Unlocking Backpacks in Stalcraft: Your Essential Guide

Stalcraft: X immerses you in a post-apocalyptic setting where challenges are unending, and survival is key. In this world, backpacks are vital tools for carrying everything you need to navigate safely—or to take down enemies who stand in your way.

Navigating the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is no simple feat, and creating the right backpack to fit your needs is crucial. There are several tips and tricks that can help you maximize your inventory space and carry only what’s essential. Some backpacks even offer special bonuses!

How to Obtain a Backpack

After selecting your faction and completing a few quests, you will gain access to a safe zone filled with various NPCs (as well as real players). You’ll need to find the NPC who trades gear within your faction’s base. Once you gather essential materials like fabric and metal parts, you can discover backpacks categorized into ranks: Picklock, Newbie, and Stalker.

As you advance in the game, you will unlock better-tiered backpacks. The game menu provides details about what’s available once you engage with the trader. Below is a summary of some noteworthy backpacks you might want to consider before making your choice. While many enhance your carrying capacity, some also give minor stat boosts.

If you’re going on an artifact run, pick a backpack that offers both capacity and anomaly resistance. Also remember that managing your inventory is just as important, if not more so, than simply having a larger backpack. Always prioritize essential items like medkits, bandages, and any protective gear for radiation or anomalies.

If you’re in the process of acquiring a new backpack and find yourself struggling to store your items safely, consider utilizing stashes in nearby locations. This allows you to keep items that aren’t immediately needed, like rare materials or extra consumables, stored away until you can upgrade to a bigger backpack.

How to Use a Backpack

After crafting your backpack, equip it by dragging it from your inventory into the Bags and Container slot. Remember, armor compatibility is crucial when selecting a backpack. Check your armor description to see which types of backpacks or containers you can use.

Keep in mind that not all armor designs will be compatible with every backpack. There’s no rush; you can always return to craft a backpack later. Besides backpacks, you can also use items called containers to increase your capacity.

While containers enhance your inventory space, they might reduce your mobility and protect against specific artifacts or negative effects. In contrast, backpacks typically do not offer such protection. Choosing between them often depends on your unique needs and style of play. Bonuses can include stamina regeneration, radiation or anomaly resistance, artifact capacity, and protection against environmental hazards.

Tips for Managing Backpack Space

If you’re gaming with others, think about splitting your loot if it looks like your backpack will fill up before you can gather better items on a quest. Every half hour or so, it’s helpful to conduct an inventory check to see what you’re carrying. You might be carrying items that can be discarded, traded, or sold.

On that note, if you have an artifact, consider using a container that shields you from its negative impacts. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of the artifact without the downsides. You might need to trade some inventory space for this, but it’s often worth it.

Lastly, ensure that you are upgrading your backpacks along the way, especially those that align with your long-term goals. High-tier backpacks will typically require rare materials. Since some backpacks are linked to specific factions, check for extra bonuses and rewards that match your gameplay preferences.