If you're diving into Escape from Tarkov: Arena, chances are you're either aiming to grind out some progression, unlock cosmetics, or sharpen your PvP mechanics. Whether you're here for fast-paced matches, to supplement your main Tarkov account, or to breeze through the Battle Pass there are plenty of ways to optimize your time and grind. This guide aims to help you make the most out of each play session with time-saving strategies, class-specific tips, and effective kit recommendations that can also contribute to your main game progression.

Get the Most Out of Your Time

Organize your daily quests so that you can progress through all of them simultaneously. Daily quests reset when you log in. If you have a regular schedule, try to position your first login of the day at a consistent time that works for you. Both of these tips are true for the Weekly Quest as well.

The experience bonus for the first win of the day is usable by all four classes, so make sure to sequentially grab a win if you’re looking to maximize XP. If you have an experience bonus available for a class, it will show EXP next to the class.

Try to take kill quests with your best-performing kits—usually Assault or Scout. This lets you have more fun playing your favorite class and typically will allow you to finish your quest quickly.

Class Breakdowns

Assault

Assault has good access to effective weaponry and decent ammo types. It’s the most balanced class, with some ranged optic options, a mixture of recoil and ergonomics-focused attachments, and modestly good armor. Certain weapons have better ammo access than others for this class. I recommend the MK47 Mutant with PP ammo and the SIG Spear with FMJ. If you use 5.56mm, you’ll likely feel underwhelmed when facing Enforcer classes with high-tier armor.

Enforcer

Enforcers utilize the best armor available in the Arena. As a trade-off, their weapons are usually lacking in agility or range. Most Enforcers run some type of light machine gun or shotgun. The Saiga-12k is likely the best shotgun due to its drum mag and high fire rate. As for LMGs, the choice is mostly based on personal preference, as ammo access is poor across the board. I avoid using this class myself, as I enjoy a faster-paced playstyle, but many players find success with it.

Scout

Scout is my personal favorite class. It has low armor access and no available optic attachments beyond 1x, but it makes up for this with the best ammo access among all classes. My favorite ammo types for this class include:

• 9x39mm PAB-9 gs
• 7.62x39mm BP
• .45 ACP AP
• .300 Blackout CBJ
• 7.62x51mm M80

While other classes have strong loadouts, Scout tends to be the class with the highest variety of viable builds.

Marksman

Marksman is for the bolt-action enjoyers. While there are strong DMR builds available, the standout feature of this class is its access to AP Lapua rounds. Pairing these with the TRG M10 or AXXMC can down any opponent with a clean shot to the chest.

Leveling Skills

Many players jump into Arena for its cross-progression with standard Tarkov. Keep in mind that your character level isn’t the only thing that progresses—weapon and character skills do too.

If you favor a particular weapon in Tarkov, it’s a great idea to use the same or a similar one in Arena. Skills like Assault Rifles level up with use, reducing recoil and increasing reload speed. Aim drills offer global % bonuses to ADS speed. If you’re an Enforcer main and use heavy kits, you’ll also passively level Strength quickly.

Note that once a skill reaches level 30, it stops gaining EXP in Arena and must be leveled further in the main game.

Early Wipe & Matchmaking Tips

Roubles and GP coins can be hard to come by at the beginning of a wipe. When you first unlock a weapon, head to the Armory tab to check its leveling unlocks. You can typically gain 4–8 levels on a weapon per match depending on performance and gamemode. Use a budget version of the weapon early to unlock most attachments for free.

You're allowed to select up to three matchmaking regions. Doing so greatly reduces queue times. While 100 ping might sound high in games like Counter-Strike, in Tarkov Arena’s high-momentum environment, it can sometimes be an advantage. Anything above 150 ping, however, can become stuttery and hard to play.

Example Loadout Breakdown

Here’s one of my most-used kits for Arena:

• Class: Scout
• Weapon: MDR built for High Ergonomics with 25-round mags loaded with M80
• Comms: ComTac IV — expensive but offers my personal favorite sound profile
• Facewear: Any Tier 3 face mask from the Battle Pass (high ricochet chance, low weight)
• Build Focus: Ergonomics, since Scout class has low inertia penalties due to lighter weight it can best execute aggressive gameplay

Medicals

• Propital: Persistent healing and painkiller in one
• Meldonin: Improved Strength, Stamina, Stamina Recovery
• Zagustin: Stops and Prevents Bleeding
• Trimadol: Painkiller, Strength, Endurance, Stamina, and Stamina Recovery
• eTG-c: Rapid Health Regeneration
• Stimulants: There are plenty of options when it comes to Stim choices. Certain classes have access to certain Stims. In Teamfight or Blast Gang, you have enough time to pop two stims before the gates open. I recommend utilizing one of two combinations for your starting stims. Propital and Meldonin offers a good balance of enhanced physical stats, a painkiller, and health regeneration. I use this because I tend to do a significant amount of parkour and aggressive movement. This combination protects and passively regenerates my legs and any damage I otherwise take. The other combination I’d recommend is to use the Zagustin with a Trimadol. This covers all the boxes except health regeneration. That health regeneration isn’t as important however, because you don’t bleed from the Zagustin.
• Backup Healing: Green ETG stim for rapid HP recovery across the body (more useful than AFAK or Salewa in Arena)

Conclusion

Tarkov Arena offers a fast-paced, high-impact way to enjoy the EFT experience—whether you’re in it for the loot, cosmetics, or cross-progression. By organizing your dailies, choosing the right class for your style, and leveling efficiently, you can maximize both your performance and benefit. The Battle Pass adds a meaningful layer of rewards that benefit both Arena and your main Tarkov account, making your grind all the more worthwhile. So gear up, stim up, and make every match count.