DayZ Standalone: How to Use Blood Bags and Saline Bags

With most games, getting shot simply means finding cover for a few seconds, miraculously healing and jumping back into the fight. With DayZ Standalone, getting shot or injured is a serious matter. Not only do you have to bandage your wound to stop the bleeding, players must also replace the blood they’ve lost using either a Blood Bag or Saline Bag. Where things go from cool to hauntingly realistic: you’ll die if you use the wrong blood type. Who knew that real life medical training would come in handy in a video game? Luckily for you, we’ve done some research and laid out exactly what needs to happen for you to survive. For how long you ask? We make no guarantees.

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Let’s assume that you’re walking through Cherno, undoubtedly minding your own business when a bandit snipes you from roughly 500 meters away. Aside from the obvious need to get behind cover, your first step — ideally — will be to clean the wound using Alcohol Tincture. This item can be found in hospitals, although it is uncommon. Next up, use either a Bandage or Rags to stop the bleeding. If you have a Bandage, go for that option, as it’s a pre-packed sterile dressing. Although Rags will work in a pinch, they are not sterile. If not disinfected prior to use, you could develop an infection. Surviving a gunshot wound, only to die later from an infection seems like an especially terrible way to go.

With the bleeding stopped and imminent threat of sniper fire no longer an issue, here are your options to get back to full health.

Best Option – Saline Bag

A Saline Bag can restore a players blood level by 500 units. They are commonly found in hospitals and are compatible with all blood types, making them the ideal first option. In order to use a Saline Bag, it must be combined with an IV Start Kit, forming a Saline Bag IV. A player cannot give themselves an IV, so make sure you have a friend nearby. In an emergency, you could also force someone to give you an IV at gunpoint.

Last Resort – Blood Bag

Restoring your blood levels after serious loss is somewhat more complicated using this method. Players must first determine their blood type, along with the blood type of their potential donor. To determine your blood type, a Syringe and Blood Testing Kit are needed. First, draw blood using the Syringe, testing it with the Blood Testing Kit. Repeat this process for the potential donor. If your blood types match, you can proceed with the transfusion. If your blood types don’t match, a transfusion is likely to kill you.

With the blood types a match, the recipient must equip the blood bag into their hands and draw blood from the donor. With the Blood Bag full, give it to the donor who must combine the bag with an IV Start Kit. The donor must now equip the Blood Bag into their hands and start the infusion.

Was that so hard? One little gunshot wound in DayZ and all you had to do to was earn an Internet video game medical degree. The key to success is not only making sure you have the supplies, you must also have someone nearby to give you a hand. Of course, the best method of surviving a gunshot wound might be to avoid getting shot in the first place.