Water is a game element was first added in the v0.2.2 "Blood in the water" update. It is a unique type of terrain that slows movement when waded through. Initially, it was a minor feature, covering a small area that surrounded the island, but in later updates, the water became more prevalent as rivers, and more Bunkers got added.
Mechanics[]
When a player enters the water, they experience slower movement speed (unless equipped with the One With Nature Perk) and create a ripple effect in the form of white expanding circles as they move through it. Water has depth, and the further into a body of water a Player wades, the greater the slowing effect becomes, to a maximum of -2. As agile movement is often vital to most open combat scenarios, water usually serves as a disadvantageous terrain when attempting to escape or engage in a fight. When water is in a River, it emits a flowing sound, and any items within it will move in a uniform direction, usually from one side of the island to the other. This current has no effect on survivrs, who experience the usual slow down effect. Explosions and Air Drop landings that occur in water create a splashing sound and create numerous ripples. On the Storm Map, waves are visible and water in rivers move faster. All variations of water are functionally identical, aside from Snow Map, which serves instead as a primary island texture.
Ice[]
Ice is a form of water that was added in v0.9.0 "Stay frosty" update and is used in the Snow Map. The mechanics of ice work differently from water, whereas instead of being slowed down, you will move much faster. Not moving will result into sliding in the direction you were moving towards before until you hit land.
Lava[]
Lava is a substitute of water in Inferno Mode, except water in bunkers. It was added in v1.0.0 “NEW MODE: INFERNO”. Like ice, the mechanics work differently from water, when standing/walking/5 seconds after away from lava, there will be an effect your health, adding a Burning effect to you, slowly draining your health, while setting you on fire. In conclusion, lava is deadly, different from water. Another thing is that unlike water, the sound effect when you become near lava, is like a “boiling” sound.
Countering[]
- With Phoenix perk, staying on lava will heal slowly without reducing health.
- Throw a Foam Grenade to a thin lava so you can pass straight through lava without any effects.
- Find a Bridge to cross the lava.
Strategies[]
- As water will slow you down, it will prove as a handicap in a fight, so try to stay away from water (unless you had One With Nature perk) during contact with an opponent.
- If you can apply pressure, try to move your opponent towards a body of water, as they will be forced to go in it, meaning they are slowed, which in turn allows you to hit more shots. If they cross a bridge, you can use the strategies on the specific pages to finish your enemy.
Trivia[]
- At the edges of the sea, the water terrain stops and reveals the barrier, a texture that spans the underneath of the entire map.
- Water partially envelops a survivr's body as they wade into it, and covers more of them as they wade in. Strangely, hands and backpacks are never covered in water.
- The One With Nature Perk adds to your speed in water, giving an advantage especially in large river and lake battles.
- Blood is the only variant of water to have its ripple effect be darker than its base color.
- It would not make sense for ice to cover the water in the Snow Map because of waves making the water constantly moving, but waves are only visible on the Storm Map.
- The Desert Map has murkier water than the normal map.
- Mines will also have the ripple effect, so it is easier to spot them.
- Somehow, SOMEWAY, when a grenade lands on ICE, a SOLID ITEM, it makes a SPLASH NOISE. HUH?