The WarZ How Not To Die Guide

The WarZ How Not To Die Guide by Gedalas

I’ve decided to compile a list of easy tips and tricks on how to live as a survivor of War Z. And so without further ado:

Note: These are personal observations from multiple hours of surviving WarZ and other competitive gaming worlds. Many of these points are common sense, but maybe not for some people. Most veterans of the game follow these principles or very similar ones of there own design every game session. Also as an aside, obviously these things won’t help much against hacking, so please no “Lulz, but u just get hacked n killed nub” responses please.

The Don’t Be’s

Don’t Be Seen

This seems like a no-brainer at first but it is essentially the core of surviving in War Z. If you can’t be seen by an enemy, they can’t kill you. Simple enough, but there are many things you can do to help your chances.

  • When creating your character, choose dark and dull colors. There is nothing less inconspicuous than a bright red flannel running around. Don’t do it.
  • Don’t wear brightly colored hats. The fireman hat is of particular danger. Nothing says snipe me in my dome more than a bright yellow hat.
  • When travelling from area to area, keep to the wilderness. Travel on unexpected routes and through as dense of a tree group as you can. Never use roads unless necessary and travel across bridges with extreme caution.
  • Use cover as often as possible. Keep fences and buildings around you as much as possible. Move quickly when out in the open to reduce exposure.
  • Limit the amount of time you spend in any one spot. When scavenging towns, get in and get out. Try not to stay in one spot longer than you have to. Staying still only increases the odds of someone new entering your area.
  • For the love of all things good an holy, don’t use that snazzy flashlight the game loves to throw at you. If you gotta, you gotta, but flashlight beams attract bandits like as fast as a moth to the flame.
  • Don’t pull too many zombies. A zombie horde running is unmistakable, anyone close by knows that you are now being chased by zombies
  • Related yet not exactly the same, don’t leave traces of your existence. Seeing a pile of dropped cash or small backpack alerts anyone of your path, and if close behind you, your presence.

Don’t Be Heard

Just as important as not being seen is not being heard. An experienced bandit uses their ears just as much as their eyes to find easy prey.

  • Guns are loud, stick to a melee weapon when killing pesky zombies. If you have to fire your weapon, and it’ll happen eventually, keep your shots to a minimum and get out of the area as quick as possible.
  • Keep to the dirt and parking lots as much as possible. Anything that goes clink when you step on it is a time bomb. Limit your exposure to the inside of buildings, get in and get out.
  • Don’t pull too many zombies. Same as above but with the zombie aggro moans.

Don’t Be Greedy

A tip worthy of any video game ever made, and just as apt for WarZ.

  • Before you start looting a building, check the building to make sure its clear. This is especially important in grocery stores.
  • If possible, while picking something up, be facing the entrance of the room/building you are.
  • Don’t look at your inventory after every item you pick up. Get to a safe place to do it all at once. Leave the backpack change till later unless you desperately need the room. If that is the case, do it quick and get out of there.
  • Be wary of large random piles of loot on the ground. They don’t happen naturally.
  • Don’t insta-loot every person you kill. Yes the loot explosion is pretty and you really want that gun, but that dudes friend is waiting to cap you as you stand there like an idiot. Back off and scan the area first, make sure he was alone.
  • Just because you REALLY want someone to play with, don’t ever believe what people tell you in Proximity chat. Treat every other survivor with a dose of caution if you don’t plan on banditry. Being friendly isn’t worth being dead.

The Be’s

Be Aware

This is almost the antithesis of the Don’t Be’s, because using these tactics will help you target players who arn’t too good at the Don’t Be’s.

  • Get a pair of binocular and learn how to use them. They will save your life more times than you can count.
  • Scope out a town or area well before you enter it. Check the buildings of note and check for a suspicious lack of zombies. Are there blood or cash anywhere? Check out all the main entrances to the town, as well as the hills/cliffs surrounding it.
  • Know what is around you. Keep a mental map of the buildings in the town, where you’ve been and where you are going. Check everything as often as possible.
  • Keep checking your six. Don’t get too focused with where you are going or what you are doing. It is hilarious when you catch a bandit with a hammer red handed 10 feet behind you.
  • Keep your ear open for any gunfire and footsteps around you. If you don’t have the firepower to protect yourself, stay away from areas of high gunfire.
  • If you see a pile of cash or a small backpack, someone was here recently. Keep on your toes.

Be Prepared

Make sure you always have what you need. As well know what you have and what you still need to get.

  • Always have binoculars and a melee weapon on you. Sight and silent zombie killing are common sense.
  • Keep ample healing supplies on your hot bar. Antibiotics are easy to find and are almost a full heal, have these ready to pop at any moments notice of gun damage.
  • Don’t carry stuff you don’t need. Chemlights and flares are fun, get rid of them. Don’t carry 7 different types of water, you’re just wasting slots. On that same note don’t horde ammo you don’t have guns for, unless you plan on stocking it in your global asap.

Be Ready to Die

I know this seems odd to put into a survival guide, but it is the truth. This game contains dying as a core principle of your character, a survivor by definition flirts with death.

  • Don’t carry what you arn’t willing to lose. Think of it like responsible gambling. Everything in your pocket is already forfeit, anything you should gain while you’re there is a bonus.
  • This one can’t be stressed enough. Be mentally prepared to die. If you are the kind of person who rages at dying in a video game, this probably isn’t the game for you.
  • If you death was fair, say in a tense firefight, appreciate your enemies kill. Tell them “Nice shot,” or at least acknowledge there achievement. It sounds odd but it can make the game more enjoyable as a whole.

Understand that none of these tips or tricks guarantees survival, all you can do is limit the chances that someone else has of killing you and learn to cope with the inevitable as much as you can. As well this guide is far from comprehensive, and I bet you guys have any number of suggestions of your own, Survival in WarZ could change anytime with regards to possible content updates to the game, and I look forward to these with relish. But for now take a look are what you are doing to keep yourselves alive in the game as it is now, and go out there are survive with the best of them.

Related Articles

1 Response

  1. michael says:

    hey this is an awesome guide but how about trusting pple i’ve been trying to find a clan for awhile now and its proving to be a very difficult objective will you email me or make a guide for that my email is in the top just in case it isnt here is my email bmichael048@gmail.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *