Quake II/Items

Health

 * Stim-Pack - increases the player's health by 2 points, even above the maximum
 * First Aid - increases the player's health by 10 points, up to the maximum
 * Medkit - increases the player's health by 25 points, up to the maximum
 * Adrenaline - adds one to the player's maximum health and sets health to that new level
 * Mega-Health - increases the player's health to a large amount, which then decays over time to the current maximum

Armor
There are three basic armor types in Quake II, plus Armor Shards and Power Shields. The function of armor is to absorb some fraction of the damage inflicted on you by enemy fire and other hazards. For example, if you have full Combat Armor and a Tank hits you with three Rockets for a total damage of 150, your armor points will reduce by 90, i.e. 60% of the damage, and your health points will reduce by only 60, i.e. the remaining 40%. The interaction of the armor types is quite complex and it is not necessary to understand it to play the game. Just think of Jacket Armor, Combat Armor and Body Armor as "good", "better" and "best" and Armor Shards as a useful small boost. But, if you're playing on the edge, for example at hard difficulty without using power-ups, you can benefit from knowing when to pick up armor and when to leave it for later. This page attempts to explain that.

Work in Progress.

Jacket Armor
If you pick up Jacket Armor when previously you had no armor, your "armor level" is set to "Jacket Armor" and you will see this at the very top of your inventory and slightly to the right of center in your heads-up display. At this level, your armor absorbs ?? 33% ?? of ballistic and explosive (non-energy) damage and ?? 15% ?? of energy weapon damage. Each Jacket Armor that you pick up adds 25 to your armor points, up to a maximum of 50. Jacket Armor is found in the early levels of the game.

Combat Armor
If you pick up Combat Armor when previously you had no armor or only Jacket Armor, your "armor level" is set to "Combat Armor" and you will see this in your inventory and heads-up display. If you were at Jacket Armor level, your armor points will first be halved and then 50 points will be added for the Combat Armor. At this level, your armor absorbs 60% of ballistic and explosive (non-energy) damage and 30% of energy weapon damage. Each new Combat Armor that you pick up adds 50 to your armor points and each Jacket Armor that you pick up at this level adds 12 to your armor points, up to a maximum of 100. Combat Armor is first found in a secret of the ../Supply Station/ level. Once you reach Combat Armor level, if you allow your armor points to fall to zero, when you next find some Jacket Armor you will be back at the lower Jacket Armor level, so try not to let that happen.

Body Armor
If you pick up Body Armor when previously you had no armor or only Jacket or Combat Armor, your "armor level" is set to "Body Armor" and you will see this in your inventory and heads-up display. At this level, your armor absorbs ?? % ?? of ballistic and explosive (non-energy) damage and ?? % ?? of energy weapon damage. Each Body Armor that you pick up adds ?? 25 ?? to your armor points, each Combat Armor that you pick up adds ?? ?? to your armor points and each Jacket Armor that you pick up at this level adds ?? ?? to your armor points, up to a maximum of ?? ??. Body Armor is first found in the ???? level of the game.

Armor Shard
Each Armor Shard that you pick up adds 2 to your armor points, even beyond the maximum.

Power Shield
Your first Power Shield is found in the Detention Center level of the game.

Bandolier
Picking up a Bandolier gives you some Shells and Bullets but, more important, the first one you pick up increases the amount of both of these types of ammunition that you are able to carry. You will find the first Bandolier in the Detention Center, the next in the Security Complex and a few others in subsequent levels. Later in the game, you will find fewer Bandoliers and more Backpacks.

The table at right shows how much ammunition you will pick up for each Bandolier (limited by the maximum) and what the new maximum is once you get your first Bandolier.

Backpack
Picking up a Backpack gives you some ammunition but, more important, the first one you pick up increases the amount of ammunition that you are able to carry to the maximum for the game. The table at right shows how much ammunition you will pick up for each Backpack (limited by the maximum) and what the maximum is once you get your first Backpack.

Access Control Devices
In many levels of Quake II, you find yourself blocked in some way until you find an Access Control Device of some sort. You may need a key to open a door, a Data CD to operate a computer or a Power Cube to turn on a lift platform or a conveyor belt.

The Red Key
The Red Key appears in the Lost Station and in the Security Complex.

The Blue Key
The Blue Key appears in the Comm Center and the Detention Center.

The Security Pass
The Security Pass appears in the ../Torture Chambers/.

The Pyramid Key
The Pyramid Key appears only in the Guard House. Find it and take it back to the Security Complex to open the Control Pyramid and proceed to the Grid Control boss level.

The Data CD
The Data CD appears in the Torture Chambers and in the Upper Palace.

The Data Spinner
The Data Spinner appears only in the Outer Courts of the Palace Area unit. Take it with you to the Lower Palace and use a computer there to reprogram it with the Data Communications Laser CD fetched from the Upper Palace. Then, go back to the Upper Palace and use it to "Neutralize the Strogg Leader's Communication System" so that you can make your way to the final battle with the Makron.

The Commander's Head
The Commander's Head appears only in the Research Lab. Find it and take it back to the Outer Hangar to gain access to the Inner Hangar.

Other

 * Silencer
 * Environment Suit - protects the player from toxic waste for 30 seconds
 * Invulnerability - renders the player invulnerable to all damage for 30 seconds
 * Rebreather
 * Quad Damage - quadruples damage dealt by the player's weapons for 30 seconds