7 Days to Die: Survival Basics

Survival basics are the central topic of your first hours in 7 Days to Die. This page explains the four immediate threats – hunger, thirst, temperature and infections – as well as the most important first steps after spawning. Anyone who ignores these systems dies from their own stat bars faster than from zombies.

---

First steps: spawn, tutorial and traders

On your first start you appear without equipment at a random spot in the world. The tutorial challenge system guides you through basic actions: gathering resources, crafting tools, securing a shelter. Working through these tasks unlocks the quest "Journey to Settlement", which marks the nearest trader on the map.

Finding and using traders

The first trader you can reach is Trader Rekt, located in the Pine Forest biome. Traders are open daily from 04:05 to 21:50 (in-game time). Their structures (compound walls, blocks) are indestructible – which makes trader areas safe zones during the day.

Your first contact with Rekt rewards you with a Stone Shovel and unlocks the starter quest "Buried Supplies", in which you dig up buried supplies. Beyond that there are five traders in a fixed order:

New traders are unlocked through the quest "Open Trade Routes", which becomes available once you have completed enough quests for your current trader.

The quest tier system

Besides XP and Duke's Casino Tokens (Dukes for short), trader quests also award tier points (TP), which you need to advance into higher quest tiers. For beginners, fetch quests (recover a courier bag and bring it back) are the best starting point: low risk, solid returns in XP and Dukes.

:::warning Mind the daily limit Beyond a certain number of quests completed per day, a quest limiter applies (base value: 3). Further quests no longer count toward tier progression until the day changes. :::

---

Survival basics: hunger and thirst

Hunger and thirst drop continuously – the rate depends directly on your activity. Anyone who runs, builds, digs or fights consumes significantly more than someone who stays still. Food and water are not credited immediately after consumption but digested over time – do not stuff yourself right before dying, supply yourself regularly instead.

:::warning Avoiding dysentery Drinking water straight from rivers or puddles very likely causes dysentery (which accelerates hunger and thirst loss). Always purify drinking water first. :::

Food sources compared

• Eggs (from bird nests): Small hunger gain, no thirst penalty – good for the first few days.
• Canned food (Chili, Chicken Soup and others): Immediate hunger or thirst bonus, usable without a recipe.
• Raw meat: From hunting, has to be cooked on the campfire; do not eat it raw.
• Fresh plants (Blueberries, corn): Found in the field, low value; better turned into recipes.
• Prepared meals: Far more efficient than raw ingredients – a single Meat Stew fills roughly half the hunger bar.

Water purification

1. Scoop Murky Water out of a body of water with a jar or container.
2. Boil it on the campfire – no Cooking Pot is needed any more, boiling directly in the fire is enough.
3. The result (Boiled Water / Safe Water) is drinkable with no risk of infection.

Goldenrod Tea is the only remedy against dysentery. Goldenrod (a yellow flower) is common in the game world; the recipe needs water and the harvested plant.

---

The temperature system

The temperature system distinguishes between the ambient temperature (the actual temperature of the surroundings, shown on the HUD next to the clock) and the feels like temperature – the latter is the decisive value that determines your status effects. The feels like temperature results from the ambient temperature, modified by your Cold Resist and Heat Resist values from clothing, armor mods and consumable items.

Comfort zone: 50 °F (10 °C) to 85 °F (29 °C) feels like temperature.

Factors that influence body temperature

• Biome: The Snow biome is much colder than Pine Forest; the Desert biome heats up strongly during the day.
• Time of day: Nights are significantly colder.
• Rain/wetness: The Wet status worsens the feels like value.
• Shade and altitude: Additionally reduce the ambient temperature.
• Being indoors: Buildings raise your body temperature, fire sources (campfire, forge, torch) grant the Warming Fire buff (+20 Cold Resist).

Clothing and mods

Since Update 2.5 (Survival Revival) there are four clothing groups with insulation values across three tiers:

These groups are: Socks, Cap Liner, Long Underwear, Glove Liner. In addition, insulation mods on armor pieces raise Cold and Heat Resist. Those values stack with the clothing.

Consumable tips:

• Blackstrap Coffee → Cold Resist (ideal for the Snow biome)
• Yucca Juice Smoothie → Heat Resist (ideal for the Desert biome)
• Holding a torch in hand or flaming arrows in the bow → temporary warmth

Storms and the grace period

Since Update 2.5, storms are a mechanic separate from the temperature system. Entering a storm or hazard biome starts a grace period timer. Without protective clothing: roughly 30 seconds until damage begins. Inside a building the grace period recovers three times as fast as it drains outside.

---

Infections & injuries

Zombie bites, scratches and animal attacks can trigger an infection. The infection rises as a percentage from 0 % to 100 % and runs through four stages. Every further hit while infected accelerates its progress. Stage 4 means instant death – no health pool protects you from it.

Infection stages

Treatment

Every remedy grants the Treated Infection buff, which reduces the infection over time. Dose it according to the severity:

:::warning Crafting Herbal Antibiotics The recipe for Herbal Antibiotics requires reading at least 30 Medical Journals plus these ingredients: Blueberries, Mushrooms, Chrysanthemums, Nitrate Powder and Water. More efficient at the chemistry station than at the campfire. :::

Where to find Antibiotics: medicine cabinets in houses, Pop-N-Pills stores, traders (especially Trader Jen), supply crates.

Other injury types

• Bleeding: A plain bandage stops the bleeding but returns no health. A First Aid Bandage or First Aid Kit stops the bleeding and regenerates health.
• Abrasions: Aloe Cream (from Aloe Vera) or a First Aid Bandage.
• Sprains / breaks: Reduce movement speed and health; painkillers ease the effect. While you have a sprain, do not sprint or jump – it extends the duration.
• Dysentery: Goldenrod Tea is the only cure; Pure Mineral Water helps on top of that.
• Fatigue: Only curable with vitamins; temporarily reduces the health pool and increases incoming damage.

---

Tips for your first days

1. Finish the tutorial – it unlocks the first trader and provides useful starting items.
2. Hole up before nightfall – zombies become faster and more aggressive at night; do your crafting and cooking in the shelter instead.
3. Always boil your water – dysentery costs far more in critical moments than boiling costs you in time.
4. Treat infections immediately – start with honey, save the antibiotics for higher stages.
5. Prioritize fetch quests – safer than clear quests, they deliver XP and Dukes while exploring the map at the same time.
6. Choose clothing per biome – adjust gear and supplies before moving into the Snow or Desert biome; keep an eye on the feels like value, not just the ambient one.
7. The Iron Gut perk (Fortitude tree) slows hunger and thirst drain – a worthwhile early investment.