Best Survival Loadout
What to carry into a shift and what to leave in the back room — a practical loadout built around the UV ID scanner, flashlight, and traps.
Your loadout is the difference between a clean scan and a panic. This build favors verification and control over raw damage, because most threats in this game are stopped at the door, not in a fight.
The core three
These three items should never leave your person during a shift.
UV ID scanner
The single most important tool. On Nights 9–13, doppelgangers forge IDs that look perfect to the naked eye. The scanner reveals the forgery in under a second. Keep it charged and on the counter.
Flashlight
Used in short bursts to confirm faces under the counter light. Do not run it constantly — battery management is a skill of its own.
Boarding hammer
Windows that are not boarded by 3 AM are an open invitation. The hammer lets you reinforce on the fly if a trap fails.
Trap priority
| Trap | Cost | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Tripwire alarm | 2 scrap | Both doors — pings the lobby on entry |
| Window spike | 3 scrap | The side window doppelgangers favor |
| Floor caltrops | 4 scrap | Funnel movement toward the cameras |
What to leave behind
Heavy melee weapons feel safe but slow you down. A clerk who cannot reposition loses the camera line. Carry one sidearm at most and keep moving.
Loadout by night count
- Nights 1–4: scanner + flashlight. Threats are rare; conserve scrap.
- Nights 5–8: add tripwire alarms on both doors.
- Nights 9–13: full build — scanner, flashlight, hammer, two tripwires, window spikes.
A quiet loadout beats a heavy one. The goal is to never be in a position where you need the melee weapon at all.
Sources
- Patch 1.4 changelog (Shift at Midnight)
- Damage-testing spreadsheet from the community Discord