| "¨Driven by the simplest of animal instincts, Biters shamble half-consciously along the streets in search of prey. Sunlight, which is lethal to the virus, dries their skin to the bone. They’re not much of a threat alone, but, like rats, if they surround you, they’ll swarm in and devour your flesh.¨" |
Biters[1] are a common Infected-type in Dying Light, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, and Dying Light: The Beast.
Overview
Biters are victims of the Harran Virus who have been symptomatic for a long period of time, resulting in significant degradation of their bodies as well as major loss of movement, speed, and coordination. They form the majority of the shambling infected throughout Harran, and are the first type of infected the player encounters. Like other infected, they will react to, and eat, both uninfected and unturned individuals. They are visually distinguished from Virals by their significantly more decayed appearance, complete lack of hair and havily torn clothing. They attack with wild, flailing swings or by grabbing and biting their target.
Biters come in four various "archetypes":
- The first and weakest archetype are Biters with grey skin; they are the slowest, least aggressive, and deal the least damage. Most are missing one arm, preventing them from grabbing their target. They also wear little clothing, the male variants in racing shirts and matching shorts and shoes, the other outfit still applies the shorts and shoes, but a different shirt that is short-sleeved and a sling that wraps around their torso diagonally with a small container attached, females wear sleeveless shirts and shorts with slippers, others wear crop tops and skirts whilst bare foot, and the final outfit is a bra and sweatpants. These Biters slowly become more and more uncommon as the player levels up their survivor level, eventually no longer spawning.
- The second archetype retains their skin color and are a bit faster with the ability to move quickly as they reel back their arms to punch their targets as well as being able to grab their prey. They have a chance to be a Toxic Biter when spawned. Toxic Biters cause a small amount of poison damage to their target with each attack, but they can still be killed with Toxic-modified weapons. Getting too close will cause harm to enemies, making Takedowns and Drop Attacks risky as the player is harmed during these attacks. Toxic Biters are easily spotted due to emitting green gas and the toxin turning Biters with white skin yellow and Biters with black skin will be shinier. Second archetype Biters wear the same outfits as the first.
- Third archetype Biters are tougher and deal more damage. They will also sometimes spawn as an "Elemental" Biter, occasionally carrying melee weapons as well. Burning Biters will always spawn as the third archetype. They are distinguished by the different clothes they wear; males are jacketed and with them unzipped and exposing their shirts underneath with jeans, the second outfit consists of a long-sleeve polo with jeans and the bottoms rolled up to half the length of their shins, the final is a tuxedo outfit. The two outfits for the females consist of pants and shoes with varying shirts, one a long-sleeved shirt and the other a buttoned up trench coat.
- The fourth and final archetype are male Biters wearing industrial uniforms made entirely out of rubber, a flannel with overalls, or a set of military armor, these Biters are very burley and much stronger. They often carry melee weapons and can also spawn "Elemental", females can be fourth archetype, but their outfits are the same as the third archetype females, making them indistinguishable between the two often resulting in an unexpectedly tough Biter. All outfits vary in color.
Power XP rewards for killing different archetypes of Biters are as follows:
- 50+
- 125+
- 200+
- 5000+
The plus indicates that a little more XP is occasionally awarded by chance.
Biters are most dangerous in groups where their slow speed is less of a disadvantage. Biters are also fairly quiet at a distance and can be difficult to spot in darker or noisier areas, but can be heard by their heavy breathing and moaning when up close. If hit by fire-type weapons they will light on fire, Toxic Biters will explode, causing a small amount of poison damage to the player and attract the attention of other infected.
Some Biters can occasionally be seen holding simple melee weapons such as hammers, wrenches, pipes, and police batons, etc. Infected police officers, industrial workers and even some of Rais' Men can be seen still carrying these tools. Biters will throw these tools at the player or other survivors if they are at a distance, and will attempt to hit their target with them at close range, causing a larger amount of damage than their standard attack. Biters will often drop these tools after being knocked down, however. Side note: Police officer Biters will react to a dropkick as if it were a standard kick and they cannot be killed with Takedowns — except for drop attacks, this is because of the police hat they often wear, the same applies to Gas Tanks, however they can still be knocked down.
During the night, Biters have a chance to roar to alert nearby Volatiles, the sound they emit is very similar to a Goon's roar when attacking. They will also spontaneously mutate into Night Walkers, either by loud noises — such as the roaring of Biters and explosions, the player is in pursuit running from Volatiles and passes by Biters, or the presence of another Biter being heavily injured by the player. This gains Biters the ability to run and mantle up obstacles like Virals. Night Walkers will also alert all nearby Volatiles upon spotting the player, initiating a pursuit. It takes a few seconds for the mutation to occur, during which the biter will spasm and vomit blood.[2]
02 February 2022
12 February 2016
30 January 2015
Bruiser (The Following)
Exclusively seen in The Following within The Countryside, a new variant of Biter appears titled the Bruiser. While the Bruiser is arguably similar to the early stages of the Goon, Bruisers more likely appear around Biters, therefore possibly indicating that it is more Biter-like. They don't carry around weapons like some Biters do, but they have a powerful-hitting attack that can knock down and stun the player. They can be dismembered like regular infected, although it takes more strikes. Bruisers appear to be shirtless most of the time, with shorts or jeans to wear.
Freaks of Nature
As of yet, only one Biter Freak has been discovered.
- Goliath is the leader of Biters and appears towering over his smaller and quicker Viral counterpart, David. Goliath deals extremely high damage and is very tough, which is balanced by his slow stride. Despite this, he can make a rush towards players, which is intensified by the relatively small island they inhabit.
Variants
Besides the common Biters found throughout the game, a number of variants can be found who are either unique to a specific location, or have unique attributes.
- Toxic Biter: These Biters emit a cloud of greenish gas, and deal toxic damage to the player if they are in close proximity. If these Biters die to fire, their heads will explode, emitting a toxic cloud which does low damage over time and will also attract Virals. Toxic Biters will also tend to vomit as a death animation. Furthermore, their attacks can deal acidic damage over time.
- Burning Biter: This type of Biter is always seen to be set on fire, although is able to walk around and without dying from it. They will set fire to any flammable liquid or objects they walk near, and will deal fire damage to the player if they come into contact with them. Their flames will extinguish shortly after their death or when hit by Conducting liquid, or weapons modified with freezing effects.
- Gas Tank/Hazmat: A unique Toxic Biter variant, this Biter is seen wearing a yellow hazmat suit with an explosive oxygen tank on their back. Their enclosed suits prevent them from biting, but also protect them from fire and dismemberment. Like the Toxic Biter, it shares its death animation with it vomiting, but can be killed when the oxygen tank is hit and explodes in mid-air. It can also be killed if the player deals enough damage, assuming the tank isn't hit during combat (most common with ranged weapons).
- Industrial Worker Biter: These Biters wear tough rubber suits similar to Goons. They have nearly twice as much health as regular Biters, and are noticeably tougher to kill. They carry tools such as hammers, wrenches and pipes and will use them as melee weapons. They are only found in specific industrial areas. In The Following, Biters as tough as Worker Biters appear wearing ragged clothing.
- Rais' Men Biters: Former members of Rais' gang who have been turned into biters, they begin to appear all over Harran once the player reaches Old Town. Like the industrial workers, they have almost twice as much health as regular Biters and as a result are harder to kill. They also sometimes carry melee weapons.
- Police Officer Biter: An infected cop, they are found at the military checkpoint on the other side of the mainland bridge, or in certain areas of Old Town like the police station which are affiliated with law enforcement. They carry police batons and will use them as melee weapons. They are also generally weak in terms of health, usually dying with a single swing of a weapon, or just one bullet to the head.
- Forever Foundation Scientist: A scientist of the Forever Foundation, these are mainly encountered in the Forever Foundation research lab in The Clinic. Despite having been infected for several weeks and behaving like other biters, these biters do not show the usual physical signs of decay and are similar in appearance to Virals. This may be due to having been preserved due to spending the outbreak in the air-conditioned underground lab, Despite wearing facemasks, they can still perform the bite attack.
- Military Biter: Members of Harran's military forces that have turned, and are noted for wearing a light green uniform as well as standing a fair bit taller than normal biters. In the fields, they are fairly resilient and on par of a Rais's Biter on terms of health. Another form of them appears in bulk at various Military Checkpoints in The Following, which can drop valuable ammunition and have the unique ability to mutate into a Night Walker even in daylight. A variant of Military Biters are also appeared in Dying Light: The Beast, which they were members of unknown European armed forces in charge of Caster Woods.
- Bruiser: Exclusive to The Following, the player will often stumble across what can only be described as Biters that have mutated. Bruisers look no different from normal Biters, but will undergo similar mutations to Night Walkers when Kyle Crane approaches them, even in broad daylight. Once mutated, they act identical to Virals in terms of agility and sound, but will look like a standard Biter. This has been known to confuse many once first witnessed. Mutated Biters can be recognized by the distinctive sound they make during transformation, which gives the player a few moments to either prepare themselves for a fight, or to run away. The best way to deal with Mutated Biters, is to act fast and eliminate them mid-transformation.
- Electric Biter: Seen in Dying Light 2 and The Beast, they are biters in jumpsuit wrapped in numerous electric wires and battery, assuming they were electricians before turned. This type of Biters will electrocute everything around them (including themselves) once damaged.
Strategy
- On Normal difficulty, Biters have roughly 150 to 200 health at the beginning of the game, and will increase in health as the player's Survivor Level increases. At maximum Survivor Level 25, Biters have about 350 to 400 health. As Survivor Level increases, Biter health is eventually surpassed by the damage of leveled weapons. At Survivor Level 1, available weapons generally do about 20 to 30 damage, while at Survivor Level 25 they do roughly 700 to 1300 damage and can easily kill any Biter in one hit.
- When fighting one on one without the stomp ability, it is recommended to always aim for the head, causing additional damage. If the player is fighting a group or does have the stomp ability, it is recommended to aim for the body, as the player has a better chance of knocking them over quickly, where the player can then use a finishing move or simply run away un-pursued. If the player is overwhelmed by the biters, it is recommended to retreat immediately and stick to the rooftops as biters cannot climb onto high ledges.
- When fighting groups of them, location is key. Find a narrow area where you only have to deal with two or three at a time. Getting swarmed is the most dangerous risk of fighting groups of biters. The player must also always check behind them, as any biters appearing from that direction may completely trap the player.
- The stomp ability can be extremely useful when killing biters. If the player has obtained this skill, it is recommended for them to climb onto a small ledge (something that the biters can climb up onto), such as the roof of a car and lure biters into their location. When a biter nears the car or tries to climb it, the player can then preform the stomp move to instantly and efficiently kill the biter. Another effective way to use the stomp on them is to kick them to the ground, walk up to their head, and use the ability on them. It may take multiple kicks to bring them down, but it's still a good method.
- Like with most infected, Biters seem to have lost all ability to hold their breath underwater, possibly because they have very low intelligence. If the chance arises, lure them into deep water (water that the player can fully swim in), it will instantly kill them while giving full experience. The player can also knock over any biters that are not fully submerged. This also includes virals and volatiles, even Gas Tanks die instantly when tossed into water. Sometimes you don't even need deep water. It also works if you're in knee-deep water and kick them. It takes a few seconds to register, but it still kills them instantly, and gives you full experience.
- If you are fighting them on a rooftop, it is best to attempt to kick the biters off the roof. Not only is it a good way to kill them, but it can also prove to be humorous due to the game's physics engine, making them tackle and spaz out, while the game rotates them to make them fall onto their heads, killing them instantly.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Biters mark their return in Dying Light 2 Stay Human as the second most common zombie type in the game, but are still the first zombie type encountered. They act with the same type of behavior you would expect from the first game. However this time, they mostly hide in buildings during the day, preferring to roam the streets of Villedor at night to look for, and devour their targets. If exposed to sunlight for an extremely long period of time, due to the sun's UV rays, they will evolve into the final stage of their infection, The Degenerates. They also fear regular UV lights, like if you use the UV flashlight on them if you go through a dark area. Like the first game, their damage, and their health, all depend on the difficulty you play on. Still, it is not a good idea to fight them if they're in groups, like the Degenerates, due to the fact that they can easily overwhelm and quickly surround you. So it's still advisable to take them on separately.
Trivia
- The Harran Virus is not like your average zombie infection. Similarly to The Last of Us's Cordyceps Brain Infection, infected hosts still sometimes rely on other parts of their body than their brain to survive. While the head is the most vulnerable place to attack, you can kill a Biter without even damaging the brain, via dismemberment, poison, electricity, etc.
- Sometimes, however, cutting off one or even both of a biter's legs or feet will not kill them, but they will crawl towards the player or wherever they can still move to. They will also suddenly lunge at the player's ankles and bite them on the legs. This is most commonly seen with biters who have survived an explosion but lost their legs in the process.
- Very rarely, Biters can be found that just stand around and won't attack the player unless directly harmed or being stood in too close of a proximity to them. They are often staring at the ground or sky, making choking or gurgling sounds, possibly due to an inability to swallow, which is almost similar to rabies causing the throat muscles to go into Paralytic Shock of the victim.
- From 20:30-20:40, you can notice all Biters stare towards the sun setting, unbothered by your presence (unless you interact with them). This is both to remind you that it will be Night soon and to hint that the Infected are intelligent enough to understand the time in which they will be at their full power, perhaps due to Classical Conditioning.
- As the story progresses, large, bulbous, fleshy growths can be seen on biters, which tend to pop and leave holes in the biter's flesh when they are damaged. These growths act as a weak spot, and can severely injure or kill the biter.
- Chopping off a Biter's hands or arms, or breaking both of them will prevent them from grabbing or swatting at the player, but they can still bite and headbutt, much like the Walkers in Techland's other zombie game, Dead Island. They can also still get up if knocked down.
- Biters appear to have a permanent angry scowl, giving them the appearance of growling or snarling perpetually. Especially considering that a biter's lips and eyebrows, oddly enough, are still intact after infection. This can be linked to the virus being a variation of rabies, which causes its victim's high aggression.
- There seems to be a difference between the more decayed and less decayed biters. Usually, the Biters straight out of the Viral stage are slightly faster than the more decayed variants of the Biters, but still cannot run.
- Due to their low intelligence, Biters will wander off rooftops if they spot you, implying that their brain function to detect danger has gone with its intelligence.
- Some Biters can be found with their hands on their faces, hinting that either the over-exposure to the sunlight/UV, or the virus itself is causing them pain.
- Biters that are holding weapons can sometimes throw them at the player, which acts as a surprise method and can catch newer players off guard. This is similar to the weapon-wielding zombies in Techland 's other zombie game, Dead Island. Unlike Dead Island, the weapons won't immediately kill you when you get hit, only causing a specific amount of damage.
- Biters in Dying Light 2: Stay Human are sometimes seen eating corpses on the ground.
- An artbook implies that they will also take bites out of each other to stay alive, though this is not depicted in gameplay.
- Many Biters in Dying Light 2: Stay Human can be found in an almost hybernation-like state inside buildings, most often during the daytime, especially inside abandoned GRE sites.
Gallery
Dying Light
Dying light 2: Stay Human
Dying Light: The Beast
References
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