7 Days to Die is a popular open world survival horror video game. Players must scavenge resources, craft weapons, build shelter, and survive against hordes of zombies. One challenging game mechanic is fatigue – after physical exertion, players become fatigued, resulting in slowed movement and weakened attacks. Fatigue can make gameplay much more difficult. This article will provide tips on avoiding and reducing fatigue in 7 Days to Die.
What causes fatigue?
There are several primary causes of fatigue in 7 Days to Die:
- Sprinting – Running at full speed will quickly cause fatigue to build up. Each sprint action adds a substantial amount of fatigue.
- Jumping – Repeated jumping, such as when traversing difficult terrain, will also fatigue the player.
- Mining – Using a pickaxe or other tool to mine rocks and other resources is physically exhausting and can cause fatigue.
- Melee combat – Attacking zombies or animals with melee weapons will fatigue the player with each hit.
- Low food/water – Having an empty or near-empty food and water supply will cause fatigue over time. Keeping these bars filled prevents gradual fatigue build up.
- Encumbrance – Carrying too many items causes encumbrance, which results in both slower movement and accelerated fatigue while moving.
Any strenuous physical activity will contribute to fatigue in 7 Days to Die. Sprinting and jumping especially will drain your energy rapidly. Keeping encumbrance low by only carrying essential items can help minimize fatigue from movement. Staying well fed and hydrated prevents the gradual fatigue build up over time.
Effects of fatigue
Fatigue primarily impacts players in two ways in 7 Days to Die:
- Reduced movement speed – At 100% fatigue, movement speed is halved. This makes it much harder to flee from zombies or navigate terrain.
- Weakened melee damage – Melee weapons deal only 20% of their full damage at 100% fatigue. Fighting zombies becomes far less effective.
Extreme fatigue essentially cripples the player, making survival exponentially more difficult. Avoiding and managing fatigue is crucial.
Checking your fatigue level
There are two ways to monitor your current fatigue level in 7 Days to Die:
- Fatigue bar – Located under the stamina bar in the bottom left corner of the screen by default. This shows what percentage of maximum fatigue you currently have, with 0% being no fatigue.
- Player status effects – Opening your inventory and going to the Player tab shows all current buffs and debuff status effects on your character. The Fatigue debuff will display what stage of fatigue you are currently in.
Keeping an eye on your fatigue bar and debuff level allows you to see when fatigue is becoming an issue. Try to stop activity causing fatigue when the bar approaches 50% full or you risk being crippled by it.
Foods that reduce fatigue
Eating certain foods can provide buffs that reduce fatigue in 7 Days to Die:
| Food | Fatigue Reduction |
|---|---|
| Grilled meat | 20% for 30 minutes |
| Beef ration | 20% for 3 minutes |
| Boiled eggs | 30% for 30 minutes |
| Corn on the cob | 15% for 30 minutes |
| Blueberry pie | 20% for 15 minutes |
Prioritizing foods that give fatigue-reducing buffs makes physical activities less tiring. Keeping a supply of corn, eggs, and grilled meat can counteract fatigue from mining, fighting, and traveling longer distances.
Other buffs that reduce fatigue
Certain consumables and equipment buffs also mitigate fatigue:
- Grandpa’s Awesome Sauce – Reduces fatigue 20% for 5 minutes
- Grandpa’s Learnin’ Elixir – Reduces fatigue 30% for 2 minutes
- Snowberry Juice – Reduces fatigue 25% for 1 minute
- Steel armor – Reduces fatigue 10% when worn as full set
- Military armor – Reduces fatigue 20% when worn as full set
Having Grandpa’s elixirs on your quick slots can provide a valuable fatigue reduction buff right when you need it. The armor buffs help offset fatigue from combat and traveling.
Skills that reduce fatigue
Leveling certain skills in the Fortitude, Strength, and Agility categories can unlock perks that cause you to become less fatigued from actions:
- Sexual Tyrannosaurus – Agility skill – Reduces fatigue from sprinting and melee by 25% per rank
- Slow Metabolism – Fortitude skill – Reduces fatigue from hunger and thirst by 20% per rank
- Iron Gut – Strength skill – Reduces fatigue from food poisoning by 25% per rank
- Healing Factor – Fortitude skill – Passively restores lost stamina and reduces fatigue over time
Focusing on these skills when earning new skill points will make fatigue have less impact on your gameplay. Sexual Tyrannosaurus in particular is extremely useful in countering fatigue from sprinting and melee attacks.
Mitigating fatigue while mining
Mining stone, sand, clay, and ore is essential for crafting but causes significant fatigue build up. A few tips for reducing mining fatigue:
- Only mine when stamina is 50%+ – Mine in short bursts and let stamina recharge to avoid fatiguing too quickly.
- Use items that restore stamina – Keep food like boiled eggs that restore stamina on your quick slots for a boost.
- Take breaks – Periodically stop mining altogether and let your fatigue bar reset before continuing.
- Avoid sprinting/jumping while encumbered – This multiplies fatigue caused by mining.
- Activate buffs beforehand – Use Grandpa’s Learnin’ Elixir or eat corn on the cob to pre-emptively reduce fatigue from mining.
Pace yourself, only mine when refreshed, and use stamina-restoring items to keep fatigue from mining manageable. Take regular breaks to let fatigue drain away.
Mitigating fatigue in combat
Fighting zombies and animals builds fatigue rapidly from melee attacks and dodging. Some tips:
- Use ranged weapons when possible – Bows, crossbows and firearms cause less fatigue than melee.
- Carry food that reduces fatigue – Boiled eggs are perfect for quick fatigue recovery in combat.
- Lure enemies over terrain like spike traps – Damages them without tiring you out.
- Swap between multiple weapons – Lets individual weapons recover stamina while not in use.
- Avoid repeat dodging – Each dodge is tiring, so avoid dodging consecutively.
Kiting enemies into traps, using ranged attacks, and having food ready to restore stamina prevents combat from being too fatiguing. Let individual weapons recover stamina offhand while swapping between them.
Mitigating fatigue while traveling
Exploring the open world or traveling between destinations eats up stamina through sprinting and jumping. Strategies to reduce traveling fatigue include:
- Craft and use stamina-restoring items – Snowberry juice, Grandpa’s Awesome Sauce etc.
- Limit sprinting – Walk when possible, sprint only when needing to flee.
- Avoid jumping – Use frames and ladders to navigate height instead.
- Take paved roads – Clear roads are less tiring than rough terrain.
- Travel light – Don’t carry more than you need to avoid encumbrance.
Having consumables that restore stamina on your quick slots makes it easy to recover fatigue during long journeys. Minimize sprinting and jumping to avoid rapid fatigue build up.
Recovering from fatigue
If fatigue does build up despite preventive measures, here are tips for recovering:
- Stop all activity – Come to a complete stop and avoid actions until fatigue dissipates.
- Consume fatigue-reducing foods – Grilled meat and corn on the cob speed up fatigue recovery.
- Use consumables – Grandpa’s Awesome Sauce instantly cuts 20% of current fatigue.
- Sleep – Lay down sleeping bags and sleep through the night to completely reset fatigue.
Simply standing still will slowly lower fatigue over time. Eat or drink items that reduce fatigue to speed up recovery. If fatigue becomes completely debilitating, get to a safe location and sleep it off.
Avoiding fatigue in the early game
Fatigue can be especially punishing in the first 7 days before you have good equipment and resources. Some tips:
- Focus on scavenging not mining – Searches houses thoroughly but avoid exhausting mining.
- Melee carefully – Only fight enemies when you have high stamina and recover between fights.
- Walk don’t sprint – Stick to walking to conserve stamina whenever possible.
- Eat everything – Wolf down any food you find to stay energized.
Play conservatively, fight intelligently, and don’t exert yourself unnecessarily in the critical early days. Surviving the first horde night without being crippled by fatigue sets you up for success.
Conclusion
Fatigue can quickly go from nuisance to life threatening if not managed carefully in 7 Days to Die. Monitor your fatigue bar closely and be strategic in your use of stamina. Carry consumables that restore stamina and reduce fatigue. Invest skill points into perks that mitigate fatigue gain. Avoid overexerting yourself through sprinting, jumping, and combat. If you pace yourself wisely and recover fatigue promptly, it need not hinder your survival in the harsh zombie apocalypse. With practice, effective fatigue management will become second nature.