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Delve into Stalker: Side Quest Decoded: "In the Name of Science"

by Oliver Feb 11,2025

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 you with a request, initiating the side quest "In the Name of Science." This quest involves retrieving electronic collars from various mutants, leading to multiple choices that affect the outcome.

Collecting the Electronic Collars

The first step is locating five electronic collars. These are found in specific locations, which may already be collected if you've explored extensively. If you're missing collars, check these locations:

Region	Collar Location	Mutant
Garbage	The Brood	Snork
Wild Island	Boathouse	Psy Bayun
Zaton	Hydrodynamics Lab	Controller
Malachite	Brain Scorcher	Brain Scorcher
Red Forest	Containers	Pseudogiant

Return to Shcherba in the Roofed Warehouse (Chemical Plant) once you've gathered all five. If you encounter issues (e.g., previously collected collars), use the console command "XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0" to advance.

The Jammer Decision: Disable or Recalibrate?

Shcherba will discover a signal jamming the collars. You must investigate the source (Storage on the Hill) and decide whether to disable or recalibrate the jamming device.

Disable/Destroy the Jammer (Recommended): This progresses the quest, rewards you with coupons, and leads to an encounter with bloodsuckers and a crucial final choice.
Recalibrate the Jammer: This ends the quest with coupons from Dvupalov as a reward.

The Final Choice: Kill or Spare Shcherba?

Disabling the jammer leads to Shcherba contacting you again. He'll send coupons and promise future calls. If he doesn't call, use the console command "XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab".

Upon returning to the lab, you'll receive Magic Vodka from Dr. Dvupalov. You'll then face a trap, PSI-radiation, and three bloodsuckers. The Magic Vodka negates the radiation's effects.

After escaping, you'll confront Shcherba. You must choose to kill him or let him go. Both choices yield the same rewards (a Gauss Gun and the "On a Leash" trophy), but sparing Shcherba maintains better relations with the scientists.