STALKER 2: How to farm artifacts

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl have a lot of farming tools and loot, but handicrafts is one of the most important things players will look for in the Zone. Artifacts provide incredible boosts to stats and resistance to certain types of damage, such as Radiation, Chemical, Electrical, and even bulletproof.

So, keep your eyes peeled, because this guide will teach you how to find and farm Artifacts STALKER 2. First, we will look at the basics, how to use the Detector and how to detect Anomalies.

Where to find artifacts in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Artifacts and anomalies are related to the shape. Whenever an Anomaly is detected such as a large field of toxic fumes, or a magnetic reversal, the player should investigate using the Detector.

The Detector has two main functions. It beeps whenever the player approaches an Anomaly location, and will display a flashing blue light if the player is near an Artifact. On that note, not all Anomaly areas contain Artifacts, so just look around where the Blue Light is lit.

There are Anomaly zones all over the map. Look for the bigger ones first, as they are often associated with hidden Artifacts.

Artifacts will remain hidden/invisible unless players approach their actual location. It works like a “mine detector” mini game.

There are several types of anomalies to consider:

• Thermal anomalies: Fire appears from the ground as the player approaches.
• Gravitational inequality: Manipulation in space, can teleport or throw players in the air.
• Electrical anomalies: Germs appear from the ground and explode when approaching the player.
• Acid deficiency: A pool of burning acid that approaches. They have a distinctive yellow bubble shape.
• Chemical deficiencies: The air has become poisonous, and a deadly green cloud hangs over the area. There may also be a hallucinogenic version of this anomaly.
• Cyclone Anomalies: Flying around the leaves. If the player gets too close, they will be pushed by the wind and hurt.
• Magnetic anomalies: A window floating in the air, bullets cannot pass through these fields. If the player tries to run through them, they will break and get blood.
• Water Anomalies: A bubble of water pulls the air around it and explodes on approach. Found near bodies of water, especially in swampy areas.

Each of them will have a different type of Artifacts associated with them, so keep an eye out for these signs and look around the area where these valuable items can be found.

Remember that with the Detector, the player can throw a Bolt at the anomaly to make it explode, and wait for a window of opportunity before reloading.

How to farm artifacts in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl

There are two Artifact farming secrets in there STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. The first is about how to get rid of the artifact, which can only be done by taking a retrievable quest from the owner of the Bar: “Find an artifact.”

Players will receive a few clues on their PDA as well as a quest to find the X Artifact. For example, let's say Warlock (a bar owner from Zalisya) gives the player a Find Battery Artifact Quest.

The player then has to go look around for a specific Anomaly area – in this case, an Electric Anomaly Area. Each type of Artifact is associated with an “Anomaly element”, but different Artifacts can spawn in the same type of area, which brings us to the next hidden tip.

Once the player finds the Artifact in the Anomaly, save the game before downloading it. Since Artifacts are randomly generated, and will return to the same location unless picked up, players can save scum until they find the artifact they want.

Are artifacts returning in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl?

In short, yes. Artifacts unrelated to the Find X Artifact Quest respawn after every Emission, which is a deadly storm that you need to avoid at all costs. When the radioactive fallout cools down, players can come out of their hideouts and explore the area where they have collected Artifacts. This is often not possible, as the Emissions are completely random, so players need to build a good farm path by taking note of the areas where the Anomalies were found with the Artifacts.

Fortunately, Emissions comes with a warning from the nearest Party. This way, players will know when they need to take cover, and when they can respawn and start looking for Artifacts.