How to find artifacts in STALKER 2

Artifacts are one the best and most difficult-to-find items hidden throughout the Zone in STALKER 2. Tracking down and finding an artifact can be challenging, but well worth it based on the unique abilities they provide you, making life much easier when fighting bandits or mutants.

You won’t always find an artifact out in the open. They’re usually partially hidden somewhere close to an anomaly, where hazards can hit you around every corner, but if you’re careful, you can walk away with a few cuts and a hefty artifact. How you use it after you obtain an artifact is up to you. There’s the choice of keeping it on you to use it during your adventures, or you can sell it to a trader if you need coupons. It all comes down to knowing how to find an artifact, and how to identify if one is nearby in STALKER 2.

Where to find artifacts in STALKER 2

Tracking an artifact comes down to using your detector and seeing if it begins to light up. This typically happens as you get closer to multiple anomalies, but not every anomaly in STALKER 2 has an artifact nearby. Instead, if anomalies surround you, taking out your detector and having your bolt in your other hand is a good way to determine if there’s an artifact nearby, or if you’re better off avoiding the area to explore elsewhere. You can bring out the detector by hitting the seven key on a keyboard, or by clicking the left button on your directional pad while using a controller.

Now, while you have your detector, you’re trying to identify if the middle spark begins to light up. If this part of the detector starts to flash, there’s an artifact nearby. You’ll want to keep your detector out to guide you to where you can find the artifact.

How to reveal artifacts in STALKER 2

One thing does remain certain for every artifact: As you get closer, the anomalies become more dangerous. You want to be careful, but you also want to be quick. You’ll know you’re getting closer to the artifact because your detector is flashing more rapidly and is buzzing loudly.

What comes next is retrieving the artifact. It’s hidden within one of the anomalies, and getting it means you have to get extremely close to it and disrupt it. This is where your bolts come into play. While your detector is going off, throw your bolt into the middle of the anomaly, wait for it to disrupt, and then step into the spot. If you are at the correct location for the artifact, it should appear on the ground and you can pick it up.

This does not remove the anomaly. You want to grab the artifact and then quickly return to a safe position, away from the anomaly, before it returns, potentially harming or killing you before you can enjoy your prize. After you have the artifact, the last thing you have to do is examine it in your inventory. You can do this when you’re at a safe location by right-clicking on it in your bag and hitting the examine button. By examining the artifact, you can learn more about it and see if it’s worth keeping, or if you should offer it to traders in a nearby settlement. They’re always willing to pay coupons for them in STALKER 2.