7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die Traps — Damage, Power & Unlocks

ByYurii LuzhkoSource: 7 Days to Die V3.3 game files
15 traps6 electric9 without power

7 Days to Die has 15 traps a player can build. 6 run on electricity — the Electric Fence Post, Dart Trap and Blade Trap and 3 auto turrets — and unlock through the Traps skill (Electrical Traps magazines), from 25 for the first three to 100 for the M60 Auto Turret. 9 need no power: spikes, barbed wire, loose-board floors and 4 land mines.

Electric traps need a power source and a wire — see how electricity works.

Electric traps and turrets

TrapDrawPer hitRangeHit pointsUnlocks atTrader stage
Electric Fence Post5Shocked, 4 s—200Traps 251
Dart Trap1045 per dart—2,500Traps 2525
Blade Trap2020—2,000Traps 2555
Shotgun Auto Turret159 × 8 pellets15 m1,000Traps 5055
SMG Auto Turret1532 per shot30 m1,000Traps 7555
M60 Auto Turret1550 per shot40 m1,000Traps 10055

Per hit: Damage / EntityDamage in blocks.xml; the dart's comes from the Iron Dart in items.xml; the fence applies the Shocked status instead (buffs.xml duration). Trader stage: the lowest stage at which a trader can roll it.

Many actions and events will cause a local increase on the Activity Map.

What affects the Activity Map:

- Flickering torches and to a lesser degree candles.

- Any workstation that burns fuel.

- Gunfire and explosions.

- Motor tools like chainsaws.

- Active traps like blade traps or shotgun turrets.

- Hitting or destroying metal or glass blocks or slamming metal doors.

If an area is 'hot' you will eventually have zombie scouts snooping around. If they spot you they will call in reinforcements.

Limit or stop these activities and this area will 'cool down' on it's own.

Lights or sounds are counted regardless of being noticeable to a player standing out in the open.

Electric generators or lights do not register.

In-game journal tip — Activity Map

Traps that need no power

TrapDamageDamage receivedHit pointsRecipe (backpack)
Wood Spikes Trap333310020 Wood
Iron Spikes Trap33332004 Forged Iron
Barbed Wire Fence165010 Iron, 10 Wood
Loose Boards Block 1x1——1005 Nails, 20 Wood
Loose Boards Block 3x3——10030 Nails, 180 Wood
  • Wood Spikes Trap upgrades to Iron Spikes Trap with 4 Forged Iron.
  • Loose Boards Block 1x1: gives way 0.25 s after it is stepped on (TriggerDelay).
  • Loose Boards Block 3x3: gives way 0.8 s after it is stepped on (TriggerDelay), 3 × 3 blocks.

Spike traps are your first and earliest line of defense. They slow down and damage enemies. Place them using the secondary action.

Barbed wire fences made from wood and iron can slow down enemies, making them easier to deal with. Place them by using the secondary action.

A false floor or trap that will disintegrate when stepped on.

In-game block descriptions — Wood Spikes Trap, Barbed Wire Fence and Loose Boards Block 1x1

Land mines

MineDamageRadius (entities)Radius (blocks)RecipeUnlocks at
Tin Land Mine25052Backpack: 4 Iron, 4 Gunpowder, 10 NailsKnown
Cooking Pot Mine30032Workbench: 1 Forged Iron, 5 Gunpowder, 1 NailsExplosives 10
Hubcap Land Mine45053Workbench: 1 Forged Iron, 8 Gunpowder, 20 NailsExplosives 20
Air Filter Land Mine69054Workbench: 1 Forged Iron, 12 Gunpowder, 30 SpringExplosives 25

Damage is the Explosion EntityDamage in blocks.xml, which the file notes is "damage for entities in the center of the Explosion". Every mine triggers 0.5 s after it is set off and cannot be picked back up (CanPickup false). A comment in the file adds that a mine destroyed by an explosion has a 33% chance to detonate.

Traps skill — what unlocks when

Electrical Traps magazines · Traps 1–100

25Electric Fence Post, Dart Trap, Blade Trap
50Shotgun Auto Turret
75SMG Auto Turret
100M60 Auto Turret

Every electric trap is crafted at the Workbench. Do you have pests? Check out these crazy traps for pest control and home security.

Related

7 Days to Die traps — FAQ

What is the best trap in 7 Days to Die?
The files don't rank them, but they give the numbers: the Blade Trap deals 20 per hit and draws the most power (20); the Dart Trap fires darts at 45 damage each; the M60 Auto Turret hits for 50 out to 40 m. Without power, the Air Filter Land Mine does 690 damage at the centre of its blast.
How do you unlock traps in 7 Days to Die?
Read Electrical Traps magazines; each raises the Traps crafting skill by one. Electric Fence Post, Dart Trap, Blade Trap at 25; Shotgun Auto Turret at 50; SMG Auto Turret at 75; M60 Auto Turret at 100. Cooking Pot Mine, Hubcap Land Mine and Air Filter Land Mine unlock through Explosive Magazine magazines instead; the Tin Land Mine, Wood Spikes Trap, Iron Spikes Trap, Barbed Wire Fence, Loose Boards Block 1x1 and Loose Boards Block 3x3 are known from the start.
Do traps need electricity in 7 Days to Die?
6 do: Electric Fence Post (5), Dart Trap (10), Blade Trap (20), Shotgun Auto Turret (15), SMG Auto Turret (15) and M60 Auto Turret (15) — the number is the power each draws. 9 need none: spikes, barbed wire, loose-board floors and 4 land mines.
How do you make an electric fence in 7 Days to Die?
Craft at least two Electric Fence Posts at a Workbench (5 Forged Iron, 2 Electrical Parts each, Traps 25), place them, wire them together with the Wire Tool and power them. The game's description: "Wire up 2 or more of these and shock your enemies."

Read from the 7 Days to Die V3.3 game files: blocks.xml, items.xml, recipes.xml, progression.xml, buffs.xml, traders.xml and the game's own text (Localization). Icons are the game's. PinDrop is fan-made and not affiliated with The Fun Pimps.