The Canto SMG blueprint was added to Arc Raiders in the Flashpoint update and it only drops from First Wave Caches — the hurricane-exclusive containers also known as hurricane caches. It's currently the rarest drop in the loot pool since it's newly added, but the farming method is straightforward and risk-free once you know the loop.
TL;DR — How to Get the Canto Blueprint
The Short Version
- Wait for a hurricane event to be active on any map — check the schedule below
- Load in with a naked loadout (empty loadout, it has a safe pocket built in)
- Head to raider cache markers on the map and listen for the electric sound
- First Wave Caches (hurricane caches) spawn at roughly 1 in every 5–10 raider cache locations
- Found the Canto blueprint? Put it in your safe pocket immediately
- Press ESC → Surrender — you keep the blueprint, zero gear lost
- No caches in 5–8 minutes? Surrender and requeue — cache spawn rates were decreased in Flashpoint
The naked strategy is the current meta. No gear to lose, no PvP needed, and you can requeue in seconds. Expect around 1–2 hours of farming for the Canto specifically since it's the rarest drop.
🌀 Hurricane Event Schedule
First Wave Caches only spawn during active hurricane events. Use the live timer below to see when the next hurricane is up, then queue in.
🗺️ First Wave Cache Locations — All Maps
First Wave Caches spawn at raider cache marker locations during hurricane events. Dam Battlegrounds has the highest cache density, Blue Gate is the community favorite. Click any map to open the interactive view with cache spawn locations.
Dam Battlegrounds cache locations
Highest cache density — best map for farming First Wave Caches
Blue Gate cache locations
Community favorite — consistent cache finds reported
Spaceport cache locations
Good cache distribution across the map
Buried City cache locations
Lowest density — harder to find caches here
Full First Wave Cache & Raider Cache Guide
First Wave Cache Locations Guide →
What they look like, how to identify them by ear, all spawn locations with interactive maps, and detailed farming strategies for every map.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you find the Canto blueprint in Arc Raiders?
The Canto SMG blueprint drops from First Wave Caches (hurricane caches) during hurricane events. It was added to the loot pool in the Flashpoint update (Patch 1.22.0). It's a blue rarity blueprint and currently the rarest drop from First Wave Caches since it was just added to the pool.
What is the best strategy to farm the Canto blueprint?
Load in with a naked loadout (empty loadout — it has a safe pocket) during a hurricane event. Head to raider cache markers on the map, listen for the distinctive electric sound of First Wave Caches, and when you find the Canto blueprint, put it in your safe pocket and surrender via ESC. Zero risk, fast requeue.
How long does it take to find the Canto blueprint?
Expect around 1–2 hours of farming. The Canto is the rarest drop in the First Wave Cache loot pool since it was newly added in Flashpoint. Cache spawn rates were also decreased in the same patch, so some runs you won't find any caches in the first 5–8 minutes — surrender and requeue if that happens.
Which map is best for farming the Canto blueprint?
Dam Battlegrounds has the highest First Wave Cache density, while Blue Gate is the community favorite. Both are solid choices. Avoid Stella Montis — it has no First Wave Cache spawns at all.
Do I need to bring gear to farm the Canto blueprint?
No — the naked loadout is the current meta. You load in with nothing, find the cache, pocket the blueprint, and surrender. No gear lost, no PvP required. The safe pocket on the naked loadout protects the blueprint through surrender.
What else drops from First Wave Caches?
First Wave Caches can drop the Tempest, Bobcat, and Vulcano blueprints (all purple rarity), the Canto SMG blueprint (blue rarity, newly added), high-grade healing items like vitashots and sterilized bandages, and premium mods like Exodus Modules and Magnetic Accelerators.