Stalker 2: Budmo Guide – Is It Worth Stealing the Stashes?

Side quests in Stalker 2 are designed to be as engaging and meaningful as the primary storyline, allowing players to immerse themselves fully in the game’s world. One intriguing side quest is “Budmo,”which becomes available as players enter the Garbage area and meet characters Misha and Grisha. Tasked with placing vodka into three hidden stashes belonging to their friend Panas, players must navigate carefully, as stealing from these stashes is expressly forbidden.

Budmo Mission Stash Locations

Getting Budmo side quest from Misha in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

Upon accepting the quest from Misha and Grisha, three map markers will illuminate your PDA. These markers lead to cleverly concealed stashes, requiring some exploration skills to find, though they are not overly complex to uncover.

Poisonous Hole Area Stash

Budmo stash in poisonous hole area in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

The first stash is situated in the Poisonous Hole area, characterized by its toxic waste. To find it, circumvent the noxious green pools and locate a cave entrance where the stash resides near the back.

Be on guard, as two mutants may confront you. Equip yourself with robust weaponry for a successful encounter. Once you clear the area, you can either choose to loot the stash or fulfill your mission to place vodka.

Inside this stash, you will find:

Optician Mask
S-2 SMG Bouquet
Grenade
PTM Handgun Ammo

Pile of Concrete Blocks Stash

Budmo stash in the pile of concrete blocks area in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

The second stash can be found at the Pile of Concrete Blocks, located west of the Slag Heap safe house. Once there, direct your attention to the center of the earthquake-rubble.

Budmo stash found in the pile of concrete blocks area in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

Look for a cylindrical structure cloaked in yellow wooden planks. Use a knife to dismantle the planks and reveal the stash within.

The contents of this stash include:

M10 Gordon SMG
Pistol Suppressor (compatible with PTM, APSB, Buket S-2, Zubr-19)
RNBW 2x Scope (works with Rhino, Integral-A, Fora-221, Kharod, Mark 1 EMR)
.45 ACP FMJ Ammunition

Power Transmission Pylon Stash

Budmo stash in transmission pylon tower area in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

The last stash is positioned near the Power Transmission Pylon, located northeast of the Slag Heap. If you’re aiming for this stash first, it may present more of a challenge. This stash is nestled in a bird’s nest high above the ground.

To access it, you’ll need to climb a nearby fallen tree and leap onto a wooden log that connects to the tower. Carefully hop across to reach the bag and complete your task.

Initially, we were unable to discover the contents at the Power Transmission Pylon because we did not encounter Panas Shun. He notably chooses to vacate the Garbage area if he feels compromised, preferring to avoid his drunken companions.

However, upon reloading a previous save, we did visit the stash at the Power Transmission Pylon first, which revealed the following items:

HILKA Detector
Moonlight Artifact
Flash Artifact

Confrontation with Panas Shun

Budmo side quest completion reward in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

Once you interact with two of the three stashes, Panas Shun will appear as you approach the final stash.

If you’ve opted to steal items from his stashes, be prepared for conflict, as Panas will accuse you of theft. Conversely, if you’ve honored the quest by placing vodka, Panas’s demeanor will be more curious, and if you refrain from attacking him, he will reward you with 1,754 Coupons.

How to Place Vodka in Stashes

Should you steal stashes or place vodka in Budmo side quest in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

To place vodka into the stashes during the Budmo side quest, initiate interaction with the stash. Then, select the vodka from your inventory and right-click to bring up a menu.

Choose the “Put Down” option, which will prompt you to specify how many vodka items to drop into the stash. Remember, placing just one bottle per stash is enough to complete your task, so avoid unnecessary waste.

Alternatively, you can transfer vodka directly by dragging it from your inventory into the stash, activating the same prompt.

Should You Steal from Stashes?

Encountering Panas Shun during Budmo side quest in Stalker 2 — Screenshot by Prima Games

The Budmo side quest offers players an early opportunity to loot two out of the three stashes, providing valuable early-game weapons and gear that normally present challenges to acquire.

If you choose the honorable route, placing vodka rather than stealing, your reward is merely 1,754 Coupons, a modest amount that likely won’t stretch far in purchasing good gear or weapons.

By mid-game, if you have explored other stashes, your inventory may already hold superior equipment. Nonetheless, we encourage taking advantage of the loot available in Budmo for its significant potential upgrades.

Notably, the stash near the Transmission Pylon contains the useful HILKA Detector, which should be prioritized for looting before progressing, as it is otherwise missable during your main missions.

This guide serves to inform you about the dynamics of the Budmo side quest in Stalker 2, offering insights on whether to steal or deliver vodka. For additional strategies, check out our guides on defeating Poltergeist enemies or exploring main and side missions.

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