Perks¶

Perks are passive abilities chosen on level-up. The player picks one from a random selection of 5 (or more with Perk Expert / Perk Master). Most perks are permanent, some are instant one-shots, and a few carry harsh trade-offs. In two-player mode, perk counts are shared: picking a perk on either player grants it to both.

This page documents all 58 perks with exact numbers and interaction rules. For decompiler-level details on where each perk runs in the game loop, see Perk runtime reference.

0. AntiPerk¶

Internal sentinel. Never offered to the player.

1. Bloody Mess / Quick Learner¶

+30% XP from creature kills. When blood effects are enabled, projectile hits produce extra gore decals and blood particles. The perk's name and description switch between "Bloody Mess" and "Quick Learner" depending on the blood toggle.

2. Sharpshooter¶

Nearly eliminates weapon spread (forced to a very low baseline) and adds a laser sight. The trade-off is a 5% slower fire rate.

3. Fastloader¶

Reload time is 30% shorter (×0.7 multiplier).

4. Lean Mean Exp. Machine¶

Generates 10 XP every 0.25 seconds. Stacks linearly with itself.

5. Long Distance Runner¶

Movement speed continues ramping beyond the normal cap of 2.0, up to 2.8, as long as the player keeps moving. Stopping causes speed to decay rapidly.

6. Pyrokinetic¶

While the crosshair is near a creature, Pyrokinetic decrements that creature's shared collision timer. When it wraps, the timer resets to 0.5 seconds and a heat flare triggers: a burst of particles and a random decal at the target. Purely visual; no damage.

7. Instant Winner¶

Immediately grants +2500 XP. Can be picked multiple times.

8. Grim Deal¶

Immediately grants +18% of current XP, then kills the player.

Not offered in quest mode or two-player sessions.

9. Alternate Weapon¶

Adds a second weapon slot. Press reload to swap between them. Carrying two weapons reduces movement speed by 20%, and swapping adds a brief firing delay (+0.1 s cooldown) to prevent instant swap-firing.

Not offered in two-player mode.

10. Plaguebearer¶

The player becomes a disease carrier. Nearby weak creatures (under 150 HP, within 30 units) get infected. Infected creatures take 15 damage every 0.5 seconds, and the infection spreads to other creatures within 45 units. Each infection kill increments a global counter that gradually suppresses further spreading. The plague burns itself out over time. Shared across all players.

Suppressed in hardcore quest 2.10.

11. Evil Eyes¶

The creature nearest the crosshair (within 12 units) is frozen in place (no AI, no movement) as long as it stays targeted.

12. Ammo Maniac¶

Clip size increases by 25% (at least +1 round). The bonus applies whenever a weapon is assigned, so it persists across weapon swaps and reloads.

13. Radioactive¶

A green aura damages creatures within 100 units. The shared collision timer (0.5 s period) decrements at 1.5× rate, giving an effective tick interval of 0.33 s. Damage scales with proximity: (100 − distance) × 0.3. Kills from the aura award XP directly.

14. Fastshot¶

Fire rate is 12% faster (shot cooldown ×0.88).

15. Fatal Lottery¶

50/50 coin flip: either +10 000 XP or instant death. Can be picked multiple times.

Not offered in quest mode or two-player sessions.

16. Random Weapon¶

Immediately assigns a random unlocked weapon (never the pistol, never the current weapon). Can be picked multiple times.

Not available in two-player mode.

17. Mr. Melee¶

When a creature hits the player in melee, the player automatically counter-attacks for 25 damage. The player still takes the contact damage normally.

18. Anxious Loader¶

During a reload, each fire press shaves 0.05 seconds off the remaining reload time. Mash to reload faster.

19. Final Revenge¶

On death, the player explodes with a 512-unit blast radius. Damage falls off linearly: (512 − distance) × 5.

Not offered in quest mode or two-player sessions.

20. Telekinetic¶

Aim at a bonus pickup within 24 units for 650 ms to collect it remotely.

21. Perk Expert¶

Perk selection shows 6 choices instead of 5.

Unlocks Perk Master.

22. Unstoppable¶

Getting hit no longer disrupts aim or movement: no knockback, no spread penalty. Damage still applies normally.

23. Regression Bullets¶

Lets the player fire during a reload by spending XP instead of ammo. Cost per shot is based on weapon reload time: ×4 for fire-type weapons, ×200 otherwise. XP can't go negative. While this perk (or Ammunition Within) is active, reloads can't be restarted mid-reload.

24. Infernal Contract¶

Immediately grants +3 levels and +3 pending perk picks, but drops every alive player to 0.1 health.

Not offered while Death Clock is active.

25. Poison Bullets¶

Each projectile hit has a 1-in-8 chance to poison the target. Poisoned creatures take continuous damage (60/s normally, 180/s with Toxic Avenger) and show a red aura. Poison damage triggers normal hit effects like flash and knockback.

Suppressed in hardcore quest 2.10.

26. Dodger¶

Each incoming hit has a 1-in-5 chance of being dodged entirely. If Ninja is also owned, Ninja's better odds take over and Dodger does nothing.

Unlocks Ninja.

27. Bonus Magnet¶

When a kill doesn't naturally spawn a bonus, Bonus Magnet gives a second chance roll. Stacks with the pistol's built-in bonus boost.

28. Uranium Filled Bullets¶

Bullet damage is doubled (×2).

Unlocked by quest 1.3 (Target Practice).

29. Doctor¶

Bullet damage is increased by 20% (×1.2). Also shows a health bar below the creature nearest the crosshair, using the same targeting as Pyrokinetic and Evil Eyes.

Unlocked by quest 1.5 (Alien Dens).

30. Monster Vision¶

Every creature gets a yellow highlight behind it, making them easy to spot. Creature shadows are hidden while this perk is active.

Unlocked by quest 1.7 (Spider Wave Syndrome).

31. Hot Tempered¶

Periodically fires an 8-shot ring of plasma projectiles (alternating Plasma Minigun and Plasma Rifle) centered on the player. The interval is randomized between 2 and 9 seconds after each burst. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

Unlocked by quest 1.9 (Nesting Grounds).

32. Bonus Economist¶

Timed bonus pickups last 50% longer.

Unlocked by quest 2.1 (Everred Pastures).

33. Thick Skinned¶

On pick, every alive player's health drops to ⅔ (minimum 1). In exchange, all incoming damage is permanently reduced to ⅔. The damage reduction is applied before dodge rolls.

Not offered while Death Clock is active.

Unlocked by quest 2.3 (Arachnoid Farm).

34. Barrel Greaser¶

Bullet damage is increased by 40% (×1.4) and bullets travel at double speed.

Unlocked by quest 2.5 (Sweep Stakes).

35. Ammunition Within¶

Lets the player fire during a reload by paying health instead of ammo. Cost per shot is 1 HP normally, 0.15 HP for fire-type weapons. The health cost goes through normal damage processing, so Thick Skinned, Dodger, and Ninja can reduce or negate it. If Regression Bullets is also owned, it takes priority (XP cost instead of health). Reloads can't be restarted mid-reload.

Unlocked by quest 2.7 (Survival Of The Fastest).

36. Veins of Poison¶

When a creature hits the player in melee and the shield bonus isn't active, that creature gets poisoned (60 damage/s).

Suppressed in hardcore quest 2.10.

Unlocks Toxic Avenger. Unlocked by quest 2.9 (Ghost Patrols).

37. Toxic Avenger¶

Upgrades Veins of Poison. Melee attackers receive strong poison (180 damage/s) instead of weak.

Requires Veins of Poison. Unlocked by quest 3.1 (The Blighting).

38. Regeneration¶

Heals each alive player toward 100 HP at 0.5 HP/s. Every frame has a 50% chance to heal +dt HP. Only triggers between 0 and 100 HP.

Unlocks Greater Regeneration. Unlocked by quest 3.3 (The Killing).

39. Pyromaniac¶

Fire weapon damage is increased by 50% (×1.5).

Only offered when the current weapon is the Flamethrower.

Unlocked by quest 3.5 (Surrounded By Reptiles).

40. Ninja¶

Each incoming hit has a 1-in-3 chance of being dodged entirely. Overrides Dodger when both are owned.

Requires Dodger. Unlocked by quest 3.7 (Spiders Inc.).

41. Highlander¶

Damage no longer reduces health. Instead, every hit has a flat 10% chance of instant death. Hit disruption (knockback, spread penalty) still applies unless Unstoppable is active.

Not offered in quest mode or two-player sessions.

Unlocked by quest 3.9 (Deja vu).

42. Jinxed¶

Random events on a global timer (randomized 2–4 second interval): 10% chance of taking 5 self-damage, and if the Freeze bonus isn't active, a random creature may instantly die, awarding its XP.

Unlocked by quest 4.1 (Major Alien Breach).

43. Perk Master¶

Perk selection shows 7 choices instead of 5 (or 6 with Perk Expert).

Requires Perk Expert. Unlocked by quest 4.3 (Lizard Zombie Pact).

44. Reflex Boosted¶

The entire game world runs 10% slower (frame time ×0.9). Effectively a global slow-motion effect.

Unlocked by quest 4.5 (The Massacre).

45. Greater Regeneration¶

Upgrades Regeneration: when a regen tick triggers, heal amount is doubled (+2×dt instead of +dt), for an effective average heal rate of about 1 HP/s. Death Clock clears it on pick.

Requires Regeneration. Unlocked by quest 4.7 (Gauntlet).

46. Breathing Room¶

On pick, every alive player's health drops to ⅓, and every creature on screen is killed instantly without awarding XP.

Unlocked by quest 4.9 (The Annihilation).

47. Death Clock¶

On pick, health is set to 100 and Regeneration / Greater Regeneration are cleared. For the next 30 seconds the player is immune to all other damage, but health drains steadily to zero (100 HP over 30 s). Medikits stop spawning, and perks that would undermine the clock (Regeneration, Thick Skinned, Highlander, Jinxed, etc.) are blocked from selection.

Unlocked by quest 5.2 (The Spanking Of The Dead).

48. My Favourite Weapon¶

+2 clip size on pick and on every future weapon assignment. Weapon bonus pickups are disabled entirely. They won't spawn and can't be collected.

Unlocked by quest 5.3 (The Fortress).

49. Bandage¶

Restores each alive player's health by a random amount from +1 to +50 HP (1-50% of the full 100-HP bar), then clamps to 100. Each player gets an independent roll.

Unlocked by quest 5.5 (Knee-deep in the Dead).

50. Angry Reloader¶

Halfway through a reload (when the timer crosses 50%), fires a ring of Plasma Minigun projectiles centered on the player. Projectile count is 7 + floor(reload time × 4) (for example: 15 projectiles at a 2.0 s reload). Only triggers when reload time exceeds 0.5 s. Benefits from Stationary Reloader's 3× reload speed. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

Unlocked by quest 5.6 (Cross Fire).

51. Ion Gun Master¶

Ion weapon damage and blast radius are both increased by 20% (×1.2). The damage bonus is global: any ion damage is scaled, regardless of which player owns the perk.

Unlocked by quest 5.8 (Monster Blues).

52. Stationary Reloader¶

Reload speed triples (×3) while standing still.

Unlocked by quest 5.9 (Nagolipoli).

53. Man Bomb¶

Standing still charges an explosion timer (starts at 4 seconds). When it fires, 8 ion projectiles spray out in a ring with slight angular jitter, alternating Ion Minigun and Ion Rifle. Moving resets the timer to zero after this check. In practice that means a very long moving frame can still trigger one burst before the reset. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

54. Fire Cough¶

Every 2–5 seconds (randomized), involuntarily fires a single Fire Bullets projectile from the muzzle, complete with weapon fire sound effects and a small smoke sprite. The shot inherits the current weapon spread. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

55. Living Fortress¶

While standing still, a timer ramps up over 30 seconds. Bullet damage is multiplied by (timer × 0.05 + 1), reaching up to ×2.5 at full charge. Moving resets the timer. In multiplayer, the bonus stacks: each alive player with a charged timer contributes their own multiplier.

56. Tough Reloader¶

Damage taken while reloading is halved (×0.5).

57. Lifeline 50-50¶

On pick, every other creature on screen is instantly removed (no XP awarded). The selection alternates through creature pool slots, skipping creatures with more than 500 HP or special flags.