Embarking on your journey in *Atomfall* requires savvy exploration and survival skills, and one key to success is obtaining the right tools early on. The Metal Detector stands out as an essential tool, enabling you to uncover valuable items for personal use and bartering. Here’s your comprehensive guide to securing a free Metal Detector at the start of your adventure.
How the Metal Detector Works in Atomfall
Screenshot by The Escapist
The Metal Detector is a prized possession in *Atomfall* that you’ll want to keep in your inventory at all times. It’s designed to detect metal caches filled with valuable items scattered throughout the game’s expansive world.
While exploring, you’ll receive a ping from your Metal Detector, indicated by an icon in the bottom left corner of your screen. This signal means a cache is nearby. When it’s safe, activate your Metal Detector using the designated hotkey.
The device features a row of lights that guide you toward the hidden cache. If the lights sway to the left, you should turn left; if they sway to the right, turn right. Your goal is to follow the center light until the dial beneath the lights reaches its peak frequency of 10.
Screenshot by The Escapist
When all the lights blink simultaneously, you’ve pinpointed the cache’s location. Use the ‘Dig’ option to unearth the cache, then ‘Search’ it to claim the items inside.
Where to Find a Free Metal Detector Early in Atomfall
Screenshot by The Escapist
In the initial stages of *Atomfall*, you’ll encounter trader NPCs willing to barter. Reg Stansfield in the Slate Mine Caves of Slatten Dale has a Metal Detector in his inventory from the start, but the cost might be prohibitive early on.
Instead, head east from Slatten Dale, staying close to the mountainside and avoiding the ‘Water Wheels’ compound, which is teeming with Outlaws. Minimizing combat early in the game is advisable.
Screenshot by The Escapist
Continue east and then south until you reach a large, shallow pond at coordinates **(29.1E, 73.9N)**. Look for an Outlaw corpse on a rocky outcrop in the middle of the pond. Be cautious of the carnivorous leeches in the water that can harm you if you stay too long.
Approach the corpse and ‘Search’ it to find a functional Metal Detector, yours for free. This early acquisition not only grants you the **‘Detectorist’ trophy/achievement** but also gives you a significant advantage in gathering free healing items, ammo, and other loot useful for bartering.
Additionally, using the Metal Detector can help you unlock other trophies/achievements, such as **‘Where there’s much there’s brass’** (Find 10 metal detector caches) and **‘Packed lunch’** (Find 5 buried lunchboxes).
With this guide, you’re now equipped to find a free Metal Detector early in *Atomfall*, enhancing your gameplay and survival chances from the get-go.
