Many pivotal decisions in kill one character or another. Individually, these moments don't all have a major impact on the story. Many just affect the missions they're contained within; some add extra objectives, or alter the nature of the quests that come after them, but most of these are limited to short-term impact.
That said, the player's actions do have a combined effect over time. They affect STALKER 2's faction reputation system, and in time, may even contribute to which ending the player gets. That means no decision can be taken lightly. That goes as much for Nimble's fate during the main mission "In Search of a Guide" as it does for which faction the player ultimately sides with. Here's how to navigate this major Nimble decision in STALKER 2.
What Happens If You Kill Nimble?
Pros & Cons Of Killing Nimble
You'll need to find Nimble during the main quest "In Search of a Guide," when Richter points you towards him. This quest begins automatically after "Like a Moth to a Moth to the Flame," and is all about locating the clandestine Clear Sky stronghold where Faust is being kept under wraps. Richter sends Skif to Trapper, who in turn points him towards Snork Cave, where he'll find Nimble. Snork Cave is located just northeast of the border between the Zaton region and the Swamp region of STALKER 2's map. It's also just southeast of the Ranger Station POI.
STALKER 2: Heart Of Chornobyl - More Than Another Cult Classic
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an ambitious and engrossing open-world immersive sim, putting you in the Zone, an unnerving and unfathomable place.
From there, players should be able to find Nimble without issue. The path through the cave is linear, and very brief; it transitions into a cutscene before long. Longtime STALKER fans may recognize Nimble, as he's a recurring character who debuted in the very first STALKER game. A well-connected black market merchant, Nimble arguably knows the ins and outs of the Zone, and he's an excellent source of information.
After Skif and Nimble survive a mutant attack together, Skif will recognize him too: Nimble helped Faust steal his scanner at the Old Bridge. In a cutscene, Nimble attacks Skif, but Skif gets the upper hand and throws him, unarmed, to the ground. Nimble gets a brief chance to explain himself, after which Skif has two dialogue options. Choosing "That's no excuse" will cause Skif to start a fight with Nimble.
Although Nimble does fight back during this sequence, it's hardly a challenge. He's at too great a disadvantage to pose a threat.
Afterward, Skif can loot Nimble to find Professor Kalancha's Map, which will point him towards Clear Sky. Other than that, though, Nimble's loot is pretty poor. He'll have a handful of random consumables like ammo and Medkits, along with a PDA that'll give Skif a little lore background. Still, there's nothing on this PDA that players can't get by keeping Nimble alive. Nimble's gun will also be available, but don't expect any incredible unique weapons from this legendary Stalker.
Nimble doesn't appear to come back later in the story in any way, shape, or form, so there's no plot-related harm in killing him here. Nor is he associated with any particular faction, so this choice doesn't affect Skif's reputation or the game's ending. The mission will be completed regardless, and there won't be any major differences in the following one. All the player stands to gain (or lose) by killing Nimble is a little bit of loot.
What Happens If You Spare Nimble?
Pros & Cons Of Letting Nimble Live
If the player decides to spare Nimble instead, Nimble will instead give them the information they need to find Clear Sky verbally. He'll also give them a little extra background on Faust and the base where he's being held, more than they'd normally find on his PDA. Most importantly, though, Nimble will hand over 2,699 extra coupons. This is a pretty significant amount of money at this point in the game, and is well worth sparing Nimble in and of itself.
Otherwise, choosing to spare Nimble has as little impact on the rest of the game as killing him. There's no change to faction reputation, mission objectives, story, or ending. He doesn't seem to come back later in the story if kept alive, so don't expect him to return the favor later. Also worth noting is that Nimble still drops his gun if Skif spares him, so there's no missing out on that particular piece of loot, for what it's worth.
You Should Spare Nimble
Easy Money
Ultimately, choosing to spare Nimble results in the best outcome. Neither option has a long-term impact on faction reputation, story outcome, or ending, nor do they affect anything about the quest objectives that immediately follow. There's a chance he reappears later in some minor role during an obscure side quest, but whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be pivotal enough to the story to make a case for sparing Nimble.
One Of STALKER 2’s Most Important Features Isn’t Worth Using
STALKER 2's most important feature, weapon repairs, comes with a hefty price tag and isn't worth using yet. That could change in the future, though.
What the Nimble choice does affect, though, is the player's wallet. That extra 2,699 coupons can do a lot of good at this point, especially with the constant need to repair and upgrade weapons, which always seem to be on the brink of ruin. So, for that reason alone, it's best to keep Nimble alive, if only for the extra cash.
But at the end of the day, there's no wrong decision here. Nimble isn't an enormously important character in the grand scheme of things. The extra money and info that players can gain by sparing him are nice, but ultimately unnecessary. So players can resolve "In Search of a Guide" and seal Nimble's fate in whatever way makes the most sense for their STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl playthroughs.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Released
- 2024
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Publisher(s)
- GSC Game World
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
