After Stalcraft’s rather short tutorial ends, you are immediately given a choice between two factions: Stalkers or Bandits. Both look pretty cool given the look of their armor, and their creed might speak to you in some way. Naturally, you start to question what everyone wants to know: which is the better faction? Is there some gameplay mechanic unique to both? You’ll get those answers and more as we rank the best factions in Stalcraft, from worst to best.
2. Stalkers
In Stalcraft, the Stalkers motto is cut and dry: Find artifacts, be respectful and honorable to your faction, and kill bandits. You’ll be taking your marching orders from Ataman, leader of the faction. The Stalkers are the quintessential “good guys,” so if that’s what you wish to roleplay as, you’ll fit right in.
To be honest, the Stalkers offer very little other than roleplay value, in addition to seeing the main story through the lens of the Stalkers. Progression isn’t any different from the enemy faction, the Bandits. Even the armor is comparable to the Bandits in looks and stats.
With that said, you might find value in base positioning. Ataman’s HQ, the main Stalkers base, is positioned close to the Garages. It’s a good place for Stalkers to trade, but Bandits will have to pass through Cordon to reach the Dump, meaning you can use the other side of Cordon to mow down Bandits zoning in.
1. Bandits
The Bandits are a bloodthirsty bunch who choose to be selfish and hoard loot. Bandits are in the Zone to take advantage of its riches even if it means shooting someone else in the back, just as bandits do. Still, Saint is the leader of the Bandits, so at least one person will keep you in line. If you wanted to play the “bad guys,” the Bandits are it.
Unlike the Stalkers, the Bandits in Stalcraft do offer some very minor benefits aside from the sole purpose of being evil. You, as a bandit, can reach popular loot locations such as the Dump, Fool’s Path, and end-game farming in the north or just some simple aluminum cable farming near Agroprom.
In some servers, but not all, Bandits also tend to have more players than Stalkers, making PVP much smoother. With that kind of map control, Bandits have a marginally easier progression route since fellow Bandits are frequently in reach and can protect one another.
Can You Switch Factions?
You cannot change your original faction, but you are allowed to switch your clan—Duty and Freedom for Stalkers, Mercenaries and Covenant for Bandits. It’s a hefty sum of 200,000 Rubles just to drop them and join the other side, but that’s potatoes to the lost progression of your reputation with said clan.
Outside of switching clans for the sake of a friend, the only other reason to change sides is for bonuses. These buffs can come in the form of extra sources during extract, better fence prices, even extra resources from daily quests; however, the bonuses are tied to server balance, meaning the buffs may diminish over time the more players join the same clan in Stalcraft.
At the end of the day, the best factions in Stalcraft is whatever you want to be. Better yet, choose the faction that your friends are on. In fact, you can have multiple characters on either side. So, how about Bandits when soloing and Stalkers when you’re with friends? Let us know which faction you choose and don’t be afraid to check out other guides on Stalcraft using the links below.
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