Tips and Tricks
Collected wisdom from thousands of hours of 7 Days to Die gameplay. These tips will help new players survive and veterans optimize their runs.
Survival Basics
Movement & Stamina
- Walk, don't run: Regular zombies can't catch you if you walk. Running wastes stamina you'll need for fighting.
- Crouch to sneak: Press C to crouch. Zombies have reduced detection range when you're sneaking.
- Sprint-jump combo: Sprint (Shift) + Jump covers ground faster than sprinting alone.
- Stamina food: Coffee and Red Tea restore stamina rapidly. Keep some on your hotbar.
Health & Wellness
- Bandages stop bleeding: Always carry bandages. Bleeding will kill you faster than zombie damage.
- Food before meds: High-quality food heals over time. Use First Aid Kits for emergencies only.
- Infection is rare: Only specific attacks cause infection. Don't panic over every scratch.
- Painkillers are OP: 25% damage reduction for 3 minutes. Pop one before horde night.
Combat Tips
Melee Combat
- Headshots matter: 2x damage multiplier on head hits with melee weapons.
- Power attack timing: Hold attack until stamina drains, release for maximum damage.
- Back up while swinging: Create space between attacks to avoid getting grabbed.
- Club > Axe for combat: Clubs have better damage and knockback than axes.
Ranged Combat
- Crouch for accuracy: Crouching significantly tightens your crosshair spread.
- Lead your shots: Zombies move—aim where they'll be, not where they are.
- Bows are silent: Use bows for stealth kills; guns attract every zombie nearby.
- Shotguns vs Demolishers: NEVER use shotguns on Demolishers—pellets hit chest trigger.
Zombie-Specific Tips
- Screamers: Kill FAST before they scream. One scream = 8-12 more zombies incoming.
- Cops: Keep distance. They vomit acid AND explode on death.
- Demolishers: Headshots only. Their chest button triggers massive explosion.
- Dogs: Low profile + fast. Aim down and use shotgun or melee sweeps.
- Vultures: Wait for them to dive, then shotgun. Don't waste rifle ammo.
Looting Strategies
Efficient POI Clearing
- Follow the path: POIs have a designed route. Look for wooden planks covering shortcuts.
- Check ceiling corners: Zombies hide in attics and above doorways.
- Listen for breathing: Sleeping zombies make noise. Clear before looting.
- Loot on the way out: Clear all zombies first, then loot on your return trip.
What to Prioritize
| Priority | Items | Reason |
|---|
| 1 | Weapons, Tools, Armor | Direct survival impact |
| 2 | Medicine, Food | Consumable necessities |
| 3 | Ammo, Mechanical Parts | Combat + crafting |
| 4 | Books, Schematics | Permanent progression |
| 5 | Everything else | Sell to traders |
Hidden Loot Locations
- Under stairs: Often a hidden closet or safe
- Behind paintings: Wall safes hide behind art
- Medicine cabinets: Check every bathroom
- Gun safes: Closets in bedrooms, gun stores
- Air drops: Listen for planes—valuable crates fall from sky
Base Building
Location Selection
- Near trader: Quest access and emergency shelter
- Flat terrain: Easier to build and defend
- Multiple biome access: Different resources in each biome
- Avoid cities: Too many zombies for horde nights
Defense Tips
- One weak point: Create an intentional "cheap" path for zombies to funnel through.
- Upgrade strategically: Steel everywhere except your kill corridor.
- Repair between hordes: Day 6 maintenance, not Day 7.
- Backup escape route: Always have a second exit with wood frames for ladder.
Block Placement
- Rotate blocks: Press R to rotate before placing.
- Frame first: Place wood frames, then upgrade. Cheaper than placing finished blocks.
- Half blocks: Great for windows and shooting positions.
- Ramps: Zombies path up ramps—use this to your advantage.
Resource Gathering
Mining
- Mine at night: Zombies are above ground—mines are safer.
- Gravel = treasure: Gravel patches on the surface often indicate underground resources.
- Auger > Pickaxe: Once you have one, mining speed triples.
- Bring wood frames: Create stairs as you dig to get back out.
Best Resource Locations
| Resource | Best Location |
|---|
| Iron | Surface boulders, underground veins |
| Lead | Desert surface rocks, underground |
| Nitrate | Caves, desert (white rocks) |
| Coal | Burnt forest surface, underground |
| Oil Shale | Desert underground (yellow rocks) |
| Clay | Forest surface (brown patches) |
Crafting & Economy
Crafting Efficiency
- Read schematics first: Check if you already know a recipe before spending perk points.
- Queue crafting: Shift+click to queue maximum amount.
- Multiple forges: Run 2-3 forges simultaneously for parallel smelting.
- Track recipes: Click "Track" on any recipe to see missing materials on screen.
Making Money
- Quest rewards: Best Duke income in the game.
- Sell medicine: First Aid Kits and Antibiotics sell well.
- Don't sell ammo: You'll need it for horde nights.
- Bulk selling: Wait until inventory is full before visiting trader.
Horde Night Preparation
Day 6 Checklist
- [ ] 500+ rounds of primary ammo
- [ ] 10+ First Aid Kits
- [ ] Food and water for the night
- [ ] All traps repaired
- [ ] Generator fueled
- [ ] Backup melee weapon
- [ ] Repair kits ready
During Horde Night
- Don't leave your base: Blood moon zombies know your location—they'll follow.
- Prioritize Demolishers: They destroy bases. Kill them first, headshots only.
- Rotate positions: If one area is overwhelmed, fall back to secondary defense.
- It ends at 04:00: Surviving zombies despawn at dawn.
Multiplayer Tips
Team Coordination
- Specialize: Each player focuses on 1-2 attributes. Cover all bases as a team.
- Share quests: One player accepts, others get shared rewards.
- Call out loot: Found a schematic you don't need? Tell your team.
- Sleep sync: Everyone uses bedroll at same time for bonus.
PvP Tips (if enabled)
- Hidden stashes: Bury chests for secure storage.
- Multiple bases: Don't put all resources in one location.
- Land claims: Protect your base from easy raiding.
- Trust no one: In PvP, even "friends" might turn on you.
Quality of Life
Keybinds & Settings
- F1 Console: Open with F1 or ~ for commands and debug.
- F3 Debug: Shows coordinates, biome, and more info.
- H Headlight: Toggle vehicle headlights.
- M Map: Open full map view.
- G Drop: Drop held item.
Inventory Management
- Shift+click: Quick transfer to/from containers.
- Ctrl+click: Split stack in half.
- Double-click: Move all identical items.
- Lock slots: Prevent auto-stacking into specific slots.
Advanced Tricks
Exploits & Cheeses
- Trader shelter: Stay inside trader compound during blood moon (gates lock zombies out).
- Water escape: Zombies can't swim well—deep water slows them significantly.
- Nerd pole: Build straight up on wood frames to escape danger temporarily.
- Poi reset: Starting a quest resets a POI—infinite loot from same building.
Speed Run Tactics
- Trader beeline: Rush to trader Day 1 for weapon purchase.
- Quest spam: Complete quests for fast XP and Dukes.
- Vehicle rush: Prioritize bicycle parts for early mobility.
- Skip building: Use POIs as horde bases instead of building.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Consequence | Fix |
|---|
| No bedroll | Respawn far from base | Place immediately in shelter |
| Ground-level base | Zombies walk right in | Use elevation, destroy stairs |
| Running everywhere | No stamina for combat | Walk unless chased |
| Night exploring | Death by sprinting zombies | Return to base by 20:00 |
| Hoarding junk | Inventory always full | Scrap or sell frequently |
| Ignoring quests | Slow progression | Do trader quests daily |