Editing Monolith

{{icon|soc|cs|cop}}{{Infobox Faction
|name = Monolith
|image = Monolith_Patch_Build_1935.webp
|founder = [[C-Consciousness]]
|leader = [[C-Consciousness]]<br>[[Charon]] {{icon-small|soc}}
|headquarters = [[Pripyat]]<br>[[Sarcophagus]]<br>[[Monolith Control Center]]
|locations = [[Pripyat]]<br>[[Red Forest]]<br>[[Limansk]]<br>[[Limansk Hospital]]<br>[[Yanov]] ([[Strider]]'s squad)<br>[[Chernobyl NPP]]<br>[[Sarcophagus]]<br>[[Monolith Control Center]]
|members = *[[Charon]]<br>
*[[Strider]] (formerly)<br>
*[[Preacher]]<br>
*[[Monolith Fighter]]
|enemies=
*{{faction|bandits}}
*{{faction|clearsky}}
*{{faction|duty}}
*{{faction|ecologists}}
*{{faction|freedom}}
*{{faction|loners}}
*{{faction|mercs}}
*{{faction|army}}
|allies = *[[Zombified Stalkers]]
|neutral = *{{faction|ecologists}} {{icon-small|cop}}
|code=monolith
}}{{quote|We thank you, oh Monolith, for revealing the cunning plans of your enemies to us.<br>May your light shine down on the souls of the brave soldiers who gave their lives in service to your will.<br>Onward warriors of the Monolith, avenge your fallen brothers, blessed as they are in their eternal union with the Monolith.<br>Bring death to those who spurned the holy power of the Monolith.<br>|Monolith Preacher}}
[[File:Monolith preacher.ogg|center|noicon]]
The '''Monolith''' is a religious cult, hostile to all but their own, which serves as a major antagonistic group, appearing in ''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'', ''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat]]'', and have a quasi-supporting role in ''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]''. They are the main antagonists of the ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'' games.

==Background==
{{Quote|This group displays many features of a religious sect. Its members believe in the existence of a complex alien crystal, the Monolith, located somewhere in the center of the Zone. Most stalkers treat Monolith adepts with contempt and consider them as lunatics. From its inception the group strives to block all progress towards the center of the Zone, protecting the Monolith from other stalkers. Rumor has it that the group has a large base deep in the Zone, but its exact location is known only by the members.|''Shadow of Chernobyl'' PDA description}}
[[File:XrEngine_2011-07-25_17-25-32-05.png|thumb|200px|right|[[Major Degtyarev]] examining one of the Monolith antennas in the Pripyat Bookstore.]]
A religious cult that is hostile to all but their own, the Monolithians believe in the power of the [[Wish Granter]], rumored to be an alien artifact hidden in the [[Chernobyl NPP|center of the Zone]]. Members of this faction devote their lives to protecting the secret of the Great Crystal, ensuring that no one ever reaches the center of the Zone.

A typical Monolithian is a former stalker brainwashed by one of the psychic emitters throughout the [[Zone]] (namely the [[Brain Scorcher]]) into serving the will of the [[C-Consciousness]], unflinchingly loyal and ready to sacrifice himself at a moment's notice. This extreme loyalty is achieved by creating intense religious fanatism in the mind of the stalker, directed towards the Monolith.

While physically, they are on par with other stalkers, their religious fervor sets them apart and allows them to ignore wounds and continue to fight, even after they run out of ammo. Stories abound of fanatical Monolith Stalkers, after running out of ammo, ditch their weapons and attempt to kill the enemy with their bare hands, no matter how grievous their wounds . This same fervor also prevents others from capturing a Monolith member – if taken into custody, he will commit suicide in any way possible (even by smashing his head against the wall).

The Monolith can also uplink themselves to the C-Consciousness through something known as a Monolith statue, a radar antenna covered with garbage to form a statue. Monolithians kneel in front of it and enter a trance involving head nodding and swaying, and will ignore almost anything around them, even gunshots. The [[Monolith Fighter]] and, rarely, idle Monolith Stalkers can be found in the same trance, but without the use of the Statue, possibly attempting to call upon the Monolith for guidance.
===History===
The Monolith clan was originally a group of stalkers, united by their fascination with the Zone. Fascination turned to obsession and obsession turned to fanaticism; eventually, the stalkers became convinced that there was a massive artifact in the center of the Zone, a Monolith, and declared themselves its protectors, growing increasingly hostile to other stalkers. <ref name="barman_around_1">''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]'', st_dialogs_agroprom, stirng id: agr_duty_barman_around_1, ''"Buzz? Well, a whole faction has gone missing. And it's not like they were taken out by people or wiped out by monsters. They just vanished, warts and all. These guys were weird too, with a real hard-on for the Zone. They believed that the Zone was alive, and in its center was a Monolith - a Wish Granter. So they declared themselves the protectors of this Monolith. And then one fine day their whole faction just got up and took off for the center. Yep, right to the Wish Granter. They headed for the Scorcher, crossed the Barrier, and noone has seen them since."''</ref><ref name="cool_info_25">''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky]]'', st_dialog_manager, string id dm_cool_info_25, ''"I heard a whole faction went missing in the Zone. You ever heard of Monolith? Well, they used to protect the Zone from others, but they made a move towards the center right before the emission. Nobody has heard from them since, but recently some real aggressive stalkers have been attacking from where the Scorcher is, killing everyone and asking no questions. I know because I saw them myself around the military warehouses, and I reckon they might be those same Monolithians who disappeared. It wouldn't surprise me, because their uniforms looked real similar."''</ref>

The faction disappeared in 2011, just before the beginning of ''Clear Sky'', simply picking up all of their belongings and marching through the [[The Barrier|Psy-Barrier]] towards the [[Brain Scorcher]], shortly before an [[emission]]. No one has heard from them since... or so they thought, as later in 2011, very aggressive stalkers began storming the Barrier.<ref name="barman_around_1" /><ref name="cool_info_25" />

The fact is, Monolith soldiers were "recruited" as the guardians of the [[C-Consciousness]] to repel stalkers, as they (namely [[Strelok's Group]]) have and will find ways to reach the center of the zone. They are vastly superior guards than the [[Mutants]] or [[Zombified Stalkers]], since they retain most of their intelligence and fighting skills, although they are completely under the control of the C-Consciousness and will gratefully give their lives without question.

=== Effects of mind control ===
Unfortunately, the same mind control that makes them fierce warriors also erodes their humanity. [[Strider]] and the [[Preacher]] both exhibit a completely flat personality and suffer from a monotone speech impediment, while Strider himself has a poor grasp of language. Other rogue Monolithians under Strider's command have difficulty communicating and tend to speak in halting, jerky sentences (although this is no longer the case once recruited). However, in the case of [[Strelok]], who fully retained his personality and speech abilities even after being brainwashed by the Monolith, might imply that Monolith soldiers do not instantly lose their humanity on the spot, but slowly as the Monolith continues to control them, or that Strelok wasn't brainwashed as completely to better blend into the rest of the stalker population and to be able to use his wits (which the Monolith soldiers seem to lose partially) to better fulfill his assassin role.

It is interesting to note that all Monolith stalkers are immune to the zombifying effects of Psi-Emitters, like the Brain Scorcher, and still retain their combat skills. In addition, in ''Call of Pripyat'', they are immune to [[emissions]], even though they will still get to cover when one occurs.

In ''Call of Pripyat'', Monolith Stalkers gain a new, unknown voice actor. Monolithic speech is revealed to be highly ritualized, referring to each other as "Brother", and relating most situations to the Monolith. Upon sighting an enemy, they remark to their Brothers about the presence of an "enemy of the Monolith", and do much the same upon killing them. Any idle talk revolves around the Monolith and is as disjointed or monotone as English-speaking Monolithians.

==Organization==
[[File:Monolith_Patch.png|thumb|200px|The Monolith's patch in Clear Sky.]] Their rank system and organization are almost completely unknown. What is known is that the Monolith is led by a single leader ([[Charon]] in 2012<ref name="stable_bio_name">''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'', stable_bio_name.xml</ref>), while combat operations are overseen in the field by [[Preacher]]s, who snipe from atop buildings while chanting phrases out to inspire their men and demoralize the enemy. Both the leader and Preachers take their orders directly from the [[C-Consciousness]].

The only squad identified by name is ''Crystal'', a unit whose sole task is protecting the Monolith and the [[Sarcophagus]].<ref name="stable_bio_name" />

Cut game data points to two units known as the Left and Right hands of the Monolith, armed with [[FT-200M]] rifles and [[Black Kite]] pistols. These may have been ranks, honorifics, or titles among the Monolithians.

Further cut data shows an individual called the "Komandir", another Monolithian leader, separate from Charon, with his own model and equipped with a [[Gauss rifle]] and a [[Black Kite]]. Cut Monolith units also include fighters called "Regulars" and "Specnaz", of which there were several equipment variants.

{{clr}}

== Equipment ==
[[File:Monolithsniper.jpg|thumb|150px|A Monolith sniper carrying an earlier model of the SVDm-2.]] It is suggested in dialogue with [[Clear Sky]] members in [[Limansk-13|Limansk]] that the Monolith faction is extremely well equipped and have large numbers of individuals compared to the other factions, putting them on level footing with the Clear Sky faction. They use equipment developed by [[C-Consciousness]] or those acquired from the obliterated [[Clear Sky]] faction.

They use self-made armors such as the [[Monolith suit]], the [[Scientific Monolith suit]], along with a variant of the [[Radiation suit]] and the [[Exoskeleton]]. As evidenced in ''Shadow of Chernobyl'', these armors are superior to the gear used by other stalkers from the Duty, Freedom and the Loners faction.

The Monolith throughout the series makes use of nearly every weapon available. This goes from common weaponry issued to rookies, to uncommon and high-end weaponry including the rare [[FT-200M]] that only Mercenaries, Clear Sky, and some Loners have access to. Finally, they produced the deadly [[Gauss rifle]] and are the only known user (besides the player) of this unique weapon.

It is unknown where Monoliths get their equipment from, although [[Kirillov]] suggests they have some agents who deal in smuggling with corrupt Military members.<ref>''[[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat]]'', Lt. Kirillov: ''"Yeah, we broke into a Monolith warehouse the other day and it was full of ammo for every type of weapon you get in the Zone. I wonder how they get so much weaponry in here. I'm guessing one of the perimeter guards must be selling it to them..."''</ref>

===Weapons===
{|cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" align="center" border="0" width="95%"
|-valign="top"
|width="33%"|
* [[Fora-12]]
* [[Walker P9m]]
* [[Kora-919]]
* [[UDP Compact]]
* [[Viper 5]]
* [[AKM-74/2U]]
* [[AKM-74/2]]
|width="34%"|
* [[AC-96/2]]
* [[SA Avalance|SA Avalanche]]
* [[Tunder S14]]
* [[TRs-301]]
* [[SGI 5k]]
* [[GP 37]]{{ref|reference_name_SOCCOP|a}}
* [[FT-200m]]{{ref|reference_name_SOC|b}}
|width="33%"|
* [[RP-74]]{{ref|reference_name_CS|e}}
* [[SVDm-2]]
* [[SVUmk-2]]{{ref|reference_name_SOC|b}}
* [[Gauss gun]]{{ref|reference_name_SOC|b}}
* [[RPG-7u]]{{ref|reference_name_SOCCS|d}}
|}
*{{note|reference_name_SOCCOP|a}} Only in ''Shadow of Chernobyl'' and'' Call of Pripyat''.
*{{note|reference_name_SOC|b}} ''Shadow of Chernobyl''.
*{{note|reference_name_CSCOP|c}} Only in'' Clear Sky'' and ''Call of Pripyat''.
*{{note|reference_name_SOCCS|d}} Only in ''Shadow of Chernobyl'' and ''Clear Sky''
*{{note|reference_name_CS|e}} Only in ''Clear Sky''

===Armor===
* [[Monolith suit]] &ndash; Heavily modified [[stalker suit]], more resembling a Wind of Freedom suit, usually worn with a [[Gas mask]]. Features more armor, more anomaly protection, and more radiation protection than the [[Sunrise suit]]. Only available to the player in'' Shadow of Chernobyl''.
* [[Scientific Monolith suit]] &ndash; A Monolith suit with a [[Curtain helmet]]. It offers higher bullet/splinter protection than the [[SEVA Suit]] and the [[PSZ-9Md Universal Protection]] suit. Never available to the player without mods.
* Monolith [[Exoskeleton]] &ndash; An [[Exoskeleton]] painted white with grey and dull green, with urban camouflaged fatigues. The Monolith [[Exoskeleton]] is commonly issued to Veteran and Expert members. Not available to the player.
* [[Radiation suit]] &ndash; The armor portion of the Exoskeleton, worn without the external mechanical components. Only used in ''Clear Sky'' and ''Call of Pripyat'', and not available to the player.

==Appearances==
===Clear Sky===
Live Monolith can be first encountered in the [[Army Warehouses]], near a crashed [[Mi-24 Hind]] helicopter west of [[The Barrier]]. They are well equipped (all use Radsuits and [[SA Avalanche]]s) and surrounded by a Psi Field which does heavy Psi damage when entered. The Monolith is unaffected by the Psi disruption and can be difficult to take care of due to the lack of cover. They guard a pack of [[Batteries|Accumulators]] that are requested by local stalker squad leaders as part of an optional side mission. Other Monolithians can be found at the Barrier and will regularly launch attacks on the [[Loners]], [[Duty]]ers or [[Freedom]]ers that guard the barrier. It is not possible to engage them at close range, as they are protected by the Brain Scorcher's psychic emissions that will kill the player instantly if they stay too deep in the Barrier for too long.

In the final stages of ''Clear Sky'', the primary opposition is the Monolith faction itself, having repelled all of the other factions attempting to break into the Zone center. They can be found in [[Limansk-13|Limansk]], the [[Limansk Hospital]], and the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], and serve as the main opposition for the rest of the game. It is here that it's first suggested (chronologically) that Monolith bolsters its numbers through the use of emissions, and later, via the [[Brain Scorcher]]. The ending shows the survivors of Clear Sky's raid being brainwashed via television screens, including [[Strelok]].

Interestingly, what appears to be the corpses of dead Monolith soldiers can be found in various areas such as the Swamps and the Cordon.

Monolith forces in ''Clear Sky'' are comprised mostly of Veterans wearing [[Radiation suit]]s and wielding [[SA Avalanche]] rifles and [[Kora-919]] pistols as sidearms, backed up by Experienced soldiers wearing [[Monolith suit]]s and wielding more conventional rifles loaded with armor-piercing ammo. The Radsuit-wearing Veterans are second only to [[Military Stalkers]] in terms of durability, while appearing in much greater numbers.

====Locations====
In ''Clear Sky'', the Monolith faction has only three territories under its control; the Chernobyl NPP itself, the northern portion of [[Limansk]], and most of the abandoned hospital where you progress to after Limansk. They become the main opposition to the player during the final portion of the game, but are relatively rare outside of these areas, appearing only in small groups in such areas as the [[Army Warehouses]].

===Shadow of Chernobyl===
By 2012, the Monolith faction is considered to be the most powerful faction in the Zone by far, easily as numerous as the armies of [[Duty]] and [[Freedom]], with advanced technology that not even the [[Military]] possesses. Their army is large enough to be military theater-sized as they regularly launch raids from the center of the Zone, attacking the [[Freedom]] [[Army Warehouses|Barrier]] with forces consisting of occasionally 20 men, a relatively expensive strategy in the sparsely populated Zone. Their grip has extended from beyond the NPP, and they have established a headquarters in [[Pripyat]], led by a figurehead known as [[Charon]].[[File:Prayer.png|thumb|276px|A pair of Monolith Masters at prayer.]]

In all likelihood, the vast majority of the Monolith faction's troops are in fact former Clear Sky members, as well as Duty, Freedom, Military, and Loners who supposedly lost their lives in the Second and Third emissions.

====Locations====
Monolith appears first in the [[Army Warehouses]] area, where a platoon-sized force of Monolithians launches an attack upon the Freedom barricade. Afterward, they take the role of the primary opposition once again, often deploying en masse to block [[Strelok]] from making any further progress. By this time they've established numerous checkpoints within the [[Red Forest]] and garrison the [[Brain Scorcher]], having established a strong, well-fortified position within [[Pripyat]]. Elite units regularly patrol the city, and at the same time still, more Monolithians protect the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] itself, along with the [[Sarcophagus]] and the [[Monolith Control Center]].

===Call of Pripyat===
Three months after the Brain Scorcher was disabled, the Monolith is slowly losing power – most of Monolith's outlying forces have either been destroyed or gained freedom from the influence of the [[C-Consciousness]] following its destruction at the end of ''Shadow of Chernobyl''. One such squad, led by [[Strider]], can be encountered by the player, and recruited into one of the other factions – supposedly a first in the history of the Zone. However, the remaining fanatics are still enough of a threat to decimate the survivors of Operation Fairway.

Live Monolithians can be encountered in [[Yanov]] as part of Strider's group. These are neutral to the player and Strider offers a quest that requires them to speak to either [[Shulga]] or [[Loki]] to have the survivors recruited into either Duty and Freedom, respectively.

They first make their appearance as enemies inside the [[Jupiter Underground]], where they launch an ambush on the player and their companions before they can make a break for the surface. This is the first appearance of snipers in the entirety of the game, taking advantage of numerous vantage points to snipe the player as they attempt to activate back-up power to the underground. They ambush the player twice: once when turning back the power on, and snipers appear when the player unlocks the door.

Once the player arrives in Pripyat, it's revealed that the Monolith itself is slowly losing power, but is still a potent enough threat to have decimated the survivors of Operation Fairway. Of particular interest is a special weapon sighted in their possession, which Colonel Kovalsky sends a special ops team to confiscate. This mission is the first sighting of the Monolith [[Preacher]], who make use of the rare and devastating [[Gauss rifle]]. With the Preacher dead, the player then takes part in another mission, destroying one of the Monolith outposts in a bookstore – gunning them down while they pray. Later, the player must wipe out their forces in the [[Yubileiny Service Center]] in order to gain access to [[Lab X-8]]. It becomes apparent that, while some of them maintain a connection to the Monolith (namely the Preacher and [[Monolith Fighter]]), the majority of them have lost this link and are left at the Preachers' command.

Afterward, the player is relatively free to explore Pripyat, though Monolith maintains at least two strongholds - the Prometheus Cinema and the River Port.

They serve as the main opposition during the finale, trying to prevent the survivors of Operation Fairway from evacuating.

====Locations====
Unlike ''Shadow of Chernobyl'', Monolith no longers patrols the city, which is now controlled by [[Loners]], mutants, and [[Mercenaries]]. They initially control the Hospital, the Book Store and the Yubileiny Service Center, though all three locations are later wiped out by the player. Afterward, they only respawn in small numbers (between 5 and 15) at the River Port and the Prometheus Theater.

==Notable members==
* [[Charon]]
* [[Preacher]]
* [[Strider]]
* [[Monolith Master]]

==Ranks==
===Shadow of Chernobyl===
====Experienced====
*'''Rank:''' Experienced
*'''Armor:''' [[Monolith suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[AKM-74/2]], [[AC-96/2]], [[IL 86]], [[TRs 301]] 

Experienced Monolith soldiers are the faction's most basic troops. They wear Monolith suits with either a black balaclava or a brown hood, and carry an assortment of both NATO and Warsaw Pact basic assault rifles, as well as the [[Walker P9m]] as a sidearm. Their Monolith suits give them durability on par with Stalkers wearing other light Tier 2 armors, such as the [[Sunrise suit]] and its various faction-based derivatives. Like all Monolith troops, they carry armor-piercing ammunition, which they will begin to load into their rifles if a firefight lasts for long enough. They are primarily encountered guarding the Red Forest and the Brain Scorcher, as well as occasionally appearing throughout [[Pripyat]].
 
====Experienced (Rocket Soldier)====
*'''Rank:''' Experienced
*'''Armor:''' [[Monolith suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[RPG-7u]]

A handful of Experienced Monolith soldiers are dedicated rocket launcher troops. They wear black balaclavas in addition to their Monolith suits. One is encountered midway through the Red Forest, and a handful are positioned in elevated positions in Pripyat as well as the roof of the Chernobyl NPP. They are extremely dangerous, with a direct RPG hit capable of killing the player in one hit regardless of armor, and even an indirect splash damage hit can significantly injure the player and seriously damage their armor's durability.

====Sniper====
*'''Rank:''' Experienced, Veteran
*'''Armor:''' [[Monolith suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[SVDm-2]], [[SVUmk-2]]

Dedicated Monolith snipers are either of Experienced or Veteran rank, and wear Monolith suits with either a black balaclava or a brown hood. They wield either the SVDm-2 or SVUmk-2 sniper rifle. Several appear around the Red Forest and the Brain Scorcher surface installation. In Pripyat and the Chernobyl NPP itself, their role is fulfilled by the more dangerous Gauss snipers.

====Veteran====
*'''Rank:''' Veteran
*'''Armor:''' [[Monolith suit]], [[Scientific Monolith suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[AKM-74/2]], [[AC-96/2]], [[IL 86]], [[TRs 301]], [[Chaser 13]] 

Monolith Veterans are mostly identical to their Experienced counterparts in terms of appearance and equipment, other than possessing somewhat more skill and experience. Many wear the same black balaclavas or brown hoods worn by the Experienced soldiers, though some wear gas masks instead. In Pripyat, most Veterans either wear gas masks or Scientific Monolith suits; unlike most SEVA suit derivatives, the Scientific Monolith suits don't provide their wearer with additional firearms protection compared to more standard Stalker armor. They appear mixed in with the more numerous Experienced troops in Red Forest, and appear more commonly in Pripyat. One or two Monolith Veterans in the Monolith headquarters in the Pripyat Palace of Culture carry Chaser 13 shotguns.

====Veteran (Chernobyl NPP Guard)====
*'''Rank:''' Veteran
*'''Armor:''' [[Monolith suit]] 
*'''Weapons:''' [[Tunder S14]], [[GP 37]], [[SA Avalanche]], [[FT-200M]], [[SGI-5k]] 

The Monolith Veterans guarding the exterior and interior of the Chernobyl NPP, as well as the Monolith Control Center, are considerably better equipped than their counterparts elsewhere in the Zone. They all wear gas masks and wield advanced weaponry, particularly favoring the Tunder S14 and GP 37, and occasionally wielding the SA Avalanche. A couple in the Monolith Control Center are even equipped with advanced FT-200M assault rifles. All carry [[UDP Compact]] pistols as a sidearm, as well as spare magazines loaded with armor-piercing ammo. The Monolith Veterans around the exterior of the Chernobyl NPP as well as on the NPP's rooftops are exclusively equipped with SGI-5k assault rifles, and noticeably do not carry sidearms.

====Expert====
*'''Rank:''' Expert
*'''Armor:''' [[Exoskeleton]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[GP 37]], [[TRs 301]], [[SA Avalanche]], [[Tunder S14]], [[SPSA-14]] 

Monolith's most experienced and deadliest soldiers are equipped exclusively with heavily armored Exoskeletons, and wield advanced weaponry, particularly favoring the GP 37, with those encountered in Pripyat also carrying the TRs 301 or SA Avalanche, while those guarding the interior of the Chernobyl NPP wield all of the above as well as the Tunder S14 and the SPSA-14 shotgun. The ones in the area of the Brain Scorcher carry [[Walker P9m]] pistols as sidearms, while those around the Chernobyl NPP area favor the [[UDP Compact]] instead. A single one of them can be found in the Red Forest, several will attack [[Lab X-19]] after the player shuts off the Brain Scorcher, and a large number of them can be found defending Pripyat as well as the interior and rooftops of the Chernobyl NPP. Due to Monolith's vast resources, they are able to field Exoskeleton soldiers in far greater numbers than any of the other factions, particularly defending the Chernobyl NPP itself.

====Gauss Sniper====
*'''Rank:''' Veteran, Expert
*'''Armor:''' [[Scientific Monolith suit]], [[Monolith suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[Gauss rifle]]

Monolith snipers wielding their faction-exclusive Gauss rifle are found throughout Pripyat, the interior of the Chernobyl NPP, and the rooftops of the NPP. The ones encountered in Pripyat and the NPP rooftops are of Veteran ranking, while those encountered in the interior of the Chernobyl NPP (including the Monolith Control Center) are of Expert ranking. Gauss snipers in Pripyat and the Chernobyl NPP interior wear Scientific Monolith suits, while the ones on the Chernobyl NPP rooftops wear the standard Monolith suit with a black balaclava. The Gauss rifle is very powerful and deals heavy damage even against Military Stalker armor or Exoskeletons, but fortunately these snipers have only average aim and have a very long recharge time between shots.

===Clear Sky===
====Experienced====
*'''Rank:''' Experienced
*'''Armor:''' [[Monolith suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[AKM-74/2]], [[AC-96/2]], [[TRs 301]], [[SGI-5k]] 
Experienced Monolith troops wear their faction's distinct green-and-white suit, worn with a white gas mask, giving them resistance to firearms on par with other standard Stalkers. They wield an assortment of both NATO and Warsaw Pact weaponry, primarily carrying the AKM-74/2, AC-96/2, or TRs 301 assault rifles. Some experienced Monolith troops wield the powerful SGI-5k assault rifle. All Monolith troops carry armor-piercing ammo in their inventory, which they will begin loading into their rifles if a firefight drags on for long enough. Most carry the 9mmx18 [[Fora-12]] pistol as their sidearm, though the ones wielding SGI-5k rifles carrying 9mmx19 [[Walker P9m]] pistols instead.

They are primarily encountered in [[Limansk]] and the [[Limansk Hospital]].

====Veteran====
*'''Rank:''' Veteran
*'''Armor:''' [[Radiation suit]]
*'''Weapons:''' [[SA Avalanche]]
Monolith's Veteran shocktroopers are equipped with heavily armored Radiation suits ([[Exoskeleton]] armor without the mechanical Exoskeleton frame), which are unique to the Monolith faction at the time of ''Clear Sky''. These suits are not as heavily armored as a full Exoskeleton, but still provide vastly superior protection to any other armor except for the "Bulat" [[Skat-9 military armoured suit]] worn by [[Military Stalkers]] (and some [[Duty]] members wearing the repainted version renamed [[PSZ-9d Duty armor|PSZ-9d]]). Their heavy armor allows Monolith Veterans to withstand 3 to 4 times as much firearms damage as most other Stalkers (including being able to survive headshots from non-armor piercing rounds), while still being fielded in significantly large numbers, unlike Military Stalkers, "Bulat" Duty members, or Stalkers wearing Exoskeletons. These Veteran Monolithians are also equipped with powerful silenced [[9x39mm]] SA Avalanche assault rifles, and carry armor-piercing [[9x39mm SP-6]] rounds which they will begin loading if a firefight drags on for long enough. They carry .45 [[Kora-919]] pistols as sidearms.

These heavily armed and armored Veteran Monolithians are dispatched on raids into the Army Warehouse area, and support the standard Experienced Monolith forces guarding Limansk and the Limansk Hospital. The Monolith contingent guarding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant itself is comprised exclusively of Veterans.

===Call of Pripyat===
====Rookie====
The less common type of Monolithians, they rely on a classic Monolith Suit and use low-grade weaponry such as [[AKM-74/2U]]s. They are very weak (but stronger than Loner rookies), and are much easier to defeat than higher-ranked Monolithians.
====Experienced====
A very common type of Monolithian. They wear either Monolith Suits or Scientific Monolith suits and have access to more assault rifles and other weapons, including the [[TRs 301]], the [[Chaser 13]] and the [[AKM-74/2]].
====Veteran====
Semi-common, they equip almost the same gear as Veteran Loners. There are three types of Veterans: the first wears the Scientific Monolith suit and uses the [[SVDm-2]] sniper rifle, the second wears classic Monolith Suits or Radiation suits and uses the [[SGI-5k]] or the [[SA Avalanche]]. They are just as tough as other Veterans as they are able to withstand many shots (including a headshot in rare cases).
====Expert====
The most rare and dangerous of the Monolithians. Most of them use the faction variant of the [[Exoskeleton]] and use uncommon high-grade weaponry - namely the [[GP37]], the [[Tunder S14]], and the [[Eliminator]], and a rarer version uses the classic Monolith suit and the [[Vintar BC]] sniper rifle. Due to their heavy armor and powerful weapons, they are dangerous enemies to deal with.

== Trivia ==
* In ''Call of Pripyat'', the Monolith is actually neutral to the Ecologists in the game code. The reason for this is unknown since the Monolithians have no contact with the Scientists' Bunker. It may have been a glitch.
* In early builds of ''Shadow of Chernobyl'', the Monolith was going to be allied with the [[Bandits]] but was changed to [[Mercenary]] at the final production. The reasons why and what effect on the plot that would have had are unknown.
* In ''Shadow of Chernobyl'', Monolithians don't fight Zombified Stalkers.
* Without accounting for respawns, the Monolith has 423 active soldiers during ''Shadow of Chernobyl''. 17 assault the Army Warehouse, 84 are stationed at the Red Forest, 30 are deployed inside the brain scorcher, 82 are active in Pripyat, 45 during the military assault of the CNPP, 39 at the Sarcophagus, 30 inside the C-Con Bunker, and 96 during the last battle outside the CNPP.

==Gallery==
<tabber>
|-|Shadow of Chernobyl=
=== Variations ===
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_exo.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_head1.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_hood_9.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_mask.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_nauchniy.png|150px]]

=== Icons ===
<gallery mode=nolines>
Icon_SoC_character_stalker_mo_exo.png
Icon_SoC_character_stalker_mo_head_1.png
Icon_SoC_character_stalker_mo_hood_9.png
Icon_SoC_character_stalker_mo_mask.png
Icon_SoC_character_stalker_mo_nauchniy.png
</gallery>
|-|Clear Sky=
==== Variations ====
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_nauchniy.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_cs_stalker_monolith_2.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_cs_stalker_monolith_3.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_cs_stalker_monolith_4.png|150px]]

=== Icons ===
<gallery mode=nolines>
Icon_CS_character_monolith_2.png
Icon_CS_character_monolith_1.png
Icon_CS_character_monolith_3.png
Icon_CS_character_monolith_4.png
</gallery>
|-|Call of Pripyat=
=== Variations ===
[[File:Render_stalker_mo_nauchniy.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_cs_stalker_monolith_2.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_cs_stalker_monolith_3.png|150px]]
[[File:Render_cs_stalker_monolith_4.png|150px]]

=== Unique variations ===
[[File:Render_cop_stalker_monolith_1_face_1.png|150px]]

=== Icons ===
<gallery mode=nolines>
Icon_CoP_character_Brodyaga_monolit.png
Icon_CoP_character_monolit_1.png
Icon_CoP_character_monolit_2.png
Icon_CoP_character_monolit_3.png
Icon_CoP_character_monolit_4.png
</gallery>
</tabber>

==References==
<references />
{{Monolith}}
{{Factions}}
[[uk:Моноліт]] [[ru:Монолит (группировка)]] [[fr:Monolithe]] [[pl:Monolit]]
[[Category:Clear Sky factions]]
[[Category:Shadow of Chernobyl factions]]
[[Category:Call of Pripyat factions]]
[[Category:Factions]]