Most Dangerous Afflictions In The Long Dark

Key Takeaways

• Infections pose a serious danger, leading to rapid condition loss and eventual death if left untreated.
• Afflictions like Hypothermia, Dysentery, and Intestinal Parasites are resource-intensive to cure and will quickly deplete the player’s condition if ignored.
• Blood Loss and Suffocation rapidly kill, causing quick condition loss or instant death if not immediately addressed.

Developed by Hinterland Studio and released in 2017, The Long Dark is a realistic single-player survival game. Following a plane crash caused by a geomagnetic storm, players find themselves trapped in the Canadian wilderness with no hope of escape. Humanity has seemingly disappeared overnight, leaving their buildings to be claimed by the elements. This is a fight for survival that only those who can learn to live alongside Mother Nature will endure.

Afflictions play a pivotal role in adding danger and variety to survival. Players not only have to work within the limits of Mother Nature but also of their own bodies, whether that be broken bones, blood loss, or infections. Many afflictions are deadly if left untreated.

8 Frostbite

Permanent Condition Loss

Frostbite occurs when players’ body parts are exposed to extended periods of freezing cold while uncovered by clothes. Every instance of frostbite permanently reduces a player’s maximum condition by 10%. It is possible for players to drastically reduce their maximum condition with multiple frostbite afflictions, especially on harder difficulties.

While severe, this affliction is not lethal unless in massive amounts. For this condition to kill, players would have to venture out into the wilds wearing no clothes. It is also one of a few afflictions that will warn players that they are at risk of developing it long before it sets in.

7 Scurvy

A Quiet Killer

Scurvy is an affliction that occurs when a player’s vitamin C level (a hidden stat) reaches zero. Those with this affliction will experience a slight decrease in condition alongside decreased carrying capacity and greater fatigue and stamina degradation. These debuffs make treating scurvy difficult as it involves eating food high in vitamin C. Given most such foods are not craftable, penalties to fatigue and condition make gathering them all the more dangerous. If left untreated, players with scurvy will eventually die.

Compared to other lethal afflictions, the debuffs imposed by scurvy are relatively mild, especially the rate of condition loss. Contracting this affliction is far from ideal, but it is one of the less dangerous lethal diseases.

6 Infection

A Deadly Disease

Infections can develop from blood loss afflictions when they are not fully disinfected. Those dealing with this affliction will experience rapid condition loss and increased fatigue degradation. Exploring while suffering from an infection is incredibly risky as low conditions can make wildlife encounters deadly, and fatigue can quickly drop to zero, further increasing the rate of condition loss. Infections are lethal if left untreated.

While it is a significant threat to players, infections can be prevented, unlike most lethal afflictions. Players will develop an infection risk that they will have several hours to treat before it becomes an infection.

5 Hypothermia

An Icy Death

Players develop hypothermia by freezing for extended periods. While suffering from hypothermia, condition loss from freezing is doubled, and fatigue degrades rapidly, making continued exploration at sub-zero temperatures hazardous. This affliction is particularly deadly for new characters who lack adequate shelter or sufficient resources to recover. Without prolonged exposure to warmth, players will die.

Unlike most lethal afflictions, hypothermia does not require specific resources such as antibiotics or antiseptics to treat. As such, it is less threatening to established characters who will likely have the necessary fuel, food, and water needed to recover.

4 Dysentery

A Quick Killer

Dysentery is an affliction caused by drinking unsafe drinking water. Players with this affliction will experience rapid condition loss and high levels of thirst and fatigue degradation. Failure to find suitable shelter and resources to treat this condition will lead to death. This affliction is resource-intensive to cure, requiring antibiotics, large amounts of water, and a safe sleeping location.

Dysentery is a disease that punishes the struggling, as players will usually only drink dirty water out of desperation, and large amounts of clean water are required to cure it. Hunting for the resources needed to remedy this affliction is incredibly difficult given the high rate of condition decrease.

3 Intestinal Parasites

A Game Altering Affliction

Intestinal parasites are gained by consuming predator meat on Stalker, Interloper, or Misery difficulty. Once struck with this affliction, players will lose a small amount of their maximum health and maximum fatigue every day until the affliction is cured, or they die. Be warned, these maximums will still decrease after treatment has started. Given that this condition takes 10-20 days to treat (depending on the difficulty), players are left with very low conditions during later weeks.

Intestinal parasites require far more time and resources than any other affliction to cure. It is also a death sentence for unprepared players without a stockpile of antibiotics, food, and adequate shelter.

2 Blood Loss

Rapidly Deadly

Players receive blood loss from predator struggles and timberwolf attacks. A huge 30% of condition is lost per hour while suffering from this affliction. Given players already need to have been significantly injured to acquire this affliction, this rapid rate of condition degradation can be deadly in a matter of real-world minutes. Doubly so, given blood loss maximizes the player’s scent value, increasing the risk of subsequent attacks.

While curing this affliction only requires a single, craftable bandage, applying it takes a few minutes. As such, players must distance themselves from any predators before applying a bandage, all the while rapidly losing their remaining condition.

1 Suffocation

Death In A Matter Of Seconds

Suffocation occurs when players are exposed to toxic gas found in a handful of locations in Survival mode and Wintermute. Entering such places should be avoided at all costs, as players will die after merely 30-60 seconds of exposure, depending on the difficulty and game mode. For players looking to rush through the gas, extreme caution is advised. Visual distortions can make navigating through it incredibly difficult.

There is no way to treat suffocation. Suffocation can only be avoided using the allusive respirators and canisters, but the moment a canister fully degrades, the player will immediately begin suffocating.