Stalker 2 walkthrough: How to complete Budmo! side mission

In the Budmo! side mission of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, you assist two friends, Grisha and Misha, by placing vodka in the stash of their third friend, Panas. You can find Grisha and Misha drunk at the bar in the Garbage region within the Slag Heap base. They explain that Panas, a "bloodhound" for loot, was exposed to radiation during his scavenging and asked them to place meds in his stash.

This article provides a detailed guide on how you can complete the Budmo side mission in Stalker 2.

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Stalker 2 "Budmo!" side mission walkthrough

As you approach Grisha and Misha, a brief conversation begins. They invite you to have a drink, which you can either accept or decline. After this, they reveal that Panas, their friend, asked them to place radiation meds in his stash. However, being drunk, they forgot which stash Panas meant. They ask for your help by placing vodka in all three of Panas’s stashes, offering to pay you in return.

Accepting their request triggers the Budmo! side mission. If you don’t already have vodka, you can pick up three bottles from their table for this task. You can start placing vodka in any stash, but regardless of the order, you will always encounter Panas at the third stash.

Stash locations

Power transmission pylon stash

Power transmission pylon stash location (Image via GSC Game World || YouTube/@Gamers Heroes)

Head to the power transmission pylon marked on your map with a blue exclamation mark, located on the east side. Look for a tower with a large broken branch. Walk up the branch to find a bird's nest at the end containing the stash. Place the vodka inside but do not take anything.

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Concrete blocks stash

Concrete blocks stash location (Image via GSC Game World || YouTube/@Gamers Heroes)

Follow the map to a site with piles of concrete blocks. The stash here is hidden inside a concrete well covered with wooden planks. Use your knife to break the planks, then interact with the stash and place the vodka inside without looting it.

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Poisonous hole stash

Cave location (Image via GSC Game World || YouTube/@Gaming Tornedo)

Travel northwest to a small hill near the Poisonous Hole. At the base of the hill, you’ll find a cave. Enter the cave to encounter Panas.

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Encountering Panas

Decisions you need to make when you encounter Panas (Image via GSC Game World || YouTube/@Gaming Tornedo)

Inside the cave, Panas explains he’s quit drinking and requests radiation meds instead of vodka. You now have two choices:

• Give him the meds: Panas will be pleased and reward you with a certain amount of coupons (in-game currency).
• Stick with vodka: He reluctantly accepts, and you must return to Grisha and Misha at the bar. After some time, revisit to find the three friends drinking together. Interacting with them again to get your reward.

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Alternate Approach: Looting the Stashes

If you prefer to loot the stashes instead of placing vodka, the Budmo! mission will fail, and upon encountering Panas in the third stash location, he will immediately attack you, forcing you to kill him.

So if you prefer to go with this approach, it is recommended to start with the Power Transmission Pylon stash, which contains the most valuable items. You can choose which of the other two stashes to loot next. However, you can only loot two stashes, as in the third one, you will have to face Panas.

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Check out our other Stalker 2 articles:

• How to fast travel in Stalker 2
• All available Artifacts and their locations in Stalker 2
• How to increase the carry limit in Stalker 2