Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl's "In the Name of Science" Side Quest: A Complete Guide
After the Visions of Truth main mission, Dr. Shcherba will contact Skif, initiating the side quest "In the Name of Science." This quest involves retrieving electronic collars from various mutants and presents several crucial choices impacting the outcome.
Collecting the Electronic Collars
The first step is locating five electronic collars. These locations are marked on your map; if some are missing, you may have already collected them during other missions or exploration.
| Region | Collar Location | Mutant Type |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage | The Brood | Snork |
| Wild Island | Boathouse | Psy Bayun |
| Zaton | Hydrodynamics Lab | Controller |
| Malachite | Brain Scorcher Location | Brain Scorcher |
| Red Forest | Containers | Pseudogiant |
Once collected, return to Shcherba at the Roofed Warehouse in the Chemical Plant. If the quest is bugged (possibly due to previously collected collars), use the console command "XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0" to proceed.
The Jammer Decision: Disable or Recalibrate?
Shcherba will discover a signal jamming the collars. You must investigate and choose to either disable or recalibrate the jamming device located in the Storage on the Hill.
- Disable/Destroy the Jammer (Recommended): This advances the quest, rewards you with coupons, and leads to an encounter with bloodsuckers and a further choice.
- Recalibrate the Jammer: This ends the quest with coupons from Dvupalov as a reward.
The Final Confrontation: Kill or Spare Shcherba?
Choosing to disable the jammer will lead to Shcherba contacting Skif, providing coupons and promising future assistance. After a period (or using the console command "XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab"), Shcherba will call Skif back to the lab.
You'll receive Magic Vodka from Dr. Dvupalov. Entering the lower floor, you'll face three Bloodsuckers and Shcherba, who will attempt to expose Skif to PSI radiation. Drinking the vodka negates this effect.
Escape the room, defeat the bloodsuckers, and confront Shcherba. You then face the final choice: kill Shcherba or let him go. Both options yield the same rewards (a Gauss Gun and the "On a Leash" trophy), but sparing Shcherba maintains positive relations with the scientists.
