How to Prepare for an Escape From Tarkov Wipe: A Comprehensive Guide

Preparing for an Escape From Tarkov (EFT) wipe is crucial for a smooth transition and to maximize your advantage in the early stages of the new season. A wipe resets all player progress, including levels, skills, trader reputation, and inventory, essentially bringing everyone back to square one. This period, while daunting, offers a fresh start and a level playing field. Therefore, strategic preparation is essential. In a nutshell, preparing for a Tarkov wipe involves focusing on completing quests, leveling skills, managing resources, learning maps, and understanding wipe mechanics. This article provides a detailed guide on how to do just that.

Understanding the Tarkov Wipe

Before diving into preparation strategies, it’s important to grasp what a Tarkov wipe entails. A wipe is a complete reset of the game’s persistent player data. This happens approximately every six months, often coinciding with major game updates.

What Gets Reset?

• Character Level and Skills: All character progress is reset to zero.
• Trader Reputation: All your reputation with traders is wiped, meaning you’ll start at level one again.
• Inventory: All equipment, weapons, and items stored in your stash are removed.
• Quest Progress: All completed and uncompleted quests are reset, allowing you to replay them.
• Money: All roubles, dollars, and euros are wiped from your account.

What Doesn’t Get Reset?

• Hours Played: The only thing that remains is your total playtime statistic.

Strategies for Pre-Wipe Preparation

Now, let’s break down how to effectively prepare for the impending wipe.

1. Focus on Completing Quests

In the pre-wipe period, it’s wise to prioritize completing as many quests as possible. Quests often provide valuable rewards, such as:

• Trader Reputation: This can help you level up traders quickly in the new wipe.
• Unique Items: Some quests unlock or provide items that can be beneficial even after the wipe, such as specific weapon mods.
• Experience Points: While levels will reset, practicing quests now will allow for faster leveling during the new wipe.
• Familiarity: Completing quests prior helps understand the order of quests that are crucial for progression in a new wipe.

2. Maximize Skill Leveling

Although skills are reset, the knowledge gained from leveling them is not. Focus on skills that are essential for your playstyle, such as:

• Strength: Useful for increasing carrying capacity and movement speed.
• Endurance: Improves stamina for longer sprints.
• Weapon Skills: Improves your accuracy and handling of preferred weapon types.
• Searching: Speeds up loot searching.

3. Learn Map Layouts

One of the most crucial aspects of preparation is knowing your way around the maps. You should:

• Identify Extraction Points: Knowing multiple exit routes can save your life.
• Locate Hotspots for Fighting: Understanding these areas will help you either avoid combat or prepare for it.
• Memorize Loot Locations: Knowing the best spots for loot can give you an advantage in the early wipe.

The article specified that new players should focus on learning a few maps first as well. Don’t try to learn every map, just pick a few to start.

4. Manage Resources Wisely

As the wipe approaches, focus on using up your valuable resources. Don’t hoard anything, as it’ll all be gone.

• Use Expensive Gear: Now’s the time to go all out. Don’t be afraid to lose your best weapons and armor.
• Sell Excess Items: Convert unneeded items into currency, and then spend that currency. This is a good way to hone your combat skills with the best gear possible.
• Experiment with Loadouts: Try different weapon combinations to see what works for you.

5. Focus on Combat Practice

Don’t underestimate the value of combat practice. Use the pre-wipe period to hone your skills:

• Engage in Frequent Raids: Get into as many firefights as possible to improve your reaction time and aim.
• Practice in High-Risk Areas: This will prepare you for the most challenging encounters.

6. Take a Break

Consider taking a short break from the game right before the wipe. This will prevent burnout and give you a fresh perspective when the wipe hits.

What to Do at the Start of a Wipe

When the wipe happens, the game’s atmosphere is high energy and chaotic. Here are some key things you should do:

• Quickly Tackle Early Quests: Focus on the initial quests to unlock traders and gain early access to essential items.
• Focus on Scav Runs: Use your scav character to get some easy loot and start building a small inventory again.
• Learn the Current Meta: Often, there are changes to weapons and gameplay. Adjust to these as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify Tarkov’s wipe mechanics:

1. How long do Tarkov wipes usually last?

A: Typically, a Tarkov wipe lasts around six months, though this can fluctuate slightly based on developer updates.

2. How often does Escape From Tarkov wipe?

A: Escape From Tarkov usually wipes twice per year, typically around June/July and again in December.

3. What is the best map to learn for new players?

A: For new players, Customs is often recommended as it’s relatively straightforward and has many key early game quests. Woods is also a good option because the loot is good and its easy to avoid fights.

4. What is a Money Case used for in Tarkov?

A: The Money Case is a container designed to store in-game currency like roubles, dollars, and euros. It holds 49 slots in a 7×7 grid while only taking 6 slots in your stash.

5. How big can my stash be in Tarkov?

A: The default stash size is 10×28. The maximum stash size is 10×68 after three upgrades.

6. Does Tarkov wipe monthly?

A: No, Tarkov does not wipe monthly. Wipes typically occur every six months or so.

7. What is toilet paper used for in Tarkov?

A: Toilet paper is used to muffle coughs when suffering from a cold, it can be used as fuel, or as clutter to make the world more realistic.

8. What happens to my level every wipe?

A: Your level is reset to zero along with your skills and trader reputation.

9. Does everything get wiped in Tarkov?

A: Yes, almost everything. All your gear, stats, and progress are reset except the “Hours Played” statistic.

10. What should I do in Tarkov?

A: In Tarkov, you complete raids and extract by reaching an escape point. You fight players and bots, search for loot, and complete quests.

11. How common are hackers in Tarkov?

A: Unfortunately, cheating is a concern in Tarkov. Some claims even suggest that 60% of matches may have cheaters.

12. How many people are on the Tarkov development team?

A: The development team at Battlestate Games is around 80 people.

13. Are there sales for Tarkov?

A: Yes, Tarkov often has sales, typically announced on their website under the “news” section.

14. Do I keep my scav gear?

A: Yes, if you survive a raid as a Scav, you keep the gear. Anything you leave with your Scav is lost.

15. What map has the most stashes?

A: Shoreline is a good map for loot stashes, with at least 37 possible spawns.

Conclusion

Preparing for a Tarkov wipe is all about smart planning and efficient use of the pre-wipe period. By completing quests, maximizing skill leveling, learning maps, and managing resources wisely, you can give yourself a significant advantage when the new wipe hits. Always remember to stay flexible and adapt to the changing landscape of Tarkov. With the right strategy, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in the new wipe. Happy raiding!