S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Guide | Best Early to Mid-Game Gear

Let’s go over how to acquire some of the best early-game gear to enhance your playthrough significantly. Two of these items are located in the Lesser Zone, the game’s starting area, while the third can be found in the Garbage Zone, which becomes accessible a few hours into the story. Here’s how to find them:

Valic Lumic's AKM-74s (Unique Assault Rifle)

This exceptional early-game weapon can be obtained during one of the first missions, Warlock's Deck.

Location: Just outside of Zelissya.

During the quest, you’ll climb a water tower to retrieve the rifle.

Equipped with a decent scope, it is perfect for landing critical headshots. It is powerful enough to remain viable well into the mid-game.

Tips:

• Maintain the weapon to avoid permanent damage.
• Use mods to boost its performance further.

Weird Ball (Legendary Artifact)

This legendary artifact is another must-have item for the early game, found near Zelissya.

Location: Next to the Bulba Anomaly, just outside of Zelissya.

Challenges:

• The Bulba Anomaly pulls objects and players into its center, causing instant death.
• Use nearby objects for cover and crouch behind the ambulance to avoid being sucked in.
• Move quickly to grab the artifact before the anomaly pulls you in.

Tip: Save your game before attempting to retrieve it—it’s easy to die here.

Provides significant gun damage resistance, making it a valuable early-game asset.

PSZ-5V Guardian of Freedom Suit (Armor)

This highly durable armor is obtainable roughly three hours into the game.

Location: Found in the Garbage Zone near the Slag Pit.

How to Find It:

• Progress through the main story to access the area.
• The armor is hidden on a roof in the western part of the complex.
• To reach it, climb a slanted roof and follow the pipes to another rooftop.

This armor offers excellent protection and remains viable for 25–30 hours of gameplay. Grabbing it early provides a significant advantage in your campaign.

These three items—Valic Lumic’s AKM-74s, Weird Ball, and PSZ-5V Guardian of Freedom Suit—are some of the most critical pieces of early-game gear in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Acquiring them early will give you a strong edge in surviving the Zone and staying ahead as the game progresses.

Also, check our S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Review and other guides below:

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Guide | How To Locate Artifacts
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Guide | How To Get Weird Ball Artifact
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Guide | 15 Weapon Upgrade & Armor Blueprint Locations
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Guide | Best Early to Mid-Game Gear
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Guide | How to Get Weird Flower Artifact