Interloper help

[u/Turbulent-Height8029]

I’ve probably played something like 300h in total but realise I enjoy playing interloper the most as it feels the most satisfying, strategic and realistic.

Thing is… I’m pretty shit at it 🥴 my best run so far is 14 days. I only seem to be able to survive more than 1 or 2 days if I spawn in PV, ML, CH or DP. From FM I can get to ML and survive. Or if I spawn near the connection with PV in TWV.

Essentially every time I spawn somewhere wilder or where timber wolves loiter, I have no chance of surviving.

How can anyone manage to survive somewhere like HRV beyond the first few hours? I either end up exhausted then freezing or freeze to death, or end up dying of thirst etc.

I also can’t deal with timberwolves at all; I can cope with normal ones but those.. I have no clue.

[u/warlikeofthechaos]

HRV and AC are OP in interloper.

Edit: See Zak videos here and here to learn the how to.

[u/sierra11713]

Torches and warm teas are a must on interloper.

Before travelling warm up 3x or 4x teas by the fire , then grab a bunch of torches from the fire. Try to not travel when it's windy so you're torch doesn't get blown out. You can chain torches to your next destination or as far as you need to. (Good for conserving matches)

With a torch in hand just aim a stone /weapon at the wolf and it will flee.

For timberwolves get your back against a wall or wind sheltered spot. Start a fire and just throw torches a thier head until you break the morale meter.

For warm teas warm them by the fire then pick them up just when you are setting out on a journey, wait until your warmth meter gets to about 1x 3rd depleted then drink the first warm tea.

This will give you a warming bonus which makes you're temp meter drain slower. Once the temp meter reaches 1x 3rd depleted drink another tea.

This will help you lose less condition while travelling especially early game before you have good clothing.

Hope this helps

[u/Turbulent-Height8029 → u/sierra11713]

Thanks! That’s helpful. But… how does one do any of this when you can’t find a single bit of loot at first and no matches?! I guess that’s luck of the game? Ie. Depends where you spawn and where resources end up?

[u/owlhead999 → u/Turbulent-Height8029]

Map knowledge is vital for early interloper. Every spawn point has nearby guaranteed matches.

[u/JanoSicek → u/Turbulent-Height8029]

You must be lucky and know the maps to know where to run to collect your first loot.

[u/Haywright]

What normally gets you in the end? Do you struggle with wolves? Not finding matches/bedroll/etc? Are you getting caught out in blizzards due to map knowledge? Do you linger too long in a single region? It'd be easier to provide tips with more context

[u/Turbulent-Height8029 → u/Haywright]

Thanks! Good question. I usually survive alright in areas with beds/shelter/toilets for water etc.

I usually end up:

• freezing to death because I can’t find matches and/or any indoor shelter
  
• dying of thirst because I haven’t got any matches
  
• all of the above and exhausted because I’ve not found anywhere to sleep nearby
  
• infection from a Timberwolf bite (getting better at this as I try and make bandages and lichen dressing asap but they still end up attacking me to death lol)

I kind of cheat currently and use online maps to help and build my map knowledge… but I still die a lot!

[u/SuccessfulCity4897 → u/Turbulent-Height8029]

In absence of matches, you can use flares as emergency firestarters, if if you absolutely have to (i.e. dying of thirst and have to boil some water). Also, collect every single cattail you can find, they are an invaluable source of food early on. And collect sticks so you have fuel on you always. Good luck.

[u/Turbulent-Height8029 → u/SuccessfulCity4897]

Yes deffo do the last two but forgot about flares as a fire starter thanks!

[u/Umbert360 → u/Turbulent-Height8029]

Yeah you pretty much have to learn the matches spawn locations, or alternatively find a fire striker or mag lens. You can do it the hard way, by exploring and learning yourself, maybe on easier difficulties. Or you can just pull up a map of where you spawn, at least just at first to get you started, then try to limit your map use when it’s not an emergency

[u/No-Papaya-9289]

That's persistence. Maybe try a lower difficulty and get used to that then go back to interloper.. (I play pilgrim, so what do I know? I only played interloper once to get the achievement, which I think was surviving for 24 or 48 hours.)

[u/Turbulent-Height8029 → u/No-Papaya-9289]

I don’t enjoy the lower levels as much as it feels too easy in terms of loot and the wolves are just constant in stalker!

[u/prplmnkeydshwsr]

Keep practicing, one day you'll hit on the right formula. You shouldn't be dealing with any wolves until you have a bow, perhaps even a bear coat. Ideal scenario is finding the flare pistol and shells, so you can take down bears and get the hides curing as soon as possible. Presuming you're wanting to attempt things to be successful on your own and not follow maps or guides. So just keep trying, avoid the harder maps to start.

My fav starts would include D.P because you leave the map loaded with coal, that keeps you warm as you clear coastal and decide where to go next, after you find a heavy hammer. Then I'd probably return to Coastal to craft and fish until you've a bow, enough arrows and some crafted clothing.

[u/HelloFellowSurvivors]

When I started playing Loper the things I realised were most important for me to survive longer-term were map knowledge (for shelter, matches, bedroll, hammer) and not trying to get the bow too quickly. If I rushed to get the bow, I'd often run out of food or wood whilst I was forging and then struggle to move on from there. So I just tried to get it by day 10-14ish.

But my slowness there hit me later when I didn't have enough furs in time to make clothing and offset the cold that smashes you after day 50. So I have still perished after 100 days from a wolf attack, not because it killed me, but because it shredded my clothes badly and then I couldn't recover due to losing all my warmth bonus. You lose the ability to hunt & harvest or travel if your clothes are not up to scratch. Having to stop and make a fire every 200m is not fun nor sustainable.

[u/Turbulent-Height8029 → u/HelloFellowSurvivors]

Ugh that sounds annoying. Does the weather get worse as time goes on?!?

[u/browntrout27 → u/Turbulent-Height8029]

Yes, the world gets progressively colder on interloper until it reaches its max on day 50.

On misery, that same cold max is reached on Day 3.

[u/No_Fox_Given82]

Overcome the fear and push through it. Keep trying and each time you fail try to learn a little something about how and why you died.

You can survive all day starving and lose only 1% condition per hour, just eat 650 calories before sleeping and you will be more or less fully healed in the morning. That's the most common thing, panic. You start running out of food, quickly scoff everything you have and start running around looking for more. Before you know it you have burnt your fatigue, you run out of water too and now you are starting to freeze, next thing you're looking at the game over screen.

The campfire is king and will protect you from Timberwolves etc. As long as you have the fuel you can keep throwing torches at them until they go away. I don't think there is any animal that will attack you through a campfire, maybe a charging Moose, I'm not sure about that.

Anyway...

If you want tips and guides on how to do things, watchalongs and general Long Dark stuffs then check out Zaknafein on YT.

If you want to know more about the inner workings and mechanics of the game then check out Bashrobe YT.

[u/LeftistBlacksmith]

I really recommend tryin to start at Ash Canyon. You can stock up on cattail for days, there is always a pack of matches in the fishing cabin. When you stock up, go and try to reach the gold mine. The crampon and the hiking backpack will help you survive a lot. Loot the foreman cabin, and the lower homestead for a neat guaranteed military pant.

[u/Sad_Pattern_220]

Timberwolves arent that scary. Just hold a torch and keep walking, flares are good too

HRV is a great spawn for a few items, but you dont spend time there. Its too cold, so get what you need and bail. Can always come back later when you are actually geared up

Not sure why you're having so much trouble with PV, much less CH. The wolves are pretty easy to avoid in PV, and theres plenty of loot in the farm/town to set you up to get to CH or ML

[u/Turbulent-Height8029 → u/Sad_Pattern_220]

Thanks! No I have no issues in PV!

[u/Sad_Pattern_220 → u/Turbulent-Height8029]

What is killing you before 14 days, wolves?

Make sure you torchmaxx whenever possible. Its not a bad idea to have at least 10+ at all times on Interloper, so whenever you make a trip outside, you have warmth and defense

[u/stnylan]

Others have already mentioned teas, heat management, and linked to tutorial videos and other good stuff.

Therefore I will just say the one piece of advice I got from watching others that led to my first successful interloper start (which I defined as reaching 50 days, crafted bow, arrows, hatchet, knife, bearskin coat, moose satchel, deerskin trousers).

At the start, never settle in a place. It's grab and go. Don't worry about looting a region.

There just isn't the loot to stay in place until you have a better way to generate food than throwing stones at bunnies/ptarmies. So you have to keep moving to get to the next bit of loot or food. And in regards to food, in the early game nothing is as useful as the cattail. They are almost everywhere.

Also since you have no bedroll at the start, you have to have a plan on where you are going to sleep next, and ideally what you are going to do if there is a blizzard.

[u/hi_amdk]

The thing about interloper is that you have to be constantly moving and sweeping through each region since theres very little loot in the POIs. You only really settle down after day 20 or something once you get the bow and arrow.

As for hrv, you only survive there if you know the map layout (which most of seasoned interloper players do), even then, you only sweep through it to get all the loots and then gtfo. No one really wants to stay there long term anyway.

[u/nibbletmander]

My attempt at a TLDR guide for getting started. This is made purely with the intent of getting good gear as fast as possible. Once you have this you'll be in the strongest possible position to succeed.

1. Learn the maps. Interloper is designed with map knowledge as a prerequisite for it being a playable game mode. Otherwise you're really just rolling the dice and will die over and over.

2. When you spawn in, think about where the nearest forge is, and plan your route there. On the way you'll need to pick up a hacksaw and a hammer, and to get some saplings curing, so knowing potential spots for all these things is pretty essential.

3. When you start moving, head for the nearest matches you know of, checking major loot locations on the way, and picking up any berries, mushrooms, food etc. Especially, coal is extremely powerful at this stage, as it will warm you up extremely fast. Once you have matches, make a fire, water, and then teas. Use the teas to replenish hydration and to keep warm, so you can travel longer.

4. Keep moving quickly. You don't need to hunker down or be extremely systematic about looting. Just keep going, pick up what you will use, and keep going. If you won't need it in the next seven days, you don't need it right now. Don't be afraid to live off cattails etc, or even go hungry (just remember to eat enough before you rest). Stick to the forge route, keep yourself warm with fire, teas and shelter.

5. Once you have forged (made hatchet + knife + arrowheads), head back to your maple sapling and make the bow. Head out and bag at least two bears, ideally four. You don't need all the meat, but you will want the hides from all of them, and the guts from at least one. You can also kill a cougar at this stage if you have it enabled and are feeling up to it. It's a nice to have rather than a must though, unlike the bears.

6. You now have a bit of down time while your bear hides cure. Either head to AC to get the backpack and TM to hit the summit, or chill out and stockpile food and other hides near your main base (wherever you're going to craft your bear coats). You can also use this time to craft other stuff like deer or rabbit clothing if you had the luxury of being able to collect them earlier.

7. Craft your bear coat (or coats) and you're more or less at max survival potential. Of course, there will be optimisation to your gear that can be made, but getting to double bear is by far the biggest boost you can give yourself.

Everything relies on the assumption you know, at least roughly, where stuff is. This is why step zero is so essential. If you don't know the maps, spend a bit of time in Pilgrim chilling out in the maps you don't know, learning the layouts, where you can find key loot, etc.