STALKER 2: How to grow artifacts

STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl has a lot of gear and loot to farm but Artifacts are some of the most important items players will be looking for in the Zone. Artifacts incredibly increase stats and resistance to certain types of damage such as radiation, chemical, electrical, and even protect against bullets.

So keep your eyes open as this guide will teach you how to find and craft artifacts STALKER 2. First, we'll cover the basics of how to use the detector and how to detect anomalies.

Where to find artifacts in STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl

Artifacts and anomalies are inextricably linked. Whenever players see an anomaly such as a huge field of toxic fumes or magnetic distortions, they must investigate with a detector.

The detector has two main functions. It will beep whenever players approach the location of the anomaly and will flash a blue light when the player is near the artifact. On that note, not all anomaly areas contain artifacts, so only look around the ones where the blue light is on.

There are anomaly zones all over the map. Look for the larger ones first, as they are often associated with a hidden artifact.

Artifacts will remain hidden/invisible until players approach the exact location where they are. Works like a mine detector mini game.

Several types of anomalies should be considered:

• Thermal anomalies: Fire erupts from the ground as the players approach.
• Gravitational anomalies: Distortion in space, can teleport or throw players into the air.
• Electrical anomalies: Sparks of electricity shoot up from the ground and explode as players approach.
• Acid abnormalities: Puddles of acid that burn anyone who comes near. They are distinguished by yellow bubbles.
• Chemical anomalies: The air becomes poisonous and deadly green clouds hang over the area. There may also be a hallucinogenic gas version of this anomaly.
• Vortex anomalies: Leaves scatter in circular patterns. If players get too close, they will be thrown into the air and hurt.
• Magnetic anomalies: Shards of glass float in the air, bullets cannot pass through these fields. If players try to walk through them, they will get cut and bleed.
• Water anomalies: Water bubbles that draw in the air around them and explode when approached. It is found mainly near water bodies, especially in the swampy area.

Each one will have a different type of artifact associated with it, so keep an eye out for these signs and look around where they appear to find these valuable items.

Remember that with the Detector, players can throw a Bolt towards the anomaly to cause it to explode and wait for that window of opportunity before it resets.

How to get artifacts in STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl

There are two secrets to growing artifacts STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl. The first is about how to cause the artifact to appear, which can only be done by choosing the repeat quest from the bar owners: “Find the artifact”.

The players will receive some instructions in their PDA, as well as a quest to find Artifact X. For example, suppose the Warlock (a bar owner from Zalissya) gives the players a quest to “Find the Battery Artifact”.

Players will then need to go and examine specific anomaly zones—in this case, electrical anomaly zones. Each type of artifact is associated with an “Elemental Anomaly”, but different artifacts can appear in zones of the same type, which brings us to the next secret tip.

Once players find the artifact in the anomaly, save your game before picking it up. Since artifacts are randomly generated and respawn in the same location if not picked up, players can rescue scum until they find the artifact they're looking for.

Are artifacts respawning in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl?

in short yes. Artifacts unrelated to the Find X Artifact Quest respawn after each release, deadly storms that you must avoid at all costs. Once the radioactive fallout has cooled, players can emerge from their hiding places and explore areas where they have already collected artifacts. This can't be done often as the drops are completely random, so players need to create a good farming route by taking notes on areas where artifact anomalies have been seen.

Fortunately, emissions are always accompanied by a warning broadcast from the nearest faction. This way, players will know when they need to hide and when they can go out and start looking for artifacts.