TL;DR
- Cost of Hope has 16 main missions and 6 side missions in total.
- One playthrough gives you 13 missions on the Duty route or 14 on the Freedom route.
- Seeing everything requires two playthroughs — one per faction.
- The story splits permanently at The Destructive Power of the Mind — save before entering.
- The DLC takes roughly 15 to 20 hours to complete on a single run.
- Two side missions — Dead or Alive and Digger’s Tunnel — are effectively required early on.
All main and side missions in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope DLC span 16 main quests and 6 side quests, but the story splits at a key moment — and your choice locks out entire mission chains for the rest of that run. This guide lists every mission in order, marks which ones are Duty-only or Freedom-only, and tells you exactly when to save before the point of no return.
How Cost of Hope Missions Work
Cost of Hope does not start from a separate menu. It hooks directly into your existing Heart of Chornobyl campaign after you leave Zalissya at the end of the Behind Seven Seals main mission. At that point, you can head to the Slag Heap in the Garbage region and find a stalker called Chatterbox to kick off the DLC story.
Alternatively, if you want to jump straight into Cost of Hope without replaying the base game, you can start a new game and skip ahead to the DLC. You will spawn in with a starter set of gear.
The DLC delivers its content in two parts. The first part covers five missions and takes you into the Iron Forest. The second part is longer and ends with a faction choice that permanently locks one set of missions out for the rest of that playthrough.
Eleven of the 16 main missions are shared across both routes. The Duty path has 3 exclusive missions. The Freedom path has 4 exclusive missions — making Freedom the longer single-run option. You need both runs to see everything.
All Shared Main Missions in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope (Both Routes)
These missions play out the same regardless of which faction you side with later. They make up the core of the DLC story and run through the Iron Forest, the investigation into the Blasts, and Laboratory X16.
1. Terra Incognita
The first DLC mission. Skif follows a lead about the Iron Forest at the Slag Heap. You find Chatterbox and learn of two routes into the Iron Forest — through the IPSF checkpoint or through a hidden underground tunnel. Either way, this mission ends once you make it inside the Iron Forest perimeter.
2. Step Into the Unknown
A short mission that follows directly from Terra Incognita. You find your way to the Freedom Kurin base, meet Harpoon and then Zulu, and survive a mutant attack. This mission ends quickly and flows straight into Unexpected Alliance.
3. Unexpected Alliance
Zulu sends Skif to help Nitro fix a broken repeater at the Testing Ground POI. This is the mission with the dangerous tower climb, the electrical anomaly, and the Poltergeist fight at the top. After the repeater, you track down Mavka and help her survive a mutant wave. Our guide on how to get to the repeater in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope covers the climb in detail.
4. In the Heart of the Iron Forest
Skif joins Zulu and Mavka to investigate the Testing Workshop and find the source of the Blasts rocking the Iron Forest. The mission involves restoring power at the Power Substation — which requires finding the Generator Room Key — then pushing through the Testing Workshop with your allies and fighting off multiple mutant waves. For help finding the key, check our Generator Room Key location guide.
5. Distant Mirage
Closes out the first part of the DLC. This mission takes you beyond the Iron Forest and opens up the next major area. It sets up the investigation threads that drive Part 2 of the story.
6. Moving in the Shadows
Part 2 begins. Skif digs deeper into the conflict between Duty and Freedom, following leads across the Zone. This mission opens up the investigation phase of the story.
7. Shadows of the Past
One of two investigation missions that run in parallel. Skif follows a trail into Duty’s past and uncovers what really drives the faction’s agenda. Both this and To the Origins of Freedom must be completed before the story can advance to X16.
8. To the Origins of Freedom
The second parallel investigation mission. Skif traces Freedom’s history and its connections to the current conflict. Like Shadows of the Past, this must be finished before Laboratory X16 opens up.
9. The Destructive Power of the Mind
This is the point of no return. Skif enters Laboratory X16 alongside Zulu and Mavka. Deep inside, a confrontation forces you to choose a side. Supporting Zulu locks you into the Duty route. Supporting Mavka locks you into the Freedom route. Make a manual save before entering this mission. You cannot go back after the choice is made. The missions that follow depend entirely on which faction you pick.
10. The Road to the Center of the Storm
A shared mission that follows the faction split. Both Duty and Freedom players complete this one. It pushes the story toward the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and sets up the final stretch.
11. The Price of a Miracle
The final mission of Cost of Hope. Both routes lead here for the ending, though the path to reach it and the events leading up to it differ significantly between Duty and Freedom. Completing this mission ends the DLC.
Duty-Only Main Missions in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope
Choose Zulu at the X16 split and these three missions replace the Freedom-exclusive quests. The Duty route is slightly shorter overall — 13 missions to Freedom’s 14.
In Memory of the Fallen
The first Duty-exclusive mission after the X16 split. Skif and Zulu return to the Cement Factory and push deep into an underground Monorail complex leading toward the CNPP. The mission involves restoring power, fighting through tight underground spaces, and navigating cave passages to advance.
Gunpowder, Sweat, and Blood
A Duty-route combat mission that pushes toward the CNPP. Expect heavy fighting and tactical objectives tied to Duty’s approach to dealing with the ongoing conflict.
Status Quo
Also Duty-exclusive. This mission deals with the aftermath of the faction’s decisions and positions Skif for the final push toward The Price of a Miracle.
Freedom-Only Main Missions in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope
Side with Mavka at X16 and you get four exclusive missions — one more than Duty, making the Freedom run slightly longer.
Status Quo (Freedom Version)
Freedom also has a Status Quo mission, but it plays out very differently from the Duty version. The objectives and context reflect Freedom’s philosophy and their approach to the CNPP situation.
Dangerous Way
A Freedom-exclusive mission involving sabotage and more unpredictable zone navigation. True to Freedom’s style, the approach is less structured than Duty’s equivalent missions.
Uninvited Guests
Another Freedom-only quest tied to the faction’s operations near the CNPP. This mission is only accessible on the Freedom route and is not available to Duty players in the same run.
All Side Missions in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope
The DLC has 6 side missions. Two of them are closely tied to main story progression and are effectively required early on. The other four are optional and tied to specific moments in the DLC’s timeline.
1. Dead or Alive
When: Available at the Iron Forest Gate after Terra Incognita.
How it starts: Help the IPSF soldiers repel a mutant attack at the gate, then speak with Captain Vusatyi. He asks you to find his missing scouts and rewards you with the Iron Forest Gate Key Card — which lets you freely enter and leave the region at any time. Completing this side mission earns around 5,398 Coupons.
Note: Do this before heading to the SWYD-East Checkpoint or Chill and Vova Cash may be killed by a Bloodsucker when you return. Order matters here.
2. Digger’s Tunnel
When: Available near the Iron Forest Gate during Terra Incognita.
How it starts: Find the abandoned bus stop near the road to the Iron Forest Gate. Pick up Goodbye’s PDA next to a dead body inside. This starts the mission and gives you a hidden underground route into the Iron Forest that bypasses the main gate. The tunnel leads directly to the SWYD-East Checkpoint, where you meet Chill and trigger Step Into the Unknown.
Note: Starting Dead or Alive first cancels this side mission. Choose which route you want before interacting with both triggers.
3. Where Hope Leads
When: Available during the Iron Forest portion of the DLC.
A side quest tied to characters and events inside the Iron Forest. It runs alongside the early main missions and has its own rewards separate from the main story path.
4. The Forgotten
When: Available in the Iron Forest region.
Another side quest that can be picked up while working through the early missions. Like the others, it is time-sensitive — progressing too far in the main story can cause optional side quests to fail or become unavailable.
5. Fair Deal
When: Available during the DLC’s mid-section.
A side quest tied to the faction tension building in the second part of the story. Complete it before the X16 split to avoid losing access.
6. Territorial War
When: Available in the second half of the DLC.
The final side mission in Cost of Hope. It ties into the wider Duty vs Freedom conflict and rewards completion with Coupons and gear. Like the other optional quests, do not leave this until after the faction split or it may become unavailable.
Important Tips Before You Start
- Save manually before The Destructive Power of the Mind. This is the point of no return. Once you make the Zulu or Mavka choice inside X16, the other faction’s missions are locked out permanently for that run.
- Do Dead or Alive before Digger’s Tunnel if you want to keep Chill and Vova Cash alive and collect the full reward. Order matters for this early side quest.
- Do not ignore side quests. Several can fail silently as the story advances. Named quests tied to characters are the most at risk — complete them before major mission transitions.
- Freedom gives you one more mission per run. If you only play through once and want more content, Freedom is the longer route.
- Seeing all 16 main missions needs two playthroughs. There is no way around it — the faction split locks three to four missions on each side.
Where to Get Stalker 2: Cost of Hope
The DLC is available on the official Stalker 2 website, through Steam, on Xbox, and via the Epic Games Store.
For more help with the DLC, see our Stalker 2: Cost of Hope beginners guide, our Puncher answers and Key with Ripped-Off Tag guide, and our PC requirements page if you are running into performance issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many missions are in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope?
Cost of Hope has 16 main missions and 6 side missions. However, you cannot complete all 16 main missions in a single playthrough. The Duty route gives you 13 main missions and the Freedom route gives you 14. You need two playthroughs to see everything.
What is the point of no return in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope?
The point of no return is The Destructive Power of the Mind, which takes place inside Laboratory X16. When you are forced to choose between supporting Zulu or Mavka, that decision permanently locks you into one faction’s mission chain for the rest of the run. Always make a manual save before entering this mission.
Do Dead or Alive and Digger’s Tunnel cancel each other?
Yes, they are mutually exclusive routes into the Iron Forest. Starting Dead or Alive (by helping the IPSF at the gate) cancels the Digger’s Tunnel path, and vice versa. If you want the better Coupon reward (around 5,398), do Dead or Alive. If you want the faster tunnel shortcut, follow Digger’s Tunnel. You cannot do both in the same playthrough.
Can side missions be missed in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope?
Yes. Side missions in Cost of Hope are time-sensitive. Progressing too far through the main story — especially past the faction split at Laboratory X16 — can cause some side missions to fail or disappear. Complete any named side quest as soon as it appears on your map, especially the ones tied to characters like Chill and Vova Cash who can die if you approach them in the wrong order.
