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Scouring anomalies, dodging swirling vortexes, leaping over toxic pools, and avoiding fiery tornadoes in search of valuable artifacts is dangerous business. To expedite artifact hunting and keep your time spent in anomalies to a strict minimum, you’ll want to continuously be on the hunt for better handheld detectors. Improved versions make detecting artifacts vastly easier thanks to better scanning technology and displays. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best detectors in Stalker 2, including where to get them.
Hilka Detector. Captured by VideoGamer
Bear Detector. Captured by VideoGamer
All detectors in Stalker 2
Stalker 2 features four distinct detectors that you’ll progressively get access to as you push through the story and explore the Zone. They are tidily and conveniently tiered, with the first one you’ll get, the Echo Detector, being by far the worst, and the Veles Detector, the last one you can get your hands on, being the best. Below, you’ll find a table listing all the detectors along with their descriptions, how to get them, and the scanning improvements they offer.
| Detector | Description | How to get | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Detector | With outdated electronic components and subpar usability, this basic artifact detector is only redeemed by its very modest price. | A lone blue light flashes to signal the proximity of an artifact. The blinking will intensify as you get nearer to an artifact. | Obtained during the opening, tutorial missions There and Back Again. |
| Hilka Detector | A next-generation detector in the beginner tier, designed to supersede the Echo. Thanks to its all- new electronic components and antenna, it can detect artifacts at a greater range than its predecessor. | Signals the distance of an artifact in meters and offers better range than the Echo Detector. A minor upgrade in our book. | Available is a stash during the Budmo! side mission, then purchasable from most traders. |
| Bear Detector | An improved first-generator artifact detector. Compared to the Echo, it features a more user- friendly radar display and upgraded electronic components. | Clear display that signals the direction of an artifact with a gauge that fills up the closer your are. The first meaningful detector upgrade. It should last you for a huge portion of the game. | Reward for completing the A Sign of Hope side mission in the Shelter on Wild Island. After that, it’s on sale at most traders. |
| Veles Detector | An improved second-generation detector. Despite its relatively high price, this detector is favored by seasoned stalkers for its user-friendly interface, reliability, and remarkable efficiency. | Proximity radar that marks the exact location of an artifact with a red dot ping but also anomalies. By far the most efficient detector when it comes to pinpointing artifacts. | Available for purchase at traders after the In Search of Past Glory main story mission. |
Best detectors in Stalker 2
- #1 Veles Detector
- #2 Bear Detector
The Veles Detector is by far the best detector in Stalker 2. The screen displays the precise location of an artifact, freeing you of the need to hunt it down like you would with the other detectors. It takes the guess work out of artifact hunting. Alongside, the anomaly location markers are a veritable boon when you’re exploring particularly dense anomalous areas. The only issue is that the Veles Detector isn’t available until well past the main story’s mid-way mark. You’ll need to wrap up the In Search of Past Glory mission by giving the suppressorr blueprint to Dvupalov and he’ll hand over the detector.
The best detector for most players is the Bear Detector. It’s obtainable quite early on in the story and offers a genuine, meaningful upgrade over the rather shoddy Hilka Detector, not to mention the Echo. The screen has a direction indicator that makes finding artifacts relatively easy as long as you keep moving in the right direction as the circular gauge fills up. Deal with the zombie on the roof as you see fit in the A Sign of Hope side mission, then head back to Doctor Lodochka and he’ll reward you with the Bear Detector.
It’s worth knowing that once you’ve obtained a detector of any type for the first time, it will then be available to buy from various traders, notably those in the Yaniv, Cement Factory, and Rostok camps. If ever you accidentally drop or sell one, you can always get a replacement. As long as you have the coupons, of course. You’ll can also find them as random loot in stashes and on bodies.
About the Author
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, RPG, Shooter, Survival Horror
