Best early-game artifacts you should equip in Stalker 2
Stalker 2 is the latest entry in the survival-horror franchise, and the fourth mainline in the series. Released 15 years after the previous entry, Call of Pripyat, the game builds upon the franchise's core essence while applying a new coat of paint over it. So far, it has received universal praise for its gritty, grounded, and brutal worldbuilding.
Many forces could lead to your doom in Stalker 2, whether it be human or supernatural. While weapons will be important when dealing with enemies, artifacts are the objects that can help you deal with the unavoidable damage of death while navigating the world.
To that end, here are seven of the best early-game artifacts you can find in Stalker 2.
Note: This article is subjective and solely relies on the writer's opinions.
7 best artifacts in Stalker 2 you can get early on
1) Weird Ball
The Weird Ball is a legendary artifact in Stalker 2 and a one-of-a-kind item that can't be found on the map. That said, being one of the few with a set drop, it is a guaranteed find in the early game. It can reduce bullet damage, and while its damage resistance is decent, the effect has a massive increase if you're standing still. This makes firefights more tolerable in the early game.
The Weird Ball artifact can be found near the Bulba anomaly, east of Zalissya. You'll need to navigate around a constantly expanding and contracting anomaly to obtain the legendary item. However, it's is worth the labor.
The item description reads:
"One of the legendary "altered items" often mentioned in hushed tones by stalkers around the campfires."
2) Rat King
The Rat King is a common artifact in Stalker 2, meaning it can be found in various locations. It can provide a weak buff to both electric protection and bleeding resistance, besides weak radiation damage.
The artifact can be found in electrical anomalies. For a guaranteed find, you'll need to engage in a side quest. One such quest is located in the eastern part of the garbage, near the electrical field. You must help a man named Vova Amalgam navigate the electro-anomalies to complete the quest. Thereafter, you can choose to be rewarded with coupons or an artifact. Choose the latter to gain the Rat King.
The item description is as follows:
"Every wire within the tangle generates an electromagnetic field, causing the Rat King to continuously move."
3) Sapphire
The Sapphire is a common artifact in Stalker 2. It is a frequent occurrence in the game, whether it be through exploring the world or completing side quests. It can provide a weak buff to bleeding resistance and endurance, both important stats in the early game, while only giving weak radiation damage.
The Sapphire artifact is found near electrical anomalies. Thus, the best place to farm it is at the electrical field, located on the eastern side of the garbage region. You'll need to use your artifact detector to find it near the anomalies.
The Item description reads:
"According to stalker folklore, smuggling a sapphire in someone else's gear will pass on the troubles of the previous owner to the new one."
4) Hypercube
The Hypercube is a legendary artifact in the game. Thus, you'll need to rely on quests to get a guaranteed find. It provides maximum buffs to bleeding resistance and thermal protection, while giving maximum radiation damage. While the radiation damage is a massive setback, you can use other artifacts to counter it. This makes it a worthwhile item, especially in the early hours.
You can get a guaranteed find while completing the third main mission, Answers Come At A Price. While exploring the detention center, you'll need to find a heavy key in a reception drawer and unlock the barred basement gate with said key. Following this, you will need to navigate through a burner anomaly maze and deal with a fire poltergeist. Locate the item by using the artifact detector.
The item description is as follows:
"The full potential of this artifact has yet to be discovered. It omits ultra-long radio waves and has potential applications in space navigation."
5) Pebble
The Pebble is a common artifact in Stalker 2. It can be found easily through exploration or completing quests. Moreover, it offers weak buffs to Endurance and Physical protection, while providing only one weak buff to radiation damage.
You can farm Pebble artifacts at gravitational anomalies, something you'll encounter very early in the game. This makes it a worthy power-up early on in the game.
The item description reads:
"Despite its impressive appearance, the artifact feels porous to touch and crumbles under pressure."
6) Stone Blood
The Stone Blood is a common artifact in the game, and it can be found by interacting with the world or completing side quests. It offers a weak boost to weight, meaning you'll be able to carry more things in your backpack without feeling more tired. While the item only provides a weak buff to radiation damage, it is a good deal if you want to have more items around you all the time.
The Stone Blood can be farmed from gravitational anomalies. This means you can look for this while also farming for the pebble artifacts. You'll need to use your artifact detector to hone in on its location.
The item description reads:
"The reddish-brown veins on the Stone Blood's surface are due to the accumulation of iron salts."
7) Urchin
The Urchin is an uncommon artifact in the Stalker sequel. It provides a medium buff to radio protectio, which is a stat that dictates how much damage you take from the radiation damage emitted by other artifacts. This is a great item if you want to use other artifacts without suffering their side effects before you find better gear in the long run.
The Urchin can be farmed from acid anomalies. A recommended farming area for it is an acid pool, located at a cave underneath the Old Mill area.
The item description is as follows:
"Submerging the artifact in a test tube filled with saline solution triggers the accelerated growth of its needles. The process ceases once the needles have completely filled the vessels."
These were the seven early-game artifacts you can find in Stalker 2.