New players exploring Paradise Island in The Outer Worlds 2 will find the Drone Swarm mission among the most rewarding early-game contracts. Many Crickex Sign Up players recommend it as a must-complete side quest for its quick experience gain, valuable items, and direct link to companion Valerie’s upgrade path. Think of it as a starter’s rite of passage — an easy mission with meaningful rewards and zero wasted effort.
To begin, head to Fairfield and locate the bounty terminal near the prison gate marked “WANTED: Drones.” You don’t need to complete any prior missions or meet specific skill requirements — simply interact with the terminal to accept the mission. Your objective is to clear a swarm of drones stationed at an abandoned power substation west of Fairfield. Bringing Valerie as your companion is highly advised, as her auto-healing skill reduces combat risk. The mission’s final reward also directly unlocks her next-tier enhancement, making her an even stronger asset. According to several Crickex Sign Up community tips, completing this quest early can significantly speed up your party’s power curve.
The task unfolds in three simple steps — travel, clear, and return. First, head west from Fairfield toward the substation. Along the way, you’ll encounter three MK1 Wasp drones guarding the route. They’re weak, predictable, and serve as warm-up targets. Use rocks or tree cover to dodge their linear energy shots, and take them out with two or three bullets from any starter weapon. Clearing them before entering the substation prevents being attacked from both sides during the main battle.
Inside the substation, multiple waves of drones will attack, but their firepower remains modest. You can approach this fight in two ways. If you prefer a direct assault, use the metal shelves and machinery as cover, picking off newly spawned drones one by one. For stealth-oriented players, move behind isolated drones and strike silently with melee weapons — if detected, retreat to cover and reset. Either approach works well since drones are fragile and lack armor. If you have Valerie’s acid disassembler from her initial quest, its area damage can clear clusters of drones quickly, saving ammo and time.
Upon clearing the area, don’t waste time searching for extra loot — there’s none. Fast travel back to Fairfield and collect your rewards at the bounty terminal: 1,000 experience points and a high-grade decryption key. The experience alone can push you up half a level early on, but the key is the true prize. It’s one of four special keys required to unlock Valerie’s Strengthen and Adapt mission. Once all four are collected, you can open a cargo lockbox aboard the Hidden Star, granting Valerie access to upgrades like the Cryo Coil for ice-based attacks or the Acid-Proof Armor for corrosion immunity. This transforms her from a medic-style support character into a full-scale combat specialist.
Efficiency matters in this quest. Skip unnecessary fights, as the substation holds no secret loot or story triggers. After completion, focus on progressing Valerie’s upgrade chain — the remaining keys can be found through store purchases, exploration sites, or smuggler subquests, none of which demand high combat stats. And if you later decide to switch Valerie’s upgrades, you can easily reconfigure them at any workbench without penalty.
In short, the Drone Swarm mission in The Outer Worlds 2 is a beginner-friendly goldmine. It’s straightforward, rewarding, and teaches key combat basics while boosting your companion’s long-term potential. Players who follow this route often describe it as a “10-minute shortcut to early success.” Crickex Sign Up veterans agree — it’s one of those early missions that pays off big in both progress and preparation for what’s to come.