Atomfall Master Guide: Your Ultimate Handbook for Survival

Keep Calm and Carry On

Welcome, survivor, to the Quarantine Zone. Five years ago, the Windscale nuclear disaster changed Northern England forever, shrouding the picturesque Lake District in mystery, fear, and a creeping, unnatural presence. You awaken in a damp bunker with no memory, a stranger in a green and unpleasant land. This is… Atomfall, a world that rewards cunning, punishes recklessness, and demands that you become an investigator to survive.

This guide is your definitive handbook for mastering the challenges of Atomfall. It is designed to take you from a bewildered newcomer to a seasoned veteran who can navigate the treacherous landscape, outwit its dangerous inhabitants, and ultimately uncover the dark truth at the heart of the zone. While many have drawn comparisons to the Fallout series due to its post-apocalyptic setting, Atomfall carves its own path. It is not a traditional role-playing game with experience points and levels. Instead, it is a tense, single-player action-survival game with deep investigative mechanics, more akin to the atmospheric dread of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or the player-driven freedom of an immersive sim.

Here, knowledge is your greatest weapon. We will arm you with everything you need to know, from your first tentative steps out of the bunker to the final, world-altering decisions you must make. We will cover character progression, combat tactics, crafting, bartering, and a complete breakdown of the game’s multiple endings and expansive DLC content. Let’s begin.

Welcome to the Quarantine Zone: A Beginner’s Survival Primer

Your initial hours in Atomfall are designed to be disorienting. The game intentionally strips you of power and direction to reinforce its core theme of desperate survival. Understanding its unique systems is the first step toward gaining control.

The Lay of the Land: Core Mechanics Explained

Before you can thrive, you must understand the rules of this new reality. Atomfall operates on a few key principles that differ significantly from other survival games.

The “Leads” System: Think Like a Detective

Forget everything you know about traditional quest logs and map markers. Atomfall uses a “Leads” system, which functions more like a detective’s corkboard than a to-do list. You will gather information from notes you find, conversations you have, and strange sights you encounter in the world. Each piece of information might open a new Lead, offering a clue—perhaps a location name, a set of map coordinates, or a person of interest—but it will rarely tell you exactly where to go or what to do. This design choice is fundamental; it forces you to pay attention, to connect the dots yourself, and to let your own curiosity guide your exploration. The world doesn’t revolve around you; you are simply another soul trying to make sense of the chaos.

Health and Heart Rate: Your Body’s Warning System

In Atomfall, you only need to manage two vital statistics: your health and your heart rate. While health is straightforward, the heart rate monitor is a dynamic mechanic that governs nearly every action you take. It is your stamina gauge, your stealth meter, and your combat effectiveness all rolled into one.

Sprinting, jumping, swinging a melee weapon, or taking damage will cause your heart rate to spike. As it climbs, your vision will blur, sounds will become distorted, and your weapon aim will become increasingly unsteady. A high heart rate also makes your movements louder, making it nearly impossible to sneak past alert enemies. Managing this resource is critical. You must learn to pace yourself, use cover to catch your breath during a fight, and understand that a calm heart is a prerequisite for a steady shot.

The Five Zones: A Densely Packed World

The world of Atomfall is not a single, sprawling open world. Instead, it is composed of five or six distinct sandbox zones, each densely packed with points of interest, secrets, and dangers. These zones, similar in scale to the maps from the

Sniper Elite series, are interconnected, allowing for free exploration between them. This design encourages thorough investigation of each area rather than long, uneventful treks across a vast landscape. From the eerie Casterfell Woods to the militarized village of Wyndham, each zone has its own unique atmosphere and challenges.

Your First 60 Minutes: The Golden Hour Checklist

Your first hour in the Quarantine Zone is critical. Overcoming the initial feeling of being underpowered and directionless requires a clear set of priorities. Follow this checklist to establish a foothold and set yourself up for long-term success.

Objective 1: Find a Metal Detector

This is your most important early-game objective. The Metal Detector is an essential tool that allows you to uncover hidden caches and buried lunchboxes containing rare crafting materials, ammunition, and even valuable recipes. Without it, you are leaving a significant amount of the world’s resources undiscovered. You have two options to acquire one early:

• Barter for it: The trader Molly Jowett, located in a camp in Slatten Dale, sells a Metal Detector. You will be pointed toward her early in your journey.
• Find it for free: Head to the small body of water near the Water Wheels in eastern Slatten Dale (coordinates 29.2E, 73.9N). You will find a corpse on the rocks with a free Metal Detector ready to be looted.

Objective 2: Locate a Pneumatic Tube

Your backpack space in Atomfall is extremely limited. You can only carry four large weapons and a small number of other items. This makes the Pneumatic Tube system your lifeline. These tubes act as a shared, interconnected stash, allowing you to store up to 100 items and retrieve them from any other tube in the world. Find one as soon as possible—they are often located in bunkers and major points of interest—and use it to store duplicate weapons for later upgrades, quest items, and surplus supplies.

Objective 3: Avoid Fights and Practice De-escalation

As a newcomer, you are an “everyman,” not a seasoned warrior. Combat is deadly, and you should avoid it at all costs. You do not gain experience points for killing enemies, and every fight is a net loss of precious resources like ammo and healing items. Use tall grass and hard cover to let patrols pass. If an encounter is unavoidable, remember this hidden mechanic: aiming a gun at a lone, un-armed or lightly-armed enemy can intimidate them into retreating or surrendering. This bluff can save your life, even if your gun is empty.

Objective 4: Make Your Way to Wyndham Village

Your first major goal should be to reach Wyndham Village. This settlement is one of the few relatively safe areas in the early game, controlled by the Protocol faction. Here, you can talk to key characters, pick up important Leads, and interact with traders without being attacked on sight (as long as you don’t trespass). It serves as the central hub for the early-to-mid game and is the perfect place to get your bearings.

Tips for the Game Pass Survivor

With Atomfall available as a day-one release on Game Pass, many players will be diving in without a long-term financial commitment. If you are exploring the Quarantine Zone via subscription, efficiency is key. Focus on the main narrative threads that pique your interest first to get a feel for the story. Use this guide to bypass the initial friction points—like finding the Metal Detector and understanding the Leads system—that can sometimes frustrate new players. This will allow you to quickly access the game’s most compelling content and decide if a deeper dive is right for you.

The Survivor’s Blueprint: Character Progression and Builds

Character progression in Atomfall is a departure from the norm. It is a system built not on grinding, but on discovery. Your ability to grow stronger is directly tied to your willingness to explore the darkest corners of the Quarantine Zone. Every choice you make is permanent, so planning your character’s development is paramount.

The Science of Survival: How Skills Work in Atomfall

Forget about experience points. In Atomfall, you do not level up by killing enemies or completing quests. Instead, your character’s growth is tied to two tangible items you must find in the world:

• Training Stimulants: These are your skill points. They are rare items typically found inside yellow B.A.R.D. (British Atomic Research Division) crates scattered throughout the world, or given as rewards for completing certain Leads.
• Training Manuals: These are books that unlock new, more advanced skills. You begin with a basic set of skills, but to access the full range of abilities in each category, you must find the corresponding manual in the game world.

This system transforms character progression into a meta-game of exploration. To become a master marksman, you must first find the Firearms Mastery Manual. To become a ghost in the shadows, you must locate the Stealth Manual. Your build is defined not just by the points you spend, but by the knowledge you uncover.

The Point of No Return: Your Choices Are Final

The most critical aspect of the Atomfall skill system is its permanence. There is absolutely no way to respec or reallocate your spent Training Stimulants. This design choice is intentional; it forces you to commit to your decisions and makes each skill point you spend a meaningful investment. It also makes planning your build essential. Spending points on skills that don’t align with your intended playstyle can leave you at a significant disadvantage later in the game.

The Four Pillars: A Complete Skill Tree Breakdown

Your skills are divided into four distinct categories, each governing a different aspect of survival. Understanding these pillars is the first step to crafting a powerful and effective survivor.

• Ranged Combat: This tree focuses on your proficiency with firearms, bows, and thrown weapons. Skills here reduce weapon sway, increase damage, and even allow you to slow time while aiming with a bow.
• Melee Combat: Given the scarcity of ammunition, melee is your bread and butter. This tree enhances your close-quarters effectiveness, increasing damage, reducing the heart rate cost of attacks, and improving your stealth takedowns.
• Survival: This is arguably the most versatile and essential tree. It includes game-changing skills that allow you to disarm traps, carry more items, barter more effectively, and, most importantly, upgrade your weapons via the Gunsmith skill.
• Conditioning: This tree governs your physical resilience. Skills in this category increase your maximum health, improve your heart rate recovery, and grant resistance to various status effects like poison, radiation, and infection.

The table below provides a complete breakdown of every skill available in Atomfall, including its cost and the manual required to unlock it. Use this to plan your character’s path to mastery.

Skill Name	Category	Effect	Stimulant Cost	Required Manual & Location (Coordinates)
Default Skills (Available from Start)
Kick Stun Duration	Melee Combat	Increases the stagger duration when enemies are kicked.	1	Default
Weapon Throw Training	Ranged Combat	Thrown melee weapons travel faster and deal more damage.	2	Default
Throwables Damage	Ranged Combat	Throwables like grenades and molotovs deal more damage.	4	Default
Throwables Radius	Ranged Combat	Increases the area of effect for throwables.	6	Default
Disarm Traps	Survival	Allows you to disarm traps and harvest their components.	3	Default
Charisma	Survival	Your items are worth more when bartering with traders.	4	Default
Scavenger	Survival	Search bodies and containers faster.	5	Default
Fortitude	Conditioning	Increases your maximum amount of health.	5	Default
Recovery	Conditioning	Low health regeneration is faster and restores more health.	5	Default
Endurance Training	Conditioning	Heart rate rises slower and recovers faster.	3	Default
Melee Combat Manual Skills
Melee Weapon Attack Power	Melee Combat	Increases damage caused by all melee weapons.	2	Melee Combat Manual: Outlaw’s Cave, Slatten Dale (24.4E, 75.3N)
Seasoned Brawler	Melee Combat	Substantially reduces the heart rate cost of melee attacks.	5	Melee Combat Manual: Outlaw’s Cave, Slatten Dale (24.4E, 75.3N)
Heavy Melee Attack Power	Melee Combat	Increases damage caused by heavy melee attacks.	7	Melee Combat Manual: Outlaw’s Cave, Slatten Dale (24.4E, 75.3N)
Stealth Manual Skills
Quiet Takedown	Melee Combat	Takedowns create less noise, reducing chance of detection.	2	Stealth Manual: Datlow Hall Conservatory, Casterfell Woods (Requires key from Prudence Rook)
Quiet Movement	Melee Combat	Reduces the sound of your footsteps.	5	Stealth Manual: Datlow Hall Conservatory, Casterfell Woods (Requires key from Prudence Rook)
Surprise Attack	Melee Combat	Deal more damage to unaware enemies.	5	Stealth Manual: Datlow Hall Conservatory, Casterfell Woods (Requires key from Prudence Rook)
Bow Mastery Manual Skills
Draw Speed	Ranged Combat	Increases bow draw speed.	2	Bow Mastery Manual: Castle Ruins, Casterfell Woods (19.5E, 84.0N)
Draw Control	Ranged Combat	Heart rate no longer impacts how long you can hold a full draw.	4	Bow Mastery Manual: Castle Ruins, Casterfell Woods (19.5E, 84.0N)
Bow Focus	Ranged Combat	Allows you to briefly slow time while your bow is fully drawn.	6	Bow Mastery Manual: Castle Ruins, Casterfell Woods (19.5E, 84.0N)
Firearms Mastery Manual Skills
Firearms Stability	Ranged Combat	Reduces weapon fire recoil.	2	Firearms Mastery Manual: Sold by Bootsy in Skethermoor or found in Data Store Charlie.
Firearms Handling	Ranged Combat	Reduces firearm sway when aiming down sights.	4	Firearms Mastery Manual: Sold by Bootsy in Skethermoor or found in Data Store Charlie.
Firearms Focus	Ranged Combat	Increases firearm damage when your heart rate is low.	6	Firearms Mastery Manual: Sold by Bootsy in Skethermoor or found in Data Store Charlie.
Crafting Manual Skills
Crafting Speed	Survival	Crafting time is substantially reduced.	1	Crafting Manual: Data Store Delta, The Interchange (Requires powering the area and key from corpse).
Deep Pockets	Survival	Carry more crafting supplies and weapon ammo.	5	Crafting Manual: Data Store Delta, The Interchange (Requires powering the area and key from corpse).
Gunsmith	Survival	Unlocks recipes to craft upgraded weapons.	7	Crafting Manual: Data Store Delta, The Interchange (Requires powering the area and key from corpse).
Consumables Manual Skills
Blue Fingers	Survival	Allows you to harvest young spores from heavily infected sources.	2	Consumables Manual: Bakery, Wyndham Village (Requires Bakery Bedroom Key).
Buff Duration	Survival	Effects from consumables last longer.	4	Consumables Manual: Bakery, Wyndham Village (Requires Bakery Bedroom Key).
Gut Health	Survival	Food consumables also grant a damage resistance buff.	6	Consumables Manual: Bakery, Wyndham Village (Requires Bakery Bedroom Key).
Resistances Manual Skills
Poison Resistance	Conditioning	Provides resistance to all sources of Poison.	4	Resistances Manual: Medical Wing, The Interchange (Lower level auditorium).
Bleed Resistance	Conditioning	Provides resistance to all sources of Bleed.	4	Resistances Manual: Medical Wing, The Interchange (Lower level auditorium).
Burn Resistance	Conditioning	Provides resistance to all sources of Burn.	4	Resistances Manual: Medical Wing, The Interchange (Lower level auditorium).
Experimental Inoculation Skills
Infection Resistance	Conditioning	Provides resistance to all sources of Infection.	0 (Free)	Experimental Inoculation: Given by Dr. Holder in the cellar of St. Katherine’s Church.
Radiation Resistance	Conditioning	Provides resistance to all sources of Radiation.	4	Experimental Inoculation: Given by Dr. Holder in the cellar of St. Katherine’s Church.
Healing Boost	Conditioning	Healing consumables restore more health over time.	5	Experimental Inoculation: Given by Dr. Holder in the cellar of St. Katherine’s Church.

Optimized Builds for Every Playstyle

With the permanence of skill choices, following a dedicated build path is the most effective way to master Atomfall. Here are four optimized builds designed for different approaches to survival.

Build 1: The Pugilist (Melee Focus)

This build turns you into a relentless close-quarters brawler, perfect for conserving ammunition and dominating most common enemies.

• Early Game (First 10 Stimulants):
  1. Kick Stun Duration (1): Your core combo starter.
  2. Endurance Training (3): Essential for managing heart rate during frantic fights.
  3. Melee Weapon Attack Power (2): A flat damage boost. Requires finding the Melee Combat Manual in the Outlaw’s Cave.
  4. Recovery (5): Increases survivability dramatically.
• Mid Game (Next 15 Stimulants):
  1. Kill Momentum (4): A powerful damage buff that lets you chain kills.
  2. Seasoned Brawler (5): The cornerstone of this build, allowing you to swing more often without exhausting yourself.
  3. Thick Skin (5): A crucial defensive layer for when you can’t avoid taking hits.
• Late Game (Final Stimulants):
  1. Heavy Melee Attack Power (7): Maximizes the damage of your combo finisher.
  2. Fortitude (5): More health is always useful for a frontline fighter.

Build 2: The Stalker (Stealth & Bow Focus)

For those who prefer to strike from the shadows and avoid open conflict, this build prioritizes silence and precision.

• Early Game (First 10 Stimulants):
  1. Quiet Takedown (2): The most important stealth skill. Requires the Stealth Manual from Datlow Hall.
  2. Draw Speed (2): Makes the bow much more responsive. Requires the Bow Mastery Manual from the Castle Ruins.
  3. Quiet Movement (5): Drastically reduces your sound profile.
  4. Kick Stun Duration (1): An essential panic button for when stealth fails.
• Mid Game (Next 15 Stimulants):
  1. Surprise Attack (5): A massive damage multiplier for your opening shots and takedowns.
  2. Draw Control (4): Allows you to hold your shot indefinitely, perfect for timing patrols.
  3. Endurance Training (3): Helps you stay calm and your aim steady while sneaking.
  4. Disarm Traps (3): Invaluable for infiltrating enemy camps silently.
• Late Game (Final Stimulants):
  1. Bow Focus (6): The ultimate archer skill, slowing time to guarantee headshots.
  2. Deep Pockets (5): Allows you to carry more arrows and crucial crafting supplies. Requires the Crafting Manual.

Build 3: The Marksman (Firearms Focus)

This build is resource-intensive but transforms you into a lethal gunslinger, capable of handling the toughest enemies in the game from a distance.

• Early Game (First 10 Stimulants):
  1. Firearms Stability (2): The first step to taming recoil. Requires the Firearms Mastery Manual.
  2. Endurance Training (3): Critical for synergy with Firearms Focus.
  3. Deep Pockets (5): You will need all the ammo you can carry. Requires the Crafting Manual.
• Mid Game (Next 15 Stimulants):
  1. Firearms Handling (4): Reduces weapon sway for more precise shots.
  2. Gunsmith (7): The single most important skill for this build. It unlocks weapon upgrading, fundamentally increasing your damage output.
  3. Recovery (5): To help you survive the firefights you’ll inevitably get into.
• Late Game (Final Stimulants):
  1. Firearms Focus (6): A huge damage boost that rewards careful heart rate management.
  2. Healing Boost (5): Makes your healing items more efficient, saving resources. Requires the Experimental Inoculation.

Build 4: The Investigator (Balanced/Survival Focus)

This is the ideal build for a first playthrough, focusing on utility and survivability to give you the flexibility to handle any situation.

• Early Game (First 10 Stimulants):
  1. Disarm Traps (3): Opens up new paths and provides free crafting materials. A must-have.
  2. Endurance Training (3): A universally useful skill for both combat and exploration.
  3. Recovery (5): The best early-game defensive skill.
• Mid Game (Next 15 Stimulants):
  1. Deep Pockets (5): The quality-of-life improvement from this skill cannot be overstated. Requires the Crafting Manual.
  2. Healing Boost (5): Makes your limited healing supplies go further. Requires the Experimental Inoculation.
  3. Melee Weapon Attack Power (2): A cheap and effective damage boost for your primary combat method. Requires the Melee Combat Manual.
  4. Firearms Stability (2): A solid investment to make your occasional shots more accurate. Requires the Firearms Mastery Manual.
• Late Game (Final Stimulants):
  1. Gunsmith (7): Even for a balanced build, the ability to upgrade your favorite weapons is a game-changer.
  2. Radiation Resistance (4): Essential for navigating late-game areas.
  3. Invest remaining points into either Kill Momentum for better melee or Firearms Handling for better gunplay, depending on your preference.

The Art of the Brawl: A Complete Combat Doctrine

Combat in Atomfall is a desperate, frantic affair. You are not a supersoldier; you are a survivor. Every encounter is a puzzle of resource management, where the goal is not just to win, but to win efficiently, conserving precious health and ammunition. The master survivor knows not only how to fight, but when not to.

The Heart of the Matter: Mastering the Heart Rate Monitor

Your heart rate is the engine of combat. Letting it redline is a death sentence. A high heart rate blurs your vision, makes your aim erratic, and broadcasts your position to every enemy in the vicinity.

• Pacing is Paramount: Never sprint into a fight. Approach cautiously to keep your heart rate low, ensuring your first shot is a steady one.
• Use Cover to Recover: After a burst of action—a few melee swings or firing a weapon—duck behind cover. A few seconds of inaction is all it takes for your heart rate to begin dropping, clearing your vision and steadying your hands.
• Strategic Breathing: Skills like Endurance Training are invaluable, as they slow the rate at which your heart rate rises and speed up its recovery. This provides a tangible advantage, allowing for more sustained aggression in a fight.

Melee Masterclass: Up Close and Personal

With ammunition being a rare commodity, you will spend most of your time fighting up close. Atomfall‘s melee system is simple but deep, rewarding timing and positioning over button-mashing. Crucially, there is no block or parry mechanic; your feet are your best defense.

The Kick-and-Whack: Your Go-To Combo

The single most effective melee tactic in the game is the “Kick-and-Whack.” It works on almost every humanoid enemy and can be repeated to create a stunlock.

1. The Kick: Use the dedicated kick button to shove an enemy backward. This interrupts their attack and staggers them for a brief moment. The Kick Stun Duration skill makes this window even longer.
2. The Whack: Immediately follow the kick with a charged heavy attack. The stagger from the kick gives you just enough time to wind up and deliver a devastating blow, often to the head.
3. Repeat: Back away slightly, wait for the enemy to recover and approach, then repeat the process.

Weapon Types and Tactics

Melee weapons fall into two main categories:

• Blunt Weapons (Cricket Bat, Mace): These typically have higher base damage and a greater chance to stagger enemies. They are excellent for the Kick-and-Whack combo.
• Bladed Weapons (Axe, Shiv, Sword): These weapons can inflict a Bleed status effect, causing damage over time. They are useful for hit-and-run tactics against tougher foes.

Ranged Tactics: Making Every Shot Count

Every bullet is a treasure. Wasting them is a cardinal sin in the Quarantine Zone.

• Headshot Supremacy: This cannot be overstated. A single headshot from almost any firearm will instantly kill an unarmored human enemy. This is the golden rule of ammo conservation. Do not shoot center-mass; always aim for the head.
• The Silent Killer: Bows: The Bow is one of the best weapons in Atomfall for one simple reason: it is silent. A fully-drawn arrow to the head is a guaranteed, silent kill on any humanoid enemy except the heavily armored Thralls. This allows you to clear entire outposts without alerting a single soul. You can often recover your arrows from fallen enemies, making it the most resource-efficient weapon in the game.

Stealth Operations: The Ghost of the Quarantine Zone

The stealth system in Atomfall is deliberately challenging. Enemies have sharp senses and long sightlines, making a pure stealth approach difficult without the right skills and patience.

• Cover is King: Crouching in the open is not enough. You must use hard cover (walls, rocks) and patches of tall grass to break line of sight. When you are successfully hidden, an indicator will appear on your HUD.
• Takedowns Are Loud: Performing a stealth takedown from behind is a guaranteed kill, but it is not silent by default. The struggle will alert any nearby enemies. To be a true ghost, you must invest in the Quiet Takedown skill, which muffles the sound of these kills.
• Heart Rate and Stealth: Remember that a high heart rate makes you louder. You cannot sprint up behind an enemy and expect to perform a silent takedown. Move slowly and deliberately to keep your heart rate, and your noise level, down.

Quarantine Zone Enemy Dossier

Knowledge of your enemy is the key to victory. This dossier provides tactical information on every threat you will encounter in Atomfall and its expansions.

Enemy Type	Faction	Behavior & Attacks	Weaknesses & Strategies
Outlaw Brawler	Outlaws	Aggressive melee combatant, often armed with bats or axes. Will charge in groups.	Vulnerable to the Kick-and-Whack combo. Isolate them from the group before engaging.
Outlaw Shooter	Outlaws	Stays at a distance with a pistol or shotgun. Poor accuracy but dangerous in numbers.	Priority target. Use cover to close the distance or pick them off with a headshot from a rifle or bow.
Druid Convert	Druids	Slow-moving melee attacker with knives or sickles. Will attempt a lunging charge attack.	Easily kited. Backpedal and use heavy attacks. Sidestep their lunging charge. Headshots are effective.
Druid Archer	Druids	Stays at range, firing arrows. Often positioned on high ground.	Their arrows have travel time. Keep moving and use cover. A single headshot from any weapon will neutralize them.
Protocol Recruit	Protocol	Basic soldier with a truncheon or pistol. Lightly armored and low aggression.	Easily dispatched with melee or a single headshot. Not a major threat alone.
Protocol Marksman	Protocol	Well-equipped soldier with a rifle and improvised armor. High accuracy and works in squads.	Dangerous. Do not engage in the open. Use explosives to break their cover or flank them for a headshot. Armor can deflect body shots.
Feral	Mutated	Fast, goblin-like creature that lurks in dark areas. Spits an infectious projectile and uses melee claws.	Strategy 1 (Stealth): A single arrow to the head while they are dormant is a silent, instant kill. Strategy 2 (Combat): Use a shotgun up close or a Molotov to deal with groups. Their spit can be dodged by strafing.
Thrall	Mutated	Heavily armored, slow-moving humanoid in a hazmat suit. High health and resistant to damage.	Do not waste bullets. Their melee reach is short. Kite them by backpedaling and hitting them with a two-handed melee weapon. It takes several heavy hits to bring them down.
B.A.R.D. Robot	B.A.R.D.	Large, heavily armored robot. Comes in Patrol (machine gun) and Flamethrower variants.	Weak Point: Shoot the glass dome on top to temporarily stun it. When it overheats, a battery pack is exposed on its back. Run behind it and extract the Atomic Battery for an instant kill. Do not engage in melee.
Contaminated Variants	Red Strain	Stronger, faster versions of human and mutated enemies, glowing with red energy.	Extremely dangerous. Use your most powerful weapons and explosives. The Red Strain Adaptation skill from the DLC is crucial for survival.
Synaptic Unit	Red Strain	Advanced robot controlled by a human brain in a jar. Often equipped with heavy weapons.	Treat as a high-priority B.A.R.D. Robot. Focus fire on the glass dome containing the brain. The Salvage Robotics skill allows you to loot their powerful weapons.

The Scavenger’s Arsenal: Weapons, Gear, and Crafting

In the Quarantine Zone, what you can carry is what you are. Your survival depends on the weapons you can find, the gear you can craft, and your ability to turn scavenged junk into life-saving tools. The most powerful survivors are not just good fighters; they are master tinkerers.

Tools of the Trade: Best Weapons Tier List

Not all weapons are created equal. While nearly anything can be deadly with a well-placed headshot, some pieces of equipment stand head and shoulders above the rest. Prioritize finding and upgrading these top-tier weapons to maximize your effectiveness.

S-Tier: Game Changers

• Modified JM-3: The undisputed best firearm in the base game. It is a semi-automatic rifle that comes with a built-in scope, the only one of its kind. This makes landing critical headshots at long range trivial. It can be found in a secluded cave in Skethermoor.
• Bow: The ultimate stealth weapon. A fully-drawn headshot is a silent, instant kill on nearly every humanoid enemy. With practice, it allows you to clear entire camps without raising an alarm. Arrows can often be recovered, making it incredibly resource-efficient.
• Mace: The king of melee weapons. It boasts an “Excellent” damage rating, capable of killing most human enemies with a single heavy attack. Its slower swing speed is easily offset by its staggering power, making it perfect for the Kick-and-Whack combo.

A-Tier: Reliable Workhorses

• Broadside Auto 5: The best shotgun due to its semi-automatic fire, allowing for multiple shots before needing to reload. Invaluable for dealing with charging Ferals or groups of enemies in tight corridors.
• Falkirk Battle Rifle: A powerful semi-automatic rifle with high damage and accuracy. It serves as an excellent primary weapon until you can acquire the Modified JM-3.
• Axe: The best early-to-mid game melee weapon. It deals a huge amount of damage with its heavy attack and is much easier to find than the Mace.
• MK.VI Revolver: The hardest-hitting pistol. While it has a slow rate of fire and reload, its high damage makes it an excellent sidearm for conserving primary ammo.

From Rusty to Pristine: The Weapon Upgrade System

You will quickly notice that weapons come in three quality tiers: Rusty, Stock, and Pristine. A Pristine weapon deals significantly more damage than its Rusty counterpart. The key to unlocking this power lies in one of the most important skills in the game:

Gunsmith.

The Gunsmith skill, found in the Survival tree, allows you to upgrade your weapons through crafting. The process is simple but requires resources:

• To upgrade a Rusty weapon to Stock, you need two identical Rusty weapons and some crafting materials (like Gun Oil and Scrap).
• To upgrade a Stock weapon to Pristine, you need two identical Stock weapons.

This system makes collecting duplicate firearms essential. Do not discard or barter away extra copies of your favorite guns. Instead, use the Pneumatic Tube system to store them. Once you unlock Gunsmith, you can retrieve your collection and begin forging a truly powerful arsenal. This progression path—finding the Crafting Manual to unlock Gunsmith, then collecting duplicates—is the core of gear advancement in Atomfall.

The chart below compares some of the top-tier weapons to help you plan your ideal loadout.

Weapon Name	Type	Damage Rating	Rate of Fire	Special Properties	How to Acquire
Modified JM-3	Rifle	High	Very High	Only weapon with a scope. Semi-automatic.	Found in a Secluded Cave in Skethermoor (41.2E, 79.4N).
Mace	Two-Handed Melee	Excellent	Slow	High stagger potential.	Found in Outlaw Caves in Slatten Dale or dropped by Druids in Casterfell Woods.
Bow	Bow	High (Headshot)	Very Slow	Silent. Arrows are recoverable.	Looted from Druid Archers in Casterfell Woods.
Broadside Auto 5	Shotgun	High	Medium	Semi-automatic, multiple shots per reload.	Found in various high-level loot locations or on powerful enemies.
Falkirk Battle Rifle	Rifle	High	Medium	High accuracy, semi-automatic.	Found in military locations or on Protocol Marksmen.
Sword (Excalibur)	One-Handed Melee	High	Fast	Inflicts Bleed damage. Unique weapon.	Found in a stone by the river in Casterfell Woods (20.9E, 86.5N).

A Scavenger’s Cookbook: Complete Crafting Recipe Guide

Crafting is performed directly from your inventory menu, allowing you to create items on the fly—though be warned, the game does not pause while you are in your menus. To craft an item, you must first find its recipe in the world, either as a physical note or by purchasing it from a trader. Below is a list of essential recipes and their common locations.

• Bandage: Your primary healing item. The recipe is given to you at the very start of the game.
  • Materials: 4 Cloth, 1 Alcohol.
• Molotov Cocktail: An excellent area-denial weapon that inflicts Burn damage. The recipe can be found pinned to a corkboard in the Outlaw Camp in Slatten Dale.
  • Materials: 3 Cloth, 6 Alcohol, 4 Glass.
• Painkillers: Provides a temporary damage resistance buff, crucial for tough fights. The recipe can be purchased from Morris Wick in Wyndham Village.
  • Materials: 4 Herbs, 1 Iodine, 1 Water, 3 Glass.
• Makeshift Grenade: A standard timed explosive. The recipe can be bought from Reg Stansfield in the Slate Mine Caves or found in a Remote Bunker in Casterfell Woods.
  • Materials: 4 Gunpowder, 6 Scrap, 1 Glue, 2 String.
• Sticky Bomb: An explosive that sticks to surfaces, perfect for setting traps. The recipe is found in Agravaine’s Lockbox at the Railyard in Slatten Dale (key is at the nearby helicopter crash site).
  • Materials: 3 Gunpowder, 6 Glue, 4 Scrap.

Navigating the Green and Unpleasant Land: Factions, Bartering, and Secrets

Survival in Atomfall is not just about combat and crafting; it is also about navigating the complex social ecosystem of the Quarantine Zone. The relationships you forge, the deals you make, and the secrets you uncover will determine your fate.

The Barter Economy: How to Trade Like a Pro

There is no money in the Quarantine Zone; survival is the only currency. All commerce is conducted through a direct bartering system. When you trade with an NPC, you will see a scale that represents the value of the exchange. To complete a trade, the scale must be balanced or tipped slightly in the trader’s favor.

This system is more than just a simple swap of goods. It is a game of observation and leverage. Each trader has specific needs and desires, and they will value certain items far more than others. This preference is indicated by an upward-pointing arrow or yellow text next to the item in the trade menu. Learning these preferences is the key to maximizing your trading power. For example, the tinker Molly Jowett highly values Molotov Cocktails.¹³ You can craft these relatively cheap items and trade them to her for high-value goods like Atomic Batteries or Skill Manuals.

To become a master trader:

• Identify Preferences: When you first meet a trader, offer them one of each type of item you carry to see what they value most.
• Craft for Profit: Once you know a trader’s preference, you can mass-produce that item specifically for trading, turning common materials into a source of wealth.
• Invest in Charisma: The Charisma skill from the Survival tree passively increases the value of all your items in a trade, making it a worthwhile investment for any playstyle.

Faction Politics: Choosing Your Allies

The Quarantine Zone is a fractured landscape, divided among several competing factions. Your interactions with these groups are not governed by a simple reputation meter; instead, your actions serve as keys, unlocking or locking off different paths through the world and the narrative.

• Protocol: The official government force tasked with maintaining the quarantine. Led by the authoritarian Captain Sims, they control Wyndham Village and Skethermoor. Initially neutral, they will become hostile if you trespass in restricted areas. Gaining Sims’s trust by providing him with information can grant you safe passage through their territory, which is essential for several main story paths.
• The Druids: A mysterious, folk-horror-inspired cult that worships a “Voice in the Soil.” They are hostile on sight by default. However, by assisting their leader, Mother Jago, you can gain their trust and walk freely through their camps, including the important Speaking Cave and Castle Ruins.
• The Outlaws: Disorganized bands of raiders and bandits who have taken over parts of the countryside. They are universally hostile and serve primarily as combat encounters. There is no way to align with them.
• B.A.R.D. (British Atomic Research Division): The scientists responsible for the Windscale plant. They are not a unified faction in the present day, but their legacy—in the form of abandoned bunkers, advanced technology, and dangerous robots—is everywhere. You will encounter former B.A.R.D. members like Dr. Garrow and Dr. Holder, each with their own agenda.

The most effective strategy, particularly in the early and mid-game, is to play all sides. Help Captain Sims, assist Mother Jago, and interact with anyone who will talk to you. This approach maximizes your access to different areas and keeps your options open, allowing you to progress multiple questlines simultaneously before you are forced to make a final allegiance in the endgame.

Hidden Britain: Secrets and Easter Eggs

The world of Atomfall is rich with secrets and clever nods to British culture. Keep an eye out for these hidden gems as you explore.

• The Sword in the Stone: In Casterfell Woods (20.9E, 86.6N), you can find a sword embedded in a stone by a river. You can pull it out, claiming your own version of Excalibur, though the blade will break in the process.
• Last of the Summer Wine: On a hillside in Skethermoor (43.8E, 76.7N), you will find a bathtub containing three skeletons wearing flat caps, a direct reference to a famous stunt from the classic British sitcom.
• Mr. Bean’s Car: Near the Convoy Wreckage in Slatten Dale, look up at the bridge to spot a yellow car with an armchair strapped to the roof, a tribute to the iconic “Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean” episode.
• Judge Dredd’s Helmet: Inside the Protocol Workshop bunker in Skethermoor, you can find the unmistakable helmet of Judge Dredd sitting on a shelf, a nod to Rebellion’s ownership of the 2000 AD comic universe.

Unraveling Oberon: Endgame and DLC Master Guide

As you delve deeper into the mysteries of the Quarantine Zone, your path will inevitably lead to The Interchange, a vast underground facility connected to the Windscale plant itself. This marks the beginning of the endgame, where you must make choices that will decide the fate of everyone in the zone.

The Path to the End: A Spoiler-Free Endgame Roadmap

To reach the final chapter of Atomfall, you must accomplish one primary objective: restore power to The Interchange’s Central Processor. This requires two types of key items:

1. Five Atomic Batteries: These are rare power sources that can be found by completing major quests, bartering with traders, or by disabling and looting B.A.R.D. robots.
2. One Signal Redirector: This unique device is needed to reroute power to the central processor. It is located in the security room of Skethermoor Prison.

Once you have these items, you can enter The Interchange, power up the four data stores (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta), and activate the Central Processor. This will grant you access to the Windscale Plant and the Oberon Dig Site, where the game’s final confrontations and decisions take place.

The Six Fates of the Quarantine Zone: All Endings Guide

Atomfall features six distinct main endings, each tied to your allegiance with a key NPC. It is possible to achieve all endings in a single, well-planned playthrough by creating a “golden save.” To do this, you must advance the questlines of all major NPCs to their final step before making your final decision at the Oberon Dig Site. Create a manual save after powering up The Interchange but before entering the Windscale Plant. From this save, you can reload and complete each ending path.

The flowchart below illustrates the critical decision points that lead to each of the game’s six primary conclusions.

                 
|
                       V
        [Explore Quarantine Zone & Gather Leads]
|
                       V

|
                       V
       
|
               ***CREATE GOLDEN SAVE***
|
                       V
            
|
      +----------------+----------------+

| | |
      V                V                V
[CHOICE: Empower Oberon]

| | |
| | |
+-----+-----+      +---+---+      +-----+------+

| | | | | |
V           V      V       V      V            V
Sims      Holder   Garrow  Joyce  Telephone    Jago
Ending    Ending   Ending  Ending Ending       Ending

• The Voice on the Telephone Ending: The “default” ending. Simply follow the Operator’s instructions to destroy Oberon and return to the starting bunker.
• Captain Sims’s Ending: Gain Sims’s trust by reporting on villagers, retrieve his radio part from the Speaking Cave, then destroy Oberon and meet him for extraction.
• Dr. Garrow’s Ending: Free Dr. Garrow from prison, retrieve her research notes, and extract a sample of Oberon for her before destroying it.
• Joyce Tanner’s Ending: Help Joyce activate the three radio towers, run a command for her at the Casterfell Dam, and extract an Oberon sample for her.
• Dr. Holder’s Ending: Find Dr. Holder in the church cellar, retrieve Sample One for him from the Medical wing, and use his modified poison to destroy Oberon.
• Mother Jago’s Ending: Gain the Druids’ trust, retrieve the Growth Serum from the Medical wing, and use it to empower Oberon.

DLC Deep Dive: Wicked Isle

The first story expansion for Atomfall, Wicked Isle, adds a new, folk-horror-themed region to explore.

• Accessing the DLC: Speak to the boatman, Bill Anderson, on the docks in Wyndham Village to travel to the new location, Midsummer Island.
• New Content: The island is a more dangerous and heavily infected area, featuring new enemy factions like pirate bandits and aquatic Ferals. You can find new weapons, including a powerful Blunderbuss, a Cutlass, and a new bow. The DLC also introduces new skills and an upgraded metal detector.
• Narrative Impact: The Leads you uncover on Wicked Isle intertwine with the main story and can unlock several new variations and endings for your adventure.

DLC Deep Dive: The Red Strain

The second expansion, The Red Strain, introduces a secret B.A.R.D. research facility and a deadly new threat.

• Accessing the DLC: Find the old B.A.R.D. lift within the Slate Mine Cave system to travel to the new region, Scafell Crag, and the mysterious Test Site Moriah.
• New Mechanics and Content: This DLC introduces a new virus, the Red Strain, which has created more powerful “Contaminated” versions of existing enemies. You will also face new robotic threats like Synaptic Units. The expansion adds game-changing new skills and gear:
  • Heavy Weapons: The Salvage Robotics skill allows you to rip the heavy weaponry from destroyed robots and use it yourself.
  • Robot Hacking: An upgraded Signal Redirector allows you to temporarily take control of enemy robots, turning them against their allies.
  • Suppressed Weapons: New silenced firearms are available, offering new options for stealth-focused players.
• Narrative Impact: Like Wicked Isle, the story of The Red Strain adds new Leads that connect to the main plot, providing even more potential endings and shedding new light on the secrets of the Windscale disaster.

By following this guide, you now have the knowledge to not only survive but to conquer the challenges of Atomfall. The Quarantine Zone is a place of mystery, danger, and immense freedom. Your story is your own to write. Good luck.

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial fan work, all trademarks and copyrights for Atomfall belong to the developer Rebellion.

Find the game here! Atomfall | Out Now