Overview
An In-depth Guide on the mission Kshatriya.
Information about the Guide
After a long time being absent from writing any work related to the Metro games I have finally decided to add a new addition to my Metro guide collection. After a long time of thinking ,I have finally decided that a good topic would be the first ever “open world” mission in a Metro game, the mission Kshatriya.Of course compared to Metro Exodus game this so called open world level is a joke, but before Metro Exodus this was the closest we got to be stalkers in a post apocalyptic Metro.
I will lean more to the writing like in my guide The Librarians, basically a guide that is very interesting to read which is also full of useful information.
This guide should be interesting to both new and experienced players of the Metro.
All of the written information was assembled by me (danisoff).The information used in the guide is from my personal experience playing the game and from some Metro sites.The pictures were taken from the internet where they were freely available.You can download all of the pictures from my guide but I forbid any copying of my written text.
If you need more information ask me in the comment section and I will respond in the shortest time possible.If you are in a hurry, you can contact me directly on my steam profile, or you can join my Discord and ask there.
I hope you enjoin the guide and please do not forget to rate it when you are finished reading.
Discord[discord.gg]
Steam Group
– danisoff
Origins of the word Kshatriya
Kshatriya is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warriorhood. The Sanskrit term kṣatriyaḥ is used in the context of Vedic society where in members were organised into four classes: brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra.
Early Rigvedic tribal monarchy
The administrative machinery in the Vedic India was headed by a tribal king called Rajan whose position was not hereditary. The king was elected in a tribal assembly (called Samiti) which included women. The Rajan protected the tribe and cattle; was assisted by a priest; and did not maintain a standing army, though in the later period the rulership appears to have risen as a class. The concept of the fourfold varna system is not yet recorded.
Later Vedic period
The hymn Purusha Sukta to the Rigveda describes the symbolic creation of the four varna-s through cosmic sacrifice (yajña). Some scholars consider the Purusha Sukta to be a late interpolation into the Rigveda based on the neological character of the composition, as compared to the more archaic style of the Vedic literature.[citation needed] Since not all Indians were fully regulated under the varna in the Vedic society,the Purusha Sukta was supposedly composed in order to secure Vedic sanction for the heredity caste scheme. An alternate explanation is that the word ‘Shudra’ does not occur anywhere else in the Rig-veda except the Purusha Sukta, leading some scholars to believe the Purusha Sukta was a composition of the later Rig-vedic period itself to denote, legitimize and sanctify an oppressive and exploitative class structure that had already come into existence.
Modern era
Writing in the context of how the jajmani system operated in the 1960s, Pauline Kolenda noted that the “caste function of the Kshatriya is to lead and protect the village, and with conquest to manage their conquered lands. The Kshatriyas do perform these functions today to the extent possible, by distributing food as payments to kamins and providing leadership.”
They were in charge of the protection of the Hindu society by fighting in wartime and governing in peacetime. In the Metro Universe, the Kshatriya is one of the four classes Polis citizens may elect to fall into when they become of age. Kshatriya are the warrior class and combat elite of Polis.
The picture below depicts the Kshatriya in Hindu literature.
The basic Overview of Kshatriya
Kshatriya is the second level added in the Faction Pack, and, its the longest of the three – but is the single longest level in Metro Last Light.Before metro exodus this was the single longest lever in the Metro series.Unlike most levels, which have Artyom travelling from point A to B or battling a foe, Kshatriya uses new mechanics, such as open world scavenging, to emulate the act of Stalking – venturing up to the surface to retrieve artifacts of the old world.
Kshatriya puts the player in the boots of a supposed Ranger Trainee from Polis, attempting to prove himself as being worthy of being amongst the warrior class of Polis: the Kshatriya. He begins by first meeting up with the Kshatriya Team that is there to help him when he begins to scavenge the area of the Great Library above. Following a short conversation with the base’s arms and equipment dealer, Kuzmich, the Trainee meets with Shaman, the artifacts collector. Shaman will instruct the player to hand in any of the artifacts that they find on the surface to him in exchange for varying levels of cash rewards.
Gameplay in Kshatriya is drastically different than that of what can be found in the main campaign of Metro Last Light. Aside from finding all 30 artifacts listed on Shaman’s electronic drawing-board, including the “Map of Secret Metro”, there is no goal, so the player is free to explore the large map at will. While seeming rather small to begin with, certain parts of Kshatriya must be unlocked by exploration to proceed further into. The sewers, seemingly a hallway or two, rapidly becomes a crossroads leading to various parts of the surface and the Great Library. Checkpoints are determined by the player, rather than given at random intervals, or when the player acesses new areas. To initiate a new save, the player must return to the Stalker base, and use the door located to the right of Kuzmich’s wares to enter Polis station. Here the Trainee will rest and return the next night, with progress being saved. Checkpoints are entirely optional, and some players find extra thrills in refusing to enter the station, until when it is required at the very end. If you want to finish the level quickly, you will return to the station quite often, your backpack only fits 5 artifacts, so you have to return at least 6 times to return and handover your findings to Shaman.
Kshatriya is completed after the Trainee ventures deep into the archives of the library, beyond the fearsome librarians within, and returns with the secret metro map. Below is a map and complete guide to finding every artifact in Kshatriya.
One of the first things you will see when you start the level is displayed on the picture.
The Kshatriya Team
Kshatriya’s Military forces, the Rangers, are seen many times throughout Metro: Last Light. However, they are only seen guarding Polis once during the level of the same name.
Stalkers of Kshatriya are seen only in the Metro: Last Light DLC, Kshatriya level. This Kshatriya team consisted of five members – Kuzmich, the weapons expert and, most likely, leader, Shaman, in charge of cataloging all the artifacts, the Stalker twins, Su and Bar, and their newest recruit, the Ranger Trainee. As Stalkers of Polis, they ventured up onto the surface, hunting for artifacts and information that might help preserve some of the lost culture of old Russia.
Kuzmich
Kuzmich is the quartermaster of the Polis Kshatriya team in the Metro: Last Light DLC, Kshatriya level. He provides his Stalkers with the necessary equipment with which to survive the surface.Kuzmich can be recognized in the base with his signature knit cap and Ranger coat. He serves as both a weapon vendor and exchange kiosk, providing the Ranger Trainee with ammunition, equipment, armor, and weapons if the Trainee has enough military grade rounds to purchase his wares. Kuzmich is depicted as an “all business” character, with little in the way of extraneous dialogue that might establish his personality further. Despite this however, Kuzmich is unique in that he has a pet Lurker pup that can always be seen nearby, and a prosthetic left leg, though but this doesn’t stop him from walking unaided, albeit slowly.
In-game picture of Kuzmich.
Shaman
Shaman is the ‘expert’ for the Polis Kshatriya team, in the Metro: Last Light DLC, Kshatriya level. It is his job is to identify and catalog artifacts brought in by the team’s Stalkers, and provide compensation for retrieved items.When first met, Shaman is doubtful of the Ranger Trainee and assures him that the life of a stalker is a difficult one and that the big riches, such as the map of secret metro, are simply fairy tales.He appears to like music as he is always seen with headphones around his neck, and he occasionally walks around listening to pop and rock songs that can be heard by the player . He is most likely a Brahmin – a keeper of knowledge in Polis – as he never ventures outside the hub and appears to be the least violent and oldest. Although his scars do suggest he has seen combat of some kind during the past, seemingly mutant related, judging from the claw-like marks.
In-game picture of Shaman.
Su
Su is of the stalkers from the Polis Kshatriya team, in the Metro: Last Light DLC, Kshatriya level, along with the Ranger Trainee and his twin brother Bar.Su and his brother hunt for artifacts alongside the Trainee (but none of their findings are actually seen), and occasionally help break the Trainee out of tough spots like the Watcher ambush in the Piano Room. Most of the time he is seen relaxing in the base with his brother, or sleeping. Him and Bar are twins, as stated by Kuzmich, who refers to them as ‘the twins’. They often finish each other’s sentences and look very much alike.
In-game picture of Su.
Bar
Bar is one of the stalkers from the Polis Kshatriya team, in the Metro: Last Light DLC, Kshatriya level, along with the Ranger Trainee and his twin brother Su.
In-game picture of Bar.
The Ranger Trainee
The Ranger Trainee is the faceless and nameless protagonist of the Faction Pack mission, Kshatriya.Like all other characters of the Faction Pack, not much is known about this character. What can be inferred is that he is male and a Ranger-in-training from Polis. Evident from his dialogue, he is training to become a Kshatriya – a soldier of Polis – and the level he is featured in appears to be his initiation, hence he must be around 18 years old, as that is the age Polis citizens choose their life ‘profession’.The Trainee only speaks during the the level’s loading paragraph, though he expresses some emotion and seems excited about his training – aside from this though, he never speaks. Although he has a different voice actor than the one who plays Artyom in Last Light, the two share the same damage and death voice clips.
The Ranger Trainee is the faceless and nameless protagonist,so there is no picture.
Weapons and Equipment
The Nosalises encountered underground can be a fair source of income, as they can be killed with 1-2 shotgun blasts and yield 1-5 MGRs, while 6 shotgun shells can be bought for only 7 MGRs. As they are found underground, you don’t need to waste precious filters fighting them.
Filters become more expensive every time you purchase one, but their price resets after a time. It is a good idea to buy a single filter every time you return to the base, so you don’t have to pay extra for buying them in bulk after a long expedition.
You start the game with a Bastard carbine and an Ashot shotgun-pistol. The trader will offer to sell you the following guns: Kalash, Duplet, Revolver, Lolife and Shambler. A Helsing can be found on a corpse of your predecessor. He will also offer incendiary shotgun shells, incendiary pistol rounds and regular assault rifle rounds, as well as throwing knives, claymore mines, sticky and incendiary grenades.
You are also able to purchase 2 separate suits of armor, but you will only be able to wear one of them at a time:
Radiation armor – costs 200 MGRs and will protect you from radiation, lowering the rate at which you use up your filters in radioactive areas.
Heavy armor – costs 225 MGRs and will protect you from the attacks of monsters.
Night vision goggles can be found on a body of one of your predecessors.
The two displayed tables below show weapons, accessories and gadgets at the starting position. Only 2 gadgets are missing, 4 barrels and ergo grip (Duplet) the mentioned items are not placed because of limitations inside the editor.
Bugs
The Gasoline Canister may not always appear. It’s a good idea to immediately check its spawn position and start a new game if it is not there.
Some objects might appear hovering over the ground.
If a Lurker is killed it sometimes may act as if it was still alive, crouching in an alert postition. It may still be salvaged from.
It may occur that filters bought will not be added to you inventory. This is caused by picking up the filter hidden on the pipe inside the station.
Librarian AI may make them freeze up at times, and randomly unagressive mid-combat or if hit while playing a waking up animation.
The final Librarian may spawn in a frozen position, it will be unable to attack but can still be killed or bypassed, it will not stop the player completing the level.
Ladders can be difficult to interact with if approached from odd angles or while sprinting. If you cannot attach after repeated attempts, take several steps backwards and approach slowly from the front.
(I had so many accidental falls that it hurts me to remember…)
Sometimes, in the archives, the sounds from the game can no longer be heard. Once back at the base, the textures will look dull and pre-rendered, and if you go through the gate after you give the secret metro map to shaman, the screen will go black and will stop working. You will have to restart the console and start from the last checkpoint. Also, any achievements will be lost and will never come back (found on the PS3).
Items list and general Locations
This part of the guide I have deliberately left last because it’s pretty long and I wanted to do it right. Below you can find every artifact and its general location.Some of the location can change, that is the why some artifact has a few listed locations.
Gasoline (Location – Surface Building)
Book (Location – Surface Building)
Old Phone (Location – Surface Building)
Monitor (Location – Surface Building)
Keyboard (Location – Surface Building)
Painting (Location – Surface Building)
Toy (Underground – Sewers)
Pack of Books (Great Library – Library Ground Floor,Great Library – Library Second Floor)
Clock (Great Library – Library Ground Floor,Great Library – Library Second Floor)
Weapon Parts (Great Library – Library Second Floor)
Glasses (Great Library – Library Ground Floor,Great Library – Library Second Floor)
Tricycle (Great Library – Library Ground Floor,Great Library – Library Second Floor)
Icon (Great Library – Watchmen Room)
Tools (Great Library – Watchmen Room,Great Library – Chandelier Room)
Poster (Great Library – Watchmen Room,Great Library – Chandelier Room)
Suitcase (Great Library – Chandelier Room,Great Library – Demon Room)
Medical Supplies (Great Library – Demon Room,Great Library – Transition Hall)
Drawings (Great Library – Demon Room)
Doll (Depository – Librarian Room)
Plate (Depository – Librarian Room)
Space Lattice Model (Depository – Ruined Offices)
Technical Notes (Depository – Ruined Offices)
Welding Helmet (Depository – Ruined Offices)
Balalaika (Depository – Ruined Offices)
Traffic Light (Surface – Alley)
Science Book (Depository – Under Stacks)
Terminal (Archives – First Stairwell,Archives – Drenched Room)
Mechanical Parts (Archives – Depths)
Audio Speaker (Archives – Catalogue Reliquary)
Secret Subway Map (Archives – Catalogue Reliquary)
Closing remarks
In my opinion the level Kshatriya is one of the best maps in the the Metro franchise, it was the first Metro map which had elements of an open – world map. It combines every element that makes Metro games great, even after playing a bunch of times it’s still playable. The last game we got from the Metro franchise was Metro Exodus, and we can see in that game how the trend of open world levels has taken life.Personally, I prefer the metro tunnels combined with the open world, I feel that Metro Exodus lacks in that (not enough underground/metro gameplay), a perfect balance would be something like Kshatriya, maybe with a bit more “top side freedom”.This is my opinion, other people would probably disagree with me, especially on the topic of gameplay.But in the end the thing that matters is that we all play and like the Metro games.
