The Long Dark recently released its paid expansion pass and introduced Tales from the Far Territory. With this expansion comes a plethora of new items and systems for players to dig into, such as weapon and tool variants. These variants alter the look and stats of some essential gear. In this guide, we’ll outline what each variant does, and where it can be found within the world of The Long Dark.
Note: These variants will not spawn on the Interloper difficulty level.
Barb’s Rifle
The main appeal of Barb’s Rifle variant is that it has more durability than the regular Hunting Rifle, but it weighs 0.5 kg more. Unless you don’t have a better option, this isn’t worth it from a gameplay perspective. If you think it looks cool you should make it work, though.
| Barb’s rifle | Variation from Hunting Rifle |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.5 kg heavier than the base Hunting Rifle that is 4 kg |
| Firing Rate | Same as the Hunting Rifle |
| Reload | Same as the Hunting Rifle |
| Durability | 16.7% more durable than the base Hunting Rifle |
| Range | Same as the Hunting Rifle |
| Location | Found once per save at various locations in Coastal Highway |
Curator’s Rifle
The Curator’s Rifle offers more range than the normal Hunting Rifle, especially when you factor in Rifle Skill 5. This makes it great for shooting Moose and Bears at long ranges. The Curator’s Rifle does not have a downside.
| Curator’s Rifle | Variation from Hunting Rifle |
|---|---|
| Weight | Weighs the same as the normal Hunting Rifle |
| Firing Rate | Same as the Hunting Rifle |
| Reload | Same as the Hunting Rifle |
| Durability | Same as the Hunting Rifle |
| Range | Offers a 33.3% range bonus over the base Hunting Rifle |
| Location | Found once per save at various locations in Ash Canyon |
Spelunker’s Lantern
The Spelunker’s Lantern variant is a tool variant in The Long Dark. It’s main appeal is that fuel lasts longer than the regular Storm Lantern, although it produces less light to balance this fuel buff.
| Spelunker’s Lantern | Variation from Storm Lantern |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Lasts 40% longer than the base Storm Lantern |
| Light | Brightness is reduced 40% from the base Storm Lantern |
| Weight | Weight is the same as the base Storm Lantern |
| Location | Can be found in either Timberwolf Mountain or Pleasant Valley |
Vaughn’s Rifle
Vaughn’s Rifle is a weapon variant that is lighter and faster firing than the base Hunting Rifle, making it an intriguing option for those who wish to do their hunting with a rifle. The decreased weight is such a huge benefit that this is worth considering.
| Vaughn’s Rifle | Variation from Hunting Rifle |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1 kg less than the base Hunting Rifle |
| Firing Rate | 1 second faster than the base Hunting Rifle |
| Reload | 0.5 second faster than the base Hunting Rifle |
| Durability | 50% less durable than the base Hunting Rifle |
| Range | Same as the base Hunting Rifle |
| Location | Carter Hydro Dam and Winding River |
Woodwright’s Bow
The main appeal of Woodwright’s Bow is that it has less sway than the base Survival Bow, and it will last twice as long. The downfall is you cannot repair this, so when its durability is spent the item will be ruined. Archery Skill 3 will allow you to use Woodwright’s Bow 200 times before it’s ruined.
| Woodwright’s Bow | Variation from Survival Bow |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.25 kg more than the base Survival Bow |
| Sway | 30% less than base Survival Bow |
| Durability | 100% more than the base Survival Bow |
| Range | Same as the base Survival Bow |
| Locations | Once per save at various locations in Hushed River Valley |
Those are all the weapon and tool variants currently available in The Long Dark. Thanks to The Long Dark Wiki for some information that helped with this guide. You can check out their work to see exact spawn locations for each variant, and you can check out The Long Dark on Guide Stash for more help.