Guide to Looting

[Airfield 50]

So I find it my duty to make at least one helpful guide for new players as I start gaining activity on this forum. I have over 400 hours and I play usually 5-7 hours a day. I run a small squad of tactical bandits, and I have seen my fair share of fighting. But to get to the point where you can start engaging in firefights, you have to gear up. You have to find your clothing, your ammo, your weapon, your food, your water, everything. This is my guide on how to get kitted fast, safely, and efficiently.

 

 

Step 1: Location

 

You must learn to be able to navigate. When you spawn, you want to find out where you are, determine where you want to go, figure out how to get there, and travel. Most spawns these days set you up with a minimum of a 10 minute walk to any point of interest with military gear in mind. Websites such as DayZ DB have an interactive map that will help you get your bearings.

 

 

Step 2: Scout

 

To correctly loot a location, you have to be patient. The first mistake survivors make is they get to excited about the possible loot at stake and forget that everyone else has the same mindset about what you are trying to scavenge. They will kill for it. If you are approaching a military base or airfield, or even a city, stay in the treeline and take a mere 5 minutes to survey the area. What do you want to do? Spend 5 minutes surveying or spend another 30 minutes walking back after you get killed by a bandit who was in plain site.

 

 

Step 3: Approaching

 

When you are approaching a location to loot, always look 360 degrees around you. Keep in mind common sniper spots, possible points of engagement, and have an escape plan in mind if things get dicey. Do not just go blunt in and get shot. Stick close to walls and peek around corners before turning. It requires patience but is a must.

 

 

Step 4: Looting

 

After you know the location is secure, you can enter. First, when you enter, ALWAYS CLOSE DOORS BEHIND YOU. If you have played DayZ for 20 or more hours, you will soon realize that open doors = possible survivors nearby. If other people are in the area and they see open doors, they will be more focused on finding you then on looting, which could put you in higher risk then if you had closed the doors. When you are looting, always remain in a crouched stance and move slowly and methodically throughout the building. Avoid windows and take corners slowly. Check above stairways for campers. Make sure before hand that you inventory was organized to fit what you may find snug (magazines, rounds, etc).

 

 

Step 5: Exit

 

If you can, survey the area around the building before exit. From exiting, stay to the walls and go into the next building or go to the tree line if you are exiting. Repeat Step 4.

 

 

I hope this guide teaches you at least 1 new thing. I know new players are very dull-brained when they loot and when I pick up new players to help, they make me want to tear my hair out when I loot with them. So to our future generation of looters, or our current gen. who may be doing it wrong, follow this guide. It is a collective method of my experience and of the experience of the members of my squad.

 

 

Signing out, Airfield

[zeeabo 92]

Great guide, only three things I would add:

 

"Once you know the location is secure", keep in mind that you never know 100%, guard up and head down. Someone could have been well hidden, someone else can spawn in behind the building that you've spent 10 minutes watching as you finally run towards it deciding it's secure.

 

"Make sure before hand that you inventory was organized to fit what you may find" An option that is more effective, but also requires more planning, is to find a hidden location and drop off anything except clothing (empty pockets), a weapon, ammo depending how hot the situation is, and a bandage. Big stress on hidden location, last thing you want is to come back and realize somebody followed and took your stash, but that's highly unlikely and you'd be very unlucky.

 

Last thing lol more focus on patience. It can't be stressed enough.

[Airfield 50]

I agree totally with zeeabo.

[Lithium1056 45]

Step 4 is a 50/50 crap shoot, once you figure out what buildings in current stable actually possess loot of value, closed doors are your friend, open doors mean screw that building and move on.

First time I logged on I closed entries behind me cause I thought a closed door would stop a zombie, 10 hours in all a closed door does is invite bandits to come looking for loot. Might just be my opinion but I've had more people run right past a building I'm in cause they see a bunch of open doors and assume me and the loot are long gone

[Airfield 50]

Step 4 is a 50/50 crap shoot, once you figure out what buildings in current stable actually possess loot of value, closed doors are your friend, open doors mean screw that building and move on.

First time I logged on I closed entries behind me cause I thought a closed door would stop a zombie, 10 hours in all a closed door does is invite bandits to come looking for loot. Might just be my opinion but I've had more people run right past a building I'm in cause they see a bunch of open doors and assume me and the loot are long gone

They assume players are nearby and go on high alert. This is the mindset of a good bandit that poses a REAL threat.g

[GeorgieBest 7]

Step 4 is a 50/50 crap shoot, once you figure out what buildings in current stable actually possess loot of value, closed doors are your friend, open doors mean screw that building and move on.

First time I logged on I closed entries behind me cause I thought a closed door would stop a zombie, 10 hours in all a closed door does is invite bandits to come looking for loot. Might just be my opinion but I've had more people run right past a building I'm in cause they see a bunch of open doors and assume me and the loot are long gone

 

The only time I've ever been caught off-guard and killed at an airfield is because I checked the coast was clear OUTSIDE the barracks building, and didn't check inside because I saw the door was shut. Opened the door without staying in cover and pieing it, ending up getting drilled full of lead. 

 

Best advice anyone can give you is to take your time and don't let your guard down ever. Even if you are the only person on a server, it's good practice to stay frosty and approach all situations with caution. 

 

Stay as low as possible at all times, crouching makes you a lot harder to hit and a lot harder to see. Yes if you're in a forest moving between towns it's safe to sprint around, but I wouldn't recommend sprinting around towns at all. 

 

The two most valuable items you will ever use in DayZ are your eyes. You will save yourself grief (or inflict it on others) just by looking at your surroundings properly before leaving cover. 

Edited July 11, 2014 by GeorgieBest

[Airfield 50]

The only time I've ever been caught off-guard and killed at an airfield is because I checked the coast was clear OUTSIDE the barracks building, and didn't check inside because I saw the door was shut. Opened the door without staying in cover and pieing it, ending up getting drilled full of lead. 

 

Best advice anyone can give you is to take your time and don't let your guard down ever. Even if you are the only person on a server, it's good practice to stay frosty and approach all situations with caution. 

 

Stay as low as possible at all times, crouching makes you a lot harder to hit and a lot harder to see. Yes if you're in a forest moving between towns it's safe to sprint around, but I wouldn't recommend sprinting around towns at all. 

 

The two most valuable items you will ever use in DayZ are your eyes. You will save yourself grief (or inflict it on others) just by looking at your surroundings properly before leaving cover. 

 

Yep. The lack of patience among new players is sickening. So lets teach them how to enjoy the game so they don't rage after getting killing by looting wrong!

[Lithium1056 45]

I wasn't saying to not take your time, not that an open door doesn't make you go on high alert. But I always play with head phones I stay low and I know where the high traffic areas are. Honestly after having examined both air fields I can survive in towns all over and never touch them. No need for cherno or Elektro and AK's are awesome but my sks works from a lot further away.