Permafrost Wiki — Survival Tips, Crafting & Co-op Guides

Start in Story mode with a background that fits your playstyle — Engineer adds bonuses to running, axes and toughness for a steady early game

Scavenge your immediate area for wood, stone and basic cloth before moving — you need a fire and a simple tool kit within the first hour

Craft a stone axe, pickaxe and shiv early; a bow and arrows should follow once you have scrap and fiber

Watch cold resistance and the weather forecast — storms and night drop temperatures fast, so plan shelter before you travel far

Repair or build a shelter with a bed and fire before pushing into higher-tier zones, and always carry spare food for the trip back

Use the dog companion's pack to extend your hauling range on scavenging runs into cold zones

Check your cold resistance before every trip — clothing sets your survivable temperature range, so dress for the zone you are entering

Keep a fire source and warm shelter between activities; standing in the open drains body temperature even when the weather looks calm

Plan travel in weather windows — storms and fog cut visibility and drop temperatures, so wait them out inside whenever possible

Treat frostbite immediately with warm shelter and rest; ignoring status effects snowballs into hypothermia and death

Sleep or rest in a bed to recover, especially at night when temperatures are low enough to make outdoor work impractical

Hunt boars and wolves for food, but check wildlife aggression — a wolf pack in low gear can end a scavenging run

Claim an existing shelter early — repairing walls, a door and a fire costs far less than building from scratch

Place a bed and campfire first: warmth and rest anchor every other base activity

Add storage boxes to stockpile wood, stone, scrap, food and medicine for expeditions

Build or repair walls and doors to block weather and hostile factions from your supplies

Set up checkpoints and small outposts between shelters so long trips always end near warmth

Upgrade heating as you push into colder zones — high-tier areas demand better gear and warmth before building

Rescue the dog early in the story — it becomes a permanent companion with a pack inventory for extra carry weight

Use call and stay commands to position the dog, especially when entering hostile or cold zones

Send the dog to gather resources while you scout — its pack extends your effective looting range

Let the dog stand guard at camp to warn against wolves, raiders and other threats

Watch the weather — the dog endures outdoor conditions, so factor it into long expeditions

Different breeds (such as the Border Collie) offer different utility; check your pickup for stats and abilities

Host or join a friend's game from the main menu — co-op supports up to four players over online sessions

Divide roles: one player gathers crafting materials while another scouts and hunts, then meet back at base

Share blueprints and resources — co-op does not make the world easier, it only means you do not face the cold alone

Build a shared shelter network so every squad member has a warm fallback during storms

Confirm host save and progress behavior before long sessions to avoid losing a world

If you cannot connect or hit lag spikes, check hosting region and Early Access server status in Discord