KF2 Tips for Starters and Veterans: 21 Quick Tricks

A collection of 21 short tips for Killing Floor 2, useful for new players and veterans alike, built from one player's list with credits to other community members for several entries. Pairs well with the advanced movement chapter.

Cheap utility weapons

1. Boomstick cancels attacks. The Boomstick is cheap and light enough for any perk. Press the middle mouse button to fire both barrels at once, which staggers Zeds and their attacks. It can interrupt Hans's melee in his final phase, so fire as he is about to hit you.

Both barrels staggering an attacker.

2. Boomstick boost jump. Aim straight down, fire both barrels and jump at the same time to go higher than normal. It saves you when stuck in a group of Crawlers.

Aim down, fire and jump together.

13. Medic pistol on a weak team. Cheap and light, it helps keep teammates alive, and the darts can also be used for damage.
14. Grenade pistol. Another cheap, light utility weapon that clears small crowds with a single blast.

Combat basics

3. Bashing cancels actions. The weapon bash (V by default) does pitiful damage but pushes Zeds away, prevents grabs and cancels Siren screams, Bloat vomit and Fleshpound pounding.

Bash for breathing room in tight corridors.

4. Heal each other. If you and a teammate are both hurt, it is more efficient to heal each other than yourselves, because the syringe recharges faster on others.
5. Single fire saves ammo. Switch to single fire on guns with several modes, and use auto or burst for large Zeds that must die fast.
6. Large Zeds with SWAT. Get close, throw a Flashbang in the face and spray the head. On solo or easier difficulties one clip is usually enough.
7. Flashlight vs Bloat bile. If you are covered in bile, turn on your flashlight and you will see far better.
8. Prioritize Sirens. The most dangerous small Zed: they cripple unmaxed Demolitionists, make grenades and rockets useless and ignore armor, yet die easily.
9. Do not weld doors. It blocks your own escape route and can break the door for good if Zeds smash it (credit to Tamari).
10. Melee early. On Normal and Hard you can slash or bash trash Zeds to save ammo money (credit to John Marston).

Shopping and perks

5. Skip armor early on easy difficulties. On Normal, Hard or even Suicidal, if you know the maps, wait until mid game to buy armor. Unless you die every wave it is not worth it.
6. Priority: Ammo, Weapons, Grenades, Armor, Health. Veterans should favor ammo and magazine skills over health and defense, which are almost useless on Hell on Earth. Only buy a stronger gun if you can keep it filled.

Always keep your weapons filled before buying new ones.

11. Share dosh on boss waves. In the final trader phase give your spare dosh to teammates. Even 100 can mean full ammo and armor.
12. Free full armor. With the right SWAT skills, start the match as SWAT so the skills give you full armor, then switch to the perk you want once you have survived without damage.

Positioning and map knowledge

9. Ammo and grenade carriers, do not hug the trader. The trader prompt takes priority over your backpack, so teammates cannot use it while you stand too close.
10. Learn the maps and run backwards. Knowing the routes and obstacles lets you kite and shoot Zeds chasing you. Adapt to the situation rather than doing it all the time.

Run backwards and let Zeds chase you.

15. Search for loot during the last Zeds. Let the last Zeds chase you while you scavenge, so you do not waste trader time.
16. Juke Large Zeds. Make a sharp 90 degree turn around corners or objects, hugging them tightly, so a Fleshpound, Scrake or boss runs into the wall or lunges and misses. Paris ambulances and tall trucks work well. You can do the same around the Zed itself (credit to Tamari).

Hug the corner so the Zed goes the shortest path into the wall.

20. Remember ammo and Zed spawn points. Mentally note where ammo boxes spawn and where Zeds come from to handle waves quickly (credit to BurgerCrusader).

For more systematic movement see the advanced movement techniques page.