How to kill yourself and respawn in DayZ

Sometimes you need a fresh start.

A DayZ character staring into the abyss in an open field.
Image via Bohemia Interactive

If you’re in a pinch during your DayZ adventures, sometimes you’re simply stuck, and there’s only one way out. That’s where death comes in handy, when your character dies they automatically respawn and give you a completely fresh start.

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There are some cases where the game has glitched and you’re physically stuck, or you could just be in a bad spot geographically or without resources, so knowing how to kill off your character is extremely handy.

Here is what you need to know so that you can get a fresh start next time you’re in a pickle.

How to kill yourself and respawn in DayZ

DayZ prone zombie killing
There are several ways you can do it. Image via Bohemia Interactive

You can kill your characters several ways in DayZ but the most common is by using the Suicide gesture. This is the in-game mechanic that players can use to close off their character’s story and start fresh.

To use this gesture you’ll need to have a weapon or item equipped. Only some can be used for this purpose but all guns, most melee weapons, and some tools can trigger the animation.

When you have the correct item equipped, press C to crouch and then press F11 to activate the gesture. From here, press your left mouse button to fire an attack and you will trigger the “You Are Dead” screen.

That is the most common way to kill your characters and reset, but there are several other ways it can be done. Falling from a great height is one of the easiest methods you can use. Similarly, letting zombies or another player take you out also works the same. Alongside these, there are plenty more environmental factors that will kill you if you need a reset such as starving, dehydration, or drowning.

Author
Image of Ryan Galloway
Ryan Galloway
Ryan is a Senior Staff Writer for Dot Esports who has been working at GAMURS since 2020. He covers a wide variety of titles from across the gaming space, with a focus on Pokémon. He boasts a degree in Journalism from Murdoch University. Email: ryan@dotesports.com