In Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, survival hinges on constant decision-making—whether to use a specific weapon, fire at the right moment or consume your last piece of food. This emphasis on choices also extends to the missions, including one that presents a particularly challenging dilemma.
And this dilemma arises during the “King of the Hill” quest in the main storyline. In this quest, your objective is to find Nestor, the leader of a gang. However, without any leads on his whereabouts, you’ll turn to Varan for assistance. Varan, in return, will demand that you choose between killing Shah or Roosevelt.
One way or another, you’ll need what Varan possesses to advance the story. But which choice is the right one? As it happens, you have more options than you might expect. The guide will explore the outcomes of killing Shah or Roosevelt, both or neither.
How to Unlock the King of the Hill Mission in Stalker 2
In Stalker 2, most main missions are acquired by interacting with the NPC Diode in the Garbage region. Eventually, you will be suggested to meet Varan at a Plant south of Slag Heap, hinting that Varan might have information about Nestor’s disappearance and the missing Artifact scanner.
This conversation initiates the “King of the Hill” main mission. Following this, an in-game marker will appear, indicating the location of Varan, a bandit in the Garbage region.
Stalker 2: The Deal With Varan
As you enter Varan’s territory, you’ll notice many bandits stationed at the Plant under his command. However, none of them will act hostile towards you as you approach the Plant to speak with Varan.
On meeting Varan, he will present you with a choice: either pay him 20,000 coupons or kill one of his rival gang leaders—Roosevelt or Shah for giving leads on Nestor. For most players, having that many coupons at this stage of the game is unlikely, and even those who do will quickly realize that paying is the least favorable option. This leaves players with the seemingly inevitable task of killing someone.
Note: Varan won’t just take your word that you’ve killed Shah, Roosevelt, or both. He’ll require proof in the form of their PDAs, which can only be retrieved by looting their dead bodies.
Shah and Roosevelt: Who Are They?
Shah and Roosevelt are the leaders of rival gangs in conflict with Varan, and to gain his assistance, you must kill one of them. Unfortunately, there is no prior information about these two characters in the game up to this point.
This is what makes the decision more challenging. Since you have no prior knowledge about either of them, it’s unclear who would be the better choice to kill.
Stalker 2: Killing Shah
If you choose to target Shah, you must face the head of the Brood, a ruthless gang located west of the Slag Heap. Shah’s hideout is heavily guarded by gang members who are ready to defend him, but you have several ways to tackle this challenge.
One option is to visit Huron, a character near the player’s Stash in the Slag Heap, who offers the side quest “No Honor Among Thieves.” While completing this side quest isn’t necessary to confront Shah, you should finish it first if you’re looking for a stealthier approach.
Once the quest is completed, Huron will direct you to a concealed path into the Brood’s hideout, providing a safer and more tactical entry.
Alternatively, if you prefer a more direct approach, you can attack right away, either using the northeast tower for sniping or confronting Shah directly. Regardless of the approach, you must collect Shah’s PDA from his dead body and return it to Varan to proceed with the storyline if you choose this route.
Note: To complete this quest, players must find Docent, who will disclose the whereabouts of Shah’s hidden stash. Inside the stash is a special weapon known as “Shah’s Mate,” a modified Viper-5.
Stalker 2: Killing Roosevelt
When targeting Roosevelt, you will be confronting the leader of the Commissary, located just north of the Slag Heap. The paths to taking down Shah and Roosevelt are quite similar, offering the option to gather intel for a more strategic approach before attacking the base.
This requires speaking to Borodulin, a drunken and eccentric character who will help you if you choose to complete his side quest. You will need to assist him in killing some mutants while ensuring he survives.
Afterward, Borodulin will make another request before agreeing to help. You must then survive 60 seconds of dodging gunfire as Borodulin shoots at you, which he considers his odd way of having fun.
Once the challenge is completed, he will disclose a secret route into the Commissary through pipes surrounding the building. Roosevelt can then be found in his room and eliminated along with his men.
Stalker 2: Killing Both Shah and Roosevelt
If you enjoy more content, you can target both Roosevelt and Shah, but do so before returning to Varan. This will have no additional consequences but guarantee access to Roosevelt and Shah’s stashes, which contain valuable loot.
Be sure to collect both PDAs from their dead bodies to unlock the stash locations; otherwise, you’ll miss out on the weapons and ammo inside.
Alternatively, the quest offers a faster resolution; you can kill Varan.
Note: If you prefer to avoid spoilers, you should not read about the option to kill Varan.
Stalker 2: Killing Varan (Probably the Best Choice)
For players focused on progression who prefer to avoid the Shah and Roosevelt plotline, killing Varan right away might be the best choice. Though sparing both Roosevelt and Shah limits the loot you can access, as you won’t be able to clear their bases or acquire unique items, it helps skip some unnecessary battles.
Whether you choose to kill Shah, Roosevelt, or both, returning to Varan always leads to the same outcome. He’ll act friendly and direct you to speak with the prisoner in his cell for the necessary information. However, when you enter the cell, you’ll discover the prisoner is already dead, and Varan will then order his men to kill you as well.
Given this, there’s little reason not to bypass the intermediaries entirely and go straight for Varan instead of killing his rivals. Once you’ve killed Varan, take the metal key of the garage from his body.
Stalker 2: Getting the Unusual PDA
After obtaining the metal key from Varan, head to the garage room. Inside, you’ll find Nestor’s body, the kingpin of Slag Heap, and The Last One—the prisoner you needed to interrogate about the missing Artifact scanner. Loot The Last One’s body to acquire the Unusual PDA. While broken, this item is essential for quests following “King of the Hill,” so make sure to collect it.
Looting the Unusual PDA will complete the “King of the Hill” mission and trigger the next quest, “Deal with the Devil,” which tasks you with leaving the Plant area, for which you will have to either defeat/kill all of Varan’s men or escape after looting the Unusual PDA.
Remember: The gunfight between Varan and his men is much more challenging than the one with Roosevelt and Shah. If you’re not focused on collecting all the loot but not in a rush, you might want to randomly choose one of the two for a warm-up before tackling Varan.
Concluding Thoughts
In Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the decision to kill Shah, Roosevelt, or Varan hinges on your playstyle. While killing Varan bypasses unnecessary conflicts, eliminating rivals grants valuable loot, making the choice a strategic balance between progression and rewards.
