Though it has been in Alpha since 2013, 7 Days to Die can still be enjoyed in 2020. The survival crafting horror game brings together elements from The Forest or Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners and from sandbox building games like Minecraft to let players both build the kinds of bases they want and focus on surviving the multiple zombie attacks. Players have the opportunity to create sweeping bases full of traps, which can include structures that enhance their ability to survive, but they will still need to venture into more dangerous territory and leave themselves open to attacks to grab certain supplies and find more advanced building schematics.
As with most games, players might be looking for new content to provide a new or enhanced gaming experience. This is where mods can be especially useful. Mods can extend the shelf-life of a game and improve replayability. There are many modders still creating and updating mods for 7 Days to Die, meaning many of the mods currently available are compatible with the most recent version of the game. Here are some of the best mods for 7 Days to Die in 2020.
Best 7 Days to Die Mods
The best mods for 7 Days to Die help with survival by increasing inventory capacity and stack sizes, adjusting the HUD to show more survival meters, and adding more loot and skill points. Here are some of the best-liked ones that were made or updated in 2020.
SMX
Widely regarded as one of the best mods of all time for 7 Days to Die, SMX by Sirillion enhances the user interface for the game. There are several modlets players will need to install to ensure everything works properly. Players will need to install the core mod prior to any of the other modlets to ensure it all works properly. It is a good idea to read the instructions carefully before installing this one.
More Skill Points per Level
For players who want more flexibility in their combat style, more skill points are a must. This mod, created by Adardowen on Nexus Mods, increases the number of skill points players earn per level from 2-10. The player needs to choose how many extra skill points they want and only install the corresponding file. These will not apply retroactively to a current save.
Faster Crafting
Part of the fun of 7 Days to Die is the ability to craft. Crafting can typically take a lot of time. For those players in need of a little instant gratification, the Faster Crafting mod by StrikerMack on Nexus Mods decreases crafting time by a lot.
PhD Better 30K Stacks
The items players gather in 7 Days to Die will sometimes stack. However, there is a limit to how many items will stack in an item slot. The PhD Better 30K Stacks mod increases the stack size to 30K for items and blocks.
Zombie Loot by Sechsterversuch
If players are looking for more loot after a fight, they'll want to install the Zombie Loot by Sechsterversuch mod. This mod allows zombies to drop 30% more backpacks all over the world that will remain on location for two hours.
A19 HUD Plus
Some players prefer different meters and tools to be available in the game's HUD. The latest updates to the game have changed the HUD around somewhat. The A19 HUD Plus mod by Riles was specifically made to compact the new HUD while still making it useful to a variety of situations in the game.
PhD Bigger Backpack and Secure Storage Chest
Modder PhDGaming has several useful and highly praised mods for 7 Days to Die, including one that increases the storage capacity of the player's backpack and chests. The PhD Bigger Backpack and Secure Storage Chest mod increases the backpack's capacity to 120 slots and increases the storage chest to 143 slots so players can hoard more materials and items for later.
Custom Perks - Prestige Skills
If players want to earn new perks to help them excel at certain skills in the game, like mining or farming or mastery with certain weapons and tools, they can spend extra skill points and build a unique game experience with the Custom Perks - Prestige Skills mod by Zuzulol. This mod adds 50 new skill perks that can be leveled up like regular skill perks in the game. Players should try this one on harder difficulties or near the end of a game as a place to put all their extra skill points.
How to Install Mods for 7 Days to Die
There are two ways for players to install mods for 7 Days to Die. The easiest way is to simply unzip the mod folder once it has been downloaded and move the mods into the game's Mods folder. Players can follow the instructions below for easy installation on PC:
- Download the desired mods for 7 Days to Die.
- Open Steam and navigate to your Library.
- Find 7 Days to Die and right-click, then choose Properties.
- Choose Local Files, then select Browse Local Files.
- Find the Mods folder. If there is no Mods folder, create one, paying attention to proper capitalization.
- Open a new File Explorer window. Navigate to the downloaded mod and Extract All files from the zipped folder.
- Copy the extracted files that end in ModInfo.xml into the Mods folder.
- Start the game.
If the mod does not work, players may not have installed it correctly or may not have installed all the necessary files. It's a good idea to read all instructions that come with each mod to ensure they work in the game.
7 Days to Die is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.