🧍‍♂️ Spawn Zones
You’ll typically spawn along the eastern or southern coast (Elektro, Kamyshovo, Berezino, etc.). These areas:

Have lots of new players.

Are looted frequently.

Are full of PvP risk (especially in Elektro and Cherno).

Pro Tip: Move inland to smaller towns like Gorka, Polana, or Dolina to get safer, better loot early on.

🛠️ First Priorities
Clothing – Prioritize jackets with lots of slots. Raincoats help with cold weather.

Food & Water – Check houses, sheds, greenhouses for food. Look for wells (usually in town centers) for clean water.

A Melee Weapon – A shovel, pipe, or splitting axe can save your life.

Craft Rags – Use a knife to cut your shirt if you don’t find bandages. You’ll need these to stop bleeding.

Stay Out of the Cold – Being wet and cold causes hypothermia. Avoid swimming early on.

Hotkey your weapon (drag to #1–#9 slots) so you can quickly defend yourself.

Crafting in DayZ is essential — not optional. You can make bandages, weapons, fires, storage, and even bases from basic materials.

🔨 How to Craft
Open inventory (TAB)

Drag items onto each other in the hands window (left side).

Look for the “combine” or “craft” prompt at the bottom-left of your HUD.

Press and hold Left Mouse Button to craft.

🔧 Useful Crafting Recipes
Result Craft With Use
Bandages Knife + T-shirt/rags Stop bleeding
Splint 2x Sticks + 2x Rags Fix broken legs
Fireplace Kit Rags + Kindling (paper, bark) + Sticks Warmth, cooking
Improvised Knife 2x Small Stones Backup cutting tool
Tanned Leather Garden Lime + Animal Pelts Leather gear
Improvised Backpack Rope + Bag + Stick Early backpack

Tip: Always carry a knife. It's your best multi-tool: cut bark, meat, clothes, open cans, and craft.

Once you’re geared and ready, it’s time to build a base — even a small stash can keep your gear safe and give you a reason to keep playing.

🧱 Tools You’ll Need
Shovel – Digging holes and setting foundations.

Hatchet or Hammer – Constructing fences and walls.

Saw – For cutting planks from logs.

Nails, wire, rope, planks, logs – Found in industrial or lumber yards.

🔩 Build Steps (Basic Fence Example)
Craft Fence Kit: 2 Short Sticks + 1 Rope.

Place the Kit where you want the wall/fence.

Use a Shovel to dig the base foundation.

Add Logs and Planks, then use a Hatchet or Hammer to build.

Add Wire to make it a gate, and lock it with a Combination Lock.

🏚️ Other Buildable Structures:
Watchtowers

Tents & Barrels (good for storage)

Hunting Shelters (easy for solo players)

Underground Stashes (with a shovel)

Pro Tip: Always build in low-traffic areas or hidden valleys to avoid base raiders.

DayZ has a deep health and medical system — if you ignore it, you’ll die to sickness faster than bullets.

🧼 Broken Bone Fix (Splint)
Combine 2x Sticks + 2x Rags.

Equip and hold Left Click to apply.

Walk slowly — you’ll heal over time.

💊 Common Health Problems
Issue Symptoms Cure
Bleeding Blood loss, red screen Bandages or rags
Food Poisoning Vomiting, blurry screen Charcoal Tablets
Cold/Flu Sneezing, coughing Tetracycline Pills + Warmth
Salmonella Green face icon Charcoal + rest
Shock Collapse randomly Eat, rest, stay safe
Infection Persistent sickness Multivitamins or antibiotics

Always carry: Tetracycline, Charcoal Tablets, Multivitamins, Rags/Bandages

Listen before looting – Doors open? Zombie sounds? Someone might be nearby.

Loot efficiently – Don’t carry 5 can openers. Only take what you need.

Always eat ‘til full – Food restores blood and health over time.

Use hotkeys – Set gun to “1”, bandages to “3”, meds to “4”, etc.

Don’t sprint everywhere – You’ll make noise and lose hydration.

Use line of sight – Hide from zombies and players.

Shoot only when you have to – Gunshots attract everything.

Even if you're on a PvE-focused server, PvP will happen eventually — here's how to stay alive:

🎯 PvP Basics
Don’t loot bodies immediately – Secure the area first.

Use cover wisely – Windows, trees, rocks. Stay mobile.

Suppress your shots – Use suppressors to avoid drawing attention.

Avoid high-traffic areas unless geared and ready (e.g. NWAF, Tisy).

Third-person peeking is your best friend (if enabled).

🔥 Close-Quarters Combat
Aim for headshots.

Shotguns are devastating indoors.

Open doors can give you away — close them behind you.

🔭 Long-Range Tips
Learn bullet drop and zeroing (PgUp/PgDn to adjust scope).

Use rangefinders or map tools (iZurvive) to gauge distance.

Mods that make DayZ more fun, more fair, or just flat-out better:

🔧 CF + Community Frameworks – Required for most mods.

🔪 More Infected – Adds zombie variety & difficulty.

🧰 BuildAnywhere – Base building without limits.

🧠 MMG Base Storage – For more detailed base setups.

💼 Trader Mod – Makes looting and selling gear fun.

💀 KillFeed – For PvP servers.

🧭 DayZ Expansion – Massive mod overhaul: adds helis, boats, new UI, and missions.

🧭 iZurvive Map:
https://www.izurvive.com/

Interactive map with loot locations, military zones, wells, and more.

📖 DayZ Wiki:
https://dayz.fandom.com/wiki/DayZ_Wiki

For items, mechanics, crafting guides.

🎥 YouTubers to Watch:

Wobo (deep mechanics)

TheRunningManZ (PvP and survival)

Marks (helpful walkthroughs)

Play smart, not aggressive – Patience is your best weapon.

Never trust anyone fully – People lie, betray, and kill.

Every death teaches something – Think about what went wrong.

Have a goal when you log in – Whether it’s building, hunting, or PvP.

Join a community server – You'll learn faster and meet players.

Want this guide expanded even more? Drop a comment or suggestion and I’ll keep it updated.