Responder skill effects and Expert upgrades
Find a current skill and read its exact effect. Each Normal record links to its Expert replacement, so you can check the whole upgrade before using a slot.
Start with the slot, then inspect the tier
A Normal skill needs a Ready Responder skill slot. Its Expert record becomes relevant after that Normal skill is assigned and the slot offers Upgrade.
Normal and Expert replace one another. Different families only meet when they modify the same scoped gameplay field. Read the skill mechanics before combining values, or choose the final Upgrade for the next run. Use the Inventory capacity mechanism for Deprived, Caravan, Mule, Satchel, and Healing Item Stack. Use the healing mechanism for Skilled Medic, Bandages, and Medkits. Use the downed and revive mechanism for Limbo and Stayin' Alive, then choose the next action from the live state. Use the noise mechanism for Quiet Steps, Ranger Boots, and current movement fields. Choose the live infection action, then use the infection mechanism for Acquired Immunity and Resident Genes.
Which first Normal skill fits this run?
Use the answer for the mode you will play next. Each recommendation assumes that its Normal record appears as an offer for a Ready Responder skill slot.
Co-op ObjectiveChoose Stayin' Alive first when its Normal offer appears in a Ready slot.
Default Normal recordStayin' Alive- Why
- Objective asks the squad to complete objectives and extract alive. Stayin' Alive makes reviving another Responder 1.50x as fast, which reduces the interaction to 66.67% of its baseline duration.
- When it holds
- Use this default when at least one other Responder can be revived and you expect to stay close enough to help them.
- Cost
- The skill changes revive interaction speed only. It gives no direct benefit while you are alone or while no teammate is down.
- Alternative
- Choose Sturdy Body instead when you are likely to be separated or taking the hits yourself.
Survival modeChoose Sturdy Body first when its Normal offer appears in a Ready slot.
Default Normal recordSturdy Body- Why
- Survival has 3 waves of zombies to hold off. Sturdy Body adds attack damage mitigation +10 percentage points, so it directly reduces the repeated attack damage that can end a hold.
- When it holds
- Use this default when taking zombie hits is the failure you need to reduce during the protection waves.
- Cost
- The skill does not add health, stamina, carrying capacity, or revive speed.
- Alternative
- Choose Athlete instead only when incoming damage is under control and you run out of stamina before the hold ends. It raises maximum stamina to 1.10x its base value, a 10% increase. The cost is giving up Sturdy Body's attack damage mitigation.
Solo PracticeDo not use a Ready slot choice only to optimize Solo Practice.
- Why
- No Credits rewarded in Solo Practice. No experience rewarded in Solo Practice. Solo Practice does not count towards your Online progression, and does not contribute towards stats or achievements.
- When it holds
- Use Solo Practice to learn a map or test a Responder you already have. Choose the first skill for the online mode you plan to play next.
- Cost
- Practice cannot advance the account, statistics, achievements, or the Responder through Credits or experience.
- Alternative
- Characters will not be lost when dying or quitting. If the next real run is co-op Objective, use the co-op Objective answer above.
Mode and category are different. The catalog's Survival tab is the game's skill category. It is not a Survival mode filter and does not choose a skill for the run.
One record for each current tier
Every value keeps its operation and direction, including tradeoffs that increase stamina cost or reduce capacity.
Normal records show the Ready slot requirement. Expert records point back to the Normal skill they replace.
Affected domains and shared effect targets connect skills to the Inventory and to other records that touch the same field.
94 skill tier records (24 loaded)
