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STALKER 2is quick to establish the importance of artifacts and anomalies in the game’s narrative, making the player run around with a scanner and charge them up in the game’s prologue.
However, what becomes apparent soon after is that these strange little items play a pretty vital role in the gameplay of STALKER 2, and will help you in creating a build perfect for survival in the zone.
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These items are tricky to find, and have positives and negatives to equipping them. But, when push comes to shove, they can be helpful tools to get you out of a jam if used right.
So, in a bid to keep you informed and alive, here is a complete guide to how Artifacts work in STALKER 2.
What Are Artifacts in STALKER 2?
Those of you who are veterans of the zone courtesy of Shadow of Chornobyl will already be very familiar with Artifacts. But for those who are new to the zone, these can be a little confusing.
Artifacts are radioactive accessories that players can equip if they can find them in the wild. These items tend to provide both a positive and a negative effect, usually providing a buff along with a build-up of radiation over time.
So, for example, an artifact may offer elemental protection or increase your carry capacity. But in return, you’ll get steady radiation, which you’ll need to treat to keep this item equipped.
How To Find Artifacts
Artifacts are a commodity in The Zone, and everyone is after them. However, finding them is usually a pretty dangerous process.
To find these items, you need to head to different areas of the map that are abundant in anomalies. These are usually pretty easy to spot as the dangerous anomalies are in such high numbers that it becomes obvious that an Artifact is nearby.
These anomalous zones come in different varieties, as the player may encounter electrical anomalies, acid anomalies, magma anomalies, and much more. So, it’s best to be cautious and wear some decent armor to protect you as you search.
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To find Artifacts, you’ll want to equip your Detector, first acquired bycompleting the quest, Dangerous Visitors.This machine will light up and beep when an Artifact is nearby, and as you get closer, it will beep more rapidly until the Artifact reveals itself.
Artifacts can also be found on corpses, and bought from merchants, but this is a rare occurrence. So, if you want to build up your Artifact collection, the best way to do so is by visiting anomalous zones.
While the Echo Detector will be the first Detector you find, there are better, more user-friendly options available in the zone. We would suggest getting your hands on a Veles Detector as soon as possible to make Artifact hunting less dangerous and stressful.
What Artifacts Are Available?
There are a wide number of artifacts available within STALKER 2, each with its own pros and cons. These Artifacts spawn randomly, so there is no rhyme or reason as to how and when they will turn up. But, what we do know is that it will be one of the following:
Artifact Name
Description
Common Locations
Some stalkers believe that the artifact’s “pupil” reacts to movement, but this claim remains unconfirmed by experts.
A common artifact found in thermal anomalies.
Thermal Protection - Weak Radiation - Weak
When exposed to ultraviolet or infrared light, the Mica loses its transparency, becoming pitch black.
A common artifact found in acid anomalies.
Radio Protection - Weak
Despite its imposing appearance, the artifact feels porous to the touch and crumbles under the pressure.
A common artifact found in gravitational anomalies.
Physical Protection - Weak Endurance - Weak Radiation - Weak
In extreme cold, the Wrenched is warm to the touch, while in high temperatures, it remains cool.
Physical Protection - Weak Radiation - Weak
Stone Blood
The reddish-brown veins on the Stone Blood’s surface are due to the accumulation of iron salts.
Weight - Weak Radiation - Weak
Tourist’s Breakfast
Emits a pungent stench of decay. Examining it without a gas mask is not recommended.
An uncommon artifact found in chemical anomalies
Chemical Protection - Medium Radiation - Medium
Chocolate Bar
Trying to separate the plates caused them to collapse back into their original shape at speeds exceeding 700 feet per second.
A common artifact found in electro anomalies.
Electrical Protection - Weak Radiation - Weak
The stone flecks within the artifact seem to possess a gravitational field of their own.
An uncommon artifact found in thermal anomalies.
Thermal Protection - Weak Weight - Weak Radiation - Medium
Caution: risk of injury even under controlled laboratory conditions. Avoid inserting fingers between the disks!
Endurance - Weak Radiation - Weak
The color of the sparks from the artifact transitions to a pale green when taken outside the Zone.
Bleeding Resistance - Weak Radiation - Weak
When subjected to a temperature of absolute zero, the surface of the Droplets coalesces into an opaque black film. It dissolves as the temperature increases.
The Goldfish will sink in water with any salt content, but remains buoyant in distilled water.
An uncommon artifact found in gravitational anomalies.
The high-frequency alternating current glowing within the Battery does not cause burns upon contact.
When hit by a heavy object or dropped onto a hard surface, the Slug quickly hardens for 0.1 seconds.
According to some, a Soul is created when a human body is ensnared by an anomaly.
An artifact found at the Chemical Tanks.
Endurance - Medium Radiation - Medium
The flagella cause burns upon contact with unprotected skin. Follow all safety precautions.
Weight - Medium Radiation - Medium
What Are Marked Items?
Alongside Artifacts, STALKER 2 introduces a new item variant that behaves somewhat like an Artifact, and fills an artifact slot, but offers a unique and often cryptic effect.
These Marked Items show up in the map’s various major Anomalous Zones,and tend to be harder to find and obtain than most. But, they also tend to offer great effects with no drawbacks.
For example,you’ll find one in The Poppy Field, and one right at the center of Bulba. Both are very dangerous places, but the trade-off is items like theWeird Flower and Weird Ball, which offer unique and desirable effects.
Take the Weird Ball, for example. This item offers increased bullet resistance when standing still, which can help you in firefights when you are pinned behind cover.
Essentially, these behave liketraditional accessories found in most RPGsand can be real game-changers if you can get your hands on them.
