"Atomfall: Guide to Early Free Metal Detector Acquisition"

In *Atomfall*, getting your hands on the right tools early can make all the difference in your exploration and survival. One essential tool is the Metal Detector, which can help you uncover valuable items scattered throughout the game's world. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to obtain a Metal Detector for free early in your journey.

How Metal Detector Works in Atomfall

Screenshot by The Escapist

The Metal Detector is an invaluable tool in *Atomfall* that you'll want to keep in your inventory at all times. As you explore the expansive world, your Metal Detector will ping, indicated by a tool icon in the bottom left corner of your screen, signaling that a metal cache is nearby. When it's safe, activate your Metal Detector using the designated hotkey.

The row of lights on the detector will guide you towards the cache. If the lights sway to the left, adjust your direction leftward; if they sway to the right, turn right. Your goal is to follow the center light until the dial beneath it reaches its peak frequency of 10. When all the lights blink simultaneously, you've pinpointed the cache's location. Use the 'Dig' option to unearth it and then 'Search' to claim the items inside.

Screenshot by The Escapist

Where to Find Free Metal Detector Early in Atomfall

Screenshot by The Escapist

In the initial hours of your *Atomfall* adventure, you'll encounter various trader NPCs, including Reg Stansfield in the Slate Mine Caves at Slatten Dale, who stocks a Metal Detector. However, trading for it early on might be beyond your means.

Instead, head east from Slatten Dale, avoiding the 'Water Wheels' compound filled with Outlaws to minimize early combat. Continue eastward and then south until you reach a shallow pond at coordinates **(29.1E, 73.9N)**. In the middle of this pond, on a rocky outcrop, you'll find an Outlaw corpse. Be cautious of the carnivorous leeches in the water.

Screenshot by The Escapist

Approach the corpse and 'Search' it to discover a functional Metal Detector, yours for free. This early acquisition will earn you the **'Detectorist' trophy/achievement**. Having a Metal Detector at this stage significantly boosts your ability to gather healing items, ammo, and other loot useful for bartering.

Additionally, it aids in unlocking other achievements like **'Where there's much there's brass'** (Find 10 metal detector caches) and **'Packed lunch'** (Find 5 buried lunchboxes).

This guide wraps up how to secure a free Metal Detector early in *Atomfall*, giving you a strategic advantage in your quest for survival and exploration.