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State of Survival Beginner’s Guide: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

Since ancient times, men like Nostradamus warned us of the apocalypse, of its impending doom that will wash over humanity. Scientists have warned us about global warming, and writers foretold a destructive future that beholds us to the mercy of the unknown. But the politicians ignore the calls, the pleas, the cries of those weary of a dark, distant future.

Six months passed before it all started. Innovative research to find a miracle ended up in a disaster. A complex virus mutated beyond understanding, turning humans into horrifying undead walkers that only crave one thing: living flesh. Society collapsed as the virus invaded the commodities of man. Not much is left aside from burning wreckage and a scant few survivors.

But you are a lucky sergeant. Some random people have survived by expecting the worst or brushing off death many times. Only a few thousand are standing, but that doesn’t mean the worst has come. With a bit of luck and a breeze of hope, humanity may have a chance to get its second wind, the same as it did during the Dark Ages.

The journey to rebuild a ruined future has just begun.

state of survival cover

State of Survival is an MMORTS created by the KingsGroup Holdings, developers of King of Avalon and Guns of Glory. This game is set in the post-apocalyptic world of Wrath County, staving off the ever-mutating zombie horde as well as gaining a foothold. As you set your foot out to the world, join neighboring survivors and retake what was lost… as well as fight survivors who don’t have the same feelings towards you.

The gameplay of State of Survival is similar to titles such as The Last Stand: Dead Zone and Backyard Monsters. The more you level up your base, the better off you are against everything, as well as unlocking more and more content that the game has in store for you. The story is nothing to write home about, but the gameplay keeps people sticking to this game.

You play as a surviving Sergeant who was honorably discharged from service after a few mistakes that he made during the service. Now, he has a chance to redeem himself by leading a ragtag bunch of soldiers into becoming more than what they are while removing a worrywart whose control for them encompasses moral reasoning. As well as finding a cure for this madness.

state of survival guide

With that said, Sergeant, it’s time to get up to high gear and ready for battle! The zombie hordes are growing ever stronger and ever coming near our newly-established home. As the new acting leader of the base, you have to lead us to this dawn and find a way to breach this ever-suffocating struggle. Are you ready to face the endless tide of the undead? Or watch as civilization finally reaches the end of the test of time?

With the help of our guide, you can easily set foot in the grueling world of State of Survival, allowing you to destroy deadly mutated nightmares and overcome hurdles along the way. Listen well and closely, Sergeant. It’s been a long time since you’ve been on the field, so it’s best to keep yourself up and running before anything wrong could ever happen. After all, you have a county to restore.

So without further ado, let’s tackle every tip, trick, and strategy you can find here in this State of Survival beginner’s guide!

NOTE: Tips are highlighted for emphasis. While there is a coveted section for tips, these ones are relatively small in comparison and will only be articulated a little.

Overview

state of survival cards

State of Survival’s gameplay is divided into three aspects. The first one is an on-the-boots exploration-type gameplay where you have a squad of ragtag heroes firing on a small horde of zombies either inside facilities or outside the streets. The second is the Wilderness outside, unlocked after a few missions, where you can fight opposing players for resources. The third is the base building aspect found in old social games, macro managing your base’s welfare and resources.

Other nuances include Heroes, Alliances, Items, Technologies, and Troops. Let’s start with the base three gameplay cycles before divulging the rest.

Base Building

state of survival base building

Buildings in State of Survival form the heart of the player’s operations and that’s where you spend most of your time. State of Survival categorizes buildings into four categories: Military, Economy, Decoration, and Others. However, a significant difference is that Buildings do not discriminate between Building Time and Upgrading Time, meaning that if you want to upgrade, you must finish any activity the Building is doing first.

Military

state of survival military

State of Survival is a war game, requiring buildings that meet its needs to fan the flames of battle. Military buildings are defined with one intention: the purpose of war. These buildings specialize in creating the Troops and Heroes that will help you on the grander scale of things in the game.

Military buildings include the following:

Hero Precinct

state of survival hero precinct building

The Hero Precinct is available as soon as you clear out your base. This Building allows you to upgrade your Heroes and locate them via Searches. Aside from upgrading, its more prominent aspect is its Explorer Trail. This story-drive sub-game gives Heroes Experience and rewards, all the while using a unique Stamina system (Squad Stamina instead of Chief Stamina).

state of survival hero precinct

Barracks

state of survival barracks building

The eponymous storage for Infantry troops, the Barracks provide the player access to the following bulky units and the chance to upgrade them:

state of survival barracks

Range

state of survival range building

The shooting Range lets you to train and upgrade the Hunter troops, glass cannon units that deal damage from afar.

state of survival range

Garage

state of survival garage building

The scrubby Garage is the home of the Jack-of-All-Trades Rider troops, low-cost units that you can produce with somewhat middle-line stats.

state of survival garage

Training Camp

state of survival training camp building

One of the non-troop-producing buildings within the Military category, the Training Camp allows the Settlement to immediately train units from any of the Troop-producing Barracks, Range and Garage. Additionally, upgrading it also increases the total number of troops that can be prepared within a span. However, the difference is that 4 Training Camps can be built, with their perks stacking up.

state of survival troops

Hospital

state of survival hospital building

The Hospital is where your currently wounded troops are treated. It’s not passive and requires the player’s constant attention to make them recover. Another disturbing reality is that the Hospital can only house a limited number of wounded troops. If an overflow occurs after the Hospital Capacity has been breached, any wounded troops will immediately be considered ‘dead.’

state of survival hospital

Upgrading the Hospital allows you to house more wounded units, thus allowing them to take risky fights.

Workshop

state of survival workshop building

Unlocked during mid-game, the Workshop allows you to craft and enhance Hero Gear and Chief Gear. Both gears are self-explanatory and boost the efficiency of your Heroes and Troops, respectively.

state of survival workshop

Enlistment Office

state of survival enlistment office building

In the case of an overflow in the Hospital, dead Troops can be immediately replaced in the Enlistment Office. The Enlistment Office’s capacity is 4 times that of the Hospital (thus, leveling the Hospital also upgrades the Enlistment Office to an extent). However, note that only 70% of those killed due to the overflow will be available for replacement, thus only leading to a 30% fatality rate.

state of survival enlistment office

Duty is used to replace fallen Troops and will accumulate over time. Duty also has a limit set to it, so always replace troops as soon as you lose them.

Institute of Plasma

state of survival institute of plasma building

The Institute of Plasma is the late-game equivalent of the Research Lab, giving you more advanced Technology that requires Plasma, as mentioned earlier.

state of survival plasma

Barricade

state of survival barricade

A barricade is your first and last line of defense against the hordes of Zombies and the greedy Chiefs wanting your resources next to whatever Troops you have stationed in your Settlement. A high-level Barricade ensures that Infected will take a lot more time to invade the Settlement and makes any ransacking Chief think twice before attacking.

Lookout Tower

state of survival lookout tower building

Information is the key to every winning battle. Without it, you might consider yourself a goner. The Lookout Tower is at the forefront of your Barricade, ensuring that you know an attack from an opposing Chief is coming before they strike you at the heart of your Settlement by surprise. The more you upgrade the Lookout Tower, the more information you can get against the offending Chief that dared to burn your home.

state of survival lookout tower

Economy

state of survival economy

When war is conducted, it is no surprise that supplies are the backbone of every military operation. Economy-categorized Buildings ensure that the fumes of war will not be stopped by anything aside from a well-timed Raid.

Warehouse

state of survival warehouse building

Raids are a constant struggle in a game where everyone can betray you at a moment’s notice or outright turn your Settlement to flames. The Warehouse ensures you keep a few resources safe, out of a marauder’s reach. The more you upgrade the Warehouse, the more Resources you can protect from picky hands.

Despite that, it’s odd how a building that stands out can keep its contents safe from harm. But no one questions logic like that, regardless. If it protects your stuff, you should not bother.

Farm

state of survival farm building

Farms produce Food for your Settlement. You can build a specified amount given a few Technologies.

Lumberyard

state of survival lumberyard

Lumberyards produce Wood for your Settlement. You can build a specified amount given a few Technologies.

Furnace

state of survival furnace

Furnaces, despite their name, produce Metal for your Settlement. You can build a specified amount given a few Technologies.

Gas Tank

state of survival gas tank

Furnaces produce Gas for your Settlement. You can build a specified amount given a few Technologies. Don’t even bother how a tank can generate Gas on its own.

Decoration

state of survival decoration

Decorations are generally a sizable category of buildings that give you Prosperity depending on the amount it specifies. The more Decorations you have, the faster your Prosperity can be refilled when a Raid occurs.

Others

state of survival research lab

These buildings are categorized as they do not fit the descriptions of the other categories specified. They have unique functions from other buildings, such as conducting Research or Intel.

Headquarters

state of survival headquarters

At the heart of the Settlement, the Headquarters indicates the current level cap of all the buildings in the game. Out of all the buildings, it takes the most time for the Headquarters to be upgraded. It also takes the most amount of resources needed to upgrade.

Research Lab

state of survival research lab building

The Research Lab has two functions: storing biocaps and researching Technologies. The Incubator of the Research Lab allows the player to hold a specified amount of Biocaps in storage, similar to an investment, and increase their amount by a percentage stated by the days it is deposited. Aside from that, the Technology it gives is the boon that gives you an edge later in the game.

state of survival research lab 2

Assembly Point

state of survival assembly point building

A place to rendezvous for Alliance members, the Assembly Point houses the Troops sent by fellow members and the sending point for any Troops you are sending to your ally.

state of survival assembly point

Command Station

state of survival command station

As soon as you continue with the game, you will encounter deadly Infected Fiends that outright outpower your entire forces by a few doubled amounts. The Command Station ensures that the Rally Capacity for any Rally you initiate increases, thus allowing a chance to reap the rewards of any high-level Zombie tile.

Intel Post

state of survival intel post building

The Intel Post is unlocked early in the game and is your access to any Special Missions you can do in the Wilderness of State of Survival. The Intel Post frequently gives you items such as Speedups. Any Marches you do in the Intel Post also require Chief Stamina to proceed. Upgrading your Intel Post via Intel Strength Level breakthroughs gives you 200 Biocaps in your inventory.

state of survival intel post

Blast Shelter

state of survival blast shelter building

The Blast Shelter is where Chiefs can similarly store their Troops to that of a Warehouse protecting your precious resources. The difference is that you have to place Troops manually to preserve them in the event of an attack if you are offline. You can set your troops for about 15 minutes to 8 hours in the said shelter. You can also recall them, but it will take 5 minutes for every attempt to do so.

state of survival blast shelter

Trading Post

state of survival trading post building
state of survival supply convoy

An Alliance-centric building, the Trading Post allows you to send requests for Resources and aid your alliance members in getting the things they want. However, they are limited to primary resources like Food, Wood, Metal, and Gas. Each time the Trading Post is upgraded, the more you can obtain resources daily.

state of survival supply convoy

Technologies

Even when Mankind has been turned to a sprinkle amongst a sea of rubble, the spark of a flame still holds a passion for a once thriving civilization. If the Economy is the lifeblood, then Technology is the soul, Military its body. Technologies are a Settlement-wide buff that gives you an edge later in the game and cannot be reverted otherwise.

Technologies are separated into three trees: Development, Battle, and Economy.

Development

state of survival development

The Development tree ensures that your construction and training efforts are increased and lessens fatalities from battle. The following research is included in the tree:

  • Tool Improvement
  • More Beds
  • Training Yard
  • Tech Improvement
  • Battle Dressing
  • Training Routines
  • Leadership

Battle

state of survival battle

Whenever there is war, knowledge to win against it follows. This tree ensures that the modern aspect of war, its technological aspect, is the dominant aspect of Combat. No one likes to fight against a modernized infantry, after all. The following research is included in the tree:

  • Attack Tactics
  • Guns Blazing
  • Precision Strike
  • Mobile Assault
  • Melee Defense
  • Hunter Defense
  • Rider Defense
  • Defense Formations
  • Survival Training
  • Shoot to Kill
  • March Capacity
  • Close Combat
  • Steady Shot
  • Charge Strategy
  • Shield Improvement
  • Hunter Protection
  • Master Mechanic

Economy

state of survival economy 2

Efficiency is a requirement in the Economy, and so is the need for rampant development to meet the needs of an ever-fueled war machine. The tree ensures you have what you need to become an economic powerhouse. The following research is included:

  • Fertilizer Tech
  • Logging Tech
  • Sorting Tech
  • Oil Drums
  • Supply Convoy
  • Food Haulage
  • Wood Haulage
  • Metal Haulage
  • Gas Haulage

Exploration

state of survival trail 1 challenge 3

The on-the-boots Exploration can be summarized into two phases: the exploration phase and the battle phase. Before explorations are done, you must choose three heroes based on their type. You can only bring a marksman, a brawler, and a scout (types are detailed in the subsection below).

Exploration Phase

state of survival exploration phase

You can move your character by pressing an unobstructed point of an area, with its movement similar to that of an RTS, with the difference being that all of your units are clumped into a single group. The first areas of the game are linear, going in a single direction. The more you delve into the game, the larger the area will be and how non-linear it gets.

The minimap will be your guide regarding where there is a nearby item or a group of zombies to deal with. Items can be spotted by unmistakable yellow glows in the area. These items are randomized and can range from resources to hero pieces. Your location on the map is shown as a blue arrow pointing downward.

state of survival loot

Areas are divided into ‘rooms’ to specify whether they are safe. If a site has a shambling zombie as an icon, then going into that area will force a battle. Encountering the hazardous icon in the minimap will cause a boss battle. Since the dangerous icon is usually accompanied by the zombie icon (shown side-to-side), an oncoming boss battle can be immediately spotted on the map.

TIP: Loot all of the areas before fighting the boss.

Battle Phase

state of survival battle phase

The battle phase commences when the player enters an area with the shambling zombie icon. In this phase, they fight through a set amount of zombies, ranging from the normal ones to the elites, that can explode in close contact. The battle phase altogether highlights the different hero types and the zombies’ Priority on who to target first.

state of survival brawler spots

Skills are placed at the bottom of the screen, with highlights to indicate whether they are active or not. Skills that are grayed out are currently on cooldown, while the ones that are glowing and have color can be activated at a whim, with the following cost. A point of energy is replenished with every second passing, up to 60.

TIP: Expend your energy as soon as possible, but don’t waste much. Leave a bit of energy for reversal skills, such as Maddie and Frank’s Pipebomb and Rusty’s Impact Blast.

The current wave is shown at the middle top of the screen, with a cross indicating a defeated wave and a pointed arrow indicating the ongoing assault. Waves only come once you beat all of the enemies with the said wave. The boss will appear at the final wave if the ensuing battle has a hazard icon. Each wave is divided into two routes.

Enemies have red health bars, with bosses having a health bar at the middle top of the screen. Regardless of being a regular enemy, a blue health bar indicates that the opponent has shields. Normal zombies will immediately run toward you, whereas the bosses can take different routes depending on their state and health.

TIP: Kill the other enemies first before the boss unless the mechanic of the boss is to run straight right at you.

state of survival squad exploration

Take note that your ability to win battles depends on the collective battle power of your combined heroes. However, that does not discount a few things in Combat. As long as the gap between the Squad’s Power is equal to that of the Recommended Power to clear the stage, it is possible to finish it in a pyrrhic sense.

state of survival victory

The battle ends with the death of the final zombie, thus immediately sent to the Victory screen.

Wilderness

state of survival wilderness

The Wilderness is unlocked after clearing specific missions in the game’s introduction. This is the open-world section of the game, where you can find resources, refugees, bases, and infected hordes otherwise unavailable in Exploration. Battles in the Wilderness are trivialized into a measuring contest of Strength unless otherwise stated that heroes are personally sent to deal with the matter.

Marches

state of survival march

These said battles now accompany you and your company of mooks. The Brawler, Marksman, and Scout archetypes now become the leaders of said mooks: ranging from Infantry, Hunter, and Rider. These three troop types correspond to their leaders stated earlier respectively. These troops will be covered in a subsection below later. They add up to the Power of Troop Strength in your formation.

state of survival troops 2

The difference here, compared to Exploration, is the distance and time it takes to mobilize and effectively destroy the target, whether they be a group of zombies or an Infected Fiend. The farther the target is from the base, the longer it takes for the company to mobilize. It also takes time for Zombies to replenish their numbers, possibly adding a factor of resource contention surrounding the area.

state of survival troops 3

But the most significant limiting factor is that you are only locked into two Marches overall. State of Survival allows you to buy the two remaining locked Marches with real-life money, but it is otherwise not recommended as these two Marches are enough to clear anything within the day’s time.

TIP: Make sure that the Strength and Recommended Power difference is minimal, as launching a losing company march will only stop progress and completion towards others.

state of survival survivor

Another one is for gathering resources and survivors. The two consume a March slot, but gathering survivors only takes a small amount of time (for content, it takes about 10 seconds to rescue any survivors for about 5 kilometers). Gathering resources are different as the time depends on a set timer, and the number of troops sent to gather also changes the amount received due after.

Squad Explorations

state of survival hero squad challenge stage

Squad Explorations are Wilderness-centric Explorations and do not require you to send a company of troops to battle. They do not consume a March slot, thus allowing you to clear it instantly. Some are relatively trivial, while some mimic the non-linear mapping of Exploration entirely.

Other Nuances

state of survival nuances

There are also many more things to consider in the Wilderness of State of Survival. However, they are closed off to higher levels in the game and can be ignored as of now. This is a beginner’s guide, after all. The reason is that the more you play the game, the more trivial it gets to understand how the higher levels work, as the only difference between the two are the levels. There are no additional nuances aside from Power Differences.

Hero

state of survival heroes

The leaders of your Settlement, they are the cream of the crop. These heroes are classified into three kinds, either by type, rarity, or the benefit that they provide to your troops. Heroes have self-explanatory Levels and military-ranking-inspired Ranks. The following subsections articulate the other things that necessitate a ‘Hero.’

Type

Brawler

state of survival brawler

The Brawler is at the forefront of the battle, wielding short-range weapons that deal damage in a conical area. They are tankier than the other Hero Types and will generally be the first thing the Zombies will ever lay their hands on. They have a more variable degree of movement compared to the other Heroes. They have the Fist Icon as their Emblem.

Marksman

state of survival marksman

Quick on the trigger and shots straight to the head, expect the Marksman to never miss. They are fragile, yet they deal the highest amount of damage compared to the rest of the Hero Types. Should the Brawler perish, the Marksman is next in line for damage. They have the Crosshair Icon as their Emblem.

Scout

state of survival scout

The Scout is the middleman regarding statistics yet has more of a cunning skill set that allows more avenues of attack than the measly direct approaches of the Marksman and the Brawler. Should the Marksman die, the Scout becomes the next and final victim of the slaughter. They have the Gear and Knife Icon as their Emblem.

Levels

state of survival hero upgrade

One of the few ways to power up a Hero is by increasing its Level. The Level term specified here is similar to RPGs, where you gain Experience when you emerge victorious in Combat or have used a supplementary item (Combat Manual) to expedite the process of leveling up.

Their Level is capped depending on the current Level of the Hero Precinct.

TIP: Do not use Combat Manuals on heroes close to the maximum of the Hero Precinct. Use them on newly-acquired heroes instead.

Level GroupExperience
1-51,085
6-103,715
11-158,500
16-2017,200
21-2533,000
26-3056,500
31-3564,000
36-40125,500
41-45202,500
46-50326,000
51-55523,000
56-60724,000
61-651,360,000
66-702,195,000
71-753,530,000
76-805,705,000

Ranks

state of survival hero rank

One of the few ways to power up a Hero is by increasing their Rank. This military-inspired system is categorized into 5 sub-levels, with the last sub-level being General. Upgrading them differs from Levels, requiring Badges of a hero’s respective Rarity and their Fragment. Like Levels, they are also limited to upgrades should the Hero Precinct be under-leveled.

Some heroes (like Becca) require you to have a few of their Hero Fragments (i.e., 100 pieces) to obtain said Hero. However, their respective Rank is also adjusted to the amount of Hero Fragments needed. As for the 4th Generation of Heroes, Skills are tied to Ranks. Only those released beforehand require Skill Books of their respective rarity to upgrade a Skill.

TIP: Upgrade the Hero you frequently use immediately. The same for the Skills said Heroes have.

RankBadgesFragments
Cadet I(None, initial Rank)10
Cadet II12
Cadet III12
Cadet IV12
Cadet V12
Second Lieutenant I22
Second Lieutenant II23
Second Lieutenant III23
Second Lieutenant IV23
Second Lieutenant V33
First Lieutenant I33
First Lieutenant II35
First Lieutenant III35
First Lieutenant IV45
First Lieutenant V45
Captain I45
Captain II48
Captain III58
Captain IV58
Captain IV58
Major I58
Major II1630
Major III1630
Major IV1630
Major V1630
Lieutenant Colonel I1630
Lieutenant Colonel II2070
Lieutenant Colonel III3070
Lieutenant Colonel IV3070
Lieutenant Colonel V3070
Colonel I3070
Colonel II40120
Colonel III40120
Colonel IV40120
Colonel V50120
General50120
Total5001200

Troops

state of survival fight

As you venture out of the confines of your Settlement, soon you will realize that the exploits of your own measly Three Heroes are not enough. The zombie army is a vast nightmare that has spread its malice toward millions of humans. But these times don’t just need heroes, it needs soldiers. Ones that are willing to do the job.

Troops are your de facto army, your main Power against the Wilderness of State of Survival. Nearly every Combat that involves the Wilderness would involve the Troops. One UMP is nothing compared to a thousand pointed at one Infected Fiend.

Troops are divided into three types: Infantry, Rider, and Hunter.

Infantry units are the ones that take to the frontline, soaking up damage but unable to deal with their own. Riders are your middlemen, staged right before the Infantry troops and riding bikes or other vehicles. And then come the Hunters. Fragile, frail, yet can deal massive amounts of damage should they be left unconquered.

Each type has its own subtype, which are:

state of survival infantry

Infantry

  • Shotguns: The best defense against Riders
  • Shields: The best defense against Hunters
state of survival riders

Rider

  • ATVs: More damage against Infantry
  • Bikers: More damage against Hunters, bypasses Infantry at times to attack Hunters directly.
state of survival hunters

Hunter

  • Bows: More damage against Infantry
    • Snipers: More damage against Riders, bypasses Infantry at times to attack Hunters Riders.

Alliance

state of survival alliance

Once you have established your ground, it’s time to look over the horizon. There are Settlements that you can pillage and burn… and then there are those with the same ideas in mind, joining forces with them to prosper and loot and burn the weak ones.

state of survival alliance crate

Alliances give you the advantage over a few things: requisition Hero Support and faster build times, Alliance Researches that provide you and your allies the same benefits of a Technology, but Alliance-wide. They can also help you against Infected Fiends and other Wilderness nightmares. A few friends wouldn’t hurt in this day and age, where the strong prey on the weak.

Chief

state of survival chief profile

With you, the Chief of the Settlement, the game could be what it is. To view the following figure shown in the picture, pressing the profile picture at the top-left corner of the screen while viewing your Settlement allows you to check your own Statistics as Chief. From here, you can review a few things from your Power and Kill Count and customize your own Chief. But the main points we’d be talking about are what makes the Chief a cornerstone of the said Settlement.

Chief Levels

state of survival chief exp

Chief Levels dictate how strong you are overall as a player, giving you points you can allocate to Chief Talents to increase your overall advantage. The Talent Points you’ll get for each level you achieve can be from 1 to 8. The following table provides the rewards that you will get for the Chief Levels that you will succeed, with the max being Chief Level 60:

Chief LevelTalent PointsRewards
1
2121 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
3120 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
4123 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
5123 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
6226 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
7225 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
8229 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
9228 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
10231 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
11232 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
12235 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
13235 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
14238 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
15239 Biocaps 1 5m Research Speedup
16343 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
17343 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
18348 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
19347 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
20353 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
21353 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
22359 Biocaps 3 5m Research Speedup
23359 Biocaps 3 5m Research Speedup
24365 Biocaps 2 5m Research Speedup
25365 Biocaps 3 5m Research Speedup
26373 Biocaps 3 5m Research Speedup
27372 Biocaps 3 5m Research Speedup
28381 Biocaps 4 5m Research Speedup
29380 Biocaps 3 5m Research Speedup
30389 Biocaps 4 5m Research Speedup
31490 Biocaps 4 5m Research Speedup 8 Adhesive
32499 Biocaps 4 5m Research Speedup 9 Adhesive
33499 Biocaps 4 5m Research Speedup 9 Adhesive
344110 Biocaps 5 5m Research Speedup 10 Adhesive
354110 Biocaps 4 5m Research Speedup 10 Adhesive
364122 Biocaps 6 5m Research Speedup 10 Adhesive
374122 Biocaps 6 5m Research Speedup 11 Adhesive
384135 Biocaps 6 5m Research Speedup 12 Adhesive
394136 Biocaps 5 5m Research Speedup 12 Adhesive
404150 Biocaps 7 5m Research Speedup 14 Adhesive
415150 Biocaps 6 5m Research Speedup 5 Badge Tag 14 Adhesive
425167 Biocaps 7 5m Research Speedup 6 Badge Tag 15 Adhesive
435167 Biocaps 7 5m Research Speedup 6 Badge Tag 15 Adhesive
445185 Biocaps 8 5m Research Speedup 6 Badge Tag 17 Adhesive
455186 Biocaps 8 5m Research Speedup 6 Badge Tag 17 Adhesive
466205 Biocaps 9 5m Research Speedup 7 Badge Tag 19 Adhesive
476206 Biocaps 9 5m Research Speedup 7 Badge Tag 19 Adhesive
486228 Biocaps 9 5m Research Speedup 8 Badge Tag 21 Adhesive
496228 Biocaps 10 5m Research Speedup 8 Badge Tag 21 Adhesive
506254 Biocaps 11 5m Research Speedup 8 Badge Tag 23 Adhesive
517253 Biocaps 11 5m Research Speedup 8 Badge Tag 23 Adhesive
527281 Biocaps 12 5m Research Speedup 9 Badge Tag 26 Adhesive
537282 Biocaps 12 5m Research Speedup 9 Badge Tag 26 Adhesive
547312 Biocaps 13 5m Research Speedup 10 Badge Tag 28 Adhesive
557312 Biocaps 13 5m Research Speedup 10 Badge Tag 28 Adhesive
568347 Biocaps 15 5m Research Speedup 12 Badge Tag 32 Adhesive
578346 Biocaps 16 5m Research Speedup 12 Badge Tag 32 Adhesive
588385 Biocaps 16 5m Research Speedup 13 Badge Tag 35 Adhesive
598384 Biocaps 17 5m Research Speedup 13 Badge Tag 35 Adhesive
608427 Biocaps 18 5m Research Speedup 14 Badge Tag 39 Adhesive

Chief Talents

state of survival chief talents

Chief Talents are just a copy of the Technologies available to the player in the Research Lab. The main difference here is that Chief Talent Points are used. Refer to the Technologies section to understand what is available for the player to allocate Points on.

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies

state of survival tips

We’ve delved into the bread and butter needed to survive. This time, we stay and thrive against the environment and any opposing players (outside your own Alliance). These following tricks will help you survive the harsh urban wastelands of State of Survival.

Stay Online, Always

state of survival daily rewards

State of Survival requires one thing from the player: your constant attention. Zombies will try and scratch your walls in the early game if you leave the game alone for a day, especially for those just starting. It’s hard to get resources and Prosperity back whenever someone out there wants your brain, not just the zombies.

state of survival under construction

Not just that, Economy buildings tend to be complete as soon as a few hours the moment you leave the game. They contribute less compared to other forms of gathering, but they give you what you need regardless. That also means that you’ll constantly be grinding and making sure you always participate in events that require you to be online or active at a certain period.

It’s also easier to mitigate raids going toward you, thus allowing you to build back up if an attack destroys your Settlement. Technologies also have to be tended to as soon as possible, as their relative time taken to be completed is lower than Troops being made.

Which Buildings to Upgrade First

state of survival building upgrade

Base building is integral to keeping your operations up and running, but you must understand which buildings you want to have upgraded or not. The buildings in question are the Military and Economy buildings (as Decorations have no upgrades unless expressly stated, like the Becca Statue). Even so, which ones are the ones to pick first?

Let’s consult the table below:

Priority (The lower the number, the higher the Priority)Building
1Headquarters, Hero Precinct
2Research Lab, Warehouse, Hospital, Lookout
3Training Camp, Economy Buildings
4Military Buildings

Having a high-level Headquarters is crucial to a substantial Settlement. Having a low-level Headquarters means stunting the growth of the rest of the buildings, as well as the overall efficiency of the Settlement as a whole. Another thing to note is that having a better Hero Precinct allows Heroes to be immediately upgraded and their max levels set to a higher number. Heroes are the heart of the army and contribute more than the Troops. That, and the ability to proceed to the Explorer Trail, allows you to get better rewards.

Technologies are crucial as they allow you to have a better army or Economy. As soon as the end game encroaches, having one running can immediately change how much Battle Power a player has compared to having Heroes being the backbone of the army. Warehouses and Hospitals ensure that a raid targeted at your base while away from the phone allows you to save a few of them.

But a big cake to consider is a Lookout Tower. The higher the Level of a Tower, the better you can reconnoiter data for possible raiding grounds and prepare for upcoming marches toward your Settlement. While it may not look impactful for now, knowing an Enemy is marching toward you can mean being set back for a few days or months.

state of survival war
They may not remember you, but you can make them remember later.

Anything in and under Priority 3 is only considered when Battle Power is not met for a specified Battle. Training camps have a bigger priority than Military Buildings as a lower time to train or upgrade Troops means a faster way to regain Battle Power in downtimes. Economy Buildings can be disregarded because obtaining resources from Explorer’s Trail, Intel, and Wilderness gathering spots has more than what the Building produces.

Military Buildings are no-brainers. Your heroes give you more battle power than the troops that you have as of now. It’s best to have things settled in first before having to continue building up a large army.

Use Speedups ASAP

state of survival speedup

You got those buildings running? Good, now the problem of waiting for them is. The game may give you speedups from the start, but it becomes a rare commodity as soon as you progress further. That does not mean saving them is a good idea. Speedups are your lifeblood in the base building late game and keep you a happy survivor.

The moment you see a Speedup, use it immediately.

Go Through the Explorer’s Trail

state of survival explorer trail

The Explorer’s Trail in the Hero Precinct allows you to go through a series of story missions that follow through the game’s timeline, regardless of the state you are in. The game cycle that follows through this sub-game is the Exploration gameplay. The possible rewards you can gain from the Explorer’s Trail are Hero Badges, Skill Books, and Hero Fragments of Rare to Epic rarity. You also gain Hero Gear Parts here that allow you to further maximize the potential of your army.

state of survival rewards

But the most immense rewards out of them all are the resources that you can obtain in the Explorer’s Trail. Because you can receive said resources inside the Explorer’s Trail far quicker than a March gathering from a nearby resource point, they can be spammed and farmed. The game has 12 Trails that have 12 Challenges (Missions) each. Only challenges that are multiples of 3 (3, 6, 9, 12) can be repeated only when the player has beaten it.

state of survival squad stamina

The game gives you 100 Squad Stamina (the sub-game’s stamina system) daily, with 40 as a surplus for logging in. Each time you win a Challenge for the first time, the game gives you 10 Squad Stamina. Use them at the highest challenge you currently have to get the high-tiered resources you need.

Prioritize Leveling and Upgrading Rare Heroes When Starting

state of survival hero skills

A Beginner’s Trap is to immediately use Combat Manuals for Higher Tier Heroes. Word of advice? Don’t throw them to those Heroes yet. While Levels give you a more considerable Power Level due to scaling, Ranks provide more than Levels. Since Higher Tier heroes tend to have expensive rank-up requirements, go first with the Rare Heroes.

While you can ignore this advice by getting the expensive requirements, said requirements are locked in long and arduous time-gated walls and in-game stores that require you to pay for said resources. It’s not a good idea to spend money as your value will be at a minimum. Besides, you already have ones prepared (and said Heroes having fragments separated from other Rarities), might as well use them for now.

Where to Put Your Biocaps On

state of survival biocaps

Biocaps. A Premium Resource of the apocalypse that is ironic as it gets, from naming convention to its obvious green bile marked with an infection symbol on its cap. These Biocaps allow you to skip training and Building time, complete research, and settlement buffs. What unthinking Survivors would not want their tasks done?

Wrong. You have to understand where you have to spend your Biocaps. These things don’t grow on trees; they are incubated in your Research Lab for the time you indicated. And even then, they are as rare as an in-game currency as they get with how they are used. So, where do they go at this rate? Let’s look at them individually, starting with the don’ts to emphasize.

Don’ts

  • Speedups
state of survival biocaps usage

Don’t use them to speed up construction Building or research. You have speedups in the game that you frequently get from being online and frequent events. It’s not just a waste of time but also a waste of valuable resources.

  • Combat Buffs
state of survival combat buffs

Combat Buffs can be a grey area of use, but you usually don’t win with these anyway. Combat Buffs also waste a lot of your Biocaps due to their ludicrous cost, and spending them when you’re not even a group leader means a waste of buffs. Let your whale of a Leader handle your buffs, not you. Recon Jammer is a thing, but a show of force is a different kind of fearmongering.

  • Chief Stamina and Squad Stamina
state of survival small chief stamina

You get daily Stamina, as well as stamina potions, the longer the State you are in. The sunken cost you will get sinking your Biocaps is essentially pitiful, considering that even Resources scale with your current Level. Not a worthy investment when a day can pass by when the resources you obtain are nearly low for a higher level.

  • Construction Boost
state of survival construction speed boost

15000 Biocaps for a measly 15% speedup isn’t the brightest of usages for your premium resource. Then again, so are the other usages the game may trick you into using.

Dos

  • Gathering Boost
state of survival mega gathering boost

Time spent wasting on gathering resources could’ve been either attacking a settlement you just want to hate or for any intel missions that needed to be done. Or for other gathering points. Wasting Biocaps in said boosts allows you to gather more resources and thus lower downtimes for upgrading.

  • VIP
state of survival vip points

There are still ways for other players to become VIPs without paying to be VIPs using real-life money. The game gives you a chance to activate VIP by using Biocaps. The amount of items VIP offers you is astounding, and the return value you get compared to the store bundles is higher than what the game describes.

  • Biocap-Required Decorations
state of survival biocap required decorations

Having your base up and running after a raid or two in just a few minutes can mean a lot for production. 4 Minutes of Downtime will always be different compared to an Hour of it. Always make sure to have one that gives you the highest amount of Prosperity possible to combat any adverse effects of Prosperity.

  • Incubation
state of survival incubator

In case you have forgotten, incubating Biocaps is as good as investing in a future amount while also protecting them from accidental spending.

Anything that is not stated is under the player’s jurisdiction. If you want to purchase something with Biocaps, use the Gathering Boost cost as your basis for buying.

Max Out Radar Level for Intel Post

state of survival max radar level

As you progress through the game, you will unlock the Wilderness and thus open the Intel Post. This Building gives you periodic items such as Speedups, free Biocaps, and the Intel Missions. As was described earlier in the Overview, these Intel Missions give you missions (such as rescuing Survivors) and boons (Collection Quests) that give you rewards.

state of survival max strength level

But the Radar Level and the Max Strength Level of the Intel Post must be increased to get better missions and rewards. Completing Intel Missions increase the Radar Level by a specified amount, whereas Max Strength Level increases when defeating higher Level infected in the Wilderness. Pressing the Strength Level Breakthrough will immediately access a Quality of Life search towards any infected that matches the requirement needed.

Since the game frequently refreshes Intel for about 8 hours, take this as a chance to keep up the pressure in leveling and outright Level your opponents.

Finish Your Collection

state of survival the new world

The apocalypse has left little room for mementos, yet they are treasured most by those who want to revisit a long-lost past life. The Collection, found in the Intel Post, emphasizes how vastly different this world is now from its previous by showcasing items that tell their own story. However, for a pragmatic survivor, the Collection gives a far better incentive other than remembrances.

state of survival teddy bear

Completing a set in the Collection gives the player 300 Biocaps, and there are plenty of sets in the four categories the game gives you. Take advantage of this and keep out for Intel Posts that provide you with Collection Quests.

Prioritize Rescuing Survivors In The Wilderness

state of survival survivor rescue

This tip is more geared toward those taking a hardline stance toward economic Prosperity. Suppose your goal is to ensure you have more resources than the other guy starving for some of it. In that case, it’s essential to still have troops to ensure they don’t start ransacking your economically prosperous yet militarily-poor Settlement. If you have no time to research upgrades for Combat, what else?

state of survival survivor rescue reward

There is quality in quantity. So, instead, try getting Survivors in the Wilderness before getting the resources you need for a building. Because rescuing Survivors requires only a few seconds compared to the abysmal waiting time for other sorts of Marches (especially for gathering resources), it’s essential to get your roving ragtag band of miscreants to join your Settlement first.

That and rescuing Survivors still net you a few resources. An absolute win compared to spending more and more resources that could’ve gone to upgrading your Economy.

Focus on Your Infantry!

state of survival blasters

Troops are your lifeblood. If they all get wiped out, expect your Settlement to be completely surrounded on all sides by opportunists. An effective troop composition ensures that the defense of your Settlement is met. That also means knowing what kind of troops you need to begin with and what you need to consider in the long run.

As explained in the Overview, there are three types of Troops: Infantry, Hunters, and Riders. Similar to their Hero Leader counterparts, their kill priority is the same. Infantry first, then Rider, then Hunter. But no one is created equal in the world, giving opportunities only to those who take advantage of the situation before them.

state of survival battle lineup

Your Infantry is at the forefront of all battles. Their ability to soak damage allows them to survive engagements for long periods, and they are essentially the ones with a high body count after the end of a battle. But their use is more than just soak damage; it also ensures that troops behind you don’t die.

Riders are relatively useless due to their Jack of Trades status. While a Chief may be tempted to get Riders due to low costs, they are, overall, comparatively bad compared to the other specialized units. Hunters are better when it comes to damage but are ultimately frail. Isn’t that the reason they’re at the back?

state of survival march 2

Place two on two together, and you get a good composition. Having 70% of your Infantry on Marches, with all of your Hunters on maximum (keeping the Riders at a minimum of 10%), ensures you are always victorious in Combat. That also includes the defense of your base. After all, units are relatively expendable in this game. Don’t get too attached to them. Piling dead bodies as walls is far easier than repairing damaged concrete ones.

Overall, focus on upgrading and maintaining your Infantry and having Hunters that deal damage to ensure you come out on top. You can forget Riders unless there are events that require the use of it.

Join an Active Alliance

joining an alliance in state of survival

State of Survival is a social game, so it’s no surprise to see many Chiefs out there with the same mutual goal of either surviving, thriving, or dominating the wide outlands out of their Settlements. Alliances give you a significant advantage that you can take note of, from acquiring reinforcements in the form of Troops and speeding up the process of Building and research for free.

state of survival alliance tech

Joining an active Alliance ensures that the growth of your Settlement is as steady as a flowing, undisrupted river. Having members that are, at all times, 100% online ensures that you’ll find easy and steady progress through the game. Not only that, but an Alliance ensures your guaranteed safety in the game. Going in solo is considered not just social suicide but also literally killing your progress by painting a target on your back (literally). Raids are no joke in this game and will hurt your progress.

state of survival alliance throwdown

Alliances, when fully established, have territories, and they won’t let a single slight of their members go unnoticed. Not only that, but taking an economic take on your gameplay allows you a more considerable leeway if you join a Combat-centric Alliance. Since Alliance Researches benefit all members of the Alliance, you can catch up on a few things you have neglected so far in the game.

Note: As much as you’d want to neglect Combat research in your own Settlement, do not neglect it. Having an underpowered army makes you an easy target and, thus, a weak link in the Alliance.

state of survival solo march speed

However, please make sure that you are also active in the Alliance. After all, they are ruthless and take advantage of your situation. Relocating yourself to Alliance Territory and leaving for a few days means a few vultures willing to ransack your Settlement for resources. Don’t make yourself a victim of circumstance because of the inability to log in all the time.

Abuse Hit Priority Mechanics

state of survival hit priority

Now, we’ll be delving into a few things. Despite how ridiculously mediocre the game is when it comes to Combat, from measuring Power Levels like it was an ego-measuring contest, Exploration Battles can be salvaged even when the game prints out how “Risky” your idea is, considering how underpowered your Heroes are.

The name of the trick itself is what we’re going to do.

state of survival damage

Take note that there are heroes like Ghost that allow you to place obstacles. This also introduces an essential mechanic in fights: kill Priority. The Brawler hero is always at the forefront and is the target of the incoming wave first and foremost. After the Brawler comes down comes the Marksman and then the Scout. However, obstacles/sentries (Ghost’s Paint Block or Sarge’s Gun Turret) become the enemy’s primary target as long as they are placed right in front of the squad.

state of survival priority

Enemies from other lanes will also target the obstacles as long as the distance between the obstacle and the Brawler is significant. An excellent way to prove the point is to visualize it using an understanding unit. The following figure below shows that an enemy will target the barrel first as it is the closest target to hit in fights that have a significant difference between Power and abuse of any mechanics you can use.

Of course, obstacles alone will just delay the inevitable crash of high-powered monsters crushing that lone paint barrel with one fell swoop. How can your measly Survivor survive one hit from the giant, abysmal monster willing to take out your brains, granted it doesn’t slap it out of your head first? Surprisingly, if you have played Left 4 Dead, this action may also seem familiar to you.

state of survival pipe bomb

Some heroes have Skills that allow you to throw items that distract enemies from the regular Zombies to the bosses themselves. Wait, this tip is obvious. The game demonstrates it for you thoroughly! Of course, it doesn’t explain the ability of the player to throw said Skills to areas the enemies can’t reach.

throwing a pipe bomb in state of survival

Throwing a well-timed Pipe Bomb (a skill from Maddie & Frank) or a distraction item allows you ample time to not only effectively crowd control a horde of zombies in a game not designed for crowd control but also gives you the much time to gun down any large mudder hubber from effectively wiping your ass to oblivion. Even throwing a Pipe Bomb to their backs allows you to revert their march toward your impending doom.

Afterward, whatever is left is up to you. These crowd-control skills allow you to change the tide of otherwise Impossible battles. Save stuns or attracting skills last, and use them in tandem with Area of Effect skills. The Brawler’s Area of Effect regular attacks can easily mop up the clumped-up zombies. And that’s basically it for this strategy. Of course, you’ll only be using this for this game mode.

Always Use Hero Support

state of survival assign squad

In times of desperation, one must seek out support from another. In the State of Survival, Squad Explorations can be trivialized with the use of Hero Supports from Alliances, allowing you to grab the best Heroes they have just to spite a level that has been bugging your progress ever since. But isn’t this counter-intuitive to the whole ‘getting’ Experience for your Heroes? Relax, you only have one Support Hero, so you can still get Experience for the rest.

state of survival trail 4 challenge 5

That and you have Combat Manuals to spare. Take advantage of your situation. Since the game does not decrease rewards when using Hero Support, abuse it with all you got. It also helps the member of the Alliance that you borrowed said Hero from. It’s an equivalent exchange for the other, so it’s worth the effort for both parties.

Make a Farm Account

state of survival epic victory

State of Survival is a social game, but no one ever told you what it stretches out as ‘social.’ The game apparently does not limit itself to the number of accounts you have. Because the game itself does not condemn the use of farm accounts… might as well capitalize on having a few production Settlements that you can use. The cities may be dead, but the spirit of Capitalism isn’t.

WARNING: Take note, this leans more toward strategy than just tip and trick (as we will, indefinitely, delve into many things). Doing a farm account is time-consuming, and you can still be the top dog regardless. That doesn’t discount the advantages a farm account can give.

Now with that warning aside, let’s do a tiny capitalization on our end.

state of survival character management

Because how State of Survival limits the number of resources at your disposal, that doesn’t mean you can’t just raid other bases. Since the game allows us, let’s do that. Just like before, we should make multiple accounts at our disposal to be used to enable extra resources to be generated. Make sure that they are in the State that you are in. You can check your State by going to the Wilderness and zooming out of the map. Don’t want a Farming Settlement outside of another state, no?

state of survival farm account

Make sure that it is near your Main Settlement. For the sake of this guide, let’s assume that the screenshots posted later are my Settlements (disclaimer: they are not and will be raided later once you finish reading this guide). These Farming Settlements will be placed conveniently beside your Main Settlement, like Satellite Settlements.

Now that we have made a Farming Settlement, now what?

Don’t Upgrade Its Warehouse

state of survival warehouse

You’re going to ransack said Farming Settlement. In fact, you’re never going to befriend it. Assume that you are nothing more but a warmongering warlord reigning over said Settlement. Never upgrade your Warehouse to ensure you can ransack everything it has without dismay. If you do, expect wasted resources to rot in said Warehouse.

Don’t Make It Obvious

renaming account in state of survival

You made it obvious, didn’t you? Rename your Settlement as soon as possible. Any veteran player will immediately notice the orbiting Settlements aren’t in your vicinity and will definitely capitalize on it before you can ransack yours. Don’t let the vultures spot that what you’re doing is essentially what they’re doing. Make sure they don’t even come close to orbiting like the Earth and the Moon. Don’t take the orbiting advice seriously.

Oh, and make sure you have sufficient troops to ensure that the Settlement isn’t as it seems. Just the right amount to discourage attacks, but enough to get the amount you needed for your Main.

Prioritize Economy

Remember the previous tips about base building? Ignore it and focus on just the Economy. Build, build, build. This is what your Priority is now for Farm Accounts.

Priority (The lower the number, the higher the Priority)Building
1Headquarters, Economy Buildings
2Research Lab, Bunker
3Anything else that isn’t economical

The more resources you generate, the better. And you have to ensure that the technologies you’re researching are precisely that. Set Chief Talents to Economic ones. Get Heroes that you won’t ever use to have Gathering Boosts. Avoid training too many Troops to keep the cogs working. Also, why is the Bunker there?

It’s for a very important sub-tip…

Join an Opposing Alliance

state of survival settlement

Farm Accounts are still Settlements that need to be tended to. Vultures are vultures, and it’s best to keep your precious farm safe. But not inside the confines of your own Alliance but on an opposing Alliance entirely. Don’t put it on yours, it’d just be weird and awkward, and they’ll notice what you’re doing. And you get kicked out. Not a good idea.

And on the bright side, joining an Alliance still means your assets are saved. But where does the Bunker lie in all of this? Very simple… to ensure that your Farm Account won’t be blamed for Battle Power’s loss in the rankings. Leaders are picky about that topic, so just place your units in the Settlement’s Bunker before raiding said Farm Settlement.

Plus, you’re also internally destroying an opposing alliance with this method. Win-win!

Just make sure it’s not that obvious. Relocators aren’t easy to get, after all.

Check Out Events

state of survival power up rewards

State of Survival: Zombie Warfare is, by its roots, a social game. It won’t be a social game without an event happening for every occasion of the year, from Christmas Events to Chinese New Year specials. Events give off rewards ranging from Speedups to Hero Fragments, allowing you to quickly cultivate your Settlement’s Battle Power.

state of survival crank

There are a diverse number of events that can occur daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly that you can take advantage of. This ranges from one-time events to state-wide events that will make you clash with another opposing state. Check them out in your spare time. Make sure to also accomplish the tasks that they require from you.

Conclusion

state of survival infected eliminated

This marks the end of our guide for State of Survival: Zombie Warfare. This game is a doozy considering the number of things you must remember, but it’s a given with a game that has been out for a couple of years. I hope you got all of that in your brain, Survivor, and I hope these tips and tricks will help you along the way.

If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to share them in the comments section below. If you need more information regarding in-depth looks at heroes and such, visit the State of Survival Discord and Official Wiki.

Oh, I think your Settlement will be attacked by a zombie horde. Better get to it, then!

Piotr

Thursday 6th of July 2023

This game is shameful. I don't have such good experience as author. I play this on facebook. And now I have trouble in my settlement there are infected. They order me to remove them. I try to push icon in order to fight them. Nothing happen. And of course nothing can be done. This is the worst game. This is some bug and nobody do to remove it. I play in top of war and they removes bugs

Connie Crarey

Friday 14th of January 2022

I am new HQ 12 Alliance throwdown milestone seems I cannot participate says Your don't have enough alliance authority for this! What does this mean.

Beebs

Monday 16th of August 2021

Where can I find shared hero coins?

G

Tuesday 5th of January 2021

Can I send back resources to my backpack? I have missed click and now I cannot let it there.

Ms2016

Saturday 28th of November 2020

You need to join an alliance then it will come up in the alliance menu timer helps