Killing Floor 2 – Survivalist Guide (Best Perk BTW)

Who am I?

 
You’re the survivalist, your role varies from your perk tree and the weapons you choose from. 
 
It is a common misconception that Survivalist is a “jack-of-all-trades” perk or that it offers variety, this is true to some extend, keep in mind that you are still bound to your perk skills. 
 
Survivalist gives you the illusion of choice, you can pair any weapon you like, but that does not mean that you’ll do good with them. 
 
This means that certain weapons like, say, the flamethrower are gonna be incredibly bad to use as Survivalist, as he has no access to Firebug skills that would enhance ground fire. It would be smart to avoid Flamethrower-based weapons all-together (Weapons like Helios, Mac 10, Dragonsbreath are perfectly fine even if there are better alternatives) 
 
 

The benefits of being a Survivalist instead of any other perk.

 
Usually you’ll hear people saying that Survivalist will always be a watered-down version of a certain perk, this can be true but it can also be false. 
 
For example if we compare Commando to Survivalist you are missing: 
 
-Less recoil (albeit not that noticeable) 
-No access to extending Zed-time 
-No access to HE grenades 
-40% less damage with Assault rifles (the biggest deal here) 
 
Now that we know what the cons are, let’s see the pros. 
 
+Ability to carry up to 20 weight (good for an additional weapon, able to be decked out for both trash and big zeds) 
+25% movement speed and a very good 75% melee damage boost (there is also medic training but we’ll discuss that in a bit) 
+25% Damage Resistance, this is an incredibly generous bonus and makes you quite tanky for a pseudo-berserk/pseudo-perk playstyle. 
+Able to switch weapons quickly (good for takedowns) 
+Access to molotovs (for getting out of a bad situation) or healing nades (same reason you’d use molotovs albeit it varies from situation to situation to which one you would you prefer). 
+Is able to use Berserker weapons and SWAT weapons with little drawback (Is able to trash clear as well if not better as Zerker, con is you don’t have Smash for big Zeds. SWAT has more ammo and clip-size than you, but outside of that you’re only really at a 10% damage disadvantage, keep in mind you won’t be able to take down a Scrake with a Kriss since your clip size is notably smaller). 
+Combat armor, similar to the SWAT’s. As long as you have armor you won’t be able to take health damage (Sirens still bypass this). 
 
KEEP IN MIND – That Survivalist lacks: 
-The shotgun penetration from a Support 
-Ground fire skills and CC from a Firebug 
-Headshot multipliers from Sharpshooter and Gunslinger 
-Smash from Berserker 
-Buffs from Medic 
 
With these things in mind: Try to have THIS mentality, “I should only use weapons that give me an advantage other perks cannot have, I should not mimic perks 100% entirely as that would just make me a worse version of that specific perk”. 
 
 

Survivalist Skills Explained (Pros and Cons of every skill)

 
EDIT: Outdated image, just ignore it. 
 
 
WEAPON HANDLING 
 
Simple skill. Choose the one that would benefit your weapon. People might question something along the lines: “But how does it effect Firebug weapons?”, the answer is that it doesn’t. 
 
For example the Mac 10 from Firebug’s kit is effected by SWAT’s weapon reload speed. The dragonsbreath is effected by Support’s reload speed. 
 
Survivalist weapons are (sadly) not affected by these skills, which means the Killerwatt will reload the same regardless of what you choose. 
 
SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES 
 
99.99. of the time you’ll run Melee Expert as it will not only give you a massive melee damage boost, but also because you’re able to profit a lot more from your 25% movement speed. 
 
The 25% movement speed is incredibly useful, you’ll definitely feel the difference if an enraged FP is constantly on your tail as you’re able to kite it and parry/block yourself to safety. 
 
As for the Medic Training, this is a bit of a debate whenever or not can it top off Melee Expert. Besides giving you a faster syringe, it doesn’t go over the healing threshold of 10hp/s, it WILL provide you with more heath per syringe (for example your self healing syringes will give you 26 health instead of the regular 20, you’re able to spam this and abuse your 25% damage reduction with it). Oh and like I already mentioned, you lack Medic buffs. 
 
In conclusion. Just use the Hemoclobber, it does great damage, great at trashkilling and it is able to heal you in a pinch. Melee Expert for the win! 
 
EQUIPMENT 
 
Both are great at their own thing, the question is will you be exceeding 15 weight or are you gonna remain below it? If you’re using SWAT, Gunslinger weapons you’ll most of the time find that you do not lack any weight, in this case just use Ammo Vest. 
 
However, one of the greatest benefits of being a Support is the ability to carry heavy weapons (which are generally going to be a lot stronger to compensate for their weight), this means that with Heavy Harness, you are able to pair two 10 weight weapons, keep that in mind. 
 
DESTRUCTION 
 
Another simple one but also a very debatable one. Some would say that Zed-splosion is annoying and that it messes up a lot of shots for precision-type perks, on the flip side it is able to stun big zeds while not enraging it, offers great trash clearing and can generally get you out of a bad situation. 
 
I would use Zed-splosion for it’s utility and trash clearing capabilities, but if you do plan on using Demo weapons on Survivalist, then you already know what’s the better option here. 
 
Zed-splosion for regular Surv, “Make Things Go Boom” for a more Demolitionist oriented build. 
 
SPECIALIST TRAINING 
 
Madman is odd since you can still waste ammo unlike Firebug’s LVL 25 perk. I also find it a bit clunky and not smooth at all to use, so it’s not a very reliable skill but it can be useful for bursting down scrakes with an AA12 during zed time. The other is Lockdown which appears wrong in this image (older update), Lockdown will stun any zed you shoot during Zed-time. (Note that I did not test Lockdown much, so I am uncertain if inflicting stumble during Zed-time will override the stun, but it is possible). 
 
 

Survivalist weapons (Not all, but a few of the notable ones)

 
N O T I C E – Survivalist can takedown Scrakes and Fleshpounds (Or SC, FP for short) but will perform worse than, say, Sharpshooter, Gunslinger. 
 
HRG Winterbite – Good CC, good damage, it is able to deal exceptional damage should you headshot scrakes, freeze weapons go incredibly well with Survivalist in general due to his natural weapon switching speed. All of this for a cheap prize, can be upgraded once for 500 Dosh with no weight increase. All around good choice. 
 
Hemoclobber – Great CC from poison should you need it (you can use the poison so you can freeze Fleshpounds with HRG Winterbites while he’s “panicking” from the poison.). One of the few essential weapons I would consider on any Survivalist build, it only weights 4 and it is incredibly good for killing trash and keeping you alive. Very rarely are weapons a win-win, but this one is, use it. 
 
RPG – For killing FPs, this is probably your best bet. You are also able to kill scrakes by firing it off their head point blank. Keep in mind that this should be your last resort. If there are any, let any other precision perk take care of them while you have the RPG. 
 
AA12 – Also decent but keep in mind it can chew through ammo quickly. Either make your AA12 dedicated for big zeds or trash, not both. Always have a backup with this weapon. 
 
Desert Eagle – Decent cost, alright firepower. It’s good for trash-killing and can be used on the whim thanks to fast reload speed and weapon switching speed. Nothing much else to say besides it being a decent choice as a backup. 
 
Railgun – Good weapon but not because Survivalist is good with it, but rather because it is OP. You are able to decapitate Scrakes (with two headshots on HoE 6p I believe, keep in mind that auto-aim mode will decrease your damage and should only be used in chaotic situations where precise aiming is not best achievable). 
 
Killerwatt – Survivalist’s very own T5, it does not disappoint. Just point and shoot at a Scrake’s head and keep firing as he won’t be able to enrage due to it’s electric status effect. Great damage but reload speed is sluggish and ammo could be a big higher. You can run out of ammo rather quickly should you use it too much. 
 
Helios Rifle – You can’t use it nearly as good as a Firebug (since you are missing a 40% damage increase). On the flip side you are able to pair it with the Killerwatt should you really want to. Firebug can’t have two strong Tier 5s, you can. 
 
Freeze-thrower – You’ve seen Supports and Medics off-perk this weapon, it is good and reliable CC (unless the FP is already enraged, at this point it would be a mistake to attempt to freeze it as 99% of the time your team-mates won’t allow it and will go all in). Arguably out-matched by the Winterbites as they not only weight less but are also able to deal competent damage and also reliably freeze. Regardless of that, you shouldn’t go wrong with this if CC is what you seek. 
 
Vlad Shotgun – Berserker can find a very good use of this weapon as it has natural shotgun penetration. So can you. Besides it’s penetration it can kill a Scrake point-blank on HoE if all of your shots hit directly the head, keep in mind you’ll need CC to do this (akin to Freeze-thrower or Winterbites). T4 minimum for killing Scrakes. 
 
M4 – For Support it’s damage is overkill for trash, for you it’s just enough to kill trash and barely enough to kill a Scrake and Fleshpound on HoE. Same principle as the Vlad shotgun however, you will want to freeze them before running up to them, point-blank and making sure you unload every shot onto their face. A T4 M4 will get the job done for Scrakes, a T5 should barely kill a FP within 8 shots on HoE, should you miss a shot you’ll need to finish it off while it’s enraged. 
 
Centerfire – Cheap but also expensive ammo. It can be upgraded to become a competent Scrake killing machine at Tier 4, should you need it. 
 
HMTech-101 Pistol – If you can fit it in, you are able to make life easier for your teammates. It’s weight is only 1 which is a reason why most perks tend to off-perk it. The HMTech-101 Pistol is a staple for off-perk weapons. 
 
HRG Boomstick – I would originally write Boomstick instead, but the HRG Boomstick is essentially (somewhat) a direct upgrade to the Boomstick. One thing it can’t do as effectively is takedown scrakes due to the HRG Boomstick’s damage being explosive. You’re also able to use Alt-fire and fire both rounds while jumping to give yourself a larger jump, incredibly useful and is a lifesaver for kiting FPs around the map (or even bosses). Great damage and great utility. 
 
MP5 – Works well with Survivalist. If you need a cheap reliable trash-clearer, then this could satisfy that need. 
 
UMP – Arguably the best Off-perk you could get from SWAT’s arsenal. It is a direct upgrade to the MP5 and it looks stylish as ♥♥♥♥. Great trash killer. 
 
Scar-H – Decent damage is still able to kill trash and keep your lane in order, though I’d argue SWAT weapons work a lot better on Survivalist then Commando weapons (piss poor recoil comes to mind). 
 
Eviscerator – 10% damage boost is what you’re missing. You’re able to use it almost just as well as the Berserker. Decent damage against Scrakes, bosses and FPs. One thing to keep in mind is that you do run 25% faster with the Eviscerator as it does count as a “melee” weapon due to it’s alt-fire. 
 
Frost Fang – Same deal as Eviscerator, you’re able to run 25% faster with it. Incredibly useful (V) as the shove now becomes a melee attack, your alt fire is a block/parry which is great for surviving enraged FPs. To summarize this is arguably one of the better weapons you can run with Survivalist as you receive quite a lot of benefits from it. It also deals damage and it is able to freeze Scrakes, you can takedown a Scrake quite easily with this thing especially if you decide to pair it with, say, a Doomstick and unload on a Scrake point-blank while he’s frozen. 
 
Katana – I’d reckon all melee weapons are irrelevant on Survivalist as the Hemoclobber now exists. The Katana is still very cheap and is able to shred through trash. With a competent medic you could possibly ditch the Hemoclobber for the Katana should you need the money to buy something else. Should be rushed Wave 2 if possible. Use it passively as you don’t have a panic button heal the Hemoclobber has. 
 
HMTech 201 – Weights only 3 and can be paired with the 101 for a total of 4 weight. Great ammo economy and an overall decent SMG to be used. 
 
End of List 
 
Depending on your Team comp, success varies from build to build. 
 
 

Weapons to Avoid using as a Survivalist.

 
These are weapons that you DO not benefit from 
 
M99 AMR – Expensive ammo, 2500 Dosh cost, 13 weight. If you really need something for big zeds I’d just recommend using the Railgun instead. 
 
Flamethrower – There’s a reason molotovs are mediocre grenades for Survivalist, same reason applies to the flamethrower. You got no flame or ground fire related skills, you end up falling flat. 
 
Healththrower – Could be a personal preference but this seems useless in the hands of a “Medic Training” Survivalist. Works alright for a Medic since you got access to three buffs. But as Survivalist you can only heal well so using any other medic weapon (101, 201, 301, 401 etc) is able to give you that + firepower. 
 
Keep in mind – More might be added here, but there are quite a few weapons that you should never-ever build as a Survivalist. Weapons such as Seeker Six might be included here. 
 
 

Non-Pseudo-Berserker Build (not done yet)

 
I’ve noticed that I’ve spent a margin of this guide talking about blocking, parrying, kiting that I’ve essentially only covered one of Survivalist’s playstyles. Also based on pub experience and NOT from a decent team comp where everyone is able to perform the role of their perk. 
 
For your skills, going LLLLL (You can swap Ammo Vest with Weapon Harness once you need the extra 5+ weight, should you need it that is, Reload speed differs from the weapons you build) will get rid of your melee-focused playstyle and replace it with a gun-oriented one instead. 
 
I might update this guide and add more ways to keep your lane well and tidy, might. 
 
If you read the weapons segment, you can probably already see what you’d want to build to assure you’re able to hold a lane successfully. 
 
 

What are some builds you could recommend me?

 
You’ll notice Hemoclobber is in every build, it’s just good. 
 
I won’t chore you and let you decide and improvise. 
 
Here’s what combinations I would use (you can slam a HMTech-101 into most of these, feel free to change them up and see what you prefer upgrading more) 
 
M4 + Winterbites + Hemoclobber (M4 + Winterbite for taking down Scrakes) 
 
RPG + Vlad + Hemoclobber ( Vlad for trash, RPG for FPs) 
 
UMP + SCAR-H + Deagle + Hemoclobber (Dedicated Trash clearing build) 
 
Boomstick + HRG Boomstick + Hemoclobber (Jump around the map like a moron) 
 
Seal Squeal + Railgun + Hemoclobber (Seal Squeal for Trash but also ok for assisting demos with FP takedowns, Railgun for SC) 
 
That’s it. 
 
All of these builds will benefit from the same Reload Speed skill. So unless you don’t want a slower reload speed I’d recommend avoiding to build, say, AA12 with Scar-H (as you’ll only have one weapon be effected by the reload speed). 
 
 

Tips and Tricks:

 
Use Block/Parry if an enraged FP attacks you – You have a fast weapon switch, use it to your full advantage 
 
Don’t try to fill holes in your Team – Survivalist is a Berserker that decided to off-perk weapons, you’re not the most competent medic so if your team is in a dire need of one, don’t expect to fill that role well. 
 
If using Medic nades, drop them at your feet if cornered – It won’t automatically save you, but it will give you some breathing space and the ability to tank for just a bit giving you enough time to shoot/melee your way through. 
 
Keep your Hemoclobber loaded and ready – Your alt. fire is a panic heal, without it you risk not having a get-out-of-jail card. 
 
You can use your Hemoclobber’s alt. fire on teammates – If you’re low on health and you’re not confident to use your alt. on a group of zeds, do so on a teammate instead as it’s harmless. 
 
Block a FP to reset his rage – Since you’re tankier than most perks, it can be wise to tank a hit from an enraged FP so a Sharpshooter can land a freeze nade and successfully take down a FP. 
 
Abuse your 25% movement speed – Open spots benefit you the best as you’re able to avoid getting cornered. 
 
Avoid buying armor until you get all your weapons – Rushing Hemoclobber will give you quite a lot of ways to tank a lot and not die in the process, armor wastes 300 Dosh each wave. So if you were buying armor since Wave 2 and it is currently Wave 5. You basically wasted 1200 Dosh on Armor that had no impact on your life whatsoever. Just imagine all the Tier 5’s and Tier 4’s you could’ve bought with that wasted money instead. 
 
If you’re low on health and being chased by a Scrake you can alt. fire him with the Hemoclobber from a safe range to regain health and potentially inflict poison CC to him – Self explanatory, very useful, can work with FPs but with a smaller time-frame making it harder to clutch with low HP. 
 
 

Survivalist is basically just a KF1 Berserker that decided to off-perk a Xbow.

 
Yes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Leaked image of what an average Survivalist player looks like:

 
 
 
Shocking, isn’t it? 
 
A bit of a rushed guide with some information I haven’t considered well, there’s too many interactions to cover with Survivalist. 
 

Hope you enjoy the Guide about Killing Floor 2 – Survivalist Guide (Best Perk BTW), if you think we should add extra information or forget something, please let us know via comment below, and we will do our best to fix or update as soon as possible!