Arc Raiders Fireworks Damage: What Firecrackers Actually Do

Do Firecrackers deal damage to enemies?

Short answer: no, Firecrackers do not deal meaningful damage.

Firecrackers are not damage grenades. They do not explode in a way that removes health from ARC units or players. If you throw one directly at a Crawler or near a Drone, you will not see health bars drop. Even if something looks like it reacts, that reaction is not damage.

Some new players think Firecrackers are weak explosives. They are not. Their purpose is distraction, not combat damage.

If you are looking for something to kill or weaken enemies, Firecrackers are the wrong tool.

Can Firecrackers damage players in PvP?

No. Firecrackers do not damage other players either.

You can throw one at someone’s feet and it will not hurt them. There is no splash damage, no chip damage, and no stagger damage. The only “effect” another player might feel is confusion if they mistake the noise for something else.

This is important because some players carry Firecrackers thinking they can be used as last-resort weapons. They cannot.

Why do Firecrackers look like grenades if they do no damage?

Because their role is about sound and attention, not explosions.

Firecrackers create repeated popping sounds over several seconds. That sound is loud enough to be picked up by nearby ARC units and sometimes by players who are listening carefully.

In practice, Firecrackers act like a thrown noise source. Think of them as a mobile distraction rather than a weapon.

The visual sparks also help sell the effect. Enemies appear to react to the location of the noise, not the visual effect itself.

How do ARC enemies react to Firecrackers?

Most basic ARC enemies respond to Firecrackers as a sound event.

In real gameplay, this usually means:

• Enemies turn toward the noise

• Some enemies move toward the sound source

• Patrol paths can temporarily shift

This reaction is not guaranteed for every enemy type. Heavier ARC units and higher-tier machines tend to ignore Firecrackers or react very weakly. Smaller enemies are more likely to respond.

Firecrackers do not “taunt” enemies in a strict sense. They simply create a sound that may override other nearby noise.

Do Firecrackers interrupt enemy attacks?

No.

Firecrackers do not stun, stagger, or interrupt attacks. If an enemy is already attacking you, throwing a Firecracker will not save you. The enemy will continue doing what it was doing.

This is why experienced players throw Firecrackers before entering a space, not during a fight.

Are Firecrackers useful for stealth?

Yes, but only in specific ways.

Firecrackers are useful for:

• Pulling enemies away from loot spots

• Creating a noise somewhere you are not

• Masking the sound of your own movement for a moment

They are not useful for:

• Escaping enemies that already spotted you

• Clearing rooms

• Breaking line of sight once combat starts

In stealth runs, Firecrackers are usually thrown into open areas, stairwells, or side rooms to redirect attention. They work best when you already know enemy patrol patterns.

How long does the Firecracker effect last?

Firecrackers last several seconds, producing repeated popping sounds over that time.

This duration matters because:

• Enemies may stay focused on that area longer than expected

• You can move while the noise continues

• The sound persists even after the initial throw

However, once the Firecracker stops making noise, its effect ends immediately. There is no lingering distraction.

Do Firecrackers trigger ARC alerts or reinforcements?

In normal play, Firecrackers do not escalate alerts by themselves.

They can still contribute indirectly. For example:

• If the noise causes enemies to move and spot something else

• If another player reacts to the noise and engages enemies

• If the Firecracker draws attention to an already unstable situation

Firecrackers are not a safe button. They are just another variable in the environment.

Why do experienced players still carry Firecrackers?

Because they are light, cheap, and sometimes useful.

Firecrackers weigh very little and stack well. That means carrying one or two does not hurt your loadout. In early or mid-game runs, they are often used as low-risk tools to probe areas.

Some players also carry them when saving better grenades for PvP or boss encounters.

They are not mandatory, but they are not useless either.

Are Firecrackers worth crafting or buying?

They are easy to craft and cheap to buy, which matches their limited role.

You should not go out of your way to stockpile them, but having a few on hand is reasonable. They are especially common in early progression when players are still learning enemy behavior.

Some players who are already planning their loadouts and progression paths may focus more on mobility or escape tools instead. For example, players who are preparing to buy arc raiders Snap Hook blueprint are usually prioritizing movement and positioning over distraction items like Firecrackers.

That does not make Firecrackers bad. It just means they fill a narrow niche.

Can Firecrackers be used to bait other players?

Sometimes, but it is unreliable.

Experienced players often recognize the Firecracker sound and do not treat it as a threat. Newer players might investigate, thinking it is combat.

Using Firecrackers as player bait works best in high-traffic areas where confusion already exists. Even then, it is situational and not consistent.

Do not rely on Firecrackers to control player behavior.

Common mistakes players make with Firecrackers

Here are mistakes I see often:

• Expecting damage

• Throwing them during active combat

• Using them too close to their own position

• Assuming all enemies will react the same way

Firecrackers reward planning, not panic.

 what Firecrackers are actually for

Firecrackers are not fireworks damage tools. They are sound tools.

If you think of them as grenades, you will be disappointed. If you think of them as a way to move attention around the map, they make sense.

Experienced Arc Raiders players use Firecrackers sparingly, intentionally, and early in an engagement. They do not expect kills, damage, or saves from them.

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