The Firefly and the Comet are new ARC enemies introduced with the Shrouded Sky update for Arc Raiders on PC and consoles, and both are built to punish sloppy positioning and bad spacing. The Firefly is a flying flamethrower drone that hovers above combat spaces, while the Comet is a rolling ground ARC that locks onto you and explodes with a seismic blast if it gets too close.
| Enemy | Role and behavior | Key threat | Main counterplay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefly | Flying, armored ARC with flamethrower. | Sustained flame from above in open spaces. | Fight from under hard cover, hit thrusters and yellow weak spots, use bursts. |
| Comet | Rolling ground ARC with seismic explosion. | Proximity detonation after lock‑on. | Maintain distance, kite on ramps, kill before self‑destruct to get Igniters. |
To beat them consistently, you need to use hard cover and elevation against the Firefly, manage distance against the Comet, and bring loadouts that can quickly delete armored cores before they overwhelm objectives or extraction zones. Both also drop unique materials (Firefly Burner and Comet Igniter) that tie into new projects like the Weather Monitoring System, so learning these fights is worth it for progression.
Quick steps: how to beat Firefly and Comet
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Join surface activities (especially Hurricane or Dam Battlegrounds) and watch the sky and open roads for new ARC signatures.
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When a Firefly spawns, move under solid cover or overhangs, then aim for its thrusters and weak yellow sections to knock it out of the air.
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When a Comet appears, keep medium distance and kite it around ramps or open ground while focusing it with burst damage before it reaches you.
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Never let the Comet self‑destruct near you; destroy it before its proximity explosion to guarantee Comet Igniter drops.
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After the fight, loot the correct wreckage pieces (Comet’s circular core, Firefly’s body) to grab their rare materials.
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Feed Comet Igniters into the Weather Monitoring System project for Weather Scanner stages and long‑term account rewards.
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Use the new Surgeon Raider Deck for precise, careful engagements that line up with these enemies’ weak spots and punishing mechanics.
What are the Firefly and the Comet in Shrouded Sky?
Shrouded Sky is a major Arc Raiders update (February 24, 2026) that adds the Hurricane map condition, expands Dam Battlegrounds, introduces the Surgeon Raider Deck, and brings in two new ARC threats, Firefly and Comet.
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The Firefly is a flying ARC, roughly in the same “family” as Hornets and Wasps, described as heavily armored and equipped with a flamethrower that pressures any Raider it spots.
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The Comet is a ground ARC that rolls along the terrain, locks onto a player with “frightening focus,” then detonates in a seismic explosion once it closes the gap.
You’ll encounter both across surface maps, with early gameplay footage showing them appearing frequently in Hurricane and around the updated Dam Battlegrounds Controlled Access Zone.
How to Find Firefly and Comet (and Their Drops)
Players are already tracking down consistent spawn patterns for both new ARCs.
Where they tend to appear:
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Hurricane maps: multiple creators show Comet and Firefly roaming Hurricane condition runs, where wind and debris make them harder to track and fight.
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Dam Battlegrounds: the updated Controlled Access Zone, billed as a high‑value loot location, is a popular hotspot for Comet sightings.
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General surface activities: community testing indicates Comets can drop onto various maps in multiple weather conditions, not just Hurricane.
Loot you get from them:
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Firefly drops the Firefly Burner, a special ARC component currently used as a recyclable material and as an ingredient for the Trailblazer grenade.
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Comet drops the Comet Igniter when destroyed before it self‑destructs, and this rare component is required for the Weather Monitoring System project’s Sunlight Calibration stage.
If your goal is Weather Monitoring, prioritize runs that reliably spawn Comets, then route around their likely paths to farm Igniters efficiently.
How to Beat the Firefly: Positioning, Weak Spots, and Loadouts
The Firefly’s main threat is sustained flame from above, which exposes you whenever you’re out in the open.
Firefly behavior in combat
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It hovers above lanes and objectives, behaving like a tougher, more aggressive Hornet with a flamethrower.
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Its flames make it obvious when someone is being focused, which can be a tell even in Hurricane conditions.
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It appears heavily armored, but visibly has yellow sections and thrusters that act as weak spots.
Positioning tips vs Firefly
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Stay under hard cover: roofs, overhangs, bridge undersides, and interiors force the Firefly to reposition before it can roast you.
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Avoid long roof standoffs in Hurricane: wind damage plus flame can melt shields quickly if you stay exposed.
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Rotate laterally, not straight back: sliding sideways around tall cover can break line of sight faster than retreating in a straight line.
Best ways to damage Firefly
Creators who have labbed the fight recommend focusing the thrusters and yellow weak points to bring it down quickly.
Good tools include:
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Stable rifles or DMR‑style weapons for hitting weak spots at mid‑range.
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Explosives thrown where it tends to hover over lanes or ramps.
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Squad focus fire: have one player call out its position and weak side so everyone commits at the same time.
One useful player insight from early runs: instead of chasing it in the open, let the Firefly come to you over a predictable piece of cover, then pre‑aim the thrusters and shred it as soon as it settles into a hover.
How to Beat the Comet: Spacing, Safe Kills, and Igniters
The Comet is all about distance control. If you let it get close, it will detonate with a seismic blast and can deny you its most valuable loot.
Comet behavior in combat
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It appears as an armored rolling ARC that patrols or drops into surface areas.
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Once it “sees” you, it locks on and chases with a single goal: close the gap and explode.
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If it self‑destructs like a Pop, you get no Comet Igniter.
How to kill Comet safely
Guides agree on one core rule: you must destroy the Comet before it reaches detonation range if you want Igniters.
Best practices:
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Keep medium distance: far enough to dodge, close enough to land consistent hits.
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Use ramps and elevation: several creators show kiting Comets up and down ramps, dropping down to reset distance while continuing to damage them.
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Avoid tight corridors: chokepoints make it much harder to avoid getting caught in the blast.
Recommended damage approaches
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Burst damage weapons or heavy explosives can delete a Comet quickly once it locks on.
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One example shows tossing a Wolf Bag near the Comet to instantly kill it and guarantee an Igniter drop, as long as it dies before self‑destruct.
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After the explosion, loot the circular core wreckage (not the ring‑shaped debris) for a 100% Comet Igniter chance in that demonstration.
If you’re farming every Comet Igniter location inside the Weather Monitoring System, combining these tactics with known spawn routes cuts down the number of risky encounters you need to run.
Surgeon Deck and Playstyle Synergies
Shrouded Sky’s free Surgeon Raider Deck fits naturally with how you want to handle Firefly and Comet: carefully and precisely.
What makes Surgeon a good fit:
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It encourages deliberate, methodical play instead of full‑send pushes, which lines up well with managing Firefly sightlines and Comet proximity.
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Its toolkit leans into survivability and controlled engagements, helping you recover from stray flame damage or near‑miss Comet blasts.
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In squads, a Surgeon player can anchor the team, calling out Comet paths, focusing Firefly weak points, and keeping everyone topped up between arcs of heavy damage.
If you already enjoy playing “the calm one” who watches the battlefield and picks the right shots, Surgeon plus Firefly/Comet hunting is a satisfying loop.
