7 Days to Die: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

7 Days to Die doesn’t just pose the threat of being mauled to death by endless waves of zombies every week, but also the threat of succumbing to heatstroke, minor injuries, and other valid medical conditions, too. But as it turns out, there are several ways to survive the post-apocalyptic wasteland, and even a select few remedies to keep that blasted heatstroke at bay, too. So, if you have just stumbled upon the decade-old sandbox survival game, then you’ll want to read on for a few quick tips. How do you survive a zombie outbreak, and why on earth should you? Let’s talk.

5. Scrap Is Everything

It may seem like a pointless activity, what with the world on the verge of collapsing and seeing yet another undead outbreak, but believe us when we say — you’re going to want to do your fair share of litter picking. Why? Well, simply because trash equals broken up components, which can in turn be used to craft better tools, weapons, and even facilities to help you progress deeper into the wasteland. And while collecting all the bits and bobs on the floor can eat up all your inventory space, it’s definitely worth taking on as much of it as you can carry, as it’ll come in handy at some point down the line.

Of course, this isn’t to say you should completely neglect your other tools and weapons. That said, if you do have the bag space to spare, then don’t be afraid to scoot around a couple of blocks and forage for waste. Once you’ve filled your pockets, simply head to the item in your inventory and choose to scrap it; this will break it down into one of several key materials, i.e metal, wood, and so on and so forth.

4. Prepare!

There’s a reason why 7 Days to Die carries the title that it does, and it’s simply down to the fact that, on every seventh in-game night, the zombies break free from the eternal slumber and wreak havoc on the world and everything it has left to offer. This is something that you’ll need to prepare for straight away, as a lack of fortifications will only result in a one-way ticket to an early grave. So, once you begin your journey — start thinking about the seventh day. Knowing what waits around the corner should, in theory, push you to be a little more efficient and weary of the inevitable consequences that tie in with failure.

Ideally, you’ll want to have a few things under your belt by the time the first outbreak hits the surface: a fortified base; a selection of durable melee weapons; and a source of energy or protein. As luck would have it, you can actually get all of these things in the first few days, so try not to overcomplicate things and assume that such a task is borderline impossible.

3. Find Your Home

As time moves on, you’ll come to find yourself exploring countless roadside markets and vacant properties, few of which will become your vacation homes between outbreaks. To start, though, you’ll need a strong building to not only defend during attacks, but also transform into a fully functional base of operations—an area that can also facilitate various types of crops, materials, and ammunition. In an ideal world, you’ll have something that’s worth fighting for before the eleventh hour strikes.

Of course, there’s always the option to go out and turn a pile of rocks into an idyllic home away from home, but it isn’t recommended, nor is it something that less experienced survivalists should dare attempt before getting a glimpse at their first real outbreak. Therefore, we’d suggest finding somewhere like a supermarket, or somewhere that has a rooftop garden, as you’ll be needing these to grow food and keep track of any unwanted trespassers that fall within your safe zone. In other words, find somewhere that’s away from ground level, and not, for example, on a roadside crossing in the center of town.

2. Divide Business and Pleasure

One of the things you’ll want to do as early on as possible is drive a wedge between your easygoing day-to-day activities, such as planting crops and crafting items, and your manual jobs, such as cooking, welding, and other hands-on projects. This is simply down to the fact that noise, like the reviving of a chainsaw, for example, lets zombies know of your whereabouts, which can cause an entire army to flock to your position. And while it’s always good to be a stone’s throw away from your home — you should never put it at risk by drawing too much attention to it.

If you can help it, try and have a couple of locations earmarked, and then move between the two at certain times of each day. And if possible, try and keep your manual jobs to the daylight hours, as undertaking any noisy business at night will only attract larger mobs.

1. Utilize the Stone Axe and Wrench

On top of the melee and ranged weapons that you’ll be lugging around with you, you’ll also need to make room for a Stone Axe, and a Wrench. The Stone Axe is one of the first things you’ll build on day one, and will be needed to gather wood, stone, and other raw materials, all of which will come into play at the crafting table. The Wrench, on the other hand, is something you’ll either loot from a corpse, or find in a crate. This will be needed to disassemble mechanical and electrical parts, which are then used to create more advanced materials and tools.

Chances are, you’ll come across a few dozen tools over your first week in 7 Days to Die. But, if you have the space to spare, then try not to neglect your Stone Axe and Wrench, as these are the two primary tools that’ll keep you ticking over the first several weeks. So, remember — Stone Axe, Wrench, and Scrap.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for 7 Days to Die newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.