Perks¶

Each level-up lets you pick one of 57 perks from 5 random choices (6 with Perk Expert, 7 with Perk Master). Most perks are permanent, a few are one-shots, and some carry harsh trade-offs. In two-player mode both players share one set of perks: a pick applies to both. Perks exist in Survival and Quests; Rush and Typ-o Shooter have none.

"Bullet damage" below means any gun projectile's direct hit: bullets, plasma, direct ion hits, Fire Bullets and the perk rings. It excludes flames, explosions, ion blasts, poison and Mr. Melee. Enemy shots always deal a flat 10 that only Shield (and Death Clock) blocks; no other perk reduces or dodges them.

How perk offers work¶

• Each level-up banks one pick. Picks wait until you open the perk prompt, and you can bank several. In quests, each unspent pick takes 1 s off your final time.
• The choices are rolled when you open the menu and stay fixed until you pick one.
• A perk you own isn't offered again, except Instant Winner, Fatal Lottery and Random Weapon.
• Perks 1–27, Man Bomb, Fire Cough, Living Fortress and Tough Reloader are always available. The rest unlock by finishing quests, as listed below.
• Toxic Avenger, Ninja, Perk Master and Greater Regeneration need their base perk first.
• Jinxed, Ammunition Within, Anxious Loader and Monster Vision are rare: each roll that lands on one is thrown back 25% of the time.
• Pyromaniac is only offered while you hold the Flamethrower.
• Once you have Death Clock, these are never offered: Jinxed, Breathing Room, Grim Deal, Highlander, Fatal Lottery, Ammunition Within, Infernal Contract, Regeneration, Greater Regeneration, Thick Skinned and Bandage.
• Some perks are not offered in quest mode, two-player mode or hardcore quest 2.10 (noted per perk). Quest 3.4 (Hidden Evil) always offers Monster Vision first until you own it.
• The Tutorial always offers Sharpshooter, Long Distance Runner, Evil Eyes, Radioactive and Fastshot.

1. Bloody Mess / Quick Learner¶

+30% XP from creature kills. With blood on, projectile hits also spray extra gore. With blood turned off the perk is called Quick Learner.

2. Sharpshooter¶

Locks weapon spread at a low constant: it no longer grows from sustained fire or from getting hit. Adds a laser sight. The trade-off: shots take 5% longer to cycle (×1.05).

3. Fastloader¶

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

4. Lean Mean Exp. Machine¶

Generates 10 XP every 0.25 seconds: 40 XP a second for the rest of the run.

5. Long Distance Runner¶

Keep moving and your top speed climbs past the normal cap: 2.0 → 2.8 (+40%) over about 0.8 s more running. Stopping loses it at once.

6. Pyrokinetic¶

Hold your crosshair on a creature and it flares every 0.5 s: five flames and a scorch mark. The flames are the same fire particles flame weapons spit: each one burns the first creature it touches for up to 8 damage (less as it cools) and chars it darker. A held target takes up to ~23 damage per flare, ×1.5 with Pyromaniac.

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 mode.

9. Alternate Weapon¶

Adds a second weapon slot. The reload key swaps slots, so you can't reload by hand: a weapon reloads only when its clip runs dry, and a stowed weapon's reload pauses until you swap back. Owning the perk slows movement by 20%, and each swap adds 0.1 s before you can fire.

Not offered in two-player mode.

10. Plaguebearer¶

Creatures under 150 HP that come within 30 units of you catch the plague. Infected creatures flee, take 15 damage every 0.5 s, and pass it on to creatures under 150 HP within 45 units. Plague kills count as normal kills (full XP, bonus drops).

After 50 plague kills in a run you stop infecting creatures by touch; after 60 the plague stops spreading. Infections already running keep burning. In co-op both players carry it.

Not offered in hardcore quest 2.10.

11. Evil Eyes¶

The creature under your crosshair freezes in place and can't attack while you hold it there.

12. Ammo Maniac¶

Clip size +25% (at least +1 round) on every weapon you get. Taking it refills your clip.

13. Radioactive¶

A green aura hurts creatures within 100 units of you: (100 − distance) × 0.3 damage three times a second, up to 90 damage/s point-blank. Aura kills give base XP only (no Bloody Mess bonus, no Double Experience) and never drop bonuses. Lizards can't be finished off: the aura leaves them at 1 HP.

14. Fastshot¶

12% less time between shots (×0.88): about 14% more shots per second.

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 mode.

16. Random Weapon¶

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

Not offered 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¶

When a creature's attack (or an Ammunition Within shot) kills you, you explode: every creature within 512 units takes (512 − distance) × 5 damage, up to 2560 point-blank. Its kills drop no bonuses. Dying to enemy shots, Death Clock, Jinxed, Fatal Lottery or Grim Deal doesn't trigger it.

Not offered in quest mode or two-player mode.

20. Telekinetic¶

Hold your crosshair within 24 units of a bonus for 0.65 s to collect it from afar.

21. Perk Expert¶

Perk selection shows 6 choices instead of 5.

Leads to Perk Master.

22. Unstoppable¶

Hits no longer jolt your heading or widen your spread. Damage still applies.

23. Regression Bullets¶

Lets you keep firing during a reload, paying XP instead of ammo. Each shot costs 200 XP per second of the weapon's base reload time (240 for the Assault Rifle), or 4 per second for flamers (8 for the Flamethrower). Needs XP above 0, and XP never goes negative. Firing this way doesn't restart the reload.

24. Infernal Contract¶

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

25. Poison Bullets¶

Each projectile hit has a 1-in-8 chance to poison the target. Poisoned creatures glow red and take 60 damage/s until they die. Toxic Avenger doesn't strengthen bullet poison.

Not offered in hardcore quest 2.10.

26. Dodger¶

Each creature attack has a 1-in-5 chance to miss entirely. Enemy shots can't be dodged. If you also own Ninja, its better odds take over.

Leads to Ninja.

27. Bonus Magnet¶

When the normal 1-in-9 bonus roll fails, Bonus Magnet rolls again at 1-in-10: about 1 kill in 5 drops something instead of 1 in 9. It doesn't affect the pistol's forced weapon drops.

28. Uranium Filled Bullets¶

Bullet damage is doubled (×2).

Unlocked by quest 1.3 (Target Practice).

29. Doctor¶

Bullet damage +20% (×1.2). Also shows a health bar below the creature under your crosshair.

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. Quest 3.4 (Hidden Evil) always offers it first until you own it.

Unlocked by quest 1.7 (Spider Wave Syndrome).

31. Hot Tempered¶

Every 2–9 seconds (random), fires an 8-shot ring of plasma around you, alternating Plasma Minigun and Plasma Rifle. While you have Fire Bullets, the ring is Fire Bullets instead. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

In co-op, each player owns the next random interval as well as elapsed time. Under --preserve-bugs, either player's burst re-rolls the threshold for both.

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 living player loses ⅓ of their health. In exchange, creature attacks deal about ⅔ damage (×0.666) for the rest of the run. Enemy shots still hit for the full 10.

Unlocked by quest 2.3 (Arachnoid Farm).

34. Barrel Greaser¶

Bullet damage +40% (×1.4), and your gun projectiles fly twice as fast (not rockets or flames).

Unlocked by quest 2.5 (Sweep Stakes).

35. Ammunition Within¶

Lets you keep firing during a reload, paying health instead of ammo: 1 HP per shot, 0.15 HP with flamers. The cost counts as a creature hit: Tough Reloader halves it (you're always reloading), Thick Skinned trims it, Dodger and Ninja can dodge it, Shield and Death Clock make it free, and with Highlander every shot is a 10% death roll. If you also own Regression Bullets, that takes priority (XP instead of health). Firing this way doesn't restart the 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).

Not offered in hardcore quest 2.10.

Leads to Toxic Avenger. Unlocked by quest 2.9 (Ghost Patrols).

37. Toxic Avenger¶

Upgrades Veins of Poison: melee attackers get strong poison (180 damage/s) instead. Bullet poison stays weak.

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

38. Regeneration¶

Heals each living player 0.5 HP per second on average, up to 100 HP.

Leads to Greater Regeneration. Unlocked by quest 3.3 (The Killing).

39. Pyromaniac¶

Flame damage ×1.5: Flamethrower, Blow Torch, HR Flamer and Pyrokinetic flares. Fire Bullets count as bullets.

Offered only while you hold the Flamethrower. In co-op it's offered when any living player holds it.

Unlocked by quest 3.5 (Surrounded By Reptiles).

40. Ninja¶

Each creature attack has a 1-in-3 chance to miss entirely. Replaces Dodger's odds.

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

41. Highlander¶

Creature attacks no longer hurt. Instead each one has a flat 10% chance to kill you outright. Dodger and Ninja dodges skip the roll. Enemy shots still hit for 10.

Not offered in quest mode or two-player mode.

Unlocked by quest 3.9 (Deja vu).

42. Jinxed¶

Every 2–4 seconds: a 1-in-10 chance you lose 5 HP (nothing blocks it), and, unless Freeze is active, a random creature may drop dead whatever its health. Jinxed kills give base XP only and never drop bonuses. In the default rules, only living creatures can be selected; corpses are retried within the same ten-retry limit as empty slots.

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¶

Everything runs at 90% speed, you included, so you get more real time to react. Bonus timers and the clock stretch with it.

Unlocked by quest 4.5 (The Massacre).

45. Greater Regeneration¶

Doubles Regeneration's healing: about 1 HP per second on average. Death Clock removes it.

Requires Regeneration. Unlocked by quest 4.7 (Gauntlet).

46. Breathing Room¶

On pick, every player loses ⅔ of their health, and every creature in the arena dies, with no XP and no bonus drops.

Not offered in quest mode.

Unlocked by quest 4.9 (The Annihilation).

47. Death Clock¶

On pick, health is set to 100 and Regeneration and Greater Regeneration are removed. Creature attacks and enemy shots can't hurt you, but health drains to zero over 30 s (3.33 HP/s): you die exactly 30 s later. Medikits stop dropping, and 11 perks are no longer offered (see How perk offers work). An Ammunition Within you already own fires for free; Jinxed accidents still cost 5 HP.

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

48. My Favourite Weapon¶

+2 clip size, now and on every weapon you get later. Weapon bonuses stop dropping.

Unlocked by quest 5.3 (The Fortress).

49. Bandage¶

Each living player heals a random 1–50 HP (rolled separately), up to 100.

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

50. Angry Reloader¶

Halfway through a reload, fires a ring of Plasma Minigun shots: 7 + 4 per second of reload, rounded down (15 for a 2 s reload). Fastloader and Weapon Power Up shorten the reload and shrink the ring; Stationary Reloader just gets you there sooner. Reloads of 0.5 s or less (the Pulse Gun's 0.1 s) never trigger it. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

Unlocked by quest 5.6 (Cross Fire).

51. Ion Gun Master¶

Ion blasts deal 20% more damage over a 20% wider radius (×1.2 each), Man Bomb's included. Direct ion hits count as bullets.

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¶

Every 4 seconds you stand still, you burst 8 ion shots in a ring (alternating Ion Minigun and Ion Rifle, slightly jittered). Moving resets the count. While you have Fire Bullets, the ring is Fire Bullets instead. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

Always available.

54. Fire Cough¶

Every 2–5 seconds (random), you cough a Fire Bullets shot from the muzzle toward your crosshair, with your current spread. Friendly fire applies when enabled.

In co-op, each player owns their timer and next random interval, as with Hot Tempered. --preserve-bugs retains the shared interval.

Always available.

55. Living Fortress¶

Standing still builds bullet damage by 5% a second, up to ×2.5 after 30 s. Moving resets it. In co-op the bonuses multiply: each living player's charge counts.

Always available.

56. Tough Reloader¶

Creature attacks deal half damage (×0.5) while you're reloading.

Always available.

57. Lifeline 50-50¶

Instantly removes every other creature in the arena (roughly half), with no XP and no corpses. Creatures above 500 HP and nests are spared.

See also: Original bugs · Perk runtime reference (RE)