DayZ loot is governed by a server-wide "central economy": items spawn across the map up to set limits, so an area that was picked clean will refill over time. The best gear concentrates in military areas and contaminated (gas) zones — which is exactly why they are the deadliest places to be.
How loot works
Loot spawns in and around buildings according to the building type, not randomly everywhere — police stations spawn pistols, military tents spawn rifles and armour, and so on. Loot does not refresh while a player is standing on top of it, so looting an area and then moving away lets it respawn. Different buildings are different "tiers"; higher tiers hold rarer gear.
Where the good gear is
- Military bases & airfields (e.g. North-West Airfield and Tisy on Chernarus) — the top guns, armour and ammo, and the heaviest PvP on the map.
- Police stations — pistols and their ammo.
- Hospitals / medical — the medicines from illnesses & diseases.
- Contaminated / gas zones — high-tier loot guarded by toxic gas; you need a gas mask with a filter and protective gear to survive inside.
Loot smart, not greedy
- Get in, grab priorities (ammo, meds, a mag that fits your gun) and get out — the longer you linger in a hotspot, the more likely someone finds you.
- Listen constantly; footsteps, doors and gunfire tell you who else is there.
- Do not carry so much you are slow and over-encumbered. A light, mobile survivor outlives a loaded one.
