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Days Gone Guide

How To Deal With Hordes In Days Gone

The best way to deal with Hordes in Days Gone is to attack during the day while the Freakers are hibernating.

3 min readUpdated Jun 2026Verified by GamiDev

Quick Answer

The best way to deal with Hordes in Days Gone is to attack during the day while the Freakers are hibernating. Stock up on ammo, explosives, healing items, and crafting materials beforehand, then use Napalm Molotovs, Attractor Bombs, and environmental explosives to thin the Horde before the chase begins.

Smaller Hordes in Cascade are a great place to practice before tackling the massive swarms found later in the game. Learning Horde routes, scouting their locations, and setting traps ahead of time can make a huge difference.

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Full Guide

How Hordes Work In Days Gone

Hordes are one of the most dangerous challenges in Days Gone. Each Horde consists of dozens or even hundreds of Freakers moving together between feeding grounds, water sources, and hibernation locations.

Before engaging a Horde, it helps to understand their routine. Every Horde has a resting location and several nearby areas where they travel at night. Learning these routes lets you choose the battlefield instead of being caught off guard.


Track Horde Locations

When you discover a Horde, you'll eventually see markers that reveal its activity zones.

These markers generally show:

  • The Horde's hibernation location
  • Feeding areas
  • Water sources

Understanding these locations helps you determine the safest approach and the best place to start the fight.


Attack During The Day

The easiest time to fight a Horde is during daylight hours.

During the day, Freakers gather inside caves, tunnels, buildings, and other dark locations to sleep. Because they are grouped together, players can use stealth to get close and unleash devastating attacks before the Horde becomes active.

Starting a fight this way can eliminate a large portion of the Horde before the real battle even begins.


Use The Right Explosives

Explosives are often more effective than firearms when dealing with large groups.

Molotovs and Napalm Molotovs are excellent for tightly packed groups of Freakers and can burn dozens at once.

Pipe Bombs and Grenades deal heavy damage to nearby enemies and work well when Freakers are chasing close behind.

Attractor Bombs lure Freakers together before exploding, making them perfect for maximizing kills.

Remote Bombs are ideal for ambushes and can be placed around Horde sleeping areas before combat begins.

Proximity Bombs work best in narrow pathways where Freakers naturally funnel together.


Set Up An Ambush

One of the safest strategies is to scout Horde locations at night while they are away from their sleeping area.

This gives you time to:

  • Locate resource containers
  • Identify escape routes
  • Place Remote Bombs
  • Find environmental traps

When the Horde returns during the day, your traps are already waiting for them.


Keep Moving During Combat

Once the Horde notices you, mobility becomes your greatest weapon.

Stay near your bike when possible and always know where your next escape route is. Sprinting through narrow paths, forcing Freakers through chokepoints, and leading them toward explosives can dramatically reduce the Horde's numbers.

Standing still usually ends badly.


Practice Before Taking On Larger Hordes

If you're nervous about fighting Hordes, spend time in Horde Assault or the Challenges mode.

These modes allow you to experiment with weapons, explosives, and strategies without risking resources from the main game.

The more comfortable you become fighting large groups, the easier the story Hordes will feel later on.


Final Thoughts

Every Horde in Days Gone can feel overwhelming at first, but preparation makes all the difference. Bring enough ammo, stock up on explosives, scout the area beforehand, and fight on your terms whenever possible.

And remember, if a 500-Freaker Horde sends you running for your life the first time, you're definitely not the only one.

Video

What You Need

  • Fully stocked ammunition
  • Bike saddlebags filled with ammo
  • Molotovs or Napalm Molotovs
  • Attractor Bombs
  • Pipe Bombs or Grenades
  • Medkits
  • Crafted stat cocktails

Best Strategy

  1. Scout the Horde location at night.
  2. Place Remote Bombs around the hibernation area.
  3. Return during the day when the Horde is sleeping.
  4. Open with a Napalm Molotov or Attractor Bomb.
  5. Lead the Horde through traps and environmental explosives.
  6. Use your bike as a backup escape plan.

Tips

  • Start with smaller Hordes in Cascade before attempting larger regions.
  • Always craft explosives before leaving camp.
  • Look for fuel trucks, explosive barrels, and other environmental hazards.
  • Save your strongest explosives for the largest clusters of Freakers.
  • Don't panic if the Horde starts chasing you. Most successful Horde fights involve a lot of running.

Related Guides

How To Deal With Hordes In Days Gone | Horde Guide | Gami