Tarkov can be a fickle mistress. Here are some things that can help you out early. Here are some generic tips…
- The most important things you can do in this game is LEARN THE MAPS. You should have that shit up on a second monitor all the time. Learn the spawn and extract locations. Know those things first and foremost by heart and you will find yourself surviving a lot more often.
- Going along with this. Draw an invisible line from player spawns to places you expect players to go. Expect other players to do the same. Some will come check your spawn!
- Over time you will learn where and how to move on the maps to survive.
- Don't get discouraged by dying. Everyone dies, this is Tarkov. Even great players are sitting around 30-40% survival rate. That means they die is 2 out of every 3 raids.
- Instead worry about making your raid productive. Who cares if you die if you killed 5 scavs? That XP in the bank to level your broke ass up. That is progress on a quest.
- Upgrade your Hideout; med station, water, and food as soon as possible. It makes the out of raid stuff 10x less stressful.
Movement tips…
- Pay attention to your stamina. This is often overlooked. I find turning on the HUD permanently helps me keep track of my status and not let it go by the wayside. If you have no stamina and enter a fight you are at a massive disadvantage.
- Sprinting is LOUD AS FUCK. Try to only do that if you NEED to. Like for crossing out in the open or getting behind something if you are shot at.
- Crouch walking is slow as fuck and keeps you from reacting fast. I find the most success is balancing how loud I am moving with how I perceive the enemy to hear me.
- Do not walk into bushes or trees, they make a loud as fuck sound as you brush past.
- Walking on wood (including tree roots) is loud as fuck. Walk around them if you can help it.
Combat tips…
- Using the right ammo and shooting the right spot is the most important thing you can do to kill someone (duh). What I mean is a lot of games teach you to aim for the head or center mass. This game you need to add another layer of logic on top of that. as a general rule…
- Grenades are super lethal. Always check grenade boxes as a SCAV.
- Learn the aimpoints on guns you like. Learn the sighting range, learn how to adjust it for precise long range shots.
- For example, the spread from a MP-153 shotgun hits just above the front post so you have to aim at someones jaws/neck to hit all pellets on the head.
Helpful early looting…
- 2 Duct Tape trades to therapist LL1 for a CAR medkit
- 2 Matches trades to therapist LL1 for painkillers
- A PACA can save your life against regular SCAVs, can trade with ragdouche for 3 masks
- Use your fucking SCAV whenever it if off cooldown, watch some youtube videos to learn looting spots on maps
- You need to learn maps to effectively SCAV
- Loot the higher value per slot items you can, it might be tempting to snag a gun or two and fill your pack with those but something a simple as a 1 slot tall Tushonka is like 90k right now on the flea market
That being said keep an eye out for these items. Stuff them in your butt as a PMC if you have to. Pick this stuff up over anything else.
- Keys, don't know how valuable it is? Who cares right now, into your butt it goes. Find out later! Most you need for a quest so make sure to wiki them after you've secured them.
- Wires, in computers, pretty hot right now
- Tushonka (tall ones) worth a ton
- Tushonka (small) are a quest item you need 15!
- Set of Tools are worth a bunch and you need 2 for mechanic quest
- Weapon attachments, especially those that reduce recoil or have high ergonomics values are usually worth a lot
- Silencers almost always sell for more than 30k
- Instant butt items like; rollers, bitcoins, skull rings, GP, graphics cards, flash drives, fuel conditioners, relays
Selling to traders…
- You will need to level up traders with buying and selling (both apply to their $ value for leveling)
- You can always take the loss and buy/sell back from the same trader repeatedly to level them up quicker
- Don't feel bad about selling high value items to the traders, especially therapist since she doesn't buy much
If you can run with a buddy PLEASE do that. It makes quests like Delivery from the Past 10x easier.