STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl finally arrived for both PC and Xbox Series X | S owners, living up to the many promises delivered during development. Having released day one on Game , many more players are jumping into the hauntingly beautiful world of STALKER for the very first time. For new players overcoming the dangers of the treacherous and supernatural Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, they'll have to take advantage of all the best gear they can get their hands on to succeed.

Benefiting from the entirely reworked weapon system, players will have an even wider array of new weapons and attachment variations to experiment with in STALKER 2. Upgrading and repairing weapons as time goes on is also an essential part of the STALKER 2 experience, preventing weapon jams during tense life-or-death combat encounters. Luckily for players, they won't have to go scrounging around to find their first powerful weapon, as one of the best guns in STALKER 2 is available right from the start.

Skif's Pistol Is Incredibly Underrated

One Of The Most Useful Weapons In STALKER 2

Immediately after launching STALKER 2 for the first time, players will be paired with Skif's trusty sidearm during the introduction sequence, which is especially handy when it comes to dispatching the first group of enemies encountered. This pistol does as much and often times more damage than most guns found in STALKER 2's world, making it an incredibly powerful weapon that will last players well into the game. One of the main benefits to this powerful sidearm is that it has 0 carry weight in the player's inventory aside from attachments or ammo, which is incredibly handy during the early game when Skif's carrying capacity is at its lowest.

Skif's pistol can't be accidentally dropped or sold at any point in the game, meaning players will always have a way to defend themselves as long as they have ammunition.

While it may seem thrilling to have access to such a powerful weapon right out of the gate in STALKER 2, it can make finding new weapons somewhat underwhelming in comparison. With the starting pistol being so powerful already, it also discourages players from experimenting with new weapons or using their valuable resources to upgrade them, especially when it comes to the other sidearms available throughout STALKER 2.

Given that Skif's pistol is also free to repair, it's hard not to rely on the dependable sidearm when normal weapons cost beginner players a fortune to keep maintained.

The Hidden Talents Of Skif's Powerful Sidearm

Making This Player's Reliable Sidearm Even More Versatile Than Offer

Aside from its surprising power for such an unassumingly small weapon, Skif's pistol is also incredibly easy to upgrade, with players being able to find its suppressor attachment early on in the STALKER 2 experience. One of the first compatible suppressors can even be found just north of the starting Lesser Zone, likely being the first one that players will have for a while.

Due to Skif's pistol technically being a quest item and used throughout STALKER 2's various cutscenes, it's immune to the telekinetic effects of the Burer mutants.

With stealth being one of the best ways to survive against the overwhelming firepower of certain hostile factions, suppressed weapons are an incredibly valuable tool in the Exclusion Zone due to their ability to quietly take down enemies with a single shot.

On top of its versatility, due to Skif's pistol technically being a quest item and used throughout STALKER 2's various cutscenes, it's immune to the telekinetic effects of the Burer mutants. Normally, these powerful monsters will yank players' weapons right out of their hands while blasting them with powerful waves of psychic damage. Thanks to Skif's strong grip on the starting pistol, Burers are much easier to dispatch when players don't have to worry about picking up and re-equipping weapons in the heat of combat.

Which Pistols Are Worth Upgrading In STALKER 2

Not Every Weapon Is Worth The Resources

When it comes to reliable investments, Skif's starting pistol will take players the farthest, but it still has its limitations on how much it can be upgraded or modified. Unfortunately, for players tired of the simple design and basic yet powerful performance, most other pistols in STALKER 2 such as the UPD or Gambit simply don't hold up in comparison and aren't worth the investment.

Despite these disappointments, there's one pistol that manages to not only stack up to Skif's alarmingly powerful sidearm, but even sures it. The Rhino is a hunting revolver that players can find further into STALKER 2's world, being well known across the exclusion zone for its incredibly high damage, penetration, and pinpoint accuracy.

Despite being much heavier with a more limited ammo capacity, The Rhino's raw firepower more than makes up for these shortcomings, being able to stop just about any enemy in their tracks. While the Rhino's upgrades and ammo are more expensive than the other options in STALKER 2, it's a great alternative for players tired of relying on the same sidearm throughout the game's story, especially when paired with the Buckshot Blueprint update that transforms it into a versatile mini-shotgun.