All Game Items

This guide categorizes every item you can acquire or use in Half‑Life 2. Items are grouped by function: weapons, tools, ammo, health/armor, explosives, and key story objects. Note that Half‑Life 2 has no currency, crafting materials, or traditional collectibles.

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Weapons

Weapons are kept across chapters once found (except the temporary Bugbait). Each has a primary and often a secondary fire mode. All weapons can be selected via the number keys.

#### 1. Crowbar

How to obtain: First weapon, picked up at the start of Chapter 1: Entanglement (in Kleiner’s lab).

Primary fire: Swings forward, dealing moderate melee damage. Destroys wooden crates, barrels, and locks.

Secondary fire: None (except a non‑functional “view” animation).

Best use: Close combat against Headcrabs, Manhacks, or combine soldiers with no other weapons. Essential for breaking supply crates and solving rudimentary physics puzzles.

Synergies: Can be used with the Gravity Gun to fling objects farther, but the Crowbar itself is a simple backup.

How to obtain: In the same room as the Crowbar (Kleiner’s lab).

Primary fire: Semi‑automatic, 9mm rounds. Accurate at medium range.

Secondary fire: None (no laser sight, but can be fired faster by tapping).

Best use: Early game against simple enemies (Headcrabs, Zombies). Reliable when ammo is scarce. Good for picking off distant enemies due to its precision.

Ammo: Uses the same 9mm as the SMG. Maximum carry: 150 rounds.

Note: The Pistol’s rate of fire is limited only by your click speed.

How to obtain: Shortly after the Pistol, from a dead Combine soldier in the Canals chapter (right before the airboat).

Primary fire: Full‑auto 9mm, high rate of fire, moderate spread. Effective at close to medium range.

Secondary fire: Attaches a grenade (press R to switch fire mode after equipping grenades). Launches a frag grenade in an arc; uses one grenade from your inventory.

Best use: Suppressive fire and dealing with groups of weak enemies (e.g., Headcrabs, Zombies). The grenade launcher is extremely valuable for clearing tight corridors or clusters.

Ammo: Same 9mm as Pistol. Max carry 250 rounds (shared with Pistol).

How to obtain: Inside a barn during Chapter 4: Water Hazard (after the airboat chase).

Primary fire: Fires a spread of buckshot. Devastating at point‑blank range; loses effectiveness beyond 15 meters.

Secondary fire: Fires both barrels simultaneously for double damage. Long reload afterwards.

Best use: Close quarters combat, especially against fast enemies like Antlion Guards (Sandtraps) or Combine soldiers in tight spaces. One-shot most basic enemies.

Ammo: Shotgun shells (buckshot). Max carry 120 shells (24 per pickup crate).

How to obtain: In the church of Chapter 6: We Don’t Go To Ravenholm (on the altar).

Primary fire: Fires a single bolt with a slight arc. Extremely high damage; kills most humanoid enemies in one shot. Bolt travels slowly but has a laser sight for aiming.

Secondary fire: Toggles the zoom/scope (2x magnified).

Best use: Long‑range sniping and silent kills. Bolts pin enemies to walls. Excellent for taking out Combine snipers or distant Overwatch soldiers without alerting the whole area.

Ammo: Crossbow bolts. Max carry 5 bolts initially; later increased with Suit upgrades? (No upgrades in base game; max carry is always 5). Bolts can be recovered from dead enemies or the ground.

How to obtain: From a Combine guard tower in Chapter 7: Highway 17 (after the lighthouse).

Primary fire: Fires a rocket that propels forward with a small flight pattern. Direct hit destroys helicopters, APCs, and large enemies. Explosion radius is generous.

Secondary fire: None (but you must hold the fire button to lock onto a target if the laser designator is active? Actually the RPG has a laser designator: press and hold the fire button to zoom; release to fire the rocket toward the laser dot. This is the secondary function).

Best use: Anti‑vehicle (especially Combine helicopters and APCs) and heavy enemies like Antlion Guards or Striders. One rocket often kills or heavily damages major threats.

Ammo: RPG rockets. Max carry 3 rockets (found in weapon crates).

How to obtain: In a locked room in Chapter 7: Highway 17 (actually obtained in Chapter 8: Nova Prospekt after being stripped of weapons, then reacquired in the test chamber).

Primary fire: Grabs objects (press again to pull them toward you) or throws them (release). Can also punt objects with the secondary fire.

Secondary fire: Hurls the held object with extreme force (no ammo cost). Use to launch explosive barrels, saw blades, bricks, etc. at enemies.

Best use: Physics puzzles and improvised weaponry. Pick up explosive barrels to throw at groups, or use metal objects to bypass locked doors. The Gravity Gun is also essential for solving many environmental puzzles (e.g., moving platforms, weighting switches).

Note: In the final chapter “Take Arms!” the Gravity Gun is upgraded to the Super Gravity Gun (see below).

How to obtain: Automatically obtained at the start of Chapter 12: Our Benefactors (after the Vortigaunts supercharge it).

Primary/Secondary: Same controls, but now you can grab organic objects (including living enemies) and hurl them. Additionally, you can absorb Combine energy blasts and redirect them.

Best use: The ultimate weapon for the final battle against Striders and Overwatch. Grab soldiers, throw them into each other, or reflect energy orbs. Extremely powerful and fun.

No ammo needed.

Tools & Equipment

Description: A gland from a dead Antlion King, used to control Antlion workers.

How to obtain: During Chapter 5: Sandtraps, after killing the Antlion Guard and picking up the gland from its body.

Use: Primary fire (right‑click) squirts pheromones that attract Antlions to a specific point. Secondary fire (left‑click) throws a grenade‑like “bugbait” projectile that, when it hits an enemy, causes Antlions to swarm that target.

When useful: Only in Sandtraps and the early part of Chapter 6: Nova Prospekt (the prison). Essential for crossing the sand desert and fighting Combine soldiers alongside Antlions. The item is automatically lost after you are captured in the Nova Prospekt chapter.

Note: No ammo; unlimited use while you possess it.

Description: Hazardous Environment suit worn by Gordon. Provides health, armor, and a HUD. Not an inventory item, but its features affect gameplay.

Armor capacity: 100 points. Replenished via Armor Batteries and Suit Chargers (wall units). Armor reduces damage taken before health.

Auxiliary power: Used for sprinting (default: Shift) and Flashlight. Recharged by Suit Chargers only. You cannot carry battery packs for aux power.

Visual: The suit’s flashlight is toggleable (F key).

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Ammunition

Ammo is found in crates, on dead enemies, or in supply caches. The HUD shows current count.

Ammo Type	Used By	Max Carry	Typical Spawn Locations
Pistol/SMG Ammo (9mm)	Pistol, SMG	250 (shared)	Small green boxes, Combine soldiers, crates
Shotgun Shells (buckshot)	Shotgun	120	Small yellow boxes, crates
Crossbow Bolts	Crossbow	5	Long blue cases, dead Combine snipers
RPG Rockets	Rocket Launcher	3	Weapon crates (red with star)
Frag Grenades	SMG secondary, thrown	5	Small grey/green boxes, Combine soldiers

Note: The Gravity Gun uses no ammo. The Super Gravity Gun also uses no ammo.

Tip: Crossbow bolts can be recovered from the ground or walls after shooting. Same for grenades? No, grenades are consumed on explosion.

Health & Armor Pickups

Effect: Restores 5 health.

Appearance: Small white bottle with a red cross.

Where found: Loose on shelves, medical crates, or from dead Vortigaunts.

Best use: Topping off small damage. Always pick up even if at full health—they despawn if not collected.

Effect: Restores 25 health (cannot exceed 100, unless suit upgrade via mods? No, base game max health 100).

Appearance: Large white box with a red cross.

Where found: Medical stations, supply closets, or on the ground.

Best use: Major healing after a fight. Also can be carried? No, you cannot store health kits; they are used immediately upon pickup. Health stations on walls can be refilled indefinitely (press E to use).

Effect: Increases armor by 5 points (up to 100).

Appearance: Small yellow rectangle with a lightning bolt.

Where found: In weapon crates, on Combine corpses, or on shelves.

Best use: The only portable way to restore armor. Always collect to maintain max armor.

Effect: Restores armor to 100 and recharges auxiliary power (sprint/flashlight). Can be reused after a cooldown (visual indicator turns green).

Appearance: Large yellow panel with concentric circles on the wall.

Where found: Throughout levels, often in safe rooms or near save points.

Best use: Regular top‑ups of armor and aux power. Essential for heavy combat sections.

Effect: Restores health to 100 (if below). Can be reused after a cooldown (visual: green light indicates ready).

Appearance: Similar to Suit Charger but with a red cross symbol.

Where found: Same locations as Suit Chargers, often adjacent.

Best use: Healing to full before a tough encounter.

Explosives

How to obtain: Found in small grey/green boxes, on Combine soldiers, or via SMG secondary fire (uses the grenade inventory).

Use: Press G to throw a grenade. Hold the fire button after pulling the pin to “cook” it (detonates on release or after a few seconds).

Effect: Large explosion, lethal to all non‑boss enemies within 5 meters. Can destroy obstacles.

Max carry: 5 grenades. Cannot be stored in inventory beyond that.

Best use: Clearing groups of enemies, flushing out soldiers behind cover, or destroying breakable objects.

Key Story Items

Story relevance: Given to Gordon by Alyx Vance in Kleiner’s lab. Symbolic of his return.

How to obtain: In Chapter 10: Entanglement, after killing the Combine guard in the interrogation room. Also a second keycard from Eli’s office.

Effect: Used to open locked doors, particularly the security doors leading to the prison transfer system. The keycard is automatically inserted into card readers when interacting.

When used: Opens the way to the prison cells and later the teleporter.

How to obtain: From the dead Combine officer in the main office area (Chapter: Nova Prospekt).

Effect: Opens the block door leading to the prisoner transport area (the vault).

When used: Required to reach the teleporter.

How to obtain: Inherited from the resistance at the beginning of Water Hazard.

Effect: A fast hovercraft used to navigate canals. Equipped with a mounted SMG (infinite ammo while seated). The airboat is not stored in inventory; you drive it.

When used: Chapters 4–5 (Water Hazard and part of Sandtraps).

How to obtain: From the resistance at the start of Highway 17.

Effect: A dune buggy with an infinite‑ammo Pulse Rifle (Combine weapon) mounted. Fast and durable.

When used: Chapters 7–8 (Highway 17 and Nova Prospekt).

Story: Found in the test chamber after you are stripped of weapons; becomes the primary tool for physics puzzles and combat.

Story: Gained by defeating the Antlion Guard; lost after capture in Nova Prospekt.

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Summary of Carry Limits

Category	Max
Health	100
Armor	100
Pistol/SMG Ammo	250
Shotgun Shells	120
Crossbow Bolts	5
RPG Rockets	3
Frag Grenades	5
Auxiliary Power (Flashlight/Sprint)	100 (recharge only, no pickups)

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Important Notes

No currency or crafting: Half‑Life 2 has no shops, upgrades, or crafting system. All items are found or given.

No collectibles: There are no hidden collectibles like tokens or gems. All pickups serve immediate gameplay functions.

Weapon switching: The gravity gun has its own slot (slot 4 by default). The bugbait occupies a separate slot but is temporary.

Ammo conservation: The Crossbow and RPG are limited, so use them wisely. The SMG and Pistol share ammo, so be mindful of your total 9mm count.

Gravity gun synergy: Explosive barrels, radiator covers, and saw blades become devastating projectiles. Master it early for maximum impact.

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This completes the list of all items in Half‑Life 2. Weapons and tools are the core of your arsenal; health and armor pickups keep you alive; grenades provide burst damage; key items advance the story. Good luck, Dr. Freeman.