7 Days to Die: Tips & Tricks

Gathering

Everything has its use in this game, so make sure to pick up everything you find. Punch grass wherever you see it, break twigs, and collect feathers from birds’ nests. These are the basic materials you will need throughout the game.

Starting Quests

Starting quests has many benefits. They are easy to complete and don’t take much time. These quests teach you how crafting works and reward you with skill points. You will also receive useful tools and weapons that help a lot early on.

Bedroll

Once you craft a bedroll, place it as soon as possible. The world is dangerous, and you will die often. A placed bedroll lets you respawn at that location. Without it, you will respawn randomly and waste time traveling back to retrieve your items. Placing a bedroll inside an abandoned house is a good option if you find one.

Map

You can open the map by pressing M on your keyboard. On console, open your inventory and press R1 until you reach the map. The map shows coordinates at the top. Moving your cursor will change the coordinates based on its position.

Try to locate the 0.0 coordinates. Once you find them, place a waypoint by right-clicking on that spot or using the console button. You will find a city there. Cities provide fresh supplies every time you visit. After setting the waypoint, start heading toward it.

Hunting

While gathering on your way to the city, you will encounter wild animals. There are five types: chicken, pig, rabbit, deer, and bear. You may also encounter zombie bears and zombie dogs, which you should avoid. Animals are the main source of meat, and chickens are the best source of feathers. Chickens, rabbits, and pigs can be outrun and killed with melee weapons. Deer and bears require ranged weapons. When hunting deer, crouch to enter stealth mode. Stealth grants bonus damage while undetected. After killing an animal, use your stone axe to skin the body.

Crouching When you crouch, you enter stealth mode, which is extremely useful. Avoid drawing unnecessary attention whenever possible. If you spot a group of zombies ahead, crouch and sneak around them instead of engaging. Do not get too close, or they may detect you. Also, avoid carrying smelly food, as it can give away your position. Performing actions like scavenging or foraging while crouched creates less noise, reducing the distance at which zombies and players can hear you.

Point of Interest

If you haven’t reached a city and night is approaching, find quick shelter. Points of interest can be very useful for surviving the night. Following roads often leads to stores, while side paths can take you to cabins. Look for a two-story building. Once upstairs, destroy ladders and stairs to make yourself unreachable for the night.

Nights

Nights in 7 Days to Die are dangerous and unforgiving. When wolves howl, you don’t want to be outside. At night, zombies become much faster and will run toward you once spotted. This makes crouching even more important. Stay in an attic, crouch, set up a campfire, and prepare for the next day.

Skills and Perks

As you play, you will level up and earn skill points. Levels are gained by crafting, chopping trees, mining, and using tools. Open the perk tree to see available perks and check how many skill points you have. Choose perks that suit your playstyle. Quick crafting and sexual tyrannosaurus (stamina-related perks) are highly recommended early on.

City

Entering a city can be rewarding, but be cautious. Zombie dogs roam cities, and encountering one can be deadly. Always place a bedroll before entering. If you see a dog, avoid melee combat. Dogs are fast and difficult to hit.

Use ranged weapons and crouching to your advantage. Once cleared, you’ll have an entire city to explore. Set up a base as soon as possible. Find a house you like and claim it. Repair and upgrade blocks using your stone axe. If you plan to build your own base later, use existing houses to store loot while gathering resources.