Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | All Survivor Locations

Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days rewards scouting and smart recruiting. In the current Early Access build, 13 survivors can be recruited across various districts. Each survivor has traits that can change how you fight, scavenge, craft, and handle morale. 

This guide is based on simple, realistic ideas. This way, you can quickly build a stronger group, stay away from common morale traps, and focus on recruits that fit your playstyle.

Before You Start Recruiting Survivors

You can find survivors at specific points of interest across Walton City, and each location can be dangerous. You get more value by recruiting with a plan. 

Bring what you need for the building type, keep an eye on risk, and remember that survivor locations and availability may change over time because Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days is still in Early Access.

Where to Find Joe in Harshaw

To hire Joe in the Harshaw area, go to Texway Gas at Hart Street. Joe is a good utility pick because Strong Shoulders gives extra backpack room, which is useful for heavy scavenging runs.

Gearhead also increases dismantling value by providing an additional part resource for each item dismantled. Pay attention to your hunger, because your mood will drop if you aren't hungry. But most of the time, the deal is worth it for the carry space and steady crafting value.

Where to Find Barb at Red Mile Gas Station

In the northern part of Southborough, go to Red Mile Gas Station to recruit Barb. Barb is a high-priority survivor for long runs because crafting costs less across multiple categories. 

Gunsmith makes ranged weapons cheaper to craft, and Whittler makes melee weapons cheaper to craft. Food is the main management issue here. 

Morale drops if you feed anything that is not a meat product, so cooked meals that include meat tend to work better, while vegetable-only meals are a bad idea.

Where to Find Michelle at 15 Independence Boulevard

To hire Michelle, go to 15 Independence Boulevard in Greenhaven. Michelle is helpful on scavenging routes where entry is important because making lockpicks at the workbench creates extra lockpicks.

You get two, not one, which is helpful when there are many locked doors. She doesn't eat as much as most survivors, so it's easier for her to control her appetite. Sleep is the cost. Insomniac loses more rest with each phase, so if she is sent out a lot, make sure she can recover.

Where to Find Lester at Lester Barr Automotive

Still in Greenhaven, visit Lester Barr Automotive to recruit Lester. Lester is better suited for shelter tasks than hauling loot because backpack space is reduced. 

It's not as easy to do long scavenging runs with that limitation, but a good mood is a big benefit. His morale doesn't drop as quickly as others', and his rest and recovery are better because he sleeps more.

Lester is a good fit as a steady base worker because he handles building chores, prepares barricades, and works at the station without losing his cool.

Where to Find Rahul at Harshaw Presbyterian

On the western side of Harshaw, go to Harshaw Presbyterian to recruit Rahul. Rahul is a situational pick with one excellent late-game angle. 

A chemist provides a Distillery Recipe that produces extra alcohol and fuel, which can matter a lot later when your shelter's economy tightens. Combat is weaker with blunt weapons because Feather Fist reduces blunt weapon damage. 

One more thing that matters is food safety. Avoid feeding him uncooked foods because of his delicate stomach and maintain a regular cooking schedule if you want him to remain on the team.

Where to Find Frank at Fire Station No. 8

In the northern part of Buckland Yards, enter Fire Station No. 8 to recruit Frank. This location can be extremely dangerous, so treat it like a high-risk run. 

Frank is a shelter-defining recruit because Good Cook makes recipes generate more food at the cooking station, usually producing an extra serving. That scaling becomes huge once your group grows. 

He also brings battle value with Scrapper, which gives extra damage to blunt melee weapons. The biggest problem is that there isn't as much space in the backpack, which makes it easier to keep him safe by keeping him in the shelter and using him as a reliable source of food.

Where to Find Aubrey at Walton Taxi Depot

In Southborough, head to Walton Taxi Depot to recruit Aubrey. The depot can be dangerous, but the reward is strong medical efficiency. Aubrey has a Veterinarian, which doubles output at the medical area for the same cost, giving two items instead of one. 

This makes healing and recovery planning far easier during long campaigns. Morale management is the tradeoff. Refined Taste causes morale loss if you eat junk food or uncooked meals. Still, once cooked meals are consistent, the downside becomes manageable.

Where to Find Hudson at Briarwood Motel

In the central part of Seneca, go to the Briarwood Motel to recruit Hudson. Hudson is built for risky clearing because Evasive provides a small chance to avoid taking damage in combat. That slight edge can matter when resources are thin, and fights stack up. 

Because of Poor Craftsman, the shelter work is not as stable, making it harder to fix the barricade. Food also affects morale; for example, here, cheap food and uncooked meals lower morale. Hudson is best as a combat-forward choice instead of a base specialist.

Where to Find Kirk at 9th Precinct Station

To hire Kirk, go to the 9th Precinct Station in downtown. This is a high-danger building, so it's important to move quietly and be careful when interacting with things. For the center, Kirk is a strong first-choice pick.

Unfazed lets you keep using your desk and scavenging even when your character is critically hurt, and Tough lowers the damage taken while fighting. It takes longer to restore morale, so when stress levels rise, you should plan morale restoration tools.

Kirk can stay effective through a lot of different stages because he uses alcohol-based morale items and the Therapy Couch to help make up for his slow recovery.

Where to Find Isabel at Jensen Elementary School

In the Ashbury area, go to Jensen Elementary School and look for Isabel on the roof. This recruit is easy to miss because the route can be confusing. Isabel is a strong loot support survivor because Organized increases backpack space, making cleanup runs much more efficient after an area is cleared. 

Combat is workable, but the bigger issue is the speed of morale recovery. Like some tougher survivors, morale recovers more slowly, so plan for morale recovery before it becomes a crisis, especially if she is often used for long-haul scavenging.

Where to Find Miguel at Pogo's on 9th

In downtown's northwestern quadrant, visit Pogo's on 9th to recruit Miguel, the paramedic. For the same amount, Miguel's First Aid Training makes medical crafting more productive in the medical area. 

Will to Live raises melee damage when health is low, so combat worth goes up in certain situations because he can hit harder in desperate fights.

The most important thing is the spirit of shelter. If he doesn't leave the shelter during a phase, morale drops. Because of this, he works best when you can regularly rotate him into scavenging or combat runs instead of having him stay inside for a long time.

Where to Find Robbie at Styx Arcade

Later in a run, travel to Styx Arcade to recruit Robbie. Robbie is a morale-focused survivor who benefits from alcohol use because Social Drinker grants extra morale gained from drinking alcohol. 

That can help a worried shelter calm down, especially after losing a lot or being attacked at night more than once. Once your roster is big enough to specialize in roles, how you build and use him affects how well he does in battle. He is useful as a morale booster and a flexible source of shelter.

Where to Find Cooper at Millwood Manor in Kingside

In Kingside, you can get Cooper to work for you at Millwood Manor. This is usually picked up late in the game because Cooper is linked to planning escapes and is very useful if you want to take the helicopter way that leads to the Airlift escape path. 

Survival planning matters here because Cooper is badly injured when found. A Tier 3 Medical Station should be ready before recruitment, and you should have one of each craftable Tier 3 medical item prepared. 

After bringing him back, those items are needed to stabilize and fully treat him, and losing him can shut down the helicopter option.

Also, check our Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Review and other guides below:

• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Beginner's Guide | Gameplay Tips & Tricks
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Best Early Weapons
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | How to Move Your Base (Best Time to Relocate)
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Relationships & Romance System
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | How to find the Revolver
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Best Loot and Item Priority
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | How to Manage a Massive Survivor Team
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days Guide | Best Shelter Upgrades Order