In STALKER 2, one of the complex situations you face is: should you side with the military-esque Ward or the rebel-spirited Noontide? Spoiler: it’s not an easy decision.
During the Wishful Thinking mission in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, you will encounter an intense choice between two factions: Ward or Noontide/Spark. Ward is a powerful, authoritarian group that wants to control and exploit the Zone while siding with Noontide means making friends with the Spark faction that claims to fight for the Zone’s freedom. This decision affects the game including your alliances, access to many locations, and the story’s ending.
After a series of events at the SIRCAA Compound you will meet Simon Dubny, the leader of Noontide. He wants to stop Ward’s actions and during the conversation, he will ask you, “Tell me know Skif – are you with the Ward, or with us?” So, will you stand with Ward’s stability or lean towards Noontide’s ideals? Both factions offer you rewards or benefits and siding with one makes the other your enemy. If you don’t know what happens if you side with both factions and how it all ends, we have put together this guide to explain everything you need to know. But be aware, there are spoilers ahead if you are still behind in the storyline and don’t want to spoil the fun.
What Happens If You Side With Noontide?
Siding with Noontide allows you to befriend Dubny, a former Monolith soldier turned idealist, and his ragtag crew including Scar and Strider. They want to let the Zone thrive—untamed, unpredictable, and free from Ward’s iron fist. This path involves a rebellion approach; you’ll help Noontide push back against Ward, but not without sacrifices. It is the option to be picked by the brave stalkers to face the challenges against the powerful group. Ward will immediately blacklist you, treating you like a wanted fugitive. Their bases are now off-limits to you forever in the game. Even neutral areas like the Zalissya and Slag Heap bases end up abandoned or outright destroyed.
Joining Noontide gets you free help from the Spark faction—a secretive terrorist group. You get a new underground base near Rostok full of upgraded gear and weapons. They also have an expert technician who can pimp out your equipment like nobody else. However, these bonuses don’t erase the fact that this decision makes your Zone’s journey far tougher from now on. Ward troops will attack you on sight, and Monolith soldiers start popping up more frequently, armed to the teeth and gunning for you. But any time, you can betray Spark to unlock the Ward’s ending if you decide later on.
What Happens If You Side With Ward?
Ward faction has order, control, and smashing anything that disrupts their vision for the Zone. Leaning towards it is a pragmatic approach—after all, Ward are trained soldiers with the highest number and have better resources, more allies, and an infrastructure that helps to survive in the Zone way easier. After choosing the dialogue and asking Dubny to surrender, Noontiders will start attacking you right away. You need to kill Dubny and his soldiers on the spot and make a safe escape. It’s brutal, but Ward doesn’t mess around. This cooperation also guarantees access to Ward’s well-built bases, including hotspots like Icarus Base and the Chemical Plant. These locations serve as spots to rest, rearm, and strategize without the tension of Monolith patrols knocking on your door.
On the downside, the Spark faction linked with Noontide goes hostile towards you. From now on, it puts a restriction on accessing their Rostok base but you don’t need it for now. The good thing is this group is small as you will rarely see any member from this faction in your journey. Even though Spark isn’t a much stronger force in the Zone compared to Ward, their guerilla tactics can still make your life hard. On the bright side, Ward’s overwhelming strength and resources make their hostility more annoying than a big threat.
Under Ward’s protection and friendship, there will be fewer chances to get ambushed with better access to supplies and kind of a free pass to wander across most of the map with no worry. As it seems, this choice is far better with many extra benefits you won’t get by helping Noontide but at the cost of elimination of many ending paths.
Should I Side With Ward or Noontide in STALKER 2? The Better Choice
If you’re a story-driven player who loves underdog narratives, siding with Noontide is the emotionally satisfying choice. It’s about sticking it to the man and bringing chaos, even if it means tougher fights and fewer resources. But if you prefer not to die every five minutes, Ward gives stability and an easier playthrough ahead. Mainly, it comes down to your playstyle and preference. Do you want to be a rebel with a cause or a survivor playing it smart? I went with Noontide first but after getting pummeled by Monolith soldiers, I reloaded and shook hands with the Ward. No shame in admitting that survival sometimes trumps ideals.
No matter which side you choose, the part of a failed experiment from Dr. Darlin leading to Noontiders turning into Monolithians will happen in either decision. From this point of the Wishful Thinking mission onwards, they will become a big problem and come in your way to finish many side quests related to Zalissya or Spark/Noontide. So, before taking a side of any faction, you should wrap up the key missions of the other group and then move forward with “Wishful Thinking” in STALKER 2.
