A Beginner's Guide to Escape from Tarkov
Are you getting lost in Tarkov? Don't worry we have a beginner's guide to Escape from Tarkov to get you started.
Escaping Tarkov is no easy task, even harder is trying to thrive in it. So if you’re just starting or returning to Battlestate Games’ extraction shooter, we have some tips, tricks, and advice to set you on the path to success.
Take it slow
Source: Battlestate Games
It takes a long time to get decent or even good at Escape from Tarkov. Many new players will throw themselves at early tasks over and over again, get frustrated, and quit. You’re not gonna go anywhere fast and while tasks are a great way to speed things along you should focus on building out your stash and hideout and tackle them on the side.
This advice also translates into raids, many new players will pick up a rare piece of loot or quest objective and try to find the nearest exit. You have time and you’re more likely to find another player while trying to exfiltrate while out there looting. This also has its benefits, you gain experience points by just looting/searching crates, bodies, file cabinets, and so on. Even if you don’t make it out alive, you’re still progressing in some way.
Learn the maps
Source: Battlestate Games
If you want to learn how to play Tarkov, your best bet is to focus on one or two maps at first. There are many great resources out there and there is no shame in having them open on your desktop in the background or on a second screen. Learn the infiltration points, the exits, and hotspots for loot. Most importantly: learn to recognize landmarks. There is no greater power in Escape from Tarkov than knowing exactly where you are from the moment you spawn. Your spawn point will dictate the way you move through the map and, once you know all the spawn points, you can kinda predict where players are going to be and how they’ll move through the map. If you hear people fighting, even better.
Should you want to explore a map under the pressure of PVP, you can always do Scav runs. Here you spawn into an active raid as Scav and you only have to fear PMCs. Most of the good loot will probably be gone by now and you won’t earn any EXP but it's a great way of making some money without risking your equipment.
You can always run
Escape from Tarkov is a game with intense firefights that are over in a split second. It only takes one bullet hitting you in the right angle and it's over. So, if you find yourself in a firefight with someone, there is no shame in running away. Of course that requires picking spots and positions in the fight that offer many escape routes. The time it takes someone to figure out you’re no longer there is often enough to get some distance and walls between you and your opponent.
Play Aggressively
Source: Battlestate Games
Having the element of surprise on your side will always turn a battle in your favor. Rushing someone before they know what’s hitting them is a surefire way to get player kills. Lots of this will come down to experience but most players will crumble under the slightest amount of pressure.
This does not work if you’re pinned, the time it takes for you to pop out of cover and aim is usually enough to take a bullet to the head. So unless they’re using grenades to flush you out, you can always wait and let them come to you. Remember, the weirder the angle you’re holding, the better. Climb on shelves, beds, or whatever for the high ground.
Find Someone to Play With
Source: Battlestate Games
This might be a very obvious take but having people to play Tarkov with regularly makes things much easier. Completing quests, looting or just being a menace to society is best done in groups. If you don’t have anyone to play with the official Escape from Tarkov Discord server is the best spot to start looking. Many of the more experienced players are also happy to show you the ropes and chances are you’ll always find someone willing you accompany you while questing.
For more on Escape from Tarkov make sure to check out our list of the best maps for beginners and check out our interview with the developers at Crytek about the Hunt: Showdown 1896 update.
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replyTimo Reinecke posted a new article, A Beginner's Guide to Escape from Tarkov
