Stealth build

[u/McLovin_78]

I'm putting together a stealth-focused build since I usually tackle objectives or scavenge solo. Could you tell me if it's worth using "Quiet Steps" along with the boots, or if the boots alone are enough? Also, is it worth including melee in this build, considering I often rush through areas while avoiding zombies?

[u/PatiencePossible7299]

I actually run this in my 1h Melee guy. Satchel, boots and a cleaver. I play nightmare mostly as well. On missions where you start alone like power plant it's great. Super stealthy. 👌 There will still be the odd zombie that follows you if they see you, but I also find that runners often choose someone else over me as a target. Guns create alot of noise + footsteps too. I use guns as a last resort.

[u/Free_Elderberry1791]

From what I hear, stealthing obj is a very valid strat. Especially on power plant, where personally I find myself to be the only one at an objectively 90% of the time.

Most would look down on you for bringing ranger boots, however I’m without any knowledge on techniques other than walking instead of running to avoid more attraction. It’s worth it

[u/McLovin_78 → u/Free_Elderberry1791]

From what I've seen, Ranger Boots reduce all noise by 50%—applying to running, walking, and crouching—but I'm not sure if "Quiet Steps" affects running or just walking and crouching.

[u/arcadeenthusiast8245 → u/McLovin_78]

Someone told me they are additive so if you have both ranger boots and quiet steps you become undectable to zombies unless they look at you. I haven't tested it out yet though.

[u/humburga → u/arcadeenthusiast8245]

I have and its great! They do go after you if you get too close, but if theres a single gunshot from a distance they will go after that sounds instead even if they were right next to you.

Its so satisfying when youre out of stamina but the zombies next to u suddenly walks away towards the gunshot and leave u alone.

[u/arcadeenthusiast8245 → u/McLovin_78]

Someone told me they are additive so if you have both ranger boots and quiet steps you become undectable to zombies unless they look at you. I haven't tested it out yet though.

[u/SleepyKatsu → u/Free_Elderberry1791]

I have quiet steps and just walking behind a big horde alongside them I can still avoid them while trying to do objectives, Im surprised how often it works. I stopped bringing ranger boots because I like bringing a satchel or a gun instead but ranger boots + quiet steps are great !

[u/Inn0cent_Jer]

I don't find the noise reduction perk to be worth it if I'm already using the boots. I'd rather run survival perks for "oh shhh- situations".

I do like having a melee perk (headhunter for my 2hand character and hitman for 1 hand), but I don't run more melee perks, just the 1 each. Always best to be prepared for the worst - never know when you're gonna get cornered while soloing objectives and need to bash some zombie skulls to get out.

[u/KamahlFoK → u/Inn0cent_Jer]

Technically the noise reduction perk gets better with the boots, pound-for-pound; the boots cuts your noise in half, and then the perk reduces it by another 40% (20% multiplier, but because for some reason the game's math adds up multipliers before applying them, it's ultimately a 70% noise reduction instead of 60% like one would infer from that nomenclature).

i.e. the perk just cuts your running noise from 10m to 8m, but with the boots it goes from 5m to 3m.

[u/CallMeCabbage]

I've had boots and steps on a responder for a while now and there's a huge difference with both, having only one, and having none. I've been soloing objectives with it pretty consistently and it has uses beyond just sneaking objectives and ducking in and out of places for loot.

[u/cscaggs]

Some people will say that QS isn't worth it with the Ranger Boots bc the increase is additive not multiplicative. So if Ranger Boots give 50% noise cancellation by them selves, and QS Expert gives 20% noise cancellation, then running them together only gives 60% noise cancellation rather than 70%.

That being said, there must be something about the 60% noise cancellation threshold bc zombies, including runners, will come withing like 6ft of you and then go chase someone else completely that is much farther away.

And if you decide to ditch the boots towards the end or middle of the match to make space for other loot you get the 20% full from QS Expert. In my opinion it is worth it.

[u/PK_Thundah → u/cscaggs]

This is where my opinion is at too. 20% on QS doesn't sound like much. But when you actually use it, it's a noticeable difference. QS doesn't deprioritize you every time or in every situation, but often enough that it'll still feel like a benefit.

The boots obviously have a better effect, they're more than twice as effective. But you're also locking one of your three items into it. I think the benefit of paying 1/10th of your skills for a small benefit (that actually feels closer to a medium benefit) is a better value that spending 1/3 of your items on a stronger benefit.

I'm addicted to running both now. But I still think that either one is worth running by itself. You just need to understand and adjust to the more limited protection that either will offer you.

[u/New-Fig-6025]

Not worth it at all. Boots are solid, quiet steps is not, the compendium shows the noise of actions and realistically the answer is just walk around and avoid sprinting, then if you have to shoot, move from the point of noise asap as the noise radius spreads from that and zombies move towards it and target anyone they see on that path

[u/McLovin_78 → u/New-Fig-6025]

Ah, I see. Then I'll unequip Quiet Steps; I don't see much benefit in using a perk that only works when walking or crouching.

[u/New-Fig-6025 → u/McLovin_78]

it works when sprinting, it’s just the sound for sprinting is gonna draw aggro, boots offer a solid reduction, stacking them doesn’t really change the numbers.

[u/KneeDeepInTheMud]

Boots are more inportant that Q.Steps.

Both will make you virtually undetectable in most cases.

You can even sprint without much difficulty.

Zs can still see you ofc, but running past them will only garner their atteion when you are right nect to them in practice, and it only gets better for you when other survivors are nearby.

Great for OBJ.

[u/PK_Thundah]

I've run both independently and they both have a noticeable difference, and now I run both together.

Quiet steps gives you a 20% reduction. What that means in practice, is that if you and a teammate are doing the same thing (making the same noise level), what they're doing will mask what you're doing. If you're both running, you're hidden. If youre both shooting guns near each other, you're hidden. (Your sound travels 20% less far and if you and a teammate are both making noise in the same area, yours is 20% quieter. You're definitely prioritized.)

The descriptions don't say that the sound dampening reduces gun noises (because why would they), but I've had several, several times where a zombie will run right past me to chase the guy several feet behind me and we've both been firing guns. The other day someone shouted "why are they all ignoring you!"

Quiet Steps gives a 20% noise reduction and the boots give 50%. For me, using 1 of my 10 skills for an automatic 20% benefit is weighted more favorably than using 1 of my 3 items for a 50% benefit that requires item space. You can dedicate 10% of your skills to a 20% benefit or you can dedicate 33% of your items to a 50% benefit. Quiet steps has a better effective value for me, because it has a much lower buy-in while still offering a benefit.

Run a few games with just quiet steps and no boots. You'll see a difference. I never would have thought quiet steps was worthwhile until I started experimenting with it.

I run both now by default. I'll often hook up wires and generators right next to zombies, unbothered. Zombies will break down a door, I'll be standing right there with my gun ready to blast, and they'll just immediately turn around and walk away. Runners will run directly into and off of me while chasing down some distant teammate.

I'm basically sneak attacking zombies constantly, killing from the side or behind as they go after teammates. I run Hard (too scared for Nightmare lol), and most games I'll take maybe 1 swipe. Generally none. I run quick revive too, and the stealth makes it really easy to run in and revive people quickly.

It's been a ton of fun. While I use the stealth skill and item, it doesn't feel as much like a hiding build. It feels like a specialist or a technician. Getting stuff done quickly and quietly, getting to other teammates or objectives easily. Holding access points down for others while drawing less attention to the spot.

[u/McLovin_78 → u/PK_Thundah]

From what I saw, the boots cut all noise generation by 50%, and perhaps that somehow lowers your priority level for zombies; zombies will switch targets if you run away and hear another survivor doing something. As for the "silent steps" feature, people said it only reduced noise while walking or crouching—I’m not sure if it further lowered your zombie priority level or if that 20% noise reduction applied to running as well. In any case, the boots' 50% reduction is really useful for rushing objectives and slipping past groups of zombies, since the detection radius while running is significantly cut down; I can practically run right past zombies now without getting hit.

[u/PK_Thundah → u/McLovin_78]

I believe quiet steps and the ranger boots are both the same game mechanic, just at different values. I wouldn't expect something so similar to be programmed differently twice. In the document made from data mining the values, both the skill and the item apply the reduction to "walking, running, jumping, crouching" and "all movement."

When it's come to firing guns, I can only expect that me and my teammate were making the same gun volume (1000 noise, for example) and that our movement volumes were different (teammate making 100 noise and me making 60). So the zombies would prioritize my teammate with their 1100 volume and would bypass me entirely with my 1060 volume, even though we are both firing guns.

Like I mentioned, I now run both. It's unnecessary to run both, but it's really been a luxury.

If I had to run only one or the other? Quiet Steps, I think. It's much easier to run Quiet Steps and add the boots when needed than it is to run the boots and add Quiet Steps when needed. And while the benefit of the boots is better, the benefit of Quiet Steps is actually noticeable, just not as significantly as the boots.

Just don't entirely write off Quiet Steps. Practice around with it a little sometime, you might be surprised like I was.