Stalker 2 Armor Tier List & Guide to Find Each

In Stalker 2: The Zone, survival is a constant battle against lethal anomalies, hostile human factions, and the unforgiving environment. To make it through, your choice of armor plays a pivotal role in how well you can endure these dangers. With so many different suits available, it’s crucial to understand which ones provide the best protection and which ones might get you killed faster. In this guide, we’ll walk you through every armor in Stalker 2, ranked according to their effectiveness in helping you survive The Zone’s many threats.

Stalker 2 Armor Tier List Overview

Armor suits in Stalker 2 are ranked into four categories: S-tier, A-tier, B-tier, and C-tier. These rankings are based on the overall protection provided by each suit, including physical defense, radiation resistance, electrical protection, chemical protection, and PSI defense. The higher the tier, the better the armor will perform under the dangerous conditions of The Zone.

• S-Tier: The best of the best, providing optimal protection across all categories.
• A-Tier: Very good armor, offering strong protection but with a few trade-offs.
• B-Tier: Solid options that can perform well in certain situations, but not ideal for long-term survival.
• C-Tier: Best avoided unless you’re drawn to them for specific reasons.

S-Tier Armor Suits

These armors provide exceptional protection, ensuring your survival in even the most hostile environments. If you’re aiming to tackle the most dangerous parts of The Zone, these suits are your best bet.

Liberty Exoskeleton

• Guide: Pripyat, second floor of a bookstore.
• Stats: Excellent physical, chemical, and radiation protection, with five artifact slots for added bonuses.
• Why it’s great: The Liberty Exoskeleton offers near-perfect physical protection, making it the top choice for any Stalker 2 player who wants to survive the most brutal parts of the game.

X7 Suit

• Guide: Complete the Down Below mission.
• Stats: Specializes in radiation protection, with solid overall stats.
• Why it’s great: The X7 Suit effectively negates radiation, which is crucial when dealing with the irradiated areas of The Zone. It’s a solid choice for those heading into dangerous labs or missions.

A-Tier Armor Suits

These suits offer excellent protection, though they may come with some trade-offs in terms of weight or other factors. If you can handle a bit of extra bulk or other minor inconveniences, these are strong options.

Brummbar Exoskeleton

• Guide: During the Ghost Train mission or at the Duty faction HQ.
• Stats: Great physical protection but a heavy suit, reducing backpack space.
• Why it’s great: The Brummbar Exoskeleton is perfect for taking on tough fights, offering excellent physical protection, though it can slow you down due to its weight.

Cuirass Exoskeleton

• Guide: Cooling Towers, SKD Assembly Unit.
• Stats: Outstanding overall survivability but comes with a heavy weight penalty.
• Why it’s great: The Cuirass Exoskeleton is a true tank, ideal for players who need maximum protection at the cost of carrying capacity.

Diamond Exoskeleton

• Guide: Yantiv Station during the Boundary mission.
• Stats: Balanced protection across all categories, particularly strong in physical and radiation defense.
• Why it’s great: The Diamond Exoskeleton provides solid overall protection, making it a great all-around choice for any Stalker 2 player.

Operator Exoskeleton

• Guide: Fluoridation Station, second floor.
• Stats: Excellent physical protection but weak against PSI attacks.
• Why it’s great: Ideal for combat-heavy situations, the Operator Exoskeleton excels at keeping you safe in firefights but suffers in PSI defense.

Ruby Exosuit

• Guide: Enerhetyk Palace in Pripyat.
• Stats: Strong protection against radiation and physical damage, with good overall stats.
• Why it’s great: The Ruby Exosuit provides good protection without being too cumbersome, making it a reliable choice for players looking to balance mobility and survivability.

B-Tier Armor Suits

While not top-tier, these suits can still be useful in certain situations or early-game scenarios. They offer some decent protection but may lack in specific areas.

Exoskeleton

• Guide: Cordon in the northwest, during Legends of the Zone.
• Stats: Decent protection, but nothing extraordinary.
• Why it’s good: A good starting option with solid protection for general exploration and combat, but it lacks the power of higher-tier suits.

PSZ-12V Bulat

• Guide: Behind a locked door in the Chemical Plant’s army warehouse.
• Stats: A good balance between physical protection and artifact slots.
• Why it’s good: While not as strong as higher-tier exoskeletons, the Bulat suit offers a solid mid-tier option with room for improvement as you advance.

PSZ-20W Convoy Suit

• Guide: Underneath a building in Zalissya, Road to Salvation.
• Stats: Weak overall protection but decent for specific scenarios.
• Why it’s good: This suit offers a mix of modest protection and artifact slots, making it useful for short missions or less hazardous zones.

C-Tier Armor Suits

These suits offer minimal protection and are best avoided unless you are desperate or specifically want to challenge yourself. They are typically only useful in early-game stages or for specific playstyles.

Debut Suit

• Stats: Extremely low protection across all categories.
• Why it’s bad: The Debut Suit is essentially a starter kit with almost no defensive capabilities. Avoid this unless you’re trying to make the game harder for yourself.

Mercenary Suit

• Stats: Good against corrosive weapons, but poor overall.
• Why it’s bad: The Mercenary Suit excels in niche scenarios but fails in most other situations, particularly when dealing with standard physical or radiation damage.

OZK Explorer’s Suit

• Stats: Focuses on chemical and electrical protection, but terrible in radiation defense.
• Why it’s bad: The OZK Explorer’s Suit is great for specific environmental hazards but leaves you vulnerable in most other areas.

PSZ-5I Hawk

• Stats: A decent early-game choice with weak PSI protection.
• Why it’s bad: The Hawk is a temporary solution for dealing with radiation and physical damage but is outclassed by higher-tier armor as the game progresses.

Choosing the right armor in Stalker 2: The Zone is essential for survival. From the top-tier Liberty Exoskeleton and X7 Suit, which provide unmatched protection, to the lower-tier suits like the Debut and Mercenary Suits, which should be avoided for long-term survival, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each suit is key.

Whether you’re navigating irradiated zones, facing off against hostile factions, or battling dangerous anomalies, your armor will be one of your most important allies in The Zone. Select wisely, and may your journey through the wasteland be a successful one!