Quick answer
Phalanx Pills delay symptoms but do not cure infection. Gene Therapy is the rare single-use cure and takes 30 seconds to prepare.
Confirmed for this version
Know the constraints before you commit
Official game imageOperational sequence
What to do in a live run
- 01Step 1
Treat the first symptom as team information
Coughing and growing audio or visual distortion are not private inconveniences. Call them immediately so the squad can change route, medication and extraction plans before pressure rises.
Official notesS1 - 02Step 2
- 03Step 3
Use Phalanx as a time window
Count the bottle’s remaining doses, use one to reset symptom progress, then spend the window on a concrete next action: regroup, reach a cure, or leave. Do not mistake the reset for recovery.
Official notesS1 - 04Step 4
Brief 01
How infection begins
A zombie grapple can infect you. Risk rises when health is low; failing the grapple or having no stamina makes infection automatic under the documented 0.2.1 rules.
Brief 02
Incubation and onset
Infection incubates before onset. Coughing becomes audible to teammates, while visual and audio distortion intensify as the condition progresses. A quiet interval is not a cure.
Brief 03
Delay versus cure
Each Phalanx bottle has three doses and resets symptom progress without curing infection. Only one Gene Therapy appears per match; its 30-second process cures the user and grants infection immunity, so secure the area and choose the recipient deliberately.
Brief 04
Stamina is part of prevention
Sprinting and melee share the stamina pool used to resist grapples. Arriving at contact with no stamina can turn a routine grab into automatic infection.
Before commitment
Run checklist
- Report the first cough or distortion immediately.
- Track the remaining Phalanx doses.
- Clear the Gene Therapy area before the 30-second process.
- Do not spend all stamina before close contact.
Decision support
Situation → action
| Situation | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First cough or distortion appears | Report it and check the team’s medicine plan | Early disclosure preserves options before symptoms and pressure escalate. |
| Infected, but the route is still controllable | Use Phalanx only with a next destination | It delays symptom progress but cannot cure the infection. |
| Gene Therapy found under pressure | Clear, assign, then craft | The 30-second single cure is too valuable to start without cover. |
FAQ / practical answers
Questions players ask before the next run
What causes infection?
A zombie grapple can infect you. The documented 0.2.1 rules make infection automatic when a grapple is failed or when you have no stamina.
Do Phalanx Pills cure infection?
No. A Phalanx dose resets symptom progress. It is a delay tool, not a cure.
How long does Gene Therapy take?
The official guide describes a 30-second process. Plan cover before starting it.
Does coughing mean I am cured when it stops?
No. Infection has incubation and onset phases. A lull in symptoms is not evidence that infection has been removed.
What is the most reliable prevention?
Avoid grapples and retain stamina for the escape attempt. There is no replacement for keeping contact from becoming a failed grapple.
Updated for the version shown above. Open the sources panel for the related game notes.
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