Beginner’s Guide to Escape from Tarkov 1.0 — What New Players Need to Know
Escape From Tarkov 1.0 is a hardcore, realistic extraction shooter that’s unlike any other game you’ve played before. In every raid you enter, you’ll face both AI and real players. Your goal is simple — survive, complete quests, collect loot, and escape alive. But don’t be fooled by how simple that sounds. Tarkov has one of the steepest learning curves in modern shooters, and it can feel overwhelming at first.
This guide breaks down the core mechanics, economy, movement, combat, gear, survival systems, and progression — all in friendly, conversational terms. You won’t need to panic. Read on, take notes, and most importantly: be patient with yourself. Everyone starts as a beginner.
💸 Getting Started: Purchasing the Game
Before you jump into Tarkov, you actually have to own the game. There are several editions available on the official Escape From Tarkov website. The most beginner‑friendly choice is the Standard Edition. It’s the digital base game, with a small starting stash and a basic secure container.
Starting with a higher edition can give you larger stash space, extra gear, or early access to features like PvE — but if you’re unsure whether you’ll enjoy Tarkov, start with the Standard Edition. You can always upgrade later. Buying a bigger edition right away can feel like a waste if the game isn’t for you.
Also, when creating your account, use a Gmail address if possible. Some players have reported issues with other email providers during registration in the past, though this may have been fixed.
🧍♂️ Choosing Your Faction: BEAR or USEC
Once you launch the game, you’ll choose between two factions: BEAR and USEC.
BEAR: Russian PMC with Russian voice lines and AK‑style weapon options.
USEC: NATO/Western PMC with English voice lines and Western weapon options. Many beginners choose USEC for comfort and familiarity with the language. You also get a slight bonus on some maps featuring ex-USEC “rogue” AI enemies.
This choice affects your early gameplay and faction quests, and it doesn’t drastically change core mechanics. Pick whichever feels right for you — there’s no “wrong” choice.
🎒 Your First Look: Starting Inventory & Stash
At the beginning, your inventory — called your stash — is small. On a Standard Edition account, you’ll see basic items like:
Weapon with magazines
Armor, rig, and headset
Food and water
Medical supplies
Spare ammo and melee item
Your stash is where you store items between raids. Anything you don’t extract with is lost unless it’s in your secure container — a personal safety net for your most valuable loot. Early on, your secure container is tiny, so be smart about what you protect.
Inside the game menus you’ll also see statistics like level, kills, distance, and survival rate — and the health panel, which shows the status of your character’s body parts. We’ll talk more about that soon.
🧭 Maps, Offline Raids & Practice
Learning the maps is one of the most important early steps to survival. Tarkov maps are big, complex, and full of danger. Offline raids are your best friend when you’re new. They let you:
Explore maps without fear of losing gear
Learn extraction points
Fight AI at your own pace
Understand loot spawns and terrain
To start an offline raid:
Select a map
Check the box for Practice Mode
Adjust AI and settings to your preference (it is recommended to keep them on for practice)
Even if you keep AI on for a “live” feel, offline raids are excellent for learning the layout before facing real players.
🧑🔧 Settings That Help You Survive
Certain settings can make Tarkov easier to play — especially early on.
Quick slots (for meds and grenades)
Stance and health condition displays
FOV and head bobbing
Stamina and fatigue settings
Malfunction handling
For example, binding inspect weapon and check malfunction to easy keys lets you quickly fix jams in the middle of combat. These settings are personal preference, but they help make the action more fluid and less stressful.
📦 Gear & Economy: Fear of Losing Stuff
In Tarkov, you lose what you bring in unless it’s insured or in your secure container. Early on, you’ll die a lot — it’s just part of the game. That’s why many seasoned players encourage budget gear runs instead of bringing high‑end weapons and ammo right away.
Start with:
A modest weapon and ammo
Light armor
Just enough gear to complete quests
Nothing you’ll be devastated to lose
Gearing up too much too early can lead to quick losses and frustration. Instead, think smart: survive, complete tasks, and upgrade when you understand the risks better.
🧠 Scav Runs: Low Risk, High Reward
You’ll unlock Scav runs after playing a bit. In a Scav run, you enter as a different character with random gear — and you don’t lose your main stash if you die. This makes it a valuable source of loot and experience.
Tips for Scav runs:
Use them often early on
Learn map geography
Collect valuable items for your main stash
Increase your Scav reputation for better spawns
This is one of the most risk‑free ways to get valuable items and make progress.
💉 Health, Injuries & Status Effects
Tarkov’s health system is far more detailed than most shooters. Every limb has its own HP, and different injuries affect you differently:
Head and thorax damage can quickly kill you
Limbs and stomach damage slow you down or drain stamina
Bleeds, fractures, and concussions require specific items to heal
Painkillers, splints, and CMS kits are essential for surviving injuries and getting out of raids alive.
🔫 Ammo Matters More Than Guns
One of the first big lessons in Tarkov is that ammo type matters more than weapon choice. Different ammo rounds have varying damage, penetration, velocity, and effectiveness against armor.
The best way to learn ammo:
Inspect the ammo in game
Optionally use ammo charts (online tools are huge here)
Understanding ammo will significantly improve your survivability in fights.
🛠 Hideout & Modding Weapons
As you play, you’ll unlock and build your hideout — a personal space that grants bonuses and allows for weapon modifications. A workbench lets you add parts to guns that change recoil, accuracy, handling, and more.
Modding can seem overwhelming, but start simple:
Focus on essentials like stocks and grips
Experiment to see how each part affects your weapon
Don’t worry about meta builds until later
Remember — good ammo with a basic gun often outperforms fancy parts with poor ammo. First focus on making sure your gun works, maybe by testing it in an offline raid against some Scavs.
🤝 Traders & Progression
Traders are NPCs who:
Give quests
Buy and sell items
Unlock new gear through loyalty levels
As you complete tasks and level up traders, you gain access to better weapons, armor, ammo, and crucially — the Flea Market. The Flea Market lets you buy and sell with other players, which transforms your progression.
Aim to reach the level needed for Flea Market access early — it’s a game‑changer, and you’ll get there sooner or later (level 15).
🚫 Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some traps new players frequently fall into:
Ignoring the map and getting lost (google the map for wherever you are going and have it up on a second monitor or your phone)
Being greedy after a kill and looting a body that is out in the open
Thinking PvP is the main priority at the start
In Tarkov, survival and learning are more important early on than fighting. Focus on finishing raids, completing quests, and gearing up slowly and sustainably.
🎯 Final Thoughts — It Gets Better
Escape From Tarkov is tough — that’s part of its appeal. Expect early deaths, confusion, and mistakes. But with patience and persistence, the game becomes incredibly rewarding. Every survival feels earned. Every quest completed feels triumphant.
So, take your time. Learn the maps. Respect the mechanics. Play smart. And most of all — enjoy the journey.
Good luck out there, and we’ll see you in Tarkov.
