What is the best spawn region for interloper? (Tier List - The Long Dark)

[@Zisteau]

Great video. I agree with pretty much everything, except I'd give Ash Canyon it's own category just behind HRV. Getting that huge power spike of the technical backpack and the resulting walking speed increase on day 3 feels so amazing, and usually getting to summit immediately after lets you stay ahead of the cold curve with all the clothing you find. It feels like you can progress so much faster, staying outside for longer and covering more ground.

[@Zaknafein]

Thanks, Zis. Yeah getting the backpack early is a big help, for sure.

[@zioming]

You can also find a moose in several locations across AC and TM, and going for the technical backpack/summit/moose satchel combo will usually set you for life before ever leaving TM.

[@Zaknafein]

@@zioming Sure, but finding a moose isnt that relevant since you are unlikely to be able to hunt it before leaving the region

[@sixter4157]

I love the fact you can goat up to Homesteaders Respite. I make my route pass through there before heading to the gold mine. I have always found matches and combat pants there. I then rest up if necessary to climb the rope and head to Miner's Folly and Foreman's Retreat, gold mine then down to Anglers Den and open the box with the fish in it. Food, fire, clothing, and the backpack.

[@wilfredsmith183]

​@@sixter4157I do the same, that fish after U get the backpack is is huge!

[@MsHarrisGray]

I haven’t watched this yet, but I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your videos. I have finally made it past 100 days on Loper. Thank you for your time and effort!!! You Rock!!

[@skellygriff3986]

you should make an endgame region tier list of a final region to live the rest of your rabbit and bear hunting days wearing your furskin clothing

[@Zaknafein]

Yes thats coming :)

[@independenthistory1621]

I actually quite like desolation point as a spawn, it’s one of the easier ones for me to immediately get matches and it feels awesome every once in a while when I find everything I need to immediately start forging. Then grab some saplings on the way out and I’m set

[@denaze05]

I love your passion for this game. Just letting your videos play is so soothing thank you. I hope i can sometime get better at this game. My record for surviving on interloper is sitting at 4 hours (in game time lmao) since i have no idea where i am and where i'm going when i spawn in

[@kriswise7815]

Don't give up, I used to be the same way but with Zac's help I've now made it well over 100 and 200 days and it feels like quite an accomplishment

[@manmanfun2]

Try to spawn in a smaller region that you know well like desolation point or forlorn muskeg.. u can quit and retry until your chosen region pops up.. you can get to know the area in other difficulties then go to loper and try to survive there

[@denaze05]

Thank you guys. I decided to play Wintermute first. I'm on episode 2 and i only know my way best around Mystery Lake because i used to play the early access version of the gamewhen that area was the only area haha I will keep at it

[@stupidusername20]

I like Desolation Point start, because I like rolling through, gathering, and running through to PV for clothes, then ML to FM for forging. Just me, though.

[@alexshepard7527]

Same here.

[@stilllookingfortreasure]

Great video. When I spawned in HRV I got all of the loot mentioned and was ecstatic...until the wolf in the cave got me twice and killed me. Even with a torch, it attacked because it was within striking distance when it came around the corner. Then, it stopped running and freaking out right in front of me and attacked me again immediately. I immediately started another game and spawned in DP. Took me traveling all the way to mystery Lake via coastal Highway and pleasant Valley to find everything I need it to forge. I'm 70 days in now, my longest interloper run to date. I couldn't have done it without your videos.

[@juanmartin2204]

The same happened to me. The region is amazing, but the wolf incident was annoying.

[@Prometheus7272]

I’m playing misery now and I went to TM then AC and now in mystery lake, my health regen is very low and I’m basically stuck at the camp office and not able to get to old Spence’s to forge, I think I’ll die if I try. It’s just so cold 😂

[@BjørjaBear]

HRV also has a very nice ambience. There is something about it with so few man made structures, and the lovely area around Monolith Lake. Great place for a staycation, though a bit off topic for this video.

[@RealitysSuccessor]

I would put DP higher, primarily for beginning Interloper players. All my first, longer runs started there. The small size makes it easier to find what you need when you don't know the maps that well. My big issue though is I love Blackrock spawns. I've always done well starting there. I also love the combat mechanics of timber wolves so have spent a lot of time there. On the 500-day run I recently finished, I spent close to 50 days there.

[@brandonjohnston3440]

Hey Zak, thanks to your guidance, ive made it 473 days on interloper, mainly using trappers as a base. Ive got tons of stuff still and could probably hibernate to 1000, but wouldve never made it this close to 500 without ya, thanks man!

[@Sus_pumpkin]

Zamm I can’t even get to day 50 on Voyager

[@candlemancer7852]

One reason I consider Ash Canyon to be an S-tier spawn on interloper is that it cuts out pretty much all the backtracking from your initial sweep of the island, meaning less travel time and better chances of staying ahead of the curve. I find the AC > Summit > FM Forging > ML Bear Hunt > HRV w/ bear hide cache > ML clothing crafting route to be the best way to get to the interloper endgame as fast as possible. Once you have your endgame set of clothing, there's way less time pressure to visit the other areas of the island.

[@darkwillow1451]

I kinda support what you are saying. I usually take that route too... but without the summit. I find the loot at the summit to be a little.. lacklustre. And i dont summit straight from AC because the hacksaw isnt always there.

[@candlemancer7852]

@@darkwillow1451 Yeah. after the loot refresh the summit is certainly way less attractive as a destination. Mostly I go up there for the firestriker and ptarmigans though, which don't require the hacksaw. It's also pretty easy to plan a route from summit to mountaineer's hut that hits all of the major loot spawns in TWM, which guarantees that you'll leave your second region with either hacksaw and hammer, hacksaw and mag lens, or hammer and mag lens.

[@carpenterxl5999]

Welcome back "Captian Survivor"! We've missed you.

[@jmwall24]

My favorite spawn point for loper is PV. A lot of it is because it's where I spawned when I first actually survived for a long time after many, many, many failed attempts and where I spawned when I managed my 500 day+ loper run. Lots of cattails, lots of free water in toilets, good loot, and a pretty centralized location where you can quickly get to lots of other maps.

[@darkwillow1451]

My personal opinion is that AC is better because you can get that backpack and crampons.. which lets u do more before you get that moose satchel. I forge in FM, and by the time i get there, i usually find a hacksaw, prybar and Hammer. And on the road to FM, you usually find a bedroll too (in ML if you are unlucky to get it earlier) Blackrock is hard, but starting there and exiting to TWM also has its perks. My current spawn started in Blackrock. I went Blackrock -> TWM -> AC -> TWM -> PV -> ML -> FM. The arguement for Blackrock is you already get the armored vest for the Tales. I always use the Vest when doing the Tales and that way, once i forged, i get myself a bearcoat and head over to FA without having to go to Blackrock after for the extra protection. It really depends on your style of play and how u approach the game. I kinda play as a tank when it comes to BI, FA or ZoC. So for tales, the vest is mandatory for me. DP and FM are definitely worse because nothing in those maps help you save time.

[@jamesbarnes5192]

I like to spawn (usually on Stalker) in either Mystery Lake for the hunting and fishing, or Forsaken Airfield to get the noisemakers right away (assuming they even spawn).

[@tracydeclan1198]

Great Video! I suggest making one about best bases in the long dark! This is a topic that is surprisingly hard to research! Obviously everyone agrees on Camp Office and Trappers, but I feel like there are some other places you can set up main bases or outposts! Love the content!

[@elkor3549]

Another great video Zak! Cant wait for the endgame region tier list, im struggling to find stuff to do on my runs

[@quemsereu2009]

Going back to TLD for a new run today 😊 cozy cozy

[@johnnyburton5527]

Great topic. I agreed with most, I personally would put FM up 1 tier because I believe one of the elements, I like to find in a spawn is accessibility. FM has a quick bed, flare and access to multiple key areas. Though the map itself doesnt have that great of loot, its super easy to get to a place where you can survive and gain the loot you need. The one thing this video did do that I wasn't expecting was the realization of how bad my favorite area is. I have become an enormous fan of Sundered Pass but as a Spawn its the worst lol.

[@duotonguitars]

Desolation Point is good if your goal is to quickly explore everything. It's a dead end region, so you explore it from the start and cross it out, no need to go back. But then again, you have a way better HRV another dead end to power up with from the start.

[@samuelespinelli7445]

I would probably put DP a grade up.. that cache with the 3 flares is awesome. expecially if you still a little new and aren't that confident in scaring wolves with the stone to the head you already have some protection in case the wind picks up

[@eyadii]

thank you for putting HRV in S-tier. haven't tried playing on interloper yet (still exploring everything on pilgrim, will start on voyageur soonest i can) but I love the region so much. Good loots, good ambiance, enough resources to be fair. Yes, you'll put the region in D or C-tier if you don't know the map.

[@Predaz]

Nice one Zak, After i learned HRV , for me there is no comparison (yet), for a loper spawn, and for a challenge BRM for sure ( i tend to run away from there after spawn)😂

[@bartvandewalle5215]

realy great video, one idea I might have to compare them as spawn location is to do an interloper spawn in each region and set a 10 day playthrough limit. After 10 in game days with a spawn in each region you can compare your progress across all playthroughs. what you have of tools/clothing, high tier loot locations looted, what you got curing, lowest health across the 10 days ...

[@Zaknafein]

Yes this is in the works so the list might change later

[@mehmethacioglu2092]

This was great and very educational

[@mp6471]

I didn't know a thing about HRV, actually when I started playing survival after I've been playing only wintermute I thought HRV was the fallen Mackenzie's plane region. I began playing in Stalker and, of course I died so many times that I just began to hate HRV and left it. But now that I know better the layout, signal fires, ice caves, ropes sites and other stuff - thanks to your videos -, I'm coming back and I'm confident it's going to be something very different.

[@CyberGrape]

For me it is ML in all categories, best to spawn, best for the main base and best long term. Not because of the loot or it's superior locations, not even because I like it that much but just because of its darn centrality. There are other regions that I enjoy spending time in much more but I always get frustrated about the distances if I don't have the camp office as my home.

[@Seriously_Unserious]

I can add to Zak's BRM woes with some of my own. In my early days of testing recordings for TLD content, I spawned in Blackrock and while the region itself didn't get me, I had no bedroll and 2 ways out: Keeper's Pass with few matches and no bedroll and guaranteed blizzards in numbers, or the cave to Timberwolf Mountain and the then coldest region in the game (windchill of BI notwithstanding) Both were bad options to escape and I went for the TWM exit and died shortly after leaving Blackrock. Just never could get myself set up enough to survive the exit, and the more time I spent in there, the worse my situation got.

[@leafsfan2108]

Hey Zak, great video and agree with your tier choices. FYI, since the addition of misery mode (coincidence?), it appears that the clothing loot at the plane crash in PV has been abysmal. I’ve experienced this a handful of runs and even watched Atheenon strike out twice! Cheers

[@not_t00_shabby87]

Great job as always! Don't think there's a hammer spawn in FA anymore.

[@cfredtmbg]

On a custom spawn you can end up in the far territory. I made a custom run not that long ago and was very confused when I appeared in forsaken airfield. (In the middle of nowhere across the map from the airfield, that’s was fun…. /sarcasm)

[@Eddysmorphia]

Nice video👍🏾

[@scottyboomz4154]

My preference is Ash canyon. Hushed River is an OP spawn with the guaranteed loot. I always struggle for food in Desolation point. PV is super looty and first couple days of Loper are generally mild enough weather to travel.

[@owen______]

Your videos are great! If you ever wanted a video idea, I'd love to see a comprehensive guide for hunting and animal behaviors (especially for interloper). I find getting comfortable with hunting or scaring predators is one of the games steeper learning curves.

[@Fayreangel]

Bashrobe has quite a few research videos that cover this stuff.

[@EshBBX]

Personally ONLY like to start in Blackrock, at the back of the dead end road southwest. I always full-loot a region before leaving it, and starting in Blackrock allows me to get the Ballistic vest instantly, and clear out a super remote region you might otherwise be reluctant to visit later on. after which I go through TWM to AC to get the Backpack, and then on to the Summit itself before heading down into PV with 75KG worth of life's savings. >.

[@Tetrahedragon2]

There's also guaranteed long underwear(at least I seem to get them every single time) in HRV in that little area behind the brambles with the dead body near the little pond with cat tails and rabbits en route from the main cave to the rope down to the valley with the moose.

[@MedicineMan55]

One other minor benefit of spawning in Forsaken Airfield is you can get started on the Signal Void early, picking up the signal receiver right away. I'm sad that Sundered Peak is on the bottom of this list, though I can't argue with the rating. I rather enjoy camping out in the Lonely Cabin in the lower valley. An austere but comfortable place to camp out imo. That whole lower valley is quite pretty and just loaded with firewood, deer, and rabbits.

[@independenthistory1621]

I’ve been playing this game for seven years and never been to HRV, I really need to change that soon and actually learn the map

[@Lootenant]

I'll write down my take on it and then watch the video: S Tier: PV A Tier: FM B Tier: TWM, DP C Tier: AC, HRV D Tier: BRM Cannot rank AC higher than that because last time I spawned there and got charged by a wolf ON SPAWN (managed to escape on a fallen tree) with a couple of wolves preventing me to go to Anglers, so I had to go the other way around. It was a struggle for sure but I made it.

[@zioming]

I just happen to be exploring HRV for my first time in my current game :D

[@silentshade7975]

I like DP spawn because it is a nice challenge but with no timbies before bow. I don’t like dealing with timbies before bow if I can help it. And it gets this region done and no need to return until you have the radio. I like having pressure off to have to trek all the way down there just to loot. But it does delay getting bow compared to more optimal spawns

[@LordKai1102]

Oh interesting to see you do Rankings. I also want to do some. :D I'd love to see a favorite Tierlist by your own opinion. I'd love to know and more over why you like a specific map. :) So just pure preference. I mean I really love the aesthetic of Bleak Inlet and Coastal Highway, but the maps itself are pretty meh. On the other side I think Broken Railroad is a pretty decent map, also considering it gets a lot of recognition and importance with all the DLC maps, but I don't like its design at all. PS: So filled out the survey. I'm really interested on the results. I really think you could've added a little more options. Like: When did you start playing TLD - I mean the game is now 10 years out and I started to play when only ML and CH existed, so obviously my most spent hours would be on ML > CH > PV. It gives so much context you know? I'd love to see if newer players automatically have less playtime than players who had no other choice to play on ML.

There is a bedeoll spawn in hibernia in bones room in a corner behind crates

[@vincentgross5417]

HRV is definitely a very good place to spawn, because of 3x guaranteed matches, bedroll, hacksaw, cooking pot, and the high-tier clothing items in caches. However, I find the goating for northern fire to be too irrealistic and immersion-breaking for me, so hammer is more of a 50% chance... and then there are the encounters with sketchy.

[@marygatdula2744]

I really liked HRV after I learned my way around a bit, except I still never quite figured out the ice caves, and it took me forever to find my way out! LOL I thought I was going to be stuck there forever!

[@christopherjohnston6343]

SP has guaranteed Hammer and bedroll AfAIK. For a far territory spawn it is the key region. Also I'm pretty sure FA and ZOC don't have a hammer. TFT also don't have hacksaw so they're automatically worse for getting bow. But putting any of TFT regions in front of DP is kind of wild in my opinion.

[@matiasdalessandro2356]

DP is my starting location for all my playthroughs: never found a single bedroll.

[@timothymeinhardt2536]

Here's my survivability for my loper builds. Although i tend to not play loper now because it takes a lot of fun stuff out of the game. HRV almost always die lol but I keep giving it a chance trying to use guides. AC tossup. PV almost always survive as long as I dont get really unlucky with blizzards and wildlife. TWM tossup the cold is biting but typically I go to PV unless I get the hacksaw. DP tossup, sometimes I get boned by the light house hybernia and the wildlife but other times I get good loot and am able to get to coastal highway quickly and start steamrolling. FM I almost always survive using your exact method. BR I ALWAYS die so I quit and reload now 😂

[@Rafaelforte-hs4bv]

Yoooo, video’s out More tier listssssss

[@joshuahwieland8676]

I never bothered memorizing HRV because I never realized it was so op. I have like 500 hours in the game

[@alessandromarini9963]

Hi Zak, are a new video coming out for the "road to 500 day" series?

[@Zaknafein]

Yes, soonish

[@johngaunce]

I give AC S tier personally. Getting the tech backpack (and crampons) on day 2/3 is worth any drawback IMO.

[@azimuthclark462]

Dlc is FINALLY out on Nintendo. I'm so happy. 2 years waiting. The game looks great. Better performance. Can't wait tonsee all the new content.

[@onkelvesemir6027]

Yeahhh a tierlist 🎉❤

[@depresingteen2170]

Timberwolves are easy. Black rock is a top tier for me the vest has saved me on Interloper and the bangers can be used for hunting. Can hit multiple rabbits and with a few can get moose and bear.

[@azimuthclark462]

Ash Canyon is uber sexy. Tons of food. Tons of loot. On easy level it's it's even better. AC is always a great place to visit asap. Watch for wolves! If you're a pro, no worries.

[@PavloPinchuk]

Hi everyone! I'm doing As the Dead Sleep and there is no emergency stims anywhere and there's no flare gun at the ravine. When did Hinterland change it?(

[@Zaknafein]

In 2022 when TFT was added

[@PavloPinchuk]

@@Zaknafein Understood, thanks!

[@theanthem0ftheangels]

I never turn down a survey! How fun lol

[@TheUglydandy]

There`s also a cured bear hide in HRV.

[@MrTechstyles]

I feel like coastal highway and desolation point both should get an auto bump because of beachcombing

[@fknutz4400]

If my past self heard my favorite loper spawn is blackrock, he'd wonder what sort of trauma is ahead for him. But, my playstyle is to rush. Rush the pack, rush the summit, rush the clothing, rush the bow and try to get my radio before day 50. For that start, I love BRM. Adds a day on, but i know I'm getting to the summit with a saw and you pick up other nice stuff. You can sneak past most of the timberwolves except that pack near the TWM transition, but I run past them and tell em I'm coming back in 100 days or so. Once you learn the map and match locations, all the spawns kinda feel the same so I just prefer starting near my precious backpack.

[@luchok4185]

why is there no transfer pass in the video if you can spawn there?

[@Zaknafein]

Its is considered a connecting region, despite this

[@DianaGromova]

Can you make a video about just ranking regions? Like not necessarily for interloper, maybe for stalker and not for spawn, just which one is the coolest. Please :)

[@Zaknafein]

Working on it, kinda. Depends what we mean by coolest :)

[@DianaGromova]

@@Zaknafein yeah, hard to tell 😅

[@TheLongDarkMoose]

Zak: Could you do a walkthrough on how to survive in Blackrock on interloper?

[@Zaknafein]

One day I will :) In the meantime, I spawned there in my Torchless Craftsman challenge and my semi-blind playthrough kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4isZ6FsocR9Z7M

[@HybrisFactory]

How do you access the signal fire without cheating, though? Both locations are blocked by bushes which can only be broken down with a hatchet. I suppose if the fire is above many falls, you can bring a rope and climb down afterwards, but I've never found a way to the fire in the north.

[@Zaknafein]

Both are easily accesible with goating. I show it in many videos, but a more recent example is my Interloper 2024 walkthrough near the start

[@Seriously_Unserious]

For leaving Desolation Point, by "winding river" I assume you mean Crumbling Highway. (FYI, you can use YT's built in editor to edit in a text correction directly into your video)

[@Zaknafein]

lol I always say the wrong name

[@Mylifesostop]

Personally I'd put Desolation Point higher. I got 2 hacksaws from that place on my current run when I spawned there. Ultra luck.

[@SilkySharky74]

I’m really glad that ZoC is getting some kind of recognition because it’s my absolute favourite region in the entire game. I’ve never had so much fun exploring a region and I love the mine and the gas gimmick and all the other things that make the region so unique compared to others. Sure it’s difficult but I just love the atmosphere and everything about it so so so much. It’s the sole reason why I believe buried echoes is the best update to every grace one of the best games of all time. And I haven’t even done the remote tale!

[@michaelmarshall955]

Hello fellow survivors. ❤

[@LalaDepala_00]

Coastal Highway ❤

[@everythingsalright1121]

Lots of people seem to like Desolation Point quite a bit

[@alexshepard7527]

I cannot learn HRV ... I gave up on that map. 2000 hours of game , 450 days on my Interloper run.

[@konyetzz4213]

can you do a stalker best to start region? for best loot, or best home region for stalker.

[@Zaknafein]

I could, but since you spawn with matches and bedroll, any region is easy. Best is TWM because you can Summit on Day 1 and be well equipped right away. Long-term survival tier is coming.

[@konyetzz4213]

@@Zaknafein thank you so much for your time, videos, and viewer engagement. Long time fan, keep up the great work.

[@biggusfootus]

Before you even got there, I knew you were going to put HRV in “S” lol… You always rave and wax poetic about HRV 😁

[@briansmithnm]

I would swap HRV and TWM. I love TWM and have playthroughs where I start there and don't leave the region.

[@justcryogen]

Minor correction: you can find quality tools in Ash Canyon.

[@Zaknafein]

Yes, sorry, when I say "tools" I usually mean hacksaw and hammer

[@justcryogen]

​@@Zaknafeinoh, gotcha. I thought you meant the toolbox.

[@not_t00_shabby87]

@@Zaknafein You can find a hammer at Miner's Folly behind the workbench.

[@clemvidtube]

It's just Blackrock, without "Mountain" ;)

The tier list os fun but it would be cool to see the results of the poll too

[@evendark1974]

fm is a s++++ for planed routes 😭😭😭😭

[@planto360]

the dp disrespect is uncalled for

[@Zaknafein]

It's a great region! Love it, but if I spawn there I leave once I have the essentials. The ranking is mostly based on resources you find there.

[@planto360]

@@ZaknafeinLong term I think it's a very solid choice, but for a spawn I do mostly agree with you.

[@bethanyweber3989]

Question from non-Interloper player: Is HRV the only region with a guaranteed bedroll spawn?

[@luchok4185]

no, you can also find a bedroll guaranteed in the forsaken airfield and bleak inlet, but it will be in one of several locations

[@sebbe617]

Ash canyon is hands down the best spawn location! Depending on where you spawn in ash canyon it can be quite hard! But first thing to do is get to the gold mine to get the backpack and crampons! And whatever other supplies there are, sometimes a heavy hammer in the ore carts. and there is always a decent jacket on the bed aswell! From there you make your way to timberwolf mountain, get down to the cabin by the lake, if you are lucky a saw will spawn down ther, if it does then you head for the summit instantly. if not, you gotta head to PL then once you find a saw you head to summit. once you are at the summit and have grabbed all the goodies you get back to PL, from there you loot the whole of PL then move on to costal highway. then go back once that is looted then you head for the dam and miltion