The Life of a Pharmacist Arc Raiders quest is one of Lance's more unusual assignments: instead of asking you to haul back parts or eliminate threats, he sends you into the Buried City to document traces of a pharmacist's former life. If you are progressing Lance's questline while also tracking seasonal rewards like the ARC Raiders Battle pass, this is a quick but risky mission worth clearing efficiently because the location sits in a contested urban zone with ARC patrols, lootable interiors, and several easy-to-miss interaction points.
This guide explains exactly where to find Arbusto Farmacia, how to complete every Life of a Pharmacist objective, what to loot while you are there, and how to get out without turning a simple photo assignment into a failed extraction run.
Life of a Pharmacist Arc Raiders Quest Overview
Life of a Pharmacist is a Lance quest in Arc Raiders that takes place inside Arbusto Farmacia in the Buried City. Your job is to document four environmental details connected to the pharmacist's life: family, skills, hobbies, and taste.
| Quest Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Quest name | Life of a Pharmacist |
| Quest giver | Lance in Speranza |
| Prerequisite | Complete Espresso |
| Main location | Arbusto Farmacia, Buried City |
| Nearby landmark | Piazza Arbusto, close to the Collapsed Highway |
| Required objectives | Document family, skills, hobbies, and taste |
| Camera required? | No separate camera item is needed |
The quest itself is not mechanically difficult. The challenge comes from reaching the pharmacy, staying alive inside a dense urban area, and recognizing which objects count for each part of Lance's request.
How to Start Life of a Pharmacist in Arc Raiders
To unlock Life of a Pharmacist, progress Lance's questline until you have completed Espresso. After that, speak with Lance in Speranza and accept the mission. Once active, the quest will point you toward the Buried City, but it may not give you a giant, unmistakable marker from long range.
Before deploying, bring a practical loadout rather than your loudest kit. The pharmacy interior favors short sightlines and quick movement, while the surrounding streets can become dangerous if ARC patrols or other Raiders are nearby.
Recommended Loadout Before You Go
- A reliable close-to-mid-range weapon for street corners and interior fights.
- At least one healing item, even though the quest rewards medical supplies later.
- Light enough gear to move quickly if the Piazza becomes overrun.
- A squadmate if you are still learning the Buried City routes.
- Inventory space for medical loot, chemicals, and cabinet finds inside the pharmacy.
You do not need to buy or equip a camera. The quest interaction automatically handles the documentation step when you inspect the correct objects.
Where to Find Arbusto Farmacia in the Buried City
Arbusto Farmacia is located in the southeast area of the Buried City, near Piazza Arbusto and the Collapsed Highway. The Collapsed Highway is the best landmark because it is large, visible, and easier to navigate toward than smaller storefront signs in the middle of a chaotic run.
When approaching the area, avoid sprinting straight down the main roads unless you know the patrol pattern is clear. The Buried City has enough cover to let you move from wall to wall, and that is usually safer than cutting through the open.
Best Approach Route
- Enter the Buried City and orient yourself toward the southeast section of the map.
- Use the Collapsed Highway as your main visual landmark.
- Move toward Piazza Arbusto while checking rooftops, alleys, and street-level patrol paths.
- Look for the Arbusto Farmacia storefront near the Piazza.
- Enter quietly through an available opening if possible, or breach only if the area is already clear.
The front entrance may not always be the best way in. If the door is barred or the street is exposed, circle the building and look for windows or side access. In my experience, taking a few extra seconds to find a quieter entry point is worth it because a noisy breach can pull attention at exactly the wrong time.
How to Complete Life of a Pharmacist: All Four Documentation Locations
Once inside Arbusto Farmacia, the quest becomes a small environmental puzzle. Lance wants a portrait of a person, not a standard supply run, so each object represents a part of the pharmacist's identity.
1. Document the Pharmacist's Family
Go to the upper floor of the pharmacy living area. After taking the stairs, look near the northeast side of the building for framed pictures on the wall. These picture frames are the family objective.
Interact with the frames when the prompt appears. Your Raider will automatically document them, and the quest tracker should update. If it does not update immediately, adjust your angle and interact again from closer range.
2. Document the Pharmacist's Skills
Stay on the second floor and look for the piano along the western side of the room. This is the “skills” objective, which can confuse players because they often expect medical certificates, prescriptions, or pharmacy tools.
The piano suggests the pharmacist had musical ability outside of their profession. Interact with it until the objective registers. Do not rush away too early, as some quest interactions require a brief completion animation.
3. Document the Pharmacist's Hobbies
Move into the adjoining upper-floor room and check the shelves, dressers, or furniture surfaces for potted plants. These plants represent the pharmacist's hobbies.
This is one of the easier objectives to miss because plants can blend into the cluttered interior. Sweep the room slowly and keep your reticle near tabletops and shelf surfaces until the interaction prompt appears.
4. Document the Pharmacist's Taste
For the final objective, return toward the staircase area and inspect the table under or near the stairs on the lower level of the living quarters. The table contains documents and personal items that count as the pharmacist's “taste.
Interact with the table to finish the documentation requirement. Once all four objectives are checked off, your in-raid task is complete, but you still need to survive if you want to return safely and continue turning in progress with Lance.
Quick Checklist for the Life of a Pharmacist Quest
If you are already inside Arbusto Farmacia and just need the shortest route, use this checklist.
- Enter Arbusto Farmacia in the southeast Buried City near Piazza Arbusto.
- Go upstairs and document the picture frames for family.
- Find the piano upstairs and document it for skills.
- Check the adjoining room upstairs and document the potted plants for hobbies.
- Return near the staircase and document the table for taste.
- Loot cabinets and medical containers if the area is safe.
- Leave through the safest exit and head for extraction or return to Speranza when possible.
Best Loot to Grab While Completing Life of a Pharmacist
Arbusto Farmacia is not just a quest location. It is also a strong stop for medical and household loot, especially if you are already risking a run through the Buried City.
Search kitchen cabinets, dressers, shelves, and pharmacy-adjacent storage spots. These containers can contain useful survival materials such as Sterilized Bandages and chemical components. Even if the exact loot varies from run to run, the building type makes it worth checking before you leave.
Loot Priority Table
| Loot Source | Why It Matters | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets | Often overlooked and can contain useful consumables or materials | Low if the building is secure |
| Dressers and shelves | Good for small items and crafting components | Low to medium |
| Medical storage areas | Best chance for healing-related supplies | Medium due to time spent searching |
| Street-level loot nearby | Can add value to the run if extraction is close | High because of patrols and exposure |
A good rule is to loot only after finishing the four documentation objectives. That way, if something forces you to flee, you still leave with quest progress instead of a half-searched building and no completion.
Survival Tips for the Buried City Pharmacy Run
The most common mistake in the Life of a Pharmacist Arc Raiders quest is treating it like a harmless fetch quest. The objectives are peaceful, but the route is not. Piazza Arbusto can become dangerous quickly if ARCs or rival Raiders converge on the same area.
Use the Second Floor Before Leaving
Before exiting, use the upstairs windows to scout the street. Look for movement, patrols, and signs of recent combat. If the front side is hot, consider leaving through a side opening or waiting a few seconds for enemies to move on.
Avoid Unnecessary Breaching
Breaching can be fast, but it is also noisy. If you are solo, noise is often more dangerous than the extra time required to find another entrance. Only breach when you have already confirmed the surrounding area is quiet or when speed matters more than stealth.
Do Not Overstay for Loot
The pharmacy has useful supplies, but greed can ruin a successful quest run. If your inventory is already valuable or you hear activity outside, leave. You can always come back on a loot-focused run later.
Life of a Pharmacist Rewards
After completing the objectives and returning to Lance, you receive medical and defensive items that are useful for both solo and squad play.
- 1 Defibrillator
- 1 Surge Shield Recharger
- 3 Sterilized Bandages
The Defibrillator is the standout reward for team-based runs because it can help recover a bad fight. The Surge Shield Recharger is also valuable when you expect sustained pressure, while Sterilized Bandages are reliable baseline healing supplies that every Raider can use.
Common Mistakes That Stop Quest Progress
If Life of a Pharmacist is not completing properly, the issue is usually one of three things: you are in the wrong building, you interacted with the wrong object, or you left before all four objectives registered.
Confusing Skills With Pharmacy Tools
Many players search for diplomas, medicine shelves, or workbenches for the skills objective. The correct object is the piano. Lance's request is more about personal identity than professional credentials.
Missing the Plants
The hobby objective is easy to overlook because the potted plants are small compared to furniture and wall decorations. Check the upper-floor adjoining room carefully.
Assuming Extraction Is Optional for Everything
The objective checklist may update in raid, but you still need to make it back safely to properly turn in and continue progression. Treat completion and survival as separate goals: finish the interactions first, then plan the exit.
FAQ: Life of a Pharmacist Arc Raiders
Where is Life of a Pharmacist in Arc Raiders?
Life of a Pharmacist takes place at Arbusto Farmacia in the Buried City. Look in the southeast part of the map near Piazza Arbusto and the Collapsed Highway.
Do you need a camera for Life of a Pharmacist?
No. You do not need to buy, craft, or equip a camera. Interacting with the correct quest objects automatically documents them.
What objects do you document for Life of a Pharmacist?
You need to document picture frames for family, a piano for skills, potted plants for hobbies, and a table with personal items for taste.
Can you complete Life of a Pharmacist solo?
Yes, the quest can be completed solo. However, a squad makes it safer because one player can watch entrances while another handles the documentation objectives.
Why is the piano used for the skills objective?
The quest focuses on the pharmacist as a person, not only as a medical worker. The piano represents a personal skill, which fits Lance's request for a more aesthetic snapshot of the pharmacist's life.
What should I loot inside Arbusto Farmacia?
Prioritize kitchen cabinets, dressers, shelves, and medical storage spots. These can provide healing items, Sterilized Bandages, and crafting materials depending on the run.
What rewards do you get from Life of a Pharmacist?
The listed rewards are 1 Defibrillator, 1 Surge Shield Recharger, and 3 Sterilized Bandages after turning the quest in to Lance.
Life of a Pharmacist is a short quest, but it is memorable because it asks you to read the environment instead of simply clearing enemies or extracting supplies. Finish the four documentation points first, loot only when the building is secure, and leave before the Piazza turns against you; if you also use external marketplaces or service hubs such as U4GM for game currency or item-related convenience, keep your main focus on safe progression and smart in-raid decisions.
