Starvation is a survival overhaul mod for 7 Days to Die that intensifies the game's hunger, thirst, and resource scarcity mechanics, creating a harsh environment where every resource matters. The mod introduces extreme survival systems that challenge players to manage food, water, temperature, and disease while struggling to find scarce resources in a post-apocalyptic world.
The mod features configurable survival mechanics including Hunger Management, Thirst Systems, Temperature Regulation, Disease Control, and Resource Scarcity settings. Survival progression chains require players to balance multiple needs simultaneously, with danger tiers ranging from manageable to life-threatening conditions. Survival tools allow for monitoring vital signs, purifying water, preserving food, and treating illnesses.
Starvation supports multiplayer cooperation with specialized roles for hunters, gatherers, medics, and scouts, encouraging team-based survival and resource sharing. The mod integrates with existing base building and combat mechanics, providing seamless survival challenges without disrupting core gameplay balance.
Status: Starvation was made by Mortelentus and the Starvation team. Its last server build, 16.0.1.03 (February 2018), is for Alpha 16.4, and there is no build for Alpha 17 or any later version, so it does not run on the current V3.2. The team's own feature list: advanced farming, food spoilage and plagues, animal husbandry, dog taming, special pets, fishing, traps, a power system (natural gas, heat and electricity), wildlife and radiation hazards, a wellness and sanity system, NPC survivors you recruit and put to work in a player colony, settlement founding, advanced weaponry, new zombies and animals, boss zombies and bandits. The team also warned that it is demanding: 10 GB of RAM at the very least, 16 GB preferred.
| Category | Features | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hunger Management | Advanced food consumption systems | Calorie tracking, nutritional values, starvation effects, food spoilage, hunting, and foraging mechanics |
| Thirst Systems | Water survival mechanics | Hydration levels, water purification, contamination risks, dehydration effects, and water source management |
| Temperature Regulation | Environmental temperature effects | Hypothermia, hyperthermia, clothing insulation, heating sources, cooling methods, and weather impact |
| Disease Control | Illness and infection mechanics | Food poisoning, infections, medical treatment, antibiotic crafting, disease transmission, and immunity systems |
| Resource Scarcity | Limited resource availability | Reduced loot spawns, scarce materials, increased crafting costs, and economic balancing |
| Survival Tools | Specialized survival equipment | Water filters, thermometers, medical kits, survival knives, portable stoves, and emergency shelters |
| Environmental Hazards | Dangerous world conditions | Radiation zones, toxic areas, extreme weather events, natural disasters, and hazardous terrain |
| Multiplayer Specialization | Role-based survival progression | Hunter, Gatherer, Medic, Scout roles with unique perks, survival bonuses, and team synergy benefits |
| Survival Progression | Survival skill development | Survival tiers (Basic to Expert), skill progression, perk unlocks, and mastery bonuses |
| Game Version | Last build is for Alpha 16.4 | The last server build, 16.0.1.03 (February 2018), is for Alpha 16.4, so it cannot be combined with current Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy or Ravenhearst builds, which target far newer game versions |
| Station | Tier | Required Resources | Output Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Purification Station | 1 | Wood, charcoal, sand, cloth | Clean water production, hydration management, disease prevention |
| Medical Bay | 2 | Medical supplies, bandages, alcohol, herbs | Disease treatment, wound healing, infection control, medical research |
| Cooking Station | 2 | Metal, cooking utensils, fuel, containers | Food preparation, cooking recipes, food preservation, nutrition optimization |
| Storage Cache | 1 | Wood, nails, containers, locks | Resource storage, inventory management, theft prevention, organization |
| Shelter Building | 3 | Wood, nails, insulation materials, tools | Temperature-controlled shelter, weather protection, safe resting area |
| Hunting Post | 3 | Wood, rope, blades, tracking tools | Animal tracking, hunting equipment, meat processing, leatherworking |
| Farming Plot | 4 | Soil, seeds, fertilizer, water | Sustainable food production, crop cultivation, harvest management |
| Communication Center | 4 | Electronic components, wires, batteries, antennas | Team coordination, emergency signals, information sharing, mapping |
Starvation features a structured survival progression system that guides players from basic survival skills to advanced survival mastery. Progression is tied to survival tiers (1-5), with each tier unlocking new survival mechanics, tools, and capabilities. Tier 1 focuses on basic hunger/thirst management, Tier 2 introduces temperature regulation and disease control, Tier 3 enables hunting and food preservation, Tier 4 unlocks advanced medical treatment and resource management, and Tier 5 provides complete survival self-sufficiency and environmental mastery. Each tier requires specific resource investments, skill point allocations in survival skills, and previous tier completion, encouraging strategic planning and specialization. Multiplayer servers benefit from role distribution where different players can specialize in different survival branches (hunting, medical, scavenging) for cooperative advancement.
| Tool/Utility | Type | Requirements | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Filter | Water Purification Tool | Charcoal, sand, cloth, container | Purify contaminated water, remove toxins, prevent disease, portable hydration |
| Thermometer | Temperature Monitoring Tool | Glass, metal, temperature-sensitive materials | Monitor body temperature, detect hypothermia/hyperthermia, environmental temperature reading |
| Medical Kit | First Aid Equipment | Bandages, antiseptic, pain relievers, medical tools | Treat wounds, stop bleeding, prevent infection, basic medical care |
| Survival Knife | Multi-purpose Survival Tool | Blade, handle, sharpening stone | Hunting, skinning, cutting, self-defense, tool crafting |
| Portable Stove | Cooking and Heating Device | Metal, fuel canister, ignition source | Cook food, boil water, provide warmth, emergency heat source |
| Emergency Shelter | Temporary Protection Tool | Tarp, rope, stakes, insulation | Quick shelter setup, weather protection, temporary base, resting spot |
| Geiger Counter | Radiation Detection Tool | Electronic components, sensor, display | Detect radiation levels, identify contaminated zones, safety monitoring |
| Binoculars | Scouting and Observation Tool | Lenses, metal casing, focusing mechanism | Long-range observation, threat detection, resource spotting, navigation aid |
| Fire Starter Kit | Ignition and Fire Creation Tool | Flint, steel, tinder, waterproof container | Start fires in any conditions, emergency warmth, cooking, signal fires |
Important: Starvation requires proper installation on both client and server for consistent survival systems and hunger/thirst functionality. Always back up your save files before installing or updating the mod.
| Installation Method | Steps | Requirements | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Client | 1. Switch the game to the alpha16.4 branch (Steam, Properties, Betas) 2. Install the Starvation client. The team shipped it through Sphereii's 7D2D Mod Launcher, which replaces and updates the game files the mod needs |
Alpha 16.4 game build | Check that your launcher version still lists Starvation before you plan around it |
| Dedicated Server | 1. Install the dedicated server's alpha16.4 branch 2. Copy the Starvation server files from the team's GitHub repository (StarvationTeam/StarvationServer) over it 3. Restart the server |
Alpha 16.4 dedicated server | The team marked Linux servers as untested |
Starvation on dedicated servers
Starvation is not one of the modpacks 7d2d.net installs for you, and it needs the Alpha 16.4 game build rather than the current V3.2. Our plans M, L and XL give you full file access if you want to upload mod files yourself.
Every player needs Starvation on their own game too, from the same release as the server.
Terms of use
The team's terms let you copy Starvation for personal use, but distributing a modified version needs their permission first. Read them in the Starvation release thread on the official 7 Days to Die forums, which also credits the whole team and lists its features.
7 Days To Die server hosting on 7d2d.net (video)
Explore More: Check out these additional resources for Starvation and other popular 7D2D survival overhaul mods.
| Resource | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Mod Status Tracker | Which 7 Days to Die mods are active, stagnant or dead in 2026 | Mod Status 2026 |
| Modpacks Hub | The major overhaul modpacks covered on this wiki | Modpacks Hub |
| Valmod | Another overhaul last updated for Alpha 16 | Valmod Guide |
| 7d2d.net Modpacks | Which overhauls we install in one click, and the plan each one needs | Modpacks and Plans |
| Compare Hosting Plans | Compare M, L, and XL server hosting plans | Compare Plans |
| Server Hosting Plans | View all available server hosting options | L Plan | XL Plan |
Looking for other mods? Browse all 7 Days to Die mods - Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy, Ravenhearst, plus 20+ quality-of-life modlets. Or grab them through the 7D2D Mod Launcher.