Should You Kill Varan?

Killing Varan is one of three choices during the Deal with the Devil main mission of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Read on to learn if you should kill Varan and the consequences and results of each choice during the mission.

Kill Varan Choice Results

Affects What Happens After Meeting Nestor's Attacker

Choices	Results
[Attack] Or I could kill you?	Varan and his men become hostile but you don't have to pay or do additional tasks for him.
Any other options?	Triggers the main mission, King of the Hill where Varan tells you to kill Shah or Roosevelt (or both) before he allows you to meet Nestor's attacker. Varan betrays you after you examine the attacker's body.
[20000] Here's your money.	You gain access to the room holding Nestor and his attacker. You lose 20000 Coupons and Varan still betrays you after examining the attacker's body.

This choice during the main mission, Deal with the Devil, affects what happens after you meet Nestor's attacker and get the Unusual PDA. If you choose "Any other options" or "Pay 20000 Coupons", Varan will end up betraying you after you meet Nestor's attacker. The latter also has you lose out on 20000 Coupons since these cannot be retrieved after payment.

Attacking Varan, on the other hand, simply moves his betrayal up in the timetable. Instead of triggering King of the Hill (if you asked Varan for other options), attacking and killing him allows you to finish Deal with the Devil much quicker since you don't have to do other tasks for the bandit.

Should You Kill Varan?

Just Kill Varan to Avoid Extra Legwork

Of the three choices, killing Varan is the best choice since he ends up betraying you, anyway. Paying him only causes you to lose out on 20000 Coupons since these cannot be looted from Varan after he betrays you. Similarly, King of the Hill is additional legwork that takes you across the Garbage region only to end up being betrayed after fulfilling your end of the deal.

It is better to simply attack Varan and his men since you avoid the extra main story legwork needed to appease the bandit. Plus, you don't miss out on other NPC interactions since the side quests that have you interact with Shah and Roosevelt remain intact.

Varan Appears in the Spark Ending Missions if You Kill Him

If you kill Varan in Deal with the Devil, he will later appear as an apparition during the main mission, Through the Shadow of the Valley of Death - one of the two missions tied to the Spark ending route. You'll be able to talk to him briefly as you make your way to the Generators during this mission.

STALKER 2 Related Guides

List of All Choices

Choice Guides