A vest can stop a bullet, and a mask can stop gas, but there are more dangers than that. If you want to repel fire, hunger, or the deadly rads that set your Giger Counter crackling, Artifacts are the key. They might seem unassuming, but they’re the closest thing Stalker 2 has to magic items. With the right set slotted into your gear, even the harshest environments in the Exclusion Zone won’t stop you. Just keep an eye out for traps when Artifact hunting. Here are some of the best Artifacts in Stalker 2 and how to get them.
Stalker 2 Artifacts Guide
Even minor Artifacts can be good. Slug, for example, only offers Weak Radio Protection, but at the beginning of the game, that’s a big deal. Multi-protection Artifacts like Rat King and Whirlwind are also useful for their ability to ward against multiple damage types at once. If nothing else, they keep you from having to swap Artifact buffs when you enter new areas. Later you can replace these weaker buffs with stronger versions or the unique effects of the unique Arch Artifacts. Even at 10-80k coupons, selling them usually isn’t worth it.
Hypercube, Weird Water, and Weird Ball
- Hypercube: The Hypercube offers max levels of both Thermal Protection and Bleeding Resistance. The catch? It also maximizes your weakness to Radiation. As long as you don’t go strolling through nuclear waste like a Bloodsucker, however, the other high resistances make Hypercube an easy pick. You can find this Artifact in Thermal Anomalies, assuming you can stand the heat.
- Weird Water: The in-game text says Weird Water makes it so “radiation won’t bother you as much” and that it “makes moving around a bit smoother too.” Surviving radiation and staying mobile are essential skills for any Stalker who wants to endure life in the Exclusion Zone. To get it, you’ll need to brave some Will-‘o-the-Wisp wannabes. You can find this Artifact in the Wandering Lights Anomalous Area in Zaton.
- Weird Ball: There are two wonderful things about the Weird Ball. The first is that it reduces bullet damage when standing still, making it great for snipers and shotgunnners alike. The second wonderful thing is this Arch Artifact appears in the Lesser Zone of all places, letting you nab it shortly into your adventures. Adding a potent protective buff when you’re at your weakest is a no-brainer. You can find this artifact in the Bulba Anomalous Area in the Lesser Zone.
Weird Nut, Weird Bolt, Weird Flower, and Weird Pot
- Weird Nut: This Arch Artifact promotes coagulation, reducing bleeding. Keeling over in the middle of a fight from a leaky wound is always frustrating, and the Weird Nut helps you avoid that. Unfortunately, it also reduces your regen speed. If you have a backpack stuffed with med-packs and bandages to compensate, that’s not a bad trade. You can find this Artifact in the Flame Whirl Anomoulous Area near the Cooling Towers.
- Weird Bolt: This inconspicuous bit of metal is one of the best all-around shields in Stalker 2. It grants maximum Thermal, Chemical, and Physical Protection as well as maximum Bleeding Resistance. That takes a big bite out of everything trying to kill you. To get it, you’ll need to brave a nasty whirlwind, but the buffs are worth it. You can find this Artifact in the Tornado Anomoulous Area in Yaniv.
- Weird Flower: Sleeping with the Weird Flower equipped masks your scent, but the scent “wears off over time,” according to the in-game text. Exactly how long you’re protected (and which foes it affects), isn’t immediately obvious, but we’ll take any protection. Though it probably won’t help with the various soldiers, bandits, and stalkers you’ll encounter, it’s not a bad bet against boars and other wildlife off the beaten path. You can find this Artifact in the Poppy Field Anomoulous Area.
- Weird Pot: A bullet might kill you faster, but starvation will kill you just as dead. Hunger and thirst are as serious threats as Bloodsuckers and shifty militias. The Weird Pot will help with both. Keeping you hydrated and your hunger in check might not seem huge compared to Radiation Protection, but it is. If nothing else, carrying less bread and beer leaves more room for bullets and bandages. You can find this Artifact in the attic of a house in the Mist Anomoulous Area.
That’s all you need to know about the best Artifacts to keep you alive in Stalker 2. They won’t turn the Exclusion Zone into a tea party, but they’re your best bet for dodging a shallow grave. Just mind the radiation.
