Deadly Days: Roadtrip Characters: Builds and Unlocks

Which Survivors Can You Play?

A pistol, a massive scythe, or a swarm of bats gives your run a different starting point. Deadly Days: Roadtrip characters bring distinct equipment and playstyles, while your backpack turns those starting tools into a build. Understanding both helps you choose which loot to keep and where to place it.

The early lineup included Survivor, Bananaperson, Astronaut, President Knabe, Sheriff, Chicken, and Death. Vampire joined with the October 29, 2026, Version 1.0 release.

Characters aren't the only thing shaping combat. Weapons and support items occupy backpack space, and their placement lets you stack adjacency effects. Rescue and recruit survivors during your travels, then experiment with their unique equipment alongside the loot you collect.

Official page: Deadly Days: Roadtrip (store.steampowered.com)

Starting Equipment in the Early Access Lineup

The October 2025 Early Access lineup had several pistol starts alongside more unusual equipment. These are those earlier loadouts, rather than a complete Version 1.0 roster.

Character	Early Access starting equipment
Survivor	Pistol
Bananaperson	Pistol and an additional throwable
Astronaut	Pistol and a suit occupying backpack space
President Knabe	Pistol and an additional throwable
Sheriff	Revolver
Chicken	Special throwable
Death	Large scythe that provides one revival, then becomes a smaller, dagger-like weapon

Several survivors shared a starting gun, so their equipment differences matter when comparing them. Astronaut's suit used backpack space, while Bananaperson and President Knabe brought an extra throwable into their opening setup.

Build around the effects your items actually target. Place weapon support where it reaches your weapons, and connect throwable equipment to compatible triggers. The game supports effects that activate throwables through actions such as dashing or collecting experience.

Vampire: Bats, Melee Effects, and Life-Steal

Vampire starts without a weapon and fights with a group of bats. Leveling up adds another bat to the swarm. Their attacks deal melee damage and have a chance to steal life.

The October 29, 2026, update introduced these defining mechanics:

• Vampire begins with bats instead of a starting weapon.
• Each level-up adds one bat.
• Bat attacks deal melee damage and can trigger life-steal.
• The character's unlock hint points toward the Shady Merchant.

Equip items with melee effects alongside the bats to build on their damage type. Keep the life-steal chance in mind when making movement decisions: continue dodging rather than depending on every attack to restore health.

Follow the unlock hint toward the Shady Merchant. In Version 1.0, he has a 50% chance to appear behind the wagon at merchant stops. Starting on day 4, a one-day route is guaranteed to include him once per run, with additional random appearances still possible.

Character Stickers and Support Items

Character stickers deserve attention when upgrading equipment. In Version 1.0, stickers from the same source combine when an item is upgraded, up to the sticker's maximum rank.

Astronaut's “+Crit per Armor” effect now grants 3% per armor per rank. The update also fixed ranks 2 and 3, which previously had no effect. Check the rank when comparing equipment rather than assuming every copy provides the same bonus.

Several support items offer useful tools for developing a character's build:

• Hammer: Upgrades marked items by one rarity at day's end, without exceeding the Hammer's own rarity.
• Plasma Hand: A craftable item that supplies unlimited extra hands for equipping weapons.
• Ghost Sheet: Extends invincibility after taking a hit and hides you from zombies while you are actively looting.

Check selectors before rearranging your backpack. An item that buffs marked equipment needs those marks to reach the pieces you want to improve.

Co-op Builds and Weekly Challenges

Version 1.0 lets item selectors reach into the other player's backpack. Each bag also receives an extra unlockable column, and the grids can touch.

Arrange both backpacks together when planning synergies. Check whether a support item's selector can reach useful equipment across the boundary before spending space on another copy. Character stickers also remain attached when an item moves to the other player or passes through the stash.

Couch co-op shares the screen, while Steam Remote Play Together lets a friend join without owning another copy.

For a different character challenge, try the Weekly Challenge. Everyone receives the same random survivor and modifiers, and Version 1.0 sets the challenge at MKing response level 5. Build around that assigned survivor's equipment and the week's rules as you compete on the leaderboards.