Quartz Emporium

The **Quartz Emporium** is located in the southwest corner of Quartz, and is thus easily accessible from the desert. Many players traditionally "dump" unwanted items in Quartz, simply because it's easy to get to the store from the desert with minimal fuss. This is probably the first real store the characters will encounter. Unfortunately, the lack of an unlimited supply of plastic explosives makes the Black Market and General Store at Darwin Village more attractive shopping locations for the more advanced Ranger.

## Gearing Up for the Desert

Whether you're going to the Agricultural Center to beat down the bunnies or gearing up to beat down the gang-bangers controlling Quartz, if you're coming here for the first time, and you haven't cheated your socks off, there are a few key items you want to make sure that everyone has, if possible, in rank of importance. First, make sure everyone has at least one of these:

1. Canteen. Absolutely vital to party survival - every party member must have one! If you go out into the parts of the desert where "It's VERY hot!", and all party members have a canteen, you can hold down the Escape key and rest until fully healed for no expense. If you pick up any prisoner NPCs who come with their stats, their skills, and the lint in their pockets, buy them a canteen before heading out into the desert. Or not...
2. Rope. It would be a good idea for the party to have at least four pieces of rope distributed amongst its members. Rope can be used to climb over the wall in the back of Ugly's Hideout (and take advantage of the window glass Perception/experience exploit). Rope is also necessary to complete the Las Vegas Sewers (and thus access the Sleeper Base and Base Cochise).
3. Armor. Buy the best armor you can get, if you have extra cash. In Quartz, most (if not all) outdoor random encounters occur at melee range. Remember: you can get two or three Rad Suits in the waste pit in Needles, if you can brave the horrors within (bring lots of TNT!). Buy and find enough decent armor to fill the gaps in your party roster.
4. Snake Squeezins. Booze is necessary to bribe two hobos in the alley in the back of the Stagecoach Inn to allow access to the backdoor to the Courthouse, and can also be given to the hobo oracle in the Rail Nomad's Camp. You can also use it on a bum in Needles to get him to give you the password to the Acapulco club.
5. Geiger counter. Guess what: years after the bombs hit, there's plenty of radiation still out there! Having a Geiger counter can be very helpful in dodging it during daylight hours when you can't see the glowing spot on the map. If you want to cheapskate it, don't worry: Christina has one in Needles.

### Tempting Buys

At early levels, there are a number of items you might be tempted to get off the break. Really, you can get enough levels in fighting through the Agricultural Center, the Mines, and Quartz to allow one to survive random encounters in Needles. So, knowing that certain equipment might just be around the corner, here's a few things you might want to save your cash on (unless you just feel like messing around improving skills later, that is):

* M17 Carbine / M19 Rifle. Really, most encounters will happen within the range of 30 feet, tops in Needles and Quartz, except in certain locations such as Ugly's Hideout. While rifles are important if you're training to use the Red Ryder Rifle, they give less ammo per 7.62mm clip than either the AK-97 Assault Rifle or the M1989A1 NATO Assault Rifle. Not only that, but the Assault rifles have equal range and more firepower, being selective fire. Save your money!
* Flamethrower. Generally a waste. Comes with a fuel tank and no way to refuel it (kinda like the Red Ryder Rifle, but not nearly as effective). Save your money!
* M1911A1 .45 Pistol / VP91Z 9mm Pistol - These can be found in a number of places. You're more likely to be selling them to the shop than buying them.