigate loot containers |
| Maximum stack | 1 |
| Weight | 0.5 kg |
| Sale price | 3,000 Coins |
| Study reward | 1,000 Research Points |
| Crafting and quest use | None currently listed |
Current item records list the ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node as a research pickup rather than a recycling recipe. Your choice is to study it for research currency or sell it for Coins. For a Raider still building out the Research Station’s projects, the study reward is often more attractive.
How to study ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node
Extract with the item and visit the Research Station in your Outpost. Open the Research Points acquisition option, select the Node and confirm the study action. The item is consumed and the displayed 1,000-point reward is credited for use on research projects.
You must have unlocked the Research Station first. The Research Bench guide explains that progression, while Outpost upgrades covers the related modules and materials. Research Points are different from Reward Points: studying a Diagnostic Node will not increase your Frozen Trail Reward Pass level.
The ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node is particularly useful if you have blueprints or modules waiting on research points but no immediate need for more Coins. If you’re unsure, check the costs of your next intended research unlock before selling the material.
ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node versus Frigate Inductor
Both are Legendary Frigate loot, but they have separate jobs. A Frigate Diagnostic Node gives 1,000 Research Points. A Frigate Inductor is an upgrade component needed for Research Station level 4, alongside ARC Data Modules and Thermal Shakers. Studying a Diagnostic Node does not substitute for the Inductor.
For the Inductor, use the Frigate’s breachable containers and check our Research Bench guide for its role in the level 4 upgrade. You might find both during the same expedition, but check their names carefully before selling or spending the wrong one.
How to extract safely with your research loot
If your augment allows it, place an ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node in your Safe Pocket. Otherwise avoid additional high-risk fights after finding one. Reach a known route off the Frigate, return to the map below and use a normal extraction. Leaving the ship itself doesn’t end the raid.
On Pendola Pass, use our map guide to find an available extraction transceiver and plan the approach. On older maps, plan for the exits available to your current session. The safest route is often the one you checked before boarding.
Should you sell ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node?
If your current research plans need points, study it. If you’re already well supplied and need money for an immediate upgrade, selling it for 3,000 Coins is a valid choice. There is no recorded quest step that requires stockpiling Diagnostic Nodes, so you can make the decision based on what your character needs next.
If you’re investing in weapon progression, our Amplified Weapons guide explains why research and workshop upgrades matter to later weapon tiers. That is a better long-term comparison than looking at the Node’s Coin value alone.
ARC Raiders Frigate Diagnostic Node frequently asked questions
Can you find a Node on the exterior wings?
Yes. Breachable wing containers can contain one without completing the interior puzzle.
How many Research Points does studying it give?
1,000 Research Points, according to current item data.
Does Research Station level 4 require Diagnostic Nodes?
No. The upgrade requires a Frigate Inductor and other materials, not the Diagnostic Node.
Will every Frigate raid drop one?
No. It shares the container loot pool with other valuable components, and the result varies between raids.
Related Guides
Boarding the Frigate · Disrupting the Frigate · Research Bench · Outpost upgrades · Amplified Weapons · Frozen Trail overview
Official source: Embark Studios’ Frozen Trail 2.0 patch notes, which introduced the Frigate and research systems. Item statistics were checked against the ARC Raiders Wiki.
