Grenades are an extremely useful element of Tarkov and often go under-estimated by new players. On top of that, they’re pricey, consumable, single-use combat items that take up inventory space and require you to momentarily put your gun away to use them. All of this combined with the 7 whole different grenades can make approaching them particularly daunting without guidance.
This guide aims to answer any questions you might have, and help remove that restricting concern that you’re just wasting your money, and finally weigh in a bit on what are the best grenades to use in Escape From Tarkov.
What is the best grenade?
Alright let’s get the big question out of the way. I’ve got good news and bad news for those of you stuck with this question.
The good news is that like much of Tarkov there are statistically and practically two grenades that will fit most situations, the F-1 and the RGD-5. The bad news is that to consistently have access to these you’re going to have to shell out some cash on the Flea Market. But it’s worth it.
The F-1 Hand Grenade is a defensive grenade, while the RGD-5 is an offensive grenade. The primary difference is that the F-1 is heavier, thus it can’t be thrown as far as the RGD-5, has a larger more consistent blast radius, has more concussive effect, and packs 150 individual shrapnel projectiles per grenade.
The RGD-5 can be thrown further, has a smaller blast radius, and only 100 shrapnel projectiles per grenade. In addition, the RGD-5 lists an explosion delay of 3.5 seconds but actually can delay as long as 4.2 seconds.
Generally the F-1 should only be thrown from behind cover (or into rooms) as it’s increased blast and shrapnel effect can cause wounds even a considerable distance away from the grenade. While the RGD-5 is most useful for pinning a target down or buying yourself time,, since it can be thrown from further away and has a smaller blast and longer delay. Both of these grenades have their uses, and luckily with the state of the Flea Market in 12.6 they’re both going for around 12k Roubles a piece.
How should I use grenades?
Grenades are a relatively cheap investment with a lot of application in a fight. They allow you to:
⦁ Threaten a target while you stay behind cover
⦁ Force a target to move from their cover
⦁ Clear rooms without entering them
⦁ Force a space between you and your opponent
⦁ Massively concuss your opponents before engaging them
Grenades are a wonderful tool, they allow you to remotely threaten an opponent, but your opponent can still react. This reaction is what you’re going to want to play into.
Throwing a grenade when an opponent is pinned will cause them to run, forcing them out of cover, and opening them up to a shot from you.
Throwing a grenade when your opponent is on the offensive can create a pocket of time, giving you a moment to finish healing or reloading, or crawling through a window into a better position.
In both of these situations, your opponent is put into a much worse situation by avoiding the grenade, but not avoiding the grenade will get him killed. Landing frags with your grenades will require you to work with these effects in mind, and force your opponent into making that tough choice.
Are other grenades worth using?
Again, the answer here is yes, and in fact they can offer players who are nervous about investing in grenades a chance to get used to them before making the dive into the Flea Market. There are two hand-made grenades in EFT and both are much weaker than the F-1 or RGD-5, but they are cheaper to get your hands on (if you find the parts) and can be acquired without the Flea Market.
The VOG-25 can be crafted at a level 1 Workbench and offers 40 shrapnel, a decent concussion radius, and a staggeringly short 2 second fuse timer.
Meanwhile the VOG-17 is tradable with Mechanic level 1, has a 2.5 second fuse, throws much further, and has 60 fragments. Unfortunately you only get one per fuze.
Finally, you also have the Zarya Stun Grenade.Sold at Prapor level 2, and easily found across most maps and on scavs, the Zarya offers its own value in a 40 second stun, and 20 second contusion effect applied to anyone within its up to 10 meter effective range.
In addition, anyone caught looking directly at a Zarya will have their screen darkened dramatically with a white dot burned into their vision that fades over the next two minutes. Its 2 second timer makes the Zarya extremely useful in clearing rooms and getting the drop on people without giving them the time to run away.
Read next : Best Armor in Escape From Tarkov
