The key to surviving in Stalker 2 is having high-quality gear, but finding perfect gear can be a real challenge. Thankfully, the Zone is replete with hidden and not-so-hidden objects players can exploit.
Here is a rundown of some of the top loot that players can get in the Lesser Zone before you exit. Although not all of them will be helpful right away, they will make the later main quests in Stalker 2 much easier to complete.
Your initial level of protection will be the Debut Suit. One can be obtained by delivering the Ward sensors to Captain Zotov after completing the Needle in a Haystack task. As an alternative, visit the Old Mill and inspect one of the houses to obtain a complimentary Debut Suit at the beginning of Stalker 2. The outfit rests atop a living room drawer.
In contrast with the default Leather Jacket, Debut Suit is much better in terms of protection from virtually all hazards. If you keep dying in fights, it is worth making a trip to the Old Mill to acquire one.
A gas mask is an important part of every newcomer Stalker equipment. Northwestish of Zalissya, on top of the backpack stash, you'll be able to find an Aurora Gas Mask. The cache in issue is located on the top floor of the square-shaped compound next to the northern checkpoint. From the front gate, turn right at the rear of the building and use the ladder leading up to the rooftop to find the gas mask and stockpile on the ledge.
In addition, in the Cowsheds, west of Zalissya, is a cache that holds an Optician Gas Mask. It's tucked away in a dark corner of one of the sheds. Less effective against elemental hazards, this mask is nevertheless significantly better at ballistic protection than the Aurora.
After the Debut Suit, the Explorer Suit is one rank higher. This suit lies in the passages underneath the Dome. This region will be available to you once you've passed Solder in the Behind Seven Seals quest. Go through the tunnels, defeating some coming opponents, right after your fight with him. This suit sits on a table in the dark nook.
By the time you've upgraded the Explorer suit in every possible way, it outclasses the Debut Suit in almost every regard. Later on, of course, you'll find superior suits, so it won't stand out particularly.
Head to the water tower north of Zalissya in Stalker 2, and climb up to reach the AKM74-S belonging to Valik Lummox. This is a decently maintained scoped AK, one of the more reliable firearms you can come across relatively early in the game. Acquire this rifle along with other loot by visiting Warden at the Zalissya Bar. Subsequently, undertake his Warden's Debtor quest, wherein you'll be asked to save Valik Lummox from a bind.
By the end of the prologue in Stalker 2, Skif has been attacked and robbed by some unknown enemies. He has lost all the cool equipment and useful supplies he had in the lesson and is left only with his trusty knife and pistol. In the tutorial, you will come across a safe where you can deposit some of the weapons and equipment you gain. Head back to the cache and gather everything once you wake up.
Doing this will delete the AKM74-S and AR416 from the tutorial, but the AKM-74u carbines from the military dudes in the prologue will still be there.
If you don't want to mess around with the bandit drops that are in terrible condition, you can find a full-durability Boomstick inside the windmill at the Old Mill POI. Shotguns are your primary weapon against mutants. On the stairs, you'll find a boomstick attached to a trap. Take the shotgun and deactivate the trap. This shotgun should deal the same amount of damage as any other in the game, thanks to its fully charged damage stat. Unfortunately, it has a short range and can only handle two shells simultaneously.
Here, chance plays a significant role. You should return it to Zalyssia's technician if you come across one of these pump-action shotguns; there's a slim possibility that bandits may be in possession of one. When facing off against mutants in Stalker 2, such as Poltergeists and Bloodsuckers, the Cracker will prove to be an invaluable weapon, surpassing even the break-action shotguns found in the Lesser Zone. And repairing it shouldn't be all that expensive, and you will feel happy afterward.
This may well be the reward for the completion of the side quest "The Poppy Field" in Zalissya, given by Mityay. Once in the poppy field, speak with Pomor, a Stalker, in one of the houses. If you would fetch him some ammunition and weaponry from the field, he will tell you the location of the sacred image of Mityay. Alternatively: he asks for the icon instead of a weapon. To activate the weapon, give the icon to Pomor.
This AR416 is an improved version with a foregrip to reduce recoil, among other features that are default. Repairing it, on the other hand, costs you fourteen to eighteen thousand coupons, and durability will be abysmal. Earning money in early Stalker 2 gameplay is quite challenging, but things would become easier after you finally pass the Lesser Zone.
To find an SVD, head to the depot located just to the right of the checkpoint north of. There's a large warehouse just east of the closed off checkpoint gate. A bandit named Leshy is perched up on the catwalk, and the building is full of booby traps. Kill Leshy and disable the traps to pilfer his gun.
Repairing Leshy's SVD is costly in Coupons due to his terrible condition. As this weapon is intended for use with distance, you can still serve well for yourself; the enemy doesn't have any idea from where the shot came from after all, so you don't need to worry about possible jamming. But as soon as the first bullet misses, further bullets will require more challenge to shoot.
Now that you know Best Weapons and Armor to Start in Stalker 2, apply them to start this well equipped game.