So if you are not new in the game like most of you who are reading this guide, and you are solo queuing into random squads/or solo I recommend the following setups outlined here.

Although depending on the map, usually the playstyle of squads is seperated into Urban Warfare (close-quarters hot drop), Suburban Intercepting (Areas just outside of hotly contested areas within bounds of the circle), and Rural Long-Distance Setup (requiring a vehicle/emergency pick-up or long distance travel).

For the purposes of this Looting guide we will only prioritize Urban Warfare as the lessons learned can be taken into any stage/phase of the game.


Your priority here is not gear. However, you may have a few seconds to scrounge on additional gear to help with your odds against other players in the area.

Ensure when you are parachuting to pick a spot that has not more than 1 enemy within 30m. Use glide before landing to pivot direction of where to land.

Just before landing, attempt to find a balcony/ledge/roof that has a door visible that enters into the building. The idea is to clear the building top-down as you will be better equipped once you reach the main floor of the building. This will prevent any player who lands near the bottom of the building you are in to pick-up a shotgun and pin you to the top floors of the building forcing you to jump out. Additionally, if you happen to find nades you will have the height advantage which works towards your favour with your nades

• Pick a building that does not have more than 1 enemy within 30m of landing
  
• Find a Multi-Storey Building
  
• Try to Parachute into a balcony or rooftop with a door to enter top-down
  
• Right Click or F-Key Pickup of Guns, Hit Tab Drag for Ammo into inventory simultaneously
  
• Hit R and Reload while Inventory tab is open (this order must be followed for the fastest gun loadout)
  
• Priority is to find a Shotgun (DBS>S12K>S686>Sawed-Off>O12>S1897)
  
• Loot any Level Vest you find to not get insta knocked from SMG's (Shotguns will still knock you)
  
• Loot only 1 booster (painkillers/energy drink), and 1 set of bandages (5)

No Shotgun Found/Variations to the above:

• AR = 7.62 Weapons > 5.56 Weapons
  
• SMG = .45 ACP>9mm
  
• DMR = only 5.56 Weapons
  
• With/Without Backpack = collect only 30 rounds of any AR/DMR
  
• Quick-Draw Mag (severely under-rated in a hot-drop)
  
• Follow same loot as above for vest/med/booster
  
• Thumbgrip attachment if within vicinity

While Close-Quarter Combat is the most skill-based part of PUBG; outside of looting and gearing the rest of the game hinges on you and your game knowledge, positioning, and aim.

Recommendations as seen bellow.

• 5 Bandages

• 1 First Aid
  
• 5 Bandages

• 3 First Aids
  
• 15 Bandages
  
  Alternative Setup 1:
  
• 1 Med Kit
  
• 3 First Aid
  
• 10 Bandages
  
  Alternative Setup 2:
  
• 1 AED Self-Revive
  
• 1 Med-Kit
  
• 2 First Aid
  
• 5 Bandages

• 4 First Aids
  
• 10 Bandages
  
  Alternative Setup 1:
  
• 1 Med Kit
  
• 4 First Aid
  
• 10 Bandages
  
  Alternative Setup 2:
  
• 1 AED Self-Revive
  
• 1 Med-Kit
  
• 3 First Aid
  
• 10 Bandages

1. Heals are to be used sparingly, and are NOT part of combat. This is a common mistake made by players. If you are within 100m of the enemy that you are engaging with, do not sit still to heal. They will be moving to reposition.
2. Do not overstack on heals/meds (this also applies to boosters). Throughout a match, you may use on average around 2 First Aids/1 Medkit and around 8 bandages total. If you have been maintaining your boost level throughout the game, you should not need much on heals.
3. Heals/Meds/Boosters are items to be looted from dead players only when required; you need to prioritise your bag space for grenades as they are essential to rooting out enemies from buildings, changing positions, and protecting yourself and your squad (smokes).
4. Looting grenades and using grenades should be your top priority at any phase in the game
5. Chicken Dinners are won with positioning and grenades. Do not reach the end of Phase 5 stacked on heals/boosters if you do not have nades by this point.

This section is very straight forwards, boosters are typically found in abundance on most maps.

Recommendations as seen bellow.

• 1 Energy Drink or 1 Painkiller

• 1 Energy Drink
  
• 1 Painkiller

• 3 Energy Drink
  
• 3 Painkiller
  
  Alternative Setup:
  
• 1 Adrenaline Shot
  
• 2 Energy Drink
  
• 2 Painkiller
  

• 4 Energy Drink
  
• 4 Painkiller
  
  Alternative Setup:
  
• 1 Adrenaline Shot
  
• 3 Energy Drink
  
• 3 Painkiller

1. Backpack Lvl 1 is only during the early game - gearing and looting is a priority for space.
2. Backpack Lvl 2 is typically found in abundance on any map, Jammer Pack has the same capacity as the Lvl 2 backpack and provides temporary blue zone immunity (very helpful in Phase 5)
3. Priority for Lvl 2/3 backpacks will be making room for grenades, you will need to make space for at least 2 frags, and 2 Smokes.
4. **Important note and a common mistake from players, DO NOT overstack on boosters. You do not need more boosters than the recommended amounts here**

• S686 - 15 Shells
  
• 5 Bandages
  
• 1 Energy Drink
  
• Lvl.1 Vest

• S686 - 9 Shells
  
• 5 Bandages
  
• 1 Energy Drink
  
• 1 Painkiller
  
• 50% Lvl.1 Vest
  
• M16A4 - 30 Rounds 5.56 with Tact.Stock

• M416 - holo, Vert.Grip, QuickDraw, Tact.Stock, 200 x 5.56 rounds
  
• 3 First Aids (dropped 1 to fit Ext. Quick Draw, and Comp for SMG)
  
• 10 Bandages
  
• 2 Energy Drink
  
• 2 Painkiller
  
• 60% Lvl.2 Vest (damaged)
  
• 80% Lvl.2 Helmet (damaged)
  
• Mini 14 - 4x scope, Ext.mag (looted)
  
• 1 Frag Grenades
  
• 2 Smoke Grenades
  
• Ext.Quick Draw for SMG
  
• Compensator for SMG

• Vector - red dot, lightweight grip, comp, ext.quickdraw, Tact.Stock, 200 x 9mm rounds
  
• Mini 14 - Flash hider, 6x scope, Ext.QuickDraw, 114 x 5.56 Rounds
  
• M79 - 3 Smoke Canisters
  
• 3 First Aids
  
• 10 Bandages
  
• 4 Energy Drink
  
• 4 Painkiller
  
• 40% Lvl.3 Helmet (enemy deathbox)
  
• 60% Lvl.3 Vest (enemy deathbox)
  
• 2 Frag Grenades
  
• 1 Molotov
  
  
  Final Circle:
• Vector - 112 x 9mm rounds
  
• Mini 14 - 58 x 5.56 Rounds
  
• M79 - Empty
  
• 1 First Aid
  
• 4 Bandages
  
• Lvl.2 Vest (New)
  
• Lvl.2 Helmet (New)
  
• 1 Frag Grenade (looted)
  
• 2 Stun Grenades (looted)
  
• 1 Smoke Grenade (enemy deathbox)
  
  
  Explanation:
  
  My goal in mind was Vector + DMR combo as the map I was on was Erangel even before leaving the plane. I landed on a multi-storey building in Rozhok, killed and finished 2 players. The rest of the enemy squad was on the other side of the street and our squad had many houses to loot safely. Approaching to Phase 2-3 I looted an M416 which uses the same Tact.Stock as a Vector would and created a 5.56 loadout after finding a mini-14. We encountered a squad on an embankment and wiped them all successfully, our squad healed up/boosted and looted equipment; I took the Lvl 3 helmet, Lvl 3 vest although damaged, and looted an ext.quick draw & lightweight grip which I attached to my M416 and shifted the ext.mag to my Mini-14. I was knocked by the end of phase 3 and had to find a new vest and helmet. At Phase 4, I found the vector in one of the houses. I dropped 100 rounds of 5.56, removed attachments of my M416 and swapped the M416 with the vector. Spam right clicking all the attachments in my inventory to have a fully attached Vector. The ext.quick draw mag was moved over to my Mini-14 and ext.mag dropped. I looted a fresh new Lvl.2 vest and helmet.
  
  This by no means is the optimal (best) loadout that you can have in PUBG, however this a common example/scenario of your loadout and gearing/backpack progression you will be faced with in a majority of your pub matches without severely impacting your bag space. If the map doesn't spawn a vector, same loadout strategy could be used for say a MP5K, alternatively you can also stay with the 5.56 loadout to use M416/AUG combo with a 5.56 DMR.
  
  I prefer to go with the Vector as it has a fast RoF, decent damage, easy to control, and mainly because the ammo is light weight which gives me more bag space for storing grenades.
  
  I used smokes to cover our crossings on open fields when entering cities, to force enemies out of position, as well as offensively when charging into buildings that enemies are holed up in. I would not use smokes in the middle of a gun fight within 100m of the enemies as that would give away our position to enemy squads, and make us susceptible to 3rd partying and grenade spam.
  
  Any additional boosters that you find along the way, I made sure to use and stay boosted at all times (ideally above or at level 3 boost).

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This guide has been updated and will continue to be updated. (02-26-2024) @ 12:01 PM EST.