Generally a Character can be split into Three different categories:

The Scavenger

• Send out to locations, looting and being good in combat against Zombies

The Hybrid

• A Character having good Crafting/Base traits but also having slightly good Combat/looting traits.

The Crafter/Base

• Postive Crafting Traits that save your resources or being low maintenance due to traits reducing their hunger, sleep or morale needs.

then each character has different abilities to rank them on, which also results into them either being a Scavenger,Hybrid or Crafter/Base

• Combat/Scavenge

• Crafting

• Maintenance

With 5/5 being the best and 0/5 being the worst at it.

TIERS for characters

• S: The Character is objectively a One of the best characters, with Amazing positive traits and little to no downsides.

• A: well balanced Character with more positive traits than bad traits.

• B: Has good and negative traits, but overall still a good choice for your Shelter.

• C: Mostly negative traits, little to no positive traits but can be situational useful

• D: only negative traits, no positive or not mattering positive traits- Survivors you wish you didnt recruit

*Also keep in mind you can send out up to Three Characters out to scavenge per phase, so recruit enough Character with positive Scavenging Traits*

Veterinarian

• craft more items at the medical area for the same cost

Refined Taste

• Loses Morale from eating junk food or uncooked meals

Rating: B Tier

Type: Base

Location: Walton Taxi Depot - Southborough

Aubrey is a well balanced Character, her positive trait allows you to craft more of any kind of medical item for the same cost as other survivors [good thing she got buffed from the demo]

her negative trait is practically not existing due to always using cooked meals anyway and enough other Survivors being around to eat junkfood anyways.

If you recruit her she also shows you a location on the map[US Route 93] with high valuable loot that you otherwise dont get access to

• Combat/Scavenge 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting 3,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2/5 ★

Gunsmith

• Ranged Weapons and Ammo are cheaper to craft

Whittler

• Melee Weapons are cheaper to craft

Carnivore

• Losses Morale from eating Meals that include vegetables

Rating: S++ Tier

Type: Base

Location: Red Mile Gas Station - Southborough

Barb is probably the best crafter in the game, being able to save you as much resources as no other Survivor could

her negative trait is barely noticeable, just let her drink a beer when her morale gets to low from eating meals with vegetables in it.

• Combat/Scavenge 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting 5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 1,5/5 ★

Pilot License

• can operate aircraft [Is needed for one escape plan]

Badly Hurt

• takes extra damage in combat

Rating: D Tier [mandatory for one escape plan]

Type: Neither Base,Hybrid or Scavenger

Location: Millwood Manor - Kingside

The only reason you recruit Cooper is for Airlift escape Plan, otherwise he is just an anvil to your group

• Combat/Scavenge 0/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2,5/5 ★

Good Cook

• Recipes generate more food at the cooking station

Scrapper

• Bonus damage to blunt weapons

Bad Back

• 2 reduced backpack space

Rating: S Tier

Type: Base/Hybrid

Location: Fire Station No. 8 - Buckland Yards

Frank is the only recruitable Cook, making him mandatory if you didnt choose Daphne as a starting duo Survivor.

Even with having Daphne, he is still a good second cook/ Shelter location clearer since he has a good combat trait but an F Tier Looting trait.

• Combat/Scavenge 1/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting 5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2,5/5 ★

Evasive

• Small chance of not taking damage in combat

Poor Craftsperson

• Barricade repair is less effective

Refined Taste

• Lowers Morale from eating junk food or uncooked meals

Rating: A Tier

Type: scavenger

Location: Briarwood Motel - Seneca

Hudson is one of the better scavenger Survivors, Evasive is a really good Combat trait, and with not many Scavengers to choose from he fills that void.

he will not do much at the base and also only eats cooked meals, making him slightly higher in maintenance than other survivors.

• Combat/Scavenge 4/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 1/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2/5 ★

Organized

• 2 extra Backpack space

Jaded

• Morale is restored slower than other survivors

Rating: S Tier

Type: Scavenger

Location: Jensen´s Elementary School - Ashby

Isabel is one of the two only Survivors with extra Backpack space, making her a must have Survivor for your Shelter

She might be young, but a beer cant hurt her morale- let her drink some if her morale lowers to much

• Combat/Scavenge 4,5/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 1,5/5 ★

Strong Shoulders

• 2 Extra backpack space

Gearhead

• Gains an extra component resource for each dismantled item

Depleted

• Extra Morale is lost when Hunger is low

Rating: S++ Tier

Type: Hybrid

Location: Texway Gas Hart St - Harshaw

Joe is the definition of a Hybrid Survivor, he is the best character in the game, having two extra Backpack spaces and getting more compenents from dismantling

only downside being that you need to keep him fed

A must have for every Shelter

• Combat/Scavenge 4,5/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2/5 ★

Unfazed

• can continue to operate workstations and scavenge when in a critical state

Tough

• takes less damage in combat

Jaded

• morale is restored slower than other survivors

Rating: A Tier

Type: scavenger

Location: 9th Precinct Station - Downtown

Kirk gets the same treatment as hudson, good combat trait and not many Scavengers to choose from, with two positive traits and one slightly negative trait making him a stable in every Shelter

• Combat/Scavenge 4/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2,5/5 ★

Determined

• This Survivor is resistant to Morale loss from low Needs

Deep Sleeper

• Regains more Rest when sleeping

Bad Back

• 2 less backpack space

Rating: B- Tier

Type: Base

Location: Lester Barr Automotive - Greenhaven

Lester is the lowest maintenance Survivor in the game, let him do all the tasks no real crafter wants to do; gardening, water gathering, listening to complains in the communal area or repairing barricades

and you know what? he will love doing it

• Combat/Scavenge 0/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 4/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 5/5 ★

Keyring

• creates more Lockpicks when crafting at the Workbench

Small stomach

• Loses less Hunger each phase

Insomniac

• Loses more Rest each phase

Rating: B Tier

Type: Base

Location: 15 Independence Blvd - Greenhaven

Michelle´s ability to craft lockpicks for cheaper is not doing much as they are cheap anyway, maybe in the future she will also be able to craft boltcutters too

She is slightly better in maintenance than other Survivors since she needs less food but more sleep, saving your resources

• Combat/Scavenge 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 3/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 3/5 ★

First Aid Training

• Crafts more items at the medical area at the same cost

Will to Live

• Melee damage is significantly increased while on low Health

Restless

• Spending a phase without leaving the shelter results in Morale loss

Rating: C Tier

Type: Hybrid

Location Pogo´s on 9th - Ashby

Miguel is the same as Aubrey, just that he has a slightly positive combat trait

his negative trait can be a pain though since Hybrid character generally dont leave the Shelter every phase

• Combat/Scavenge 3/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 3,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 1,5/5 ★

Chemist

• Distillery recipes give extra Alcohol and Fuel

Feather Fist

• Blunt weapon damage reduced

Sensitive Stomach

• Increased chance of being sick from eating uncooked food

Rating: D Tier

Type: Base

Location: Harshaw Presbyterian - Harshaw

Rahul suffers from the early access at the moment, The distillery is nearly pointless and is also not available in many places

So all this really does is making him a Survivor with two negative traits and no positive trait

Potentially the survivor with the biggest potential in future updates

• Combat/Scavenge 1/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 2,5/5 ★

Social Drinker

• Extra Morale is gained from drinking alcohol

Bad cook

• can only cook “slop” at the Cooking Station

Rating: D Tier

Type: Neither Base,Hybrid or Scavenger

Location: Styx Arcade - Seneca

Is basically a Survivor without any traits, not really useful for your Shelter

• Combat/Scavenge 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Crafting/Base 2,5/5 ★
  
  
• Maintenance 3/5 ★

Credit: @tran1116

which was so kind and allowed me to use his made map for my guide

18.04.25 [Hotfix v0.3.3- Loot,Melee weapon and Stealth kill noise]

• Barb ---> changed from S+ Tier to S++ Tier due to weapon crafting now being more important and also costing more.

Thank you for reading my Guide for the Recruitable Survivors in Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days

Any questions about the guide or you feel i missed something?

Ping me in the official Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days Discord or write me a Dm on discord;
_liru_

i would be very happy if you leave a honest Review and tell your friends about my guide

Ever asked yourself what the best Starting Duo´s are? Check out my other guide:

https://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3462880224