🎮 Mutators Guide
Game modifiers for custom challenges and unique gameplay experiences
Updated for September 2025
⚠️ Reward Impact in Private Lobbies
Mutators marked with * reduce end-of-mission rewards (Supplies, class XP, etc.) by 50% in private lobbies. This penalty does not stack if you enable multiple * mutators.
Note: Weapon XP is still earned as usual.
🔍 Search & Filter Mutators
🎯 Unique: Proximity & Health Mechanics
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
Comfort Zone
You will slowly lose your health (2% per second) when there are no teammates within 5 meters (16 feet) of you for more than 5 seconds
Personal Space
You will slowly lose your health (2% per second) when there is at least one teammate within 5 meters (16 feet) of you for more than 5 seconds
Hunger
You will begin to slowly lose your health 10 seconds after your last zombie kill (0.5% per second)
💀 Unique: Death & Incapacitation
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
Perfect Condition
You can't die by being incapacitated, but every incapacitation will decrease your max health by 25% (but no less than 10% of its original value)
Instadeath
When your health reaches zero, you will die instantly instead of being incapacitated first
1 UP
You won't be able to respawn and get back into the fight after you die
Iron Man
You have only one chance to live. When your health reaches zero, you will die with no respawn for the remainder of the mission
🧟 Unique: Zombie Spawning
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
Special Forces *
Special zombies will arrive twice as often as usual but zombie waves will be smaller
Cannon Fodder *
There will be no special zombies but zombie waves will be more numerous
🔫 Unique: Weapon Restrictions
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
Crossbow Fiesta
Everyone gets a free crossbow and can't have any other primary weapon
Shotgun Fiesta
Every player gets a shotgun and can only find shotguns as primary and secondary weapons on the mission
Wild West
Everyone gets a repeating rifle and a revolver but can't have any other weapons
⏱️ Unique: Wave Timing
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
Restless Hordes
Zombie waves will arrive twice as often
Light Waves *
Zombie waves will be twice shorter
📦 Unique: Loot & Resources
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
All Flash, No Bang
There will be more primary and secondary weapons scattered throughout the level, but you won't find ammo crates
Heavy Hitters *
You'll find many more heavy weapons than usual on the mission
Gun Shortage
The only new weapons you'll find on the mission are heavy weapons. Heavy weapons have twice more ammo
Looting Is a Crime
You will find far fewer pickups in the mission
👹 Unique: Special Enemies
⚠️ Only ONE mutator from this group can be active at a time
Nemesis
You will be chased throughout the entire mission by a Bull that can't be killed
Hot-tempered Bull
An unusual Bull appears. An explosion occurs each time a grabbed survivor is smashed against the ground
🔧 Common Mutators (Multiple Can Be Active)
Empty Pockets
Carried ammo for primary and secondary weapons reduced by 50%
Ammo Dump
When reloading a weapon, all ammo left in the magazine will be lost
Low Capacity
Primary and secondary weapon magazines are reduced by 50%
Primary Weakness
Primary weapon damage is reduced by 75%
Shaky Hands
Shooting on the move and without aiming is extremely inaccurate
Limited Reach
All firearms will deal insignificant damage at distances longer than 50 meters (165 feet)
What was that boom?
All primary weapons have explosive ammo
Double benefit
All secondary weapons deal double damage
Chainsaw Massacre
Only chainsaws are available as heavy weapons for the entire mission
Rookie
All your class perks except for the first one won't work
Slow
You can't sprint
Asthma
You will slowly lose your health (3% per second) when sprinting
Leg Day
When climbing, the player loses some health and all stamina
Small Pharma
You won't find any medical items on the mission
The Impaler
Health is restored on a melee kill, but medkits are no longer found on the mission
Homeopathy
After receiving healing from medical items, you lose the ability to sprint for 20 seconds
Expired Medicine
You will find twice as many medkits than usual on the mission, but medkits heal 50% less
Healing Explosions
Explosions from devices and heavy weapons restore health
Defenseless
You won't find any defense kits or defenses on the mission. Heavy weapons have more ammo
Thief
No ammo crates, but each melee kill restores 3% of your primary and secondary weapon's ammo. +50% melee damage to zombies
Looter
You won't find equipment bags on the mission, but your equipment will be constantly regenerating (100 seconds to replenish to maximum)
Revenge
Team members will produce a huge explosion when they die
I Feel Your Pain
A randomly chosen player will have 100% more health, but all damage taken by the team redirects to him. If he dies, it's game over
Treason
Friendly fire is tripled for the whole team
Lifebuoy
When you revive an ally, you both gain a masking effect for 6 seconds
Weakness
Melee attacks do 75% less damage than they normally would
Night Time
Many more idle zombies will be scattered throughout the levels
Pinned Down
You can be pinned to the ground by far fewer zombies than usual
Elite Squad *
You can encounter unusual zombies who are very hard to kill. They're very slow but they can instantly pin you down
A Dud
All explosives do 75% less damage to zombies
Mined corpses
Zombies killed by headshots explode, but only players take damage from the explosion
Iron Hide
Zombies are harder to stagger with bullet hits
Undying
Special zombies will have twice as much health as usual
Just a Scratch
Zombies won't take any damage from headshots
Airstrike
Mortar attacks periodically occur during the wave
Die Hard *
All team members have 50% more health
Class Weakness: Gunslinger
Gunslinger will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Hellraiser
Hellraiser will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Medic
Medic will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Fixer
Fixer will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Slasher
Slasher will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Exterminator
Exterminator will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Dronemaster
Dronemaster will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
Class Weakness: Vanguard
Vanguard will have 50% less health and will inflict 50% less damage to enemies
🎰 Challenge Mode Exclusive
These mutators cannot be selected by players in Private Online matches, but they can be picked randomly by the game for Challenge Modes
Especially Dangerous
Special zombies leave poisonous clouds upon death which last for 1 minute
Sinusitis
The Infector's spitting distance is doubled
🏰 Horde Mode Exclusive
The following mutators are only available in Horde Mode Challenges
Airstrike
The mortar shell can land in three random locations
Drone Army
Each player gets a temporary drone
Free Meds
Free medicine becomes available in the main shop
The Pursuers
Players can encounter slow, more resilient zombies during the wave that can revive and pursue players until the end of the wave
Free Supply
Free gear bags become available in the main shop
Sell-Out
Defense kits start having a discount
Taxes
Defense kits start costing more
My chainsaw and me
A random player receives a chainsaw with infinite ammo. This player cannot use other weapons
Resistant skin
Zombies do not take electrical damage but can still be stunned
Especially Dangerous
Special zombies leave poisonous clouds upon death, which disappear at the end of the wave
💡 Tips for Using Mutators
- Reward Penalties: Be aware that starred (*) mutators reduce rewards by 50% in private lobbies
- Stacking: Multiple penalty mutators don't stack the penalty - it's always 50% max
- Weapon XP: You still earn weapon XP normally even with penalty mutators
- Unique Groups: Pay attention to which mutators are in the same "unique" group - only one from each group can be active
- Challenge Mode: Some mutators are only available when the game randomly selects them for Challenge modes
- Horde Exclusive: Certain mutators only work in Horde mode and affect shop mechanics
- Common Mutators: You can stack multiple "common" mutators for extreme difficulty or unique combinations
- Experimentation: Mix and match mutators for unique gameplay experiences - some combinations create interesting synergies