It might be less ubiquitous these days than Fortnite, but PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was really the first major battle royale game. You can think of it as the stately grandfather of the genre, compared to Fortnite‘s status as the bombastic (and incredibly lucrative) child. That said, plenty of people still gravitate toward PUBG for a more realistic tone and more straightforward gameplay.
Like many games, you can trick out your character with an assortment of outfits and items in PUBG. No outfit provides explicit bonuses—stat boosts or otherwise—but outfits make a difference in this game, especially when it comes to surviving. They play a little bit more of a role than something purely cosmetic.
Firstly, it’s worth noting there are several different ways to get different outfit items in PUBG. You can, of course, spend real-world money—but you can also get items with the in-game currency and by just playing the game, progressing your Battle Pass, and completing Daily Missions. However you choose to get outfits, here are our recommendations for what to pick from your closet before heading out into the battlefield.
Choosing the right character
Before you even pull on your pants, it needs to be said: if you want to optimize your chances to win a chicken dinner, you should play as a female character model. In PUBG, female character models are smaller than male character models. This means they offer less target area to get hit. You don’t want to get hit. Ergo: play as a female character.
When it comes to playing dress-up, you’re not going to want to keep fashion in mind. Well, you are, but not in the traditional sense. This isn’t about looking cool, but rather about strategizing not to get seen and subsequently shot.
Choosing the right outfit
There is a reason so many players in PUBG opt for the ghillie suit when they can. It is one of the most ideal outfits you can don when it comes to camouflage. It will make your character model a little larger, but this drawback is more than that of the fact that the ghillie suit is nearly impossible to spot in certain locations.
You might not want to always look like a piece of moldy trash, but the idea behind the ghillie suit speaks to larger importance: you want to dress in colors that blend in with the map you are playing. There are, of course, several different maps in PUBG.
- Erangel
- This map is grassy with a green, brown, and yellow color pallete. Wear appropriated colored clothes, or the ghillie suit.
- Miramar
- This map is a desert with a yellow and brown color pallete. There is a desert ghillie suit, but there are also plenty of options to wear similarly colored clothes.
- Vikendi
- This map is snowy. If you really want to excel, it is recommended to set your character’s skin tone to the whitest possible and go naked into the battle. If that’s not your jam, wear white/light colored clothes.
- Sanhok
- Like Erangel, this map also has plenty of grass, shrubbery, and green colors. Similar outfits will work in this map along with other earth tones.
- Karakin
- Like Miramar, this map is also set in a desert. Similar outfits will work in this map along with other desert colors.
Understandably, picking outfits for each map takes an extra step of work. If you want to do your best at camouflaging, you’re going to want to put in the effort. If you want some general pieces that work in several situations, here is what you will want to go for:
- Ghillie suit!
- Dirty tank-top
- Padded jacket (urban)
- Combat pants (khaki)
- Hi-top trainers
In general, earth tones can go a long way to keep you alive. That is the goal of the game, after all, and you’re going to be spending plenty of time-pressed against the ground. While outfits are cosmetic, you can get various pieces of armor that can make you harder to kill.
Headgear
Beyond the ballistic mask (which doesn’t actually provide any protection), there are three levels of helmets you can acquire.
- Level 1: 80 durability, 30% damage reduction
- Level 2: 150 durability, 40% damage reduction
- Level 3: 230 durability, 55% damage reduction
Vests
Similarly, there are three levels of vests that you can acquire that will provide increasingly greater benefits:
- Level 1: 200 durability, 30% damage reduction
- Level 2: 220 durability, 40% damage reduction
- Level 3: 250 durability, 55% damage reduction
Of course, some of these armor pieces might get in the way of your fashion and camouflage choices. You’re going to have to decide for yourself what works depending on the situation, but keep these pieces of advice in mind, and do your best to stay alive!
