DayZ calls them the infected, not zombies, and they are a constant background threat rather than the main enemy. One is manageable; a crowd is deadly, and the thing that turns one into a crowd is noise.
How they work
- Where — they spawn around towns, cities and military areas; more loot usually means more infected.
- Detection — they react to sight, sound and sometimes being hit. Sprinting, gunfire and breaking doors pull them in.
- Damage — their hits cause bleeding, can ruin your gear, and enough of them will knock you out and kill you.
- Behaviour — they open doors, climb and chase; variants (including military ones) are tougher and better equipped as loot.
Beating them
Fight with melee or a quiet weapon to avoid pulling more, aim for the head for a fast kill, and use doorways to face them one at a time. To escape a group, stop making noise, break line of sight around buildings and put distance between you — then slip away. Bandage any bleeding the moment the fight ends.
