You’ll want to find the best beginning gun you can early on in STALKER 2. You start the game with just a knife and a pistol, and you’ll want to increase your firepower if you hope to take down the hostile mutants and humans in the zone. Fortunately, there’s a rifle you can get early on that will carry you into the mid-game and beyond.
What’s the best beginning gun in STALKER 2?
You can get a great gun right at the beginning of STALKER 2 that remains useful for the rest of the game. The best beginning weapon you can get is Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S, which is a custom variant of the rifle that’s permanently equipped with a scope. Like the standard version of the gun, it’s chambered in the very common 5.45×39, which many human enemies drop throughout the game.
To get Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S, play up until you reach Zalissya. Once you get there, talk to Warlock and ask him if he has a decent job. He’ll respond by giving you the Warlock’s Debtor quest. Your objective is to track down Valik Lummox, a guy who owes Warlock (and others) some money.
Follow the quest marker out of Zalissya northwest until you spot a water tower. There, you’ll find a house with a group of bandits surrounding it. Speak to the head bandit, Dana Dope, and he’ll explain that he’s there to collect some money Valik owes him. He says he’s staying until you help him convince Valik to pay.
Head to the window opening and talk to Valik. He’ll tell you where his stash is: the top of the water tower. To get it, you’ll need to dodge the electrical anomalies, but that’s easy.
Inside the stash, you’ll find Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S. You can take the gun to the bandits and let them have it, but why bother? Use your new scoped rifle to eliminate the bandits from the safety of the water tower.
Once they’re dead, you can talk to Valik. He’ll try to give you a detector, which you already have. So, let him know you’re looking for something else. He’ll then allow you to keep his AKM-74S and agree to go pay Warlock back.
