STALZONE

Rise is the northern faction open to players who start as Stalkers. It inherits the anarchic, freedom-first identity of the faction that was called Freedom before EXBO's renaming, and the official website currently lists it as Dawn while in-game patch notes use Rise.

EXBO's own gear copy ties Rise to patient sniping, with an exo-suit built to lie in a radioactive swamp for hours waiting for a target. Pick it if you want a Stalker-side faction and enjoy long sightlines, scouting and picking fights on your own terms.

Frontier is the paramilitary northern faction on the Stalker side, renamed from Duty. It presents itself as an organised force holding the line against mutants and rival groups.

Its signature Avangard armour, adapted from army equipment, is described as especially resistant to mutant claws and teeth while still stopping bullets. Frontier suits players who want a structured, squad-minded faction whose armour is built as much for mutants as for rival players.

The Mercenaries are one of the two northern factions available to players who start as Bandits. They are profit-driven professionals rather than believers, and EXBO's lore credits their leader Muller's connections for their best equipment.

Their super-heavy RS-124 Reiter suit is built for the hardest firefights in a war where everyone fights everyone. Choose the Mercenaries if you like the Bandit start but want a faction defined by contracts, firepower and pragmatic alliances.

Covenant is the religious northern faction on the Bandit side. Its members treat the Zone with zealous devotion, and the official lore describes them carrying suffering into the world with a heavy tread.

The faction's pride is Apostle, a superheavy armour with a cross on the helmet that EXBO calls extremely hard to obtain. Covenant fits players who want the most distinctive look in the North and do not mind a faction built around intimidation.