Survivors

 are people who are naturally immune to the infection that devastated most of the world. They now have to learn to survive against the elements, Infected, and other Survivors while meeting their basic human needs.

Every player begins as a minimally-equipped character in the nation of Chernarus after the infection has struck its populace and the defense forces have collapsed. Survivors are free to make up a backstory for their character and choose their own playstyle. They are always presumed to be average people however, with no special training (Except for the ability to pilot helicopters, drive cars, and use/maintain firearms exceptionally well, suggesting that the survivor may have had a military background in roles such as a pilot) or particular athletic ability.

Starting Gear
Every player begins as a minimally-equipped character. A new character's starting loot consists of:

Other Players
You will find all sorts of Survivors in the wastes of Chernarus. How each person chooses to survive will be different. Some will avoid you unless provoked, others may be friendly and offer you help, and some may be hostile and fire at you on sight. Whether or not one should trust survivors can be a tricky question; it is often difficult to tell ahead of time whether or not a survivor is in need of your last can of beans. It is hard to tell if the survivor is trying to survive like you, trying to kill someone because they are a bandit, or if they are willing to help you. Be very cautious around unknown survivors even if you plan on killing them or helping them.

If you decide to approach another survivor, voice/direct chat is useful for finding out their intentions and determining if they are a friend or foe. When holding a weapon, it is polite to lower it when looking at a friendly survivor. But don't expect everyone to respect "friendly", and it is advisable to still be cautious around any unfamiliar player. If a person is trying to kill you, you can raise your fists (default: ) and melee the player with your bare hands. This is very effective if you hit their head, as it takes only one or two hits to knock them unconscious for a few seconds. Use this time to take their weapon if you need to.

The biggest telltale sign of nearby survivor is often the sounds of them using firearms, or the explosion of a grenade or mine, if multiple gunshots are heard, there may be a vicious gunfight going on involving bandits, try and hide in a nearby building or bush and wait for the gunshots to stop, when leaving the building, stay in cover or in the shadows so the survivor(s) with the gun doesn't see you, if the gunshots get closer, stay in a hiding place and equip your gun ready to attack.

When searching a building, the last thing a survivor wants is to get surprised by another survivor while doing so, closing all doors to the building will make it so it is impossible for the survivor to sneak in without a sound, as the sound of the door is always the same even when a survivor is crouched, therefore one can either prepare to attack the survivor or question who is there from a distance to see if the intruder is friendly.

You can also do the "friendly dance" (alternating and ), give another player a friendly wave (default: ), wave both arms around (default: ), or raise both your arms into a stationary position to let others know you are surrendering (default: ).

Types of Survivors
Unlike the Mod, DayZ Standalone does not have set types of players in any meaningful way. There is not really any black or white in how you choose to play the game, and your choices have only their direct consequences and nothing else. The game does not track your actions in the form of karma, and does not seek to categorize who you are as a character in any way.

Given that the game is so open-ended in this regard, it is up to players to demonstrate who they are through their choice of clothing, their actions, customization to weapons, etc. That said, players tend to be either malicious or benign in their contact with other players, sometimes flipping back and forth as the situation demands.

Bandit
Players who make it a goal to kill or steal from other survivors are classified as Bandits based on the old term from the Mod. They are probably the most likely type of player you will encounter. They are usually well-geared, carrying military-grade weapons and equipment. They also tend to travel in groups. It can be difficult to tell whether a player has malicious intent or not, but bandits have only evil deeds in mind. Their motives vary: some believe in kill or be killed (otherwise known as "Kill on Sight" or "KoS"), others are opportunists and will take any chance they can to get their hands on your gear, and still others become bored in their travels and find amusement in violently toying with other players using the superior gear that they have collected.

Many of these players will kill you outright; others may just hold you up, they might take only what they need or everything you have, but they will let you live. Some may feign friendliness in order to get you to let your guard down. Working in groups, one may greet you and try to talk to you while another attacks you from behind. Some may kill you just for fun even if it is apparent you have nothing of value to them.

Friendly
Some players choose to approach interaction with others as a social opportunity, or a chance to do some trading. These players are referred to as Friendly and often appear to be the minority. They are more willing to take the risk of getting attacked in order to potentially meet another player on good terms. Those who fall into this category are also more likely to be charitable, offering food, medical supplies, or other needed items to other players they cross paths with.

Lone Wolf
Otherwise known as solo players, people who fall into this category prefer to play alone rather than in a group. They typically use stealth to avoid encountering other players, and don't often engage in combat. This playstyle is the most likely to be found fishing at a pond, hunting animals, doing some cooking, gearing up undetected by other survivors. Some of these players, however, play alone in order to form new bonds with other survivors in highly populated towns consisting of spawns, and befriending other solo players or groups.