EFT Tutorial and Guide
THE TARKOV CENTRAL
Damage, Armor and Ammo
Like the Health and Healing system, the Damage system in Escape from Tarkov is also very complex.
In addition to having seven different body zones that can take damage, there are factors influenced by armor and the ballistics of weapons and ammunition.
We can't cover everything in this section, as it would require an entire manual. For now, as a beginner, you just need to understand the fundamentals, starting with the fact that the entire system aims to simulate what happens in real life.
Ballistics also is complicated, and I’ve explored it in detail in this article: We are not shooting laser weapons: EFT ballistics explained.
Mechanics
When a bullet hits a part of your body protected by armor, the penetration value of the bullet is compared to the level of the armor.
This is a complex topic, but for now, you just need to know that every ten points of penetration roughly correspond to one armor level.
For example:
-
A bullet with 10 penetration will easily penetrate level 1 armor.
-
A bullet with 20 penetration will handle level 2 armor, and so on.
Conversely, a bullet with 10 penetration will struggle to penetrate level 2 armor and may require multiple hits. Each shot will damage the armor, gradually reducing its effectiveness and increasing the likelihood of penetration over time.
If the bullet fails to penetrate, it will still deal blunt damage to the body part covered by the armor, in addition to damaging the armor itself.
Currently, armors in EFT can have up to two layers:
-
Plate armor, which can be replaced.
-
An integral layer, which is part of the armor and cannot be changed (but it can be repaired). It is usually lower level than the first layer.
When there are two layers, the bullet must pass through both to hit the body. If the first layer stops the bullet, the second layer may absorb all the blunt damage. Or, if the first layer doesn't stop the bullet, it may slow down the bullet and reduce its penetration power enough so that the second one will manage to stop it.
Choosing Ammo
Now it should be clearer the importance of using good, high-penetration ammunition.
It’s often said in EFT that ammo is more important than the weapon—and it’s true.
Any experienced EFT player will always prefer a cheap gun with high-quality bullets over an amazing weapon with useless ammo.
In EFT, there’s a wide selection of ammunition types for each caliber. The most sought-after, rare, and expensive rounds are those with the highest penetration values.
Low-penetration ammo isn’t entirely useless, though. Many body parts are unprotected—legs, for instance, are always exposed because there is currently no leg armor in the game. Arms too. Those limbs can be blacked-out by one or 2 shots and if you keep hitting them the damage wil be distributed to all other healthy limbs.
Some weapons, such as pistols and SMGs, do not have access to high-penetration ammo. These weapons typically excel in other areas. SMGs, for instance, benefit from a high rate of fire, while pistols are compact and easy to handle.
IMPORTANT: Be careful when loading ammo into your magazines. Some magazines are compatible with multiple types of ammunition. For example, magazines for 7.62x39mm rounds can also fit .300 Blackout rounds. You don’t want to load into a raid only to realize you’ve used the wrong ammo and can’t fire your weapon!
Choosing Armor
Armor selection shouldn’t be based solely on its protection level. While higher protection is better, it often comes with drawbacks:
-
Increased weight.
-
Reduced mobility.
-
Higher cost or rarity.
At the beginning, your choices will be limited to what’s available in your stash, what you find during raids, and what little traders will sell to you.
Later on, with access to the Flea Market and by unlocking new items from traders, you can create preferred loadouts depending on the missions or tasks you aim to complete during a raid.
A good benchmark is consistently wearing level 4 armor. At this stage, you’ll be well protected against Scavs, who typically use low-penetration ammo. Against players, however, there will be a fair number with ammo that exceeds 40 penetration points, but not everyone will have it.
This also depends on the point in the wipe cycle.
At the end of a wipe, many players have high-penetration ammo and armor above level 4.
Likewise, ammo with penetration around or above 40 is considered high-quality, worth collecting if found during a raid, and should be used sparingly.
Keep in mind that ammo with penetration above 42 cannot be purchased from the Flea Market.
It can be bought from some traders for specific calibers, but only after completing certain quests.
Alternatively, it can be crafted in your Hideout—but only after unlocking the required crafts through quests.