Stalker 2 Detectors: All Five Models and How to Get Each

There are five artifact detectors in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl as of November 2026: the Echo, Hilka, Bear and Veles in the base game, and the Svarog added by the Cost of Hope expansion. The Veles is the best base-game detector because it shows an artifact's exact position and the anomalies around it, and the Bear is the strong early pick you can get for free from a side mission.

We checked this against Game8's detector list and individual detector guides, a PSNProfiles community platinum guide, the PSNProfiles trophy list and GSC Game World's update notes in November 2026.

How Detectors Work in the Zone

Artifacts in Heart of Chornobyl are hidden inside anomaly fields and usually invisible until you are close, so a detector is the tool that tells you one is nearby. Game8 describes detectors as warning you with a beeping sound or a visual indicator when an artifact is close, and some models also help you read the anomalies themselves.

The difference between models is how much they tell you. The early Echo only gives you sound, the Hilka adds a number, the Bear points you in a direction and the Veles puts the artifact on a radar screen. Upgrading your detector is one of the biggest quality-of-life jumps in the game, because artifact hunting with the Echo means walking in circles inside an anomaly field while listening for beeps.

Anomalies are the other half of the job. The Veles in particular draws nearby anomalies on its screen, which makes gravity fields and whirligigs much easier to cross. If you want a refresher on what each anomaly type does, our existing anomalies guide covers how to survive them.

All Five Detectors Compared

The table uses Game8's figures for weight and base value. Values are in coupons and reflect the item's listed worth, not what any particular trader will charge you.

Artifact detectors in Heart of Chornobyl and Cost of Hope

Detector	Display	Weight	Value	How to get it
Echo	Sound only	0.4 kg	2,000	There and Back Again (main mission)
Hilka	Distance number	0.6 kg	4,000	Budmo! stash or The Mysterious Case (side missions)
Bear	Direction lights	0.9 kg	6,000	A Sign of Hope (side mission)
Veles	Radar with exact position	0.9 kg	10,000	In Search of Past Glory (main mission)
Svarog	Prototype, stronger anomaly detection	Not listed	Not listed	Shadows of the Past (Cost of Hope)

All four base detectors are light enough that weight is not a concern, so the only real question is which one you have access to at your point in the story.

Echo and Hilka: The Early Detectors

You get the Echo almost immediately. Game8 says it can be looted during the first main mission, There and Back Again, from the body of Petro Yerokhin inside the mobile lab near the exit. Its in-game description is not flattering, calling it outdated with subpar usability and redeemed only by its modest price. It works purely by sound, and Game8 rates it the hardest of the four base models to use.

The Hilka is the next step, described in-game as a next-generation beginner detector with a longer detection range than the Echo. It shows a number that tells you how far away the artifact is. Game8 lists two ways to get it for free:

• Budmo!: during this side mission you place vodka in stashes for Panas. One stash is on a power transmission pylon east of the Slag Heap, reached by climbing logs to a nest. Taking the Hilka (or anything else) from his stashes turns Panas hostile, and he will try to kill you during the mission.
• The Mysterious Case: during the "Find the briefcase" objective, a Hilka sits on a table by a wall with yellow paint and white lettering above it. This is the cleaner option if you do not want to fight Panas.

Neither detector is worth spending coupons on if you can reach the Bear soon, but the Hilka is a real improvement for the hours before you do.

Bear: The Best Early Pick

The Bear is the detector most players should aim for first. Game8 calls it a close second to the Veles because of its easy-to-read display: a radial set of lights that acts as a compass and a proximity gauge. You follow the direction of the lights until they form a full circle, and the artifact is right there.

It is also easy to get. Professor Lodochka gives it to you after his side mission A Sign of Hope, which Game8 describes as happening early and being simple to finish. Game8's only complaint is that it struggles with elevation, so on multi-level sites or steep slopes you may need to check above and below you.

If you only make one detour for gear early in the game, make it this one. The Bear turns artifact hunting from guesswork into a short walk, and it holds up until the late game. Game8 recommends using it from the early game through the middle of the story, right up until the Veles becomes available.

Veles and Svarog: The Late Detectors

The Veles is the best detector in the base game. Game8 explains that its screen marks the exact location of an artifact relative to you with a red dot, and also shows the position of each anomaly in an anomalous field. That combination means you see both the prize and the hazards between you and it.

You get it free through the main story. Complete In Search of Past Glory, which Game8 lists as the 21st main mission, and bring the blueprint for the psi-radiation suppressor back to Doctorant Dvupalov. Game8 did note player reports of Dvupalov not handing over the Veles after the blueprint was delivered, a bug still open as of the early Update 1.1 era; if it happens to you, check for later patches before assuming you missed it.

The Svarog arrives with Cost of Hope. Game8 lists it as a late-stage prototype of a new-generation detector that is especially good at detecting anomalous formations, and says some of its technology was simplified for the serial Veles. You get it from the Erudite's body during the Shadows of the Past mission. Our Cost of Hope guide explains when that mission becomes available.

Using Your Detector to Farm Artifacts

A good detector is what makes the Miracle hoarder trophy possible, since it asks you to collect every artifact. The PSNProfiles community guide, written for version 1.7.1, says a Bear or Veles is needed if you want to farm quickly, and suggests a few reliable hunting grounds:

• Electric artifacts: the Electric Field in Garbage.
• Gravitational artifacts: the Death Truck in Cordon, next to the main road near the Outer Checkpoint.
• Fire artifacts: the Burning Fire Depot in the Cooling Towers.
• Acid artifacts: the Poisonous Hole in Garbage.

The same guide notes that artifact spawn rates change after the SIRCAA missions, with more rare finds and fewer common ones afterward, so keep a save from before SIRCAA if you still need common artifacts. It also reports that a prompt to examine the artifact appears when you pick up a new type, which is a handy way to tell whether you already have it. Our trophy guide covers Miracle hoarder and the other collection trophies in more detail, and the existing best artifacts guide explains which finds are worth keeping on your belt.

Your detector is not the only source, either. The community guide reports that the barkeepers in Rostok (the 100 Rads bar), Yaniv and Malachite sometimes sell artifacts, which can fill a gap when one type refuses to spawn in the field. It also observes that artifacts only appear once you come within roughly 100 meters of their spot, so approach a field slowly with your detector out rather than sprinting through it.

Artifacts can be radioactive, so pair your detector with protection. Since Update 1.7, the inventory shows an artifact radiation bar to help you balance what you carry, and exoskeletons with lead-container slots help a lot; see our exoskeleton guide for which suits have them. Some artifacts also sit behind keypads, such as the Battery in Dr. Dalin's safe and the Chocolate Bar in the Kurin safe, both listed in our safe and door codes.

Detectors Versus Binoculars

Update 2.0 added three binoculars, and it is easy to confuse their job with a detector's. Game8 lists them as the FOB-45 analog rangefinder, the Yastrub digital rangefinder and the Fighter digital rangefinder with an affiliation scanner. They help you scout and identify targets at distance, but they do not find artifacts. Keep your detector equipped in anomaly fields and switch to binoculars when you are planning a fight or a route.

Planning routes matters because the best anomaly fields are often far from a base. Our fast travel guide shows which guides and squad leaders can get you close, and console players can check our PS5 guide for the controller and map settings added in recent updates.

Skipping the Artifact Hunt

Farming every artifact type is one of the slowest jobs in the game. If you would rather have them ready, the store's fully upgraded gear save stocks anomaly artifacts along with consumables and medical items, and adds 99,999,999 coupons, every weapon and armor set stacked x9999, all ammo and crafting resources. It is delivered on a fresh early-game profile, so the campaign is untouched.

Keep in mind it is a PS5 and PC product (PS4 and Xbox are not supported) that requires your own copy of the game, and your carry weight does not change. The Stalker 2 hub lists the other services.

Frequently Asked Questions