Dead Island 2 | Best cards to unlock

Throughout Dead Island 2 you’ll unlock a varity of skill modifiers in the form of cards. You equip these to your Slayer in one of several slots across four categories: Ability, Survivor, Slayer, and Numen. While it will take a while to unlock all of them and some can be missed, there are a few that you should absolutely keep equipped for the best survivability. Here are the best cards to use in Dead Island 2.

Flying Kick
Type: Ability
What it does: Press R3 while in the air to performa a POWERFUL jump kick attack.
Why you want it: This attack is the next one up from the Dropkick, and while it won’t send regular zombies flying in the same way, it deals more direct damage and can easily kill Shamblers and some Walkers. You can also upgrade it with the Wrecking Ball card, which causes it to WEAKEN zombies you hit.

War Cry
Type: Ability
What it does: Press L1 + R1 to let out a fierce yell that boosts TOUGHNESS for you and nearby squad members. It also WEAKENS nearby zombies.
Why you want it: This is a great skill for clearing some space when you’re in trouble, and it also makes you and your allies tougher for a few seconds. War Cry can be upgraded with the Rallying Cry card, too, which adds HEALTH REGEN to the ability.

Safe Space
Type: Survivor
What it does: Using a medkit triggers a forceful explosion that drains the STAMINA of nearby zombies.
Why you want it: Like the War Cry, this is great for gaining some elbow room. You’ll use medkits alot, and this can be a lifesaver if you’re getting mobbed.

Safety First
Type: Survivor
What it does: A well-timed block or evade regains HEALTH
Why you want it: Pure survivability. If you’re out of medkits and struggling, taking your time and getting those parries in will keep you alive.

Invigorating
Type: Survivor
What it does: Counter attack zombies to regain extra Health – even more than usual.
Why you want it: If you find yourself in a zone with higher level enemies, this is superb as it works in tandem with Safety First and can be the difference between going down in two hits or fogring on.

Dead Eye
Type: Slayer
What it does: Hit a zombie with a CURVEBALL to trigger a Recharge Boost that can stack multiple times.
Why you want it: The Curveballs are incredible for getting out of trouble, but they’re on a long cooldown. As they’re perfect for interrupting the special abilities of zombies like the Screamer, you want them active more often than not. This will speed up their regen.

The Limb Reaper
Type: Slayer
What it does: MAIM a zombie to regain health.
Why you want it: In the back half of the game and beyond you’ll want to be maiming zombies as much as possible for rare ingredients. This skill card will keep you alive while you do it.

So there you go: seven of the best cards in Dead Island 2 to unlock and equip if you want to stay alive longer. There are many, many more than those listed here, though, so collect as many as you can and experiment to unlock new combinations.

Looking for more help with Dead Island 2? Check out our other guides below:

Dead Island 2 | How to unlock Fast Travel

Dead Island 2 | How to get the best gun