The Frigate is Frozen Trail's endgame: an ARC warship that patrols the Rust Belt as a map condition, with the Hydra on its deck and rare tech inside. Getting on board is the easy part. Staying alive up there takes a full squad, a real loadout and a plan for the flying ARC. This guide is written from our own first run, which boarded, found the Hydra and died to the Rocketeers and Fireflies that spawn on deck.
Written on launch day from one run. We'll add the full route, the remaining puzzles, the Hydra fight and the loot as we clear it.
When the Frigate Is Up
The Frigate is a map condition. When it's active, the map screen lists ARC Frigate under the map name, and you'll see the ship hanging over the map. You can't destroy it with weapons; you board it and work through it.
How to Board the Frigate
- Find a moving platform. Round ARC platforms ride up and down between the ground and the Frigate's underside.
- Climb onto one while it's low. Step on top so you're standing on the disc.
- Use Disrupt on its centre. That's the breach-style interaction that sends the platform up.
- Ride it up and step off onto the hull. From there you can move around freely. The objective changes to Find a way on top of the Frigate.
You're slow and in the open on the way up. We had friendly Raiders around us, so it was calm, but in a hostile lobby this is where you'd get shot. Clear the area first, and don't ride up alone if a squad is watching the platforms.
On Board: Puzzles Need Three Players
The hull is a maze of ledges, vents and fins with loot containers tucked along it. Search them as you go; one of ours held ARC Thermo Lining.
The route upward is gated. At least one stage is an elevator with a Move Up panel that needs three players pressing buttons at once. Two people can't do it. Come as a trio, or make friends with the Raiders you meet on board.
The Hydra and the Flying ARC
Once you're up top, the objective becomes Damage a Hydra. The Hydra is a three-section turret built into the deck, and Embark describes it as a squad killer that guards both the Frigate and the Emperor. Its gun pairs target different players, so spread out instead of stacking behind one piece of cover.
The Hydra isn't the only threat. Rocketeers and Fireflies spawn on the Frigate, and they're what killed us. Rocketeers hit hard from range, and Fireflies set you on fire, which drains you fast while you're also dodging the Hydra.
Embark lists two Frigate bugs: the Hydra can see and shoot through walls in the Cargo area, and standing on the side of the Cargo drop can eliminate you instantly. Don't trust cover in the Cargo area, and stay off that ledge.
What to Bring
Free kits aren't allowed on the Frigate, so you're risking a real loadout. Make it count:
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Energy weapons | Our pick for the ARC-heavy fights on board. Bring enough Energy Clips; traders now cap how many you can buy per day. |
| Wolfpack | An epic grenade that splits into 12 homing missiles, 166 damage each, with a 100 m homing range. Made for Rocketeers and Fireflies. |
| Powered Descender | If you have one, carry it in case you need to get back to the ground in a hurry. |
| Shield and healing | Fire damage from Fireflies stacks up while you're fighting the Hydra. Heal early. |
| Hullcracker | The launch patch buffed it against armor plates, which suits ARC fights. |
Squad Up or Team Up
- Three is the number. The Move Up elevator needs three players, so a duo will stall partway up.
- Friendly Raiders help. Other squads on board often have the same problem. Proximity chat and a wave go a long way; ours worked with us all the way to the Hydra.
- Be ready to fight anyway. Between the Hydra, Rocketeers and Fireflies, the Frigate is a fight even in a friendly lobby.
What We're Still Confirming
- The full route on top, every puzzle after the elevator, and how the Hydra fight ends.
- Where Amplification Modules drop on board, and the rest of the loot.
- How long the Frigate stays, and which maps it visits besides Pendola Pass.
📚 Related Guides
Sources: our own launch-day run, the Frozen Trail 2.0 patch notes and Embark's launch announcement. Header image: Embark Studios.