In the world of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, being short on ammunition as a first-person shooter player can significantly hamper your ability to engage in combat. The game’s economy is structured in a way that often makes it wiser to invest your hard-earned resources into upgrades, medical supplies, and repairs rather than purchasing more ammunition. Therefore, understanding efficient methods to acquire extra ammo is critical, particularly on more challenging difficulty settings.
Fortunately, gathering a substantial amount of ammunition is quite achievable, even if the quality may vary. While there are no shortcuts for obtaining top-tier ammunition, the game does offer plenty of opportunities. There is an abundance of enemies ready to drop their bullets, and several effective strategies exist for collecting the ammo necessary to advance through the game.
Purchasing Ammunition
A straightforward method to stockpile ammunition is to visit settlements and buy it. Every weapons merchant in Stalker 2 stocks various types of ammunition, and the more perilous locations tend to offer a superior selection of ammo.
However, remember that purchasing ammo might not be the most economical use of your funds. It’s best to prioritize repairs and upgrades for your weapons and armor. Yet, after a taxing expedition in the Zone where your resources have run dry, buying ammunition may be your only option to bolster your firepower.
The upside of buying ammo is that you’re likely to do so after a long trek, giving you the chance to unload your loot for cash. Returning to safety, selling off your spoils, and coming out with additional funds feels incredibly satisfying.
Looting Enemies
Another effective way to gather ammo is by looting defeated enemies. Early-game foes may not carry the best ammo, but they are plentiful, ensuring you can scavenge several rounds each time you take one down. Moreover, you can unload the magazines from their weapons, either through the inventory menu or by interacting directly with the weapon on the ground.
Here’s a useful tip: after eliminating a human enemy, grab their weapon before searching them for loot. In the inventory screen, check the weapon for a shield icon—if it’s yellow, it can be sold; if red, it cannot. You can empty any ammo from sellable weapons and, provided you have room, keep them for future sale.
Finding Loose Ammo and Crates
Exploring enemy bases is another way to find ammunition, though this method can be time-consuming. Look out for warehouses, derelict buildings, and other structures that may not be part of the main quest lines. Always keep an eye out for ammo crates, which are marked with a yellow bullet symbol on top. You can break these boxes open by either shooting them or, preferably, using your knife, which may yield varying qualities of ammunition.
These locations often contain extra loot, such as food and miscellaneous supplies, so be diligent in searching every room. Clearing side encampments can surprise you with the extra ammunition you collect.
Searching for Stashes
Throughout the game, you’ll find various optional loot stashes within the Zone—some may respawn or be assigned randomly. Most stashes hold several rounds of ammo specific to the weapons found in that area; if you’re running low, even the basic stuff will help.
Special stashes tied to optional quests or located via PDAs often reward you with better ammunition and sometimes even weapons. Even if you choose to sell these stash contents, you’re one step closer to acquiring high-quality ammo.
Conserving Your Ammo
One of the simplest ways to ensure you always have ammunition is to minimize your usage. When combat is unavoidable, strive to use the least amount necessary. Practically speaking, this means keeping your weapons in single-shot mode to maintain accuracy and conserve bullets, especially against mutants that pose more significant threats.
By sticking to your preferred sidearm and saving your primary weapons for tougher encounters with heavily armored foes or tougher mutants, you can manage your ammo more effectively. It’s also wise to have a powerful single-shot weapon on hand for mutant encounters, ideally a shotgun.
While there will always be scenarios requiring you to unload your weapon in a rush, such as against a Controller, having a solid supply of ammunition for your equipped weapons is crucial for survival in the Zone.
