State of Decay 2 – How to Claim an Outpost

After you build a home base and begin recruiting survivors in State of Decay 2, you will eventually need to branch out and start claiming outposts throughout the zombie-infested town. Outposts act as smaller offshoots of the main home base, offering additional benefits to help your community thrive. We’ll explain how to claim outposts in State of Decay 2 and why you should make the effort to do so.

How to Claim Outposts in State of Decay 2

Before you go out to claim outposts in State of Decay 2, it’s important to note what makes outposts different from community home base locations. 

Outposts primarily act as small safe houses where players can store items, switch characters, and seek refuge from infected hordes. Although outposts can’t be used as permanent living areas, survivors can visit outposts seeking medical attention, food sources, or even combat assistance. Outposts also help to boost community morale.

To claim an outpost in State of Decay 2, you must meet three requirements:

1. Clear out all the zombies in the surrounding area.
2. Have enough Influence points to unlock the outpost.
3. Have an Outpost Slot available.

Unless you need to destroy a Plague Heart nearby, clearing out the zombies surrounding an outpost shouldn’t be too difficult. After you have secured the area, return to the outpost and find the small camping lantern. Interact with the lantern to bring up the Claim Outpost menu screen. 

The outpost menu will list all of the benefits and features provided by that particular outpost if you choose to claim it. The requirements to claim the outpost will be listed near the bottom. Consider the needs of the survivors in your community to determine whether a particular outpost offers what they need.

Every outpost in State of Decay 2 comes with three primary features: a safe zone around the perimeter, a supply locker at the outpost, and the ability to change characters at the outpost. When evaluating a potential outpost, make sure it is one that offers more benefits than those standard three features to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment.

How to Increase Outpost Slots

If you have Outpost Slots available and enough Influence points, then an outpost can be claimed as your own. Early on in the game, you will only be able to claim two outposts. You can increase the number of outposts you can claim within the Command Center of your base. 

Interact with the Command Center to bring up its menu. Under the Actions section, select the icon titled Upgrade: Command Center. Applying this upgrade will increase the number of outposts you can claim for your community in State of Decay 2. Try to claim outposts in areas that you frequently visit. This way you can have a convenient place to offload items while scavenging and exploring without having to return all the way back to your home base. 

How to Abandon an Outpost

After a while, you may need to abandon an outpost to make room for different ones. When this time comes, bring up the map and select the Base tab. Highlight and select the outpost you wish to abandon, then select the Abandon Outpost option under the Actions section. Doing this will return a small amount of Influence, which can be used for claiming new outposts in State of Decay 2.

For more State of Decay 2 tips and tutorials, be sure to check out our other State of Decay 2 guide coverage to learn about all base locations in State of Decay 2 as well as how to sleep and recover stamina.