Why You Turn Into a Chicken
You turn into a chicken in Nomad Drive when your health runs out. A surviving teammate can revive you by hand or with a Reviver; if everyone goes down, including when playing solo, the last player to fall automatically gets back up nearby.
What Can Exhaust Your Health
Hunger, dehydration, physical damage and poison can all reduce your combined health bar. The chicken transformation happens when your remaining health is exhausted. Watch the whole bar while travelling, because an injury is only part of what can leave you close to going down.
Check what is inside a container before drinking from it. Gasoline and oil cause damage, costing 20 health per litre. Bottles and mugs can hold different liquids, so their names alone do not tell you whether their contents are safe to drink.
Food can also contribute to trouble through poison. Mushrooms are poisonous, and spoiled Steak or Drumstick can poison you too. Check your food before eating, especially when your health bar is already low.
How to Revive a Chicken in Co-op
A teammate who is still standing can help the downed player. You do not need to find a Reviver before attempting a rescue, because bare-handed revival is available. Choose the method based on what you have available and the condition you want your teammate to return in.
- Pick up the downed chicken if you need to move your teammate before helping them. You can carry the chicken like an item, so bringing them closer to the RV is an option.
- Revive your teammate by hand, or use a Reviver if you have one. A bare-handed revival returns them in a weaker state, while a Reviver brings them back at full health.
- Check your teammate's health bar after they return. Use that pause to identify hunger, thirst, damage or poison that needs attention before continuing the trip.
Finding a Reviver for Later Rescues
The Early Access item is called the Reviver; older item references may call it the Revive Kit. With two or more players, a Reviver turns up between 8 and 20 km, and the item also appears along the road. Keep it somewhere your group can find quickly when a teammate goes down.
What Happens in Solo Play or When Everyone Falls
When everyone is down, the last player to fall automatically returns to their feet after a few seconds at a nearby location. This also applies when you are playing alone. In Early Access, that recovery continues the session without sending you back to your last save.
If you are alone, wait for that automatic recovery before deciding to reload. In co-op, the recovered player can then help the teammates who are still chickens. Deal with the group's immediate recovery before resuming your route.
Recover Before Heading Back Out
After a bare-handed revival, take a moment to recover before driving or scavenging again. First Aid Kits and Pills can restore health and start treating poison when you are hurt or poisoned. Check hunger and thirst separately as you prepare to leave.
Use the beginner survival guide for help with drinking water, food and understanding the health bar.
Follow the Patch Yourself Up guide for using a First Aid Kit or Pills after taking damage.