In DayZ, you can play not only on the Vanilla map Chernarus or the icy DLC Sakhal (DayZ Frostline Expansion: Everything You Need to Know) , but also on a rather inconspicuous map called Livonia. This map is often overlooked, yet it presents an entirely new challenge and is particularly suitable for players seeking a new test. Dive into the rainy region, battle hordes of zombies, and strive to survive. Today, we’re taking a closer look at Livonia and offering you the essential tips for surviving this map.
Playing DayZ Livonia: Here’s How to Proceed
While Livonia was long available only as a DLC, the map was added to the base game with the Update 1.25 at the end of May 2024 and is now free for all players! This means every player now has access to this map without any extra cost.
To play Livonia, you only need to find a server running this map. Alternatively, you can set up your own server with Livonia as the chosen map. Once that’s done, you’re ready to start, but you should know a few things about the map that make it unique and tougher than Chernarus.
The Challenges and Features of Livonia
Livonia is a smaller map characterised by its rain and dense vegetation. It’s almost like playing in a swamp area. These three factors make the map significantly harder to start with, as you will encounter more players, be constantly wet, and likely have reduced visibility due to the vegetation. If you look around, you’ll probably also notice the typical signs, but with a different language. Livonia is set in Poland, not a Russian area, requiring you to reorient yourself to find your path and walk in the right direction.
In Livonia, you’ll probably also find a lack of food, as loot is much harder to find. Towns are further apart and smaller than on the regular map. Additionally, there are no fruit trees, which can be like an oasis for new players and veterans alike. On this map, you’ll have to do without and find better ways to obtain food.
In essence, Livonia is an even tougher survival map for those seeking a challenge and finding Chernarus too dull. It can also be a good transition to Sakhal without having to spend money on a new DLC right away.
DayZ Livonia: Survival Tips and Strategies
1. Understanding the Layout of the Livonia Map
When you play Livonia for the first time, you’ll likely spawn in the northern part of the map. This region is more densely populated and not as difficult yet. However, the beginning won’t be easy, as many of the usual food sources are missing. We recommend lingering in the initial zone longer than in Chernarus and stocking up on the essentials. The regions around the Biela River, which runs from east to west, are best for the early game. The largest locations are Brena and Tarnow.
In the middle part of the map, the dense forest increases, making it harder to orient yourself. The distance between larger towns also decreases. You should definitely head to Topolin, the largest city on the map. Radunin also has a lot of loot for you, but it’s a constantly contaminated zone.
In the southern part of the map, you can find the best loot, but you’ll have to navigate through a large swamp and forest area. The city of Nadbór should be on your list. Otherwise, there are many smaller hideouts with incredibly good loot, but they’re hidden deep in the woods.
2. Staying Warm and Dry
Livonia is cold and wet, so you’ll need to ensure your clothing doesn’t get soaked, leading to illness. Always keep your immune system working as well as possible by not going hungry or thirsty. Avoid walking directly in the open rain, and use trees and houses for protection.
Otherwise, clothes with high water resistance are very beneficial. We’ve already done a complete guide on this if you want to learn more (DayZ Clothing: Optimise Your Protection in the Survival Game) . You can also wring out your clothes and don’t always need a campfire to dry them.
3. Efficient Food Searching
Since there are no fruit trees and regular loot is also rarer, you’ll need to rely on nature. Thankfully, Livonia is full of it! Mushrooms near haystacks are perfect for starting out and a good food source right after spawning. With a chicken bone, a stick, and some twine, you can make a makeshift fishing rod and fish in the Biela River. Fish are much more common here than in Chernarus, making them your best source of fresh food. Later on, with a good rifle, you should go hunting when you’re in the southern part of the map.
4. Avoiding Illness
Due to the wet weather, you will likely fall ill more often in Livonia. This should definitely be avoided, as a simple cold can quickly turn into the flu and kill you. Always carry the appropriate medications to prevent this. Multivitamins make you immune to most diseases in DayZ. You can learn more about medications and illnesses in our separate article (DayZ: Ultimate Guide to Health and Healing) .
5. Adrenaline Rush from Increased PvP
In particular, the military points in the south are hotspots for player encounters in Livonia. Since the map is smaller than Chernarus, you should be prepared for such situations. Livonia is significantly more challenging, making these moments even more intense.
However, keep a cool head and try not to rush things! If a situation becomes too risky, retreat and try again later. Surviving is already difficult here, so don’t take unnecessary risks and waste a well-developed character.
Conclusion: Livonia as the Ultimate DayZ Challenge
Livonia is a beautiful map, thanks to its lush vegetation alone. However, it also holds many surprises that can overwhelm unprepared players. Rent one of our servers for DayZ and set it to the Livonia map to face a new challenge with your friends. You will learn a great deal and certainly become a better DayZ player after mastering Livonia!
