Fossilized Lightning is one of the rarest materials currently available in Arc Raiders. It was introduced alongside storm-based map modifiers that add real lightning strikes to raids.
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to get fossilized lightning, its drop rate, what you can do with it, and whether it’s worth keeping.
What Is Fossilized Lightning in Arc Raider?
Fossilized Lightning (also referred to as fulgurite) is a rare Topside Material in Arc Raiders that is directly tied to Electromagnetic Storm map modifiers. Instead of spawning in containers or enemy drops, this item only appears after real lightning strikes the ground during storm-active raids.
How to Get Fossilized Lightning
To have any chance of finding fossilized lightning, you need to load into a raid with a storm-based map modifier. Players often refer to this modifier as the Magnetic or Electromagnetic Storm modifier.
This modifier makes the raid more challenging by causing frequent lightning strikes to hit the ground. During the raid, lightning bolts strike random spots, leaving scorched craters behind. Each crater has a small chance to spawn Fossilized Lightning, but the item can despawn quickly.
When you see lightning strike nearby, move immediately to the impact zone and check the burnt ground for a small crystal-like shard as shown in the image below.
Fossilized Lightning Drop Rate (Realistic Expectations)
From my testing, Fossilized Lightning is extremely rare. I found roughly four drops from 30 to 50 lightning strikes, which suggests a drop rate of about 5% to 9%. Most raids will still yield zero drops, even during active storms.
What Can You Do With Fossilized Lightning?
Right now, Fossilized Lightning has two known uses:
Sell It for Coins
You can sell each piece for around 4,000 Raider Coins, which is a solid payout considering its low weight. However, because of how rare it is, selling immediately may not always be the best choice.
Recycle It for Crafting Materials
Recycling fossilized lightning gives you 3x Explosive Compounds, which are used for crafting explosives like C4. While useful, this option is generally less efficient than selling unless you’re heavily invested in explosive builds.
Right now, I’d suggest saving any fossilized lightning you collect. Because it’s just been added to the game, there’s a real possibility that a future blueprint or weapon could use it as a key component.
