Escape From Tarkov Hideout Complete Guide

Welcome, survivors of Tarkov. This is the most complete Tarkov hideout guide for 2024 and the most current patch in the game, patch 0.14. The hideout system was introduced a while back in the game, and for those of you who don’t know what it is, essentially, this is something between a menu and a location. Hideout is a gameplay mechanic that allows you to spend various items you find during the raid to build various sections of your hideout that provide all sorts of benefits from passive bonuses to allowing you to craft items on your own. This mechanic has become essential to your core gameplay because the benefits it provides are invaluable. You can make quest items with it, craft extremely rare and expensive items that you can push on the Flea Market, and extend your main inventory space where you put all of your goodies after a raid, even if you have the most barebones edition of the game with the smallest stash. 

 

 

At the same time, upgrading or building something in the hideout is an extremely tedious and complex process that involves finding a wide range of extremely rare items and using what seems to be absolutely random combinations to build something. Unfortunately, this is why a lot of EFT players ignore Hideout altogether. This Escape From Tarkov hideout guide aims to alleviate this issue and help you understand how to use and upgrade your personal bunker to your advantage. In this guide, we will go over each section and name what is needed to upgrade it. Then we’re going to give you the best order in which you should try to upgrade your vault because different upgrades rely on each other. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

All Hideout Sections And What They Do

Let’s start off our EFT hideout guide with some general information. There are 25 stations you can build in your hideout, with the 25th being the Christmas Tree, which usually appears after the December wipe and gets put away after a couple of weeks, on the 7th of January each year. The Christmas Tree allows you to create various items, from guns to some pretty rare things like LEDEX, by combining a certain number of tree ornaments. The rest of the stations can be divided into 3 simple categories:

• Crafting Stations - these quite simply let you make your own items that will be tagged as “Found in Raid,” which is exactly the tag that traders require for their quest items. In other words, you no longer have to find specific items in the raid, as instead, you can make them in the right station and then submit them to complete your quests!
• Passive Bonus Stations - these stations don’t allow you to make items. Instead, they provide passive benefits such as increased health and energy regen when out of raid or bonus XP gain to certain skills. These station bonuses only apply to PMCs and not Scavs, so keep that in mind.
• Other stations - stations like Hall of Fame and Shooting range serve different What it Provides other than crafting and passive bonuses.

Air Filtering Unit

This is kind of a late-game module that you will build to give yourself a boost in a number of skills related to physical activities.

This module goes well with the Gym, which is also built later on in the game. We’ll get to what the Gym is used for below (as if you can’t guess), but the point is that the Gym is more effective when you have the Air Filtering Unit.

Bitcoin Farm

For most players, making the Bitcoin farm is a long-term investment, as it requires a pretty substantial set of Tarkov hideout items, most of which are incredibly difficult to obtain. On the other hand, the bitcoins that it lets you craft cost a lot of money.

Selling bitcoins is an incredibly lucrative and profitable thing in the game. However, the deeper into the wipe, the less value is put on that item. There’s a graph that displays the correlation between the number of days from the wipe and the change in the price of the physical bitcoin. BLOG20

Booze Generator

This module has a very specific purpose; its product, the Moonshine, is used to power the Scav container. Essentially, you’ll be paying the Scavs with moonshine to bring you EFT hideout items. To build it, you’ll need the following:

• 2 Metal spare parts
• 2 Pressure gauge
• 3 Radiator helix
• 4 Silicone tube
• 1 Pipe grip wrench
• 2 Analog thermometer
• 5 Corrugated hose
• Level 3 Water Collector
• Level 3 Nutrition Unit

It only has one level and no further upgrades, so get it built as soon as you can.

Defective Wall

This is not entirely a module like the rest. Instead, this is a part of your bunker that, if left unattended, causes passive debuffs. In order to mitigate the effects it's causing, you can spend one Fleece fabric to “wipe the floor.” Essentially, when you have the right tool for the job, this wall can be brought down to unlock a new area that will be used in your hideout to build a Gym.

Until you can completely break down the wall, you can only temporarily reduce the negative effects by spending on the fabric item.

Generator

This is your main station that you must build ASAP! It powers up other stations, allowing you to craft items. You can’t craft items when the generator is off or out of fuel. On top of that, you’ll have lights in your bunker which also work of off the generator power.

Even though each tier of the generator only increases the fuel slots, the more stations you have, the more power they will consume. So, while it might not seem like upgrading to Levels 2 and 3 is a big deal, you should plan to upgrade in the future.

Gym

This lets you increase your character’s physical skills by engaging in a little mini-game. When you interact with the gym, your character will perform some exercises where you, as a player, will have to complete a series of quick-time events by pressing the right buttons at the right time.

This will be the only direct way to level up your Strength and Endurance when you’re not in a raid.

Hall of Fame

This is the latest addition to the game, and much like the weapon rack, it allows you to put your most valuable possessions on display. You can put there the dog tags, bitcoins, new collectible plushies, and much more!

Be aware that unlike anything else, this stand actually needs a certain kind of tarkov hideout required items - the dog tags of an opposite faction in order to operate. Weird, but it’s true.

Heating

Heating is essential for your hideout EFT and not just from a logical standpoint. Staying worm in your shelter has a positive effect on your PMC's recovery rate.

It’s one of the stations that provide passive bonuses to your PMC’s recovery rate, specifically the energy regen which you would otherwise replenish by consuming food.

Illumination

Illumination is kind of hard but also important. We all want our hideout to be lit up with lamps instead of measly candles, but it is not so easily accomplished. Still, when it comes to it, turning on the light in your bunker goes a long way, so do not sell those lamp bulbs.

Lamp bulbs are really hard to find, which is why they are super valuable until you unlock the Flea Market at level 15. Before that, try to bring back from the raid as many bulbs as possible. The wires are craftable, so they’re not as difficult to obtain.

Intelligence Center

This module provides a number of benefits. First and foremost, it's a crafting station that allows you to craft very specific items that you will be glad you have crafted for the quests. Secondly, it provides some pretty essential bonuses - reduced Scav cooldown (so you can make more runs for that sweet, sweet loot) and reduced Flea Market commission for all transactions which is a dream come true for any trader. Here’s what you need to build one:

Even on the first level, this module is a big upgrade to your overall experience in the game. By the time you can unlock it, you will probably already be level 15 and be able to trade using the Flea Market. So, that reduced scav timer will be just perfect!

Lavatory

The toilet is one of the most essential things in the bunker, just like a proper door for security, heating, and a resting place. Apart from the obvious, this is also a crafting station that lets you create a number of interesting items, such as soap, different kinds of fabric, some low-level vests, and backpacks.

As you upgrade this crafting station, you’ll be able to make yourself many cases and containers as well as a bunch of other useful items.

Library

The library does one thing - passively increases the amount of EXP you get for everything you do in the raid like killing, looting, consuming items, healing etc. This becomes super important for anyone who wants to reach the max level before the next wipe. The list of Required Items to build one is below:

1. x1 BakeEzy cookbook
2. x2 Slim diary
3. x2 Diary
4. x5 Tech Manual
5. x2 Chainlet
6. x1 Horse figurine
7. 400,000 Roubles
8. Memory Level 8
9. Level 3 Rest Space

The Library takes 54 hours of real-time to build, so keep that in mind as well!

Medstation

Medstation does two very important things - it increases the rate at which your character recovers after the raid, and it also lets you craft medicine.

The value and importance of the Medstation are hard to underestimate as it might as well be the most important section of your Hideout.

Nutrition Unit

This is another must-have base section that will serve you as a kitchen where you’ll be able to make all sorts of food and drinks. Nothing too fancy at first.

Rest assured that food will be needed in many quests, so even if you’re not planning a long raid where you’d want to bring some food and water with you, this is still a very useful section of your bunker.

Rest Space

Another section that is one of the essential ones in your Hideout early on in the wipe. As the game describes it - rest is very important, especially in a city like Tarkov. This section increases the rate at which your PMC recovers from negative effects. There are negative effects that you can bring with you after a particularly difficult raid, like dehydration, broken limbs, headache, pain, etc. This is the station that removes these effects.

Scav Case

This is another unique module in your bunker. Essentially, this is a drop box that you make for Scavs to bring you random items. The way it works is - that you make a payment, either with Roubles by spending your own produced Moonshine or by giving away the Intelligence folder. Depending on what you’ve given, a certain amount of time will need to pass, and you will receive random items that usually have the same value in total that you have spent. Results may vary, and it all depends on what your reputation is with the Fence feller.

In order to build this in your bunker, you’ll need: 

• x1 Golden rooster figurine
• x1 Lucky Scav Junk box
• x3 Bottle of Fierce Hatchling moonshine
• x4 Roler Submariner gold wrist watches
• x8 Golden neck chains
• x6 Gold skull ring
• x3 Bronze lion figurine
• Level 2 Intelligence Center

You won’t need to upgrade this station, but it will take you some time to accumulate these items, so it’s best to start gathering these items early.

Security

This module is one of the prerequisite ones. It doesn’t do anything by itself, but it's a requirement for most early-game and essential stations. This is one of the first things players build to ensure the rest of the hideout. Here’s all you need to upgrade it:

Build the first level as soon as you start the game so you can build other essential modules.

Shooting Range

Shooting range serves one purpose - it lets you test out your guns before you head into the raid. Assuming how many weapons and modification options this game offers, a shooting range is a must. Every mod you install on your gun affects its characteristics and it behaves differently with each one.

When building this, you might also make sure that you have the Lighting upgraded at least to level 2, otherwise, you’ll be testing your guns in complete darkness.

Solar Power

This module is like your second generator. All it does is decrease the fuel consumption by 50%. You’ll need to have these to make one:

1. x4 Phased array elements
2. x1 Advanced current converter
3. 25,000 Euros
4. x3 Working LCDs
5. x10 Military cables
6. x10 Military power filters
7. Peacekeeper LL4
8. Level 3 Generator
9. Level 3 Workbench

This module can’t be upgraded, but at the same time, it’s not an easy build and its certainly one for the late game.

Stash

The only pre-built station that determines the size of your stash that you use to store your stuff when not in the raid. Levels 2 and 3 increase the size of that stash. Seeing how fast you can run out of free space (cells) in your inventory, this section is kind of the game-changer. 

As you can this, this station can be upgraded beyond level 4 which is not very common in terms of hideout upgrades Tarkov. Sure, you can always mitigate having fewer cells in your stash by buying and using various containers, but it's not as effective as one might think.

Vents

This unit in your bunker doesn’t do anything by its own lonesome and doesn’t provide any immediate passive bonuses, but it is a requirement for most other stations, so you will have to build and upgrade it when the time comes.

Vents level 2 are required for the generator level 2 which gives you an idea of how important this section is.

Water Collector

This thing provides a water system running in and out of your bunker. Clean water can be used for cooking and hygiene in general. In terms of gameplay value, this station increases the hydration regen rate when out of the raid, and it is also one of the starting stations that you need to build at least to the first level to have other stations unlocked for you.

One thing you need to know is that once you upgrade this to level 3, this thing will require a water filter in order to operate.

Weapon Rack

Is an entirely optional module that lets you put on display your weapons. You can use any weapon you want for that, but most players use it to display their own presets.

As you upgrade this, you’ll get more and more slots ready to be used for showcasing you weapons. Once again, it's not a super important module to install, but a lot of players love it.

Workbench

This station has several crucial What it Providess. First of all, it allows you to fully modify your weapons through a special in-game menu. If you’ve heard about Tarkov’s famous weapon modification system, where you can replace practically every piece of your gun, this is the system, and it needs a level 1 workbench.

As you can see, besides unlocking the weapon modification system, this station allows you to craft various devices and ammo.

The Order Of Building Hideout Modules and Upgrades

The Tarkov hideout upgrade order in which you should unlock or build and expand your hideout is completely subjective. Different players prefer to focus on different things, build what is useful for them first, and then make the rest. So, the general notion is to first build the most basic and essential modules that we listed above at level 1 and then follow your heart. However, we are going to share a list where we name upgrades from best to worst. You can use it to determine your own order of modules to build from the most useful to the most useless. Here it is:

1. Medstation level 2 - Significant for crafting IFAKs at a lower cost. Requires Therapist at loyalty level 2, Health skill at level 2, Generator, and around ~150,000 rubles worth of parts.
2. Lavatory level 2 - Enables crafting of space-saving cases (magazine case, grenade case, lucky scav junkbox) at a cost-effective rate. Upgrading is relatively easy, requiring only Water Collector 1 and around ~200,000 rubles.
3. Stash level 2 - Expands stash size by 100 slots, providing more storage flexibility. Requires a significant investment of at least 3.5 million rubles.
4. Scav Case - Allows gambling with rubles or items to claim rewards after a few hours. Requires a substantial initial investment of around ~3 million rubles with approximately 30% return on investment.
5. Bitcoin Farm - Becomes viable late in the wipe and offers a long-term return on investment. Requires a significant upfront cost and constant fuel maintenance.
6. Shooting Range - Enables free testing of weapons in the hideout, offering convenience. Benefits include speed and no need to wait for map loading, but may be skipped if cash is tight.
7. Security, Vents, and Illumination modules - Essential prerequisites for many higher-tier stations. It is not a primary focus, but items required for these modules should be held onto when available.
8. Solar Power - Cuts down on fuel costs, particularly useful with a What it Providesing Bitcoin Farm.
9. Water Collector level 3 - Produces Purified Water, essential for crafting "Fierce Hatchling" moonshine.
10. Booze Generator - Powers the Scav Case and is considered a good investment.
11. Air Filtering Unit - Expensive with underwhelming benefits, doesn't contribute to other important upgrades.
12. Heating Unit level 3 - Provides passive energy regeneration but lacks substantial benefits or connections to other important modules.

This should give you some idea of what to build first and what you can leave for last.

Conclusion

The HIdeout system in Escape from Tarkov is a huge part of the game. Without it, 90% of the loot in the game would have no purpose whatsoever. But with it, every player gets a personal corner in Tarkov that they can equip as they see fit. It is no wonder why in the latest patch, they added another personalization module - the developers clearly want you to make this place your own.

There is a huge list of all hideout items Tarkov that you will need to acquire to build everything. This guide listed and explained each module of the bunker, what it does, and how to build it. The rest is up to you. As we’ve said before, the best approach is to start with the essential ones and slowly expand and upgrade your base. Good luck, PMCs, the escape is real!

F.A.Q.

How important is the Hideout in Tarkov?

The Hideout system in Escape from Tarkov is a core gameplay system in the game. It puts a value on so many items that aren’t something you would use directly in combat and turns them into building blocks for various crafting stations and other useful modules.

What do you do in the Hideout Tarkov?

You can craft items in the Hideout, even the ones required for the quests. Moreover, you can play a little mini-game in the Gym to increase your PMC’s Strength and Endurance. During Christmas time, you can decorate your own Christmas tree!

Does the Hideout Wipe in Tarkov?

Yes, it wouldn’t make much sense otherwise. Part of the appeal of the game is that every once in a while, everybody starts from a clean slate when the progression and your Hideout are reset.

What does the Hideout key do in Tarkov?

While it is not directly related to the player’s hideout, this particular key is important for the quest called the Missing Informat which will take you to the Streets of Tarkov.