35 Tips for Surviving DayZ

Even the best players will eventually succumb to one of DayZ’s many fatalities. There is no safe place in Chernarus; death might come at any time from bandits, zombies, or even a bug that causes you to tumble from a building. There are, however, measures one may take to postpone death, and we have compiled a list to help ensure that you remain among the survivors long after the last shot has been fired. To make it through DayZ alive, you need to take things slowly and maybe even locate a group of people to help you out. DayZ (Standalone) is one of the most comprehensive, community-driven survival games on Steam, despite the very negative reviews it has received. 

There are other games that try to compete with DayZ, such as Rust and Conan Exiles, but none of them come close to its scale or its level of fear. At this mini-adventure, players start out in a randomized place, most often near the southernmost beach. Having nothing more than the clothing on their backs, a single road flare, and a single bandage, they will have to forage, avoid, and survive the numerous foes of Chernarus. 

Who are these foes? Most of them are human. The player is the greatest threat to survival in DayZ. Humanity’s darker sides are shown in a game of this kind. Numerous bandits, marauders, and cannibals are in the area. Finding some food and drink, and maybe a functional rifle, will give players a good head start on their adventure. They shouldn’t get too attached to that perfectly polished hunting gun since, well, death is permanent in this world. 

Having a hunting rifle is just the beginning of a survivor’s arsenal. As a defensive weapon, it is not recommended for use in offensive situations early in the game. Players often gank military sites since that’s where they can get the best weaponry. Anyone serious about making it through DayZ alive should take things slowly and maybe even team up with others. These pointers ought to ensure the safety of newcomers to Chernarus. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be if it didn’t. After all, life here is precarious and you’ll either kill or be killed. 

This formerly shaky early access gem has been refined and expanded into a strong Survival game with the addition of new areas, weaponry, improved mod support, new animals, and consistent updates to the previously absent Zombies. To help you gain your bearings and figure out how to play DayZ, here are a few extra pointers for newcomers.

Bring on the Band-Aids

Let’s go slowly at first. Your starting gear includes a t-shirt, slacks, shoes, and a flashlight. When you’ve finished using the torch and batteries, drag your shirt into your inventory and right click on it to rip it into shreds. If you are cut when fighting zombies and don’t have a melee weapon, these rags will save your life. Get to safety and use the rags to bandage up after the bleeding has begun.

A Melee Weapon is What You Need

The second thing you should do (after resupplying on food and water) is search for a melee weapon, since we’ve tried to arrange this list in a succession that mirrors the learning curve DayZ imposes on you. Firefighter axes, splitting axes, pick axes, and machetes are all excellent choices, but in an emergency, a dull butter knife can suffice. Use these to stealthily eliminate any zombies you come across; for most effectiveness, aim for the head.

Bring Your Own Morphine

If you spend enough time digging in the dirt and rubble of Chernarus, you’re certain to end up with broken legs and unable to move out of the prone position. The Morphine Auto-Injector is the simpler choice when deciding how to treat your broken limbs, however the Wooden Splint would work too. It won’t need much of your storage space and will have you back on the road quickly. While it may be used to treat broken arms as well, the more serious injuries of the legs should take priority.

Keep clear of PvP hotspots

Staying out of areas where players congregate to murder each other is the greatest method to survive in games where player deaths are common. We don’t approve of murdering on sight, but if you show up at Berezino or the Northwest or Northeast Airfields, you’re going to be shot. While you may certainly locate weapons and ammo in such locations, the odds are rather high that you won’t be around to use them. Don’t be afraid to go out of the major cities and into the smaller, less crowded communities nearby.

Mind the Aggro Zombies!

If a zombie sees you, it will keep coming after you until it catches up with you or kills you. As a result, you should anticipate that it will be coming towards you rather than trying to avoid you. To practically a certainty, another player is close by if a zombie runs in a direction that isn’t you or someone you know. In a player against player setting, this is one of the finest ways to find your opponent.

Avoid the Highways

It’s best if you didn’t use the road, since it was designed for cars. It may seem obvious, yet there are many players who ignore it and race down major thoroughfares. If you’re doing this (after reading our warnings not to), you probably deserve to be shot by a bandit, and you probably won’t even mind it. If you need to go about Chernarus, it’s best to equip yourself with a compass and take the scenic route via the woods.

Avoid Wearing Loud Colors

Hunters are required to wear orange to increase their visibility. Construction workers are more easily seen by motorists thanks to their luminous vests. If you plan on doing any hunting, you should probably avoid wearing bright colors because people won’t mistake you for a construction worker. Dress in clothes that fit in with the background, and maybe even use some spray paint to make your Mosin and Firefighter Axe less noticeable. If the bandits can’t see you, they can’t kill you.

Avoid Being Seen.

Be prepared to have your head blown: hiding is the surest method to avoid being shot on sight. That’s true, hiding from other players is your greatest chance of staying alive in a game like this. If you want to accomplish this, you should sneak up on cities from the woods and shrubs, hiding behind houses and fences. Don’t go running down the road where a gang of outlaws might shoot you in the back as you pass (See: Stay Off the Roads).

Examine the Surroundings

Staying with the theme of our last piece of advice, it’s always a good idea to do some recon before plunging headfirst into a new region. Learn the terrain by finding a high viewing point. Is access granted? This may be used as a barometer of looting activity in the neighborhood. Do zombies ever stop moving around? The absence of potential aggressors suggests that they are not now in a state of agitation. Take a little breather and assess the issue. Don’t hesitate; doing so is crucial to your survival.

Hold absolutely still

While a continuation of the last piece of advice, maintain complete stillness as you scan the area for signs of motion. Observing anything out of the norm in this manner is the simplest option. To get a closer look, it doesn’t hurt to press and hold the right mouse button. To get a better view, you may use binoculars if you have them, or the Long Range Scope on your Mosin.

Amplify the Sound

There are many noises in DayZ, and one of the most important survival skills is the ability to listen to them. Your ears are just as vital as your eyes, whether you’re listening for the sound of footsteps outside or two players speaking in-game or the reloading of a weapon. If you can, you should try to get your hands on a high-quality headset so that you can hear the noises of devastation and death all across Chernarus.

Take just what you need.

Someone doesn’t kill you for no reason at all in DayZ, it’s probably because they desire something you have. Maybe it’s a cap, or maybe it’s a rucksack full of bullets, or maybe it’s that blinged-out Mosin. If you want to lessen the likelihood of getting shot out of envy, you should pack as minimally as possible. Even if most people will still shoot you, at least now you have a chance. In other words, if you don’t want it, don’t take it; someone else may.

Disassembled Shotgun

It comes from Mr. Blackout, perhaps the most popular DayZ player, and it’s ninja-level sophisticated crap. Get yourself a hacksaw and an IZH-43 (shotgun). A Sawed-Off IZH-43, after having its barrel removed with a Hacksaw, will take up just four of your backpack’s horizontal compartments. If you are ordered to put down your main weapon, you may still utilize the Sawed-Off Hot Bar to rapidly and effectively do damage.

Using TeamSpeak is a must.

Getting on a TeamSpeak server to talk to other players isn’t necessary if you’re playing this game alone. Finding a group discount is easier if you’re not on your own. They are inexpensive to rent and will prevent you from having to engage in in-game chat, which is high on the list of things that will get you killed. You should try to avoid being part of the in-game talk just as much as we advised you to keep an ear out for it. In this way, you may joke about with your allies without worrying that the adversary would get wind of it.

Sign Out While Hanging From a Tree

Keep away of busy locations while closing your game session. Because your character’s body will stay in-game for up to 30 seconds after you disconnect from the server, they may be killed by random players. Get yourself into the woods and spend at least a minute checking behind you to make sure no zombies have followed you out of the game. You should be commended for making it through another another ordeal in Chernarus.

Be Sure To Keep A Guide Book Handy

People who are really serious about the game could consider using a DayZ guide or Community-driven Wiki as cheating. However, they are mistaken and most than likely Bandit Mains. You’ll need to find out some key information that DayZ won’t provide you if you want to survive, and you’ll need to do it fast. Having a DayZ tips and tricks page open in a separate tab might be helpful due to the game’s challenging realism mechanics, overwhelming number of objects and ammo kinds, and the persistent sensation that you’re never more than one choice away from a disastrous chain reaction.

Keep away from the military installations.

DayZ is an open world survival game with a wealth of explorable places with a plethora of weapons, armor, and other items to discover and acquire. Your initial inclination as a new player will be to rush headlong into a city or military base; unless the servers are unusually quiet, this is a bad idea. Snipers find military bases to be ideal training grounds. There are large stretches of open ground to traverse with little in the way of cover, and the armament is likely to be high-quality and more than capable of annihilating inexperienced players if it hasn’t already been plundered. Most of the game’s greatest equipment can be found here, therefore seasoned players often camp nearby to pick off newcomers. Keep away from these places if you can, and if you really must go there, just demolish everything and take what you need.

When possible, use mods in your games.

Vanilla DayZ is fantastic, but it has a few bugs and is lacking several features that would make it even better. The Modding Community has been rather active for quite some time, and as a result, there are literally thousands of fantastic modifications available. The TES: Tales of Emerald mod by Romzet, for instance, replaces Chernarus with Tamriel by using Skyrim content. Or you could use Staiff’s NoSprintingZombies to make the undead who are running a marathon a little slower. There are always more modifications being generated, and many player-built servers make use of them to provide interesting and varied worlds for players to explore. Which, once tried, makes returning to “Vanilla” DayZ seem like a bad idea.

Novices should stay away from crowded servers.

As opposed to other games, where the more players on the server, the more chaos there will be, new players to DayZ are better off finding calmer games. Learning the basics on a deserted server where you won’t be clipped by a bandit hiding in the woods is an excellent way to get into the game. Since saves are server-bound, you may start again with a new Survivor if the one you have is close to death from anything like dehydration or broken legs. It’s advisable to wait until you’ve mastered the basics of the game and have a good idea of where the finest riches can be found before venturing into the more crowded areas. Therefore, it shouldn’t be as shocking as being dropped into a battlefield teeming with ruthless Veterans straight at full strength.

The Use of Melee Weapons Is Totally Wasted Effort.

One more of our many helpful DayZ hints for new players is that melee weapons are useless. While a Fireaxe may suffice for killing a few of zombies while backpedaling up an incline to slow them down, it is woefully inadequate for use in PvP. Hit detection with melee weapons has always seemed like throwing a dart in the dark. However noisy they may be, guns are more dependable and may put an end to a fight considerably more quickly than a series of uncontrolled blows or a sucker punch. They may be used as a last option, for Zombie smashing, or to fulfill crafting needs.

Be Patient and Start Small

Players entering the planet of Chernarus for the first time may feel overwhelmed. There is a huge open world before you, and at the beginning of the game you are given a few strange things that are mostly useless. The first order of business is to find some kind of sustenance, whether it a can of beans or a stray chicken. To open a can or chop a chicken into quarters, survivors will require a blade. Since most people wouldn’t have access to tools like knives and axes so early, making do with a rock as a weapon is probably the best choice. Small stones may be found with relative ease on the beach. After stumbling across their prey, players may equip the stone and then choose to make an improvised knife. This rock can be a weapon in a pinch, but it serves its purpose best in the kitchen.

Study Treasure Maps

Anyone playing DayZ properly will spend a significant portion of their time exploring the environment and scavenging various items. Actual combat time will be little. You read it correctly; there are non-combat activities available in the game. But survivors will require higher-quality equipment if they are to battle their way out of this. Therefore, it is crucial to acquire knowledge about the best places to find riches. The three-doored Piano House on the ground level frequently spawns random supplies of ammo, firearms, food, and clothes. The next stop for gamers should is the local police station to stock up on gear and weaponry. Finally, investigating military tents may lead to the discovery of a variety of useful items, including food, uniforms, equipment, and even firearms. While the survivors won’t always discover anything valuable at every new location they explore, the odds are in their favor. It’s also possible to ambush other players by hiding out in one of these spots (like the police station).

Gear Essential to Playing

Gear that is almost mandatory to have in a loot-focused game is to be expected. In the first place, a stone knife might serve as a makeshift yet effective tool. Second, a player’s life may be saved by using rags or bandages in a fight. A modified IZH-43 shotgun is quite effective. Which begs the question: why pull out a shotgun? The sawed-off shotgun is helpful for more than just fighting off zombies and ambushing unsuspecting gamers in close quarters. It is standard practice for robbers to demand that players instantly surrender all firearms and equipment. However, they are not required to search a survivor’s rucksack, which, depending on its dimensions, may be large enough to conceal a sawed-off shotgun. Inmates-to-be may rapidly pull it and escape using the explosion. You’ll need the shotgun and a hacksaw to remove the barrel if you wish to use this method in-game. It might be challenging to locate both simultaneously.

Take Morphine with you.

If a novice player comes across a morphine injection machine in a hospital or clinic, they may easily ignore it. They’re certain to break a leg if they scrounge about Chernarus for too long. After suffering a broken leg, a player is unable to do anything except lie face up, unable to walk, run, or crouch. While a wooden splint could help stabilize a broken bone, a morphine shot is far more convenient for survivors. The item’s one slot in the inventory further enhances its practicality and conservatism. The morphine shot might be used for a broken arm, but it is strongly advised that it be saved for a leg injury. Those who suffer a broken arm in a battle may still make it out alive, but those who suffer a broken leg won’t.

You Should Stay Off The Roads.

Players should avoid utilizing highways at all costs since they always lead to a town or city full of treasure. A bandit might easily lurk in the woods and ambush innocent bystanders as they go about their game. On the other hand, players may find themselves lying in a ditch by the side of the road, hands over their heads, as robbers rifle through their possessions. It is possible to escape becoming the victim of a highway robbery in DayZ by being cautious, quiet, and observant. Vehicles are also now playable, and the roads of Chernarus were built with them in mind. Vehicles in video games usually mean the person or group is well-armed and has been around for a while.

Avoid Skipping Out on Scouting Efforts

Players should scout the region and gather information before venturing into any settlement, hamlet, or clearing in the game. A set of binoculars might make recon a little simpler for the survivors. If they can’t, they can just hide behind a tree or shrub for a few minutes while they look the place over. Before making a move, players may prevent a lot of commotion by keeping an eye on the tree lines, keeping an eye on the top floor windows, and recording the whereabouts of any roaming corpses. Player fatigue from prolonged inactivity is a common problem. However, a lone shooter with the patience of a snail is always a threat. Any sign of life should be investigated thoroughly before the survivors continue their search. Players should never attack an opponent head-on with a weapon; instead, they should sneak up on them from behind or the side.

Obtain a Headset.

This may seem obvious, but a high-quality headset makes a huge impact in the world of PC gaming. Players could, of course, pick up a cheap headset at Walmart, but it wouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks and wouldn’t allow them to hear nearly as well. A high-quality headset is essential to fully experience DayZ. It is possible for survivors to hear things like footsteps, distant gunfire, zombies groaning down the road, etc. In addition, gamers in close proximity to one other may overhear in-game mic conversations between other players. Being able to hear an enemy before you see them is crucial in survival games.

Where To Find A Gun

When facing off against zombies, a melee weapon is a must-have. However, it is not simple to get a firearm in Chernarus. While it’s possible for players to search the Northwest Airfield for an automatic weapon, doing so puts them in danger. There are a few frequent spots in the game where you may reliably find weapons. For instance, firearms are often produced in the far corner of little wooden cottages known as “gun houses.” However, SKSs, AKs, and even the infamous MP5-Ks have been known to appear in police stations. Finally, you may sometimes find weapons like MP-133 Shotguns, SKS, Mosin 9130s, and Repeaters on industrial roofs.

Establishing A Firebase

Players may escape the deadly effects of hypothermia in DayZ by always dressing warmly. Or, better still, they might go somewhere remote to construct a fire and be toasty. Bohemia included a fireplace set so that players could warm themselves and prepare meat. In certain situations, it’s also essential. In addition to a single stick, participants will also require rags, bandages, or paper. A fireplace kit may be made by combining the two items. Players may bring the fire pit inside if it starts to rain. An industrial building or storage facility would be ideal.

Reducing the Zombie Population

To begin with, DayZ’s zombies were more of a nuisance than anything else. They were hardly a danger at all. Even if a player were to hit them in the head, they would be able to go on with their day. However, things are shifting little now. Because of the latest patch, zombies are now actively hostile to the player. Although it is possible for survivors to kill a zombie, it is not recommended that they do so in a one-on-one encounter. Their melee damage has been greatly increased, and they are now also much more nimble. If players want to use a gun (the best choice), they should mute the sound by attaching a suppressor. Keeping your distance might also be helpful. For maximum effect, it is recommended that players shoot from high ground or from behind low cover, such as a stone wall or picket fence.

Seek Out An M4A1

This article was written during a period when the M4A1 was the game’s most sought-after weapon, making it the hardest to get. Once upon a time, it was simple to get an M4. They might be found in the most unremarkable spots all across the globe. Those days are long gone; things are quite different now. Killing a player who is currently using an M4, or searching crash sites for helicopters, are the two known ways to get an M4. There’s no denying that the second option is the simpler one. The western part of the island is where most helicopter crashes have occurred. Unfortunately, they have a reputation as a high-danger, low-reward loot area. They may find something helpful (like an M4), or they may find total garbage. Finding a truck or other vehicle, marking the locations of downed helicopters on the DayZ DB map, and stopping at each one is the best method for survivors who are determined to do so.

DayZ Database: Get Acquainted

When discussing DayZ DB, it is important to note that the game’s most difficult component is probably going to be figuring out where everything is. The vastness of Chernarus, along with its mazelike network of dirt roads and city streets, makes it very difficult for a new player to get their bearings. If gamers can get their hands on a second screen, all the better. If not, DayZ DB is a lifesaver and can be accessed by pressing alt + tab. The website provides a comprehensive map of the whole game environment, including everything from vehicle positions to helicopter crashes to forest stands and even roads. Of course, in-game road signs near the player’s present location are the best bet for quickly determining their position on the map. The game’s Russian-language indications mean that players need to come as near as they can. For each Russian place name on the map, there are approximate English translations.

You Can’t Dismiss Fishing

Due to update 0.57, fishing is now a viable means of subsistence in Chernarus. Players have a far better chance of making it to the endgame if they can live on their own near a water source like a lake, river, or ocean. We recommend starting with a fishing rod, fish trap (optional), a fire pit, and some culinary utensils. Players will need a knife, rope, long wooden stick, and a fishing hook to make a fishing rod. A makeshift fishing pole may be constructed using the various components. Second, a plastic bottle and a knife may be used to make a fishing trap. It’s a simple and effective method for catching fish without exertion. Fire and a sharp knife are required for cooking a catch. Some kind of cooking vessel, like a pot or frying pan, will come in handy here.

Reversing Illness

In patch 0.50, Bohemia determined the DayZ universe needed more difficulty, so they included illness. There are a few distinct phases to the disease’s otherwise straightforward mechanism (itchy wounds, infected wounds, severely infected, and recovery). Depending on the nature of the damage and the current stage, a character may spend anywhere from ten to forty minutes in any given state. Players are at a higher risk of dying from malnutrition and dehydration if they don’t eat and drink enough when their wounds are infected, so be sure to do so at all times. The opposite is true with the treatment of illness. Antibiotic tinctures or alcohol washes may be used to disinfect wounds. Survivors might immediately enter Stage 4, the recovery phase, after using the improvised medication. It’s plain sailing from there on out!

False Acquaintances

Since this is the pinnacle of survival games, it is important to have someone close by. When it comes to establishing friends in-game, the only piece of advice gamers need to know is this: don’t. Of course it helps to team up with a friend who isn’t a player. However, players are likely to have a hard time if they choose to play DayZ alone and then try to build a pseudo-coalition with another player or two in-game. The player community, it seems, can be a quite frenetic place. If you see an enemy player, there’s no reason to let them live. There is currently no karma system or consequences for murdering on sight, leaving players in a setting that favors bandits and hunters. There is always the possibility of a kill and some treasure, even if it’s only a can of peaches. It’s recommended that players compete individually.