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Most of the Artifacts you’ll come across inS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobylare formed inside Anomaly Fields and can only be extracted using a Scanner. Altered Items are a bit different in that they only show up near Arch Anomalies and don’t react to Scanners. There are only a handful of these items available in the game and each one is unique in its own way.
All Journalist Stash Locations in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Where to find all 12 Journalist Stashes and what you get from them.
TheWeird Ballis one of the first Altered Items you may encounter while exploring The Zone. This mundane-looking rubber ball has some very interesting proprieties that make it indispensable when fighting human opponents. Keep reading to find out how to get your hands on the Weird Ball.
How to Get the Weird Ball in Stalker 2
The Weird Ball can be found near the Bulba Anomalous Area in the Lesser Zone. Bulba is locatedsoutheast of Zalyssiain the middle of a small lake. Players are required to visit the Anomaly duringNightingale’s Hunt, so if you haven’t already picked up the quest, now would be the perfect time to do so. You’ll find Nightingale hanging around outside the bar in Zalyssia.
Bulba is a massive Gravitational Anomaly that bends space around it and pulls everything in the vicinity toward its center. Bulba’s pull is strong enough to kill the player almost immediately, but luckily, you may hide behind objects to shield yourself from its effects. The Weird Ball can be found right underneath the Anomaly, so you’ll need to make good use of cover if you hope to get close enough to get it.
Bulba’s pull isn’t continuous. Rather, the Anomaly acts like a living organism that inhales and exhales at regular intervals, with brief moments of respite in between breaths. To avoid a swift and painful death, you shouldmove from cover to cover only when the Anomaly is static. You won’t be able to reach the center in one go, so take your time. Once you get close to the center, grab the Weird Ball and get back behind cover as fast as you can. It’s important to note that taking the Artifact or even equipping it will not have any effect on the Anomaly. You’ll need to be just as careful when you’re leaving the area as you were when you entered it.
Drop any excess weight before approaching the Anomalous Area. Speed is essential, so don’t go in over-encumbered.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – How to Get the ‘Compass’ Legendary Artifact
The Compass provides maximum Physical resistance, but also emits a ton of Radiation.
Weird Ball Proprieties
You’ll immediately notice that the Weird Ball isn’t like other Artifacts. Instead of granting protection against environmental hazards, increased carry weight, or other standard buffs,the Weird Ball soaks up bullets. Literally. Whenever you get into a gun fight, the item will absorb some of the damage and can potentially save your life in some situations. Unlike armor, theWeird Ball doesn’t take durability damage, so there’s noneed to worry about repairs. In addition, the item doesn’t emit Radiation and is perfectly safe to wear regardless of your equipment.
The drawback of the Weird Ball is thatit increases in weight every time it soaks up damage. Normally, the item only weighs 0.5 kg, but it can quickly get as heavy as 5 kg during intense fights. Once it reaches the maximum weight, the Weird Ball will stop absorbing damage. Over time, the item will gradually go back to its original weight and its ability to soak up bullets will return as well. In spite of this drawback, the Weird Ball is arguably one of the most useful defensive items in Stalker 2.
The Weird Ball only absorbs damage from bullets. Any other form of damage, Physical or otherwise, will not be mitigated by this Altered Item.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a sequel to the award-winning game franchise developed by GSC Game World. Experience one-of-a-kind gameplay, featuring the elements of a first-person shooter, immersive sim, and horror. The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone is a unique, dangerous and ever-changing environment. It promises a lot — the artifacts of unbelievable value can be yours if you dare to claim them. The price you may pay, on the other hand, is no less than your own life. One of the biggest open-worlds to date, filled with radiation, mutants and anomalies, is yours to explore. All the choices across the way not only define your own epic story, but influence the future itself. Be mindful about what you see, do and plan, as you will have to find your way through the Zone or be forever lost to it.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl - 10 Tips And Tricks We Wish We Knew Sooner
Some of these tricks will greatly increase your chances of surviving in The Zone.
