Stalker 2: Best Artifact Detectors and How to Get Them

Artifact detectors in Stalker 2 play a crucial role in finding artifacts, which remain invisible to Skif until you are practically within arm’s reach. Thankfully, detectors make the job easier by helping you scan and locate these elusive items. The better your detector, the quicker and less frustrating the search becomes—sometimes taking just a minute with the right scanner. In this guide, we will break down the best artifact detectors in Stalker 2 and explain how you can get your hands on them.

4. Echo Detector

The Echo Detector is the initial tool you will use to locate artifacts in Stalker 2. As a basic detection device, it operates by emitting beeping sounds and flashing a blue light. The closer you get to an artifact, the faster the beeps get and the more frequent the light blinking becomes.

Unlike advanced detectors, the Echo Detector lacks visual or directional cues, so it would not tell you to move left, right, or straight. Instead, you will need to rely entirely on the intensity of the beeps and flashes.

If the signals quicken, you are on the right track. If they do not, try heading in another direction. This simplicity is what defines the Echo Detector, making it an essential — yet rudimentary — tool for artifact hunting in the Zone in the early hours of Stalker 2. So, keep your senses sharp, and pay close attention to the beeps and blinking lights to guide your way.

How to Get the Echo Detector

You get the Echo Detector during the “There and Back Again” main mission in Stalker 2. Even if you happen to sell it somewhere down the line, you can always purchase it from traders; most of them sell the Echo Detector so this one is not a hard find.

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3. HILKA Detector

The HILKA Detector is a major step up from the Echo Detector, offering a substantial boost in functionality and range. This advanced scanner can detect artifacts up to 100 meters away, making it a game-changer for artifact hunters in Stalker 2.

As you move toward the detected artifact, the HILKA Detector provides precise feedback by displaying the distance in meters, which decreases as you approach your target. This numeric guidance makes locating artifacts significantly easier compared to the basic Echo Detector.

If artifact hunting is your main focus in Stalker 2, it is a smart move to keep the HILKA Detector equipped in your left hand as you go from point A to point B while doing a main or a side quest. You never know when it might pick up a signal from a far-off artifact—something the Echo Detector simply cannot do.

How to Get HILKA Detector

One way to get the HILKA Detector is by completing the Budmo side quest in Stalker 2, which you can start when you reach Slag Heap. Misha and Grisha will ask you to place vodka in three stashes belonging to their friend, Panas Shun.

These stashes are located near the poisonous hole area, within a pile of concrete blocks, and in a bird nest on the Power Transmission Pylon. Each stash contains valuable gear and items, but there is a catch: the contents of the third stash you visit will be gone.

Since the Power Transmission Pylon stash holds the HILKA Detector, you will need to visit that location first if you want to claim the HILKA Detector early in Stalker 2. This lets you replace the Echo Detector and start enjoying its more advanced features right away.

If you miss the stash or prefer another method, you can purchase the HILKA Detector from vendors for about 4,000 Coupons. The Barkeep in Rostok, Hawaiian at Yaniv Station, and Pythagoras at UTC Malachite are all reliable sources for buying the HILKA Detector in Stalker 2.

Whether you find it in a stash or purchase it later, upgrading to the HILKA Detector is a must for any dedicated artifact hunter.

2. Bear Detector

The Bear Detector offers a more advanced and visually intuitive way to locate artifacts in Stalker 2. Unlike the HILKA Detector, which relies on numeric feedback, the Bear Detector features a circular dial with green light bars that fill up as you move closer to an artifact.

The green bars light up based on the artifact’s direction. For instance, if the left side of the dial begins to fill, the artifact is to your left. As you approach, more green bars illuminate around the circular dial, eventually filling the entire circle when you are right on top of the artifact. This makes the Bear Detector highly effective at guiding you visually to your artifact in Stalker 2.

One drawback of the Bear Detector is its shorter range compared to the HILKA Detector. However, its precise visual feedback makes it the most reliable tool for pinpointing artifact locations, earning it the reputation as the best detector in Stalker 2.

How to the Get Bear Detector

The earliest you can get the Bear Detector in Stalker 2 is when reaching the Noontider base. You get here by completing the Hot on the Trail main quest in Stalker 2. After that, Professor Lodchka will give you a side quest called A Sign of Hope, which requires you to climb to the top of the Noontiders’ base and switch off the antenna. Completing this quest will reward you with the Bear Detector.

During this side quest, you will encounter Zombie Noontider Kvashka. His brother, Khors, will ask you not to kill him, despite his mindless, zombified state. If you honor this request and report back to Professor Lodochka after completing the antenna task, Khors will reward you with extra Coupons.

If you prefer to skip the quest, you can purchase the Bear Detector from the Hawaiian vendor at Yaniv Station for 6,000 Coupons, or from WO Komisarov at the Cement Factory for 5,820 Coupons in Stalker 2.

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1. Veles Detector

The Veles Detector is the best scanner in Stalker 2 for artifact hunting, offering unmatched precision and ease of use. It features a small radar-like display that pulses and scans for nearby anomalies and artifacts. Anomalies are identified by icons: a thunder icon indicates an electric anomaly, while a flame icon signals a fire anomaly and such.

Artifacts, however, are always marked as red dots on the scanner. The Veles Detector’s pulsating radar provides a far more accurate artifact location than the Echo, Bear, or HILKA detectors, making it an invaluable tool for artifact hunters in Stalker 2.

If you have been putting off artifact hunting or skipping tasks for the Barkeep that involve finding artifacts, the Veles Detector is your key to making easy money. And if you have overlooked artifacts during your playthrough, now’s the time to start collecting them. These valuable items not only fetch high prices when sold to vendors but also provide buffs that make Stalker 2 more enjoyable and rewarding.

The only drawback to the Veles Detector is that it is not obtainable during the early or mid-game in Stalker 2. You will need to wait until the later stages to add this incredible scanner to your arsenal.

How to Get Veles Detector

You get the Veles Detector in Stalker 2 as a reward after completing the main quest called “In Search of Past Glory”. This is the 21st mission within 35 total main missions, so you get the picture of how long it will take to get the Veles Detector in the game.

After completing the mission, some vendors in the Zone will also begin selling the Veles Detector. If you happen to drop it due to being over-encumbered or selling it accidentally, you will still be able to repurchase it from various vendors. However, it is important to note that this option only becomes available once you have finished the “In Search of Past Glory” quest.

That is everything you need to know about the best detectors in Stalker 2 and how to get them. For more tips about the game, we recommend you check Wild Island Quiet Trader Location, How to Fix Hot on the Trail Bug, and How To Fix Bunker Not Opening Bug in Just Like the Good Old Days Mission in Stalker 2 guides.