During Behind Seven Seals, players will have the choice to shoot or knock Solder out in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Read on to learn if you should kill or knock out Solder during this main mission, as well as the consequences of either choice during the main story.

Shoot Solder or Knock Him Out Choice Results

Affects the Hornet's Nest Main Mission

Shooting or knocking out Solder is a timed choice that occurs during the main mission, Behind Seven Seals. Your choice affects the following main missions, later on: The Hornet's Nest and Through the valley of the shadow of death.

Shooting Solder Removes Him for Most of the Main Story

Shooting Solder during Behind Seven Seals will cause him not to appear in The Hornet's Nest. However, you can still encounter him later on if you decide to do the Spark Ending of STALKER 2. He can be found sitting beside a campfire alongside other NPCs you've killed (like Varan) during the main mission, Through the valley of the shadow of death.

Knocking Out Solder Has Him Help You During The Hornet's Nest

Knocking out Solder will have much better results since you'll meet the IPSF Technician once you return to the Sphere during the events of The Hornet's Nest. Save him from his Monolith attackers and he'll show Mr. Client the generator room that you can use to disable the psi-emitter inside the Sphere.

Psi-emitters are a game mechanic introduced during STALKER 2's main story. When you're within their vicinity, you'll start taking psi-radiation that causes your character to hallucinate - the equivalent of slow camera movement and phantoms that damage you over time. Disabling it during this mission makes the final fight to the emitter much easier.

Behind Seven Seals Walkthrough

Should You Shoot or Knock Solder Out?

Better to Knock Him Out

The fight at the end of The Hornet's Nest is made much easier with Solder's help, as he can help you disable the psi-emitter that causes you to hallucinate and take damage over time.

Helping him doesn't really affect your faction reputation negatively in any major way (since he's aligned with the IPSF), so the better option really is just to knock him out.

Consider just knocking him out, especially when playing at the max difficulty Veteran.

STALKER 2 Related Guides

List of All Choices

Choice Guides