PUBG tips: top Battlegrounds tricks for that chicken dinner

What are the best PUBG tips? PUBG is easily one of the toughest battle royale games out there: death is swift, and one mistake can spell the end for you and yours. Finding your way to the endgame can feel like a miracle if you don't know what you're doing, and closing out a victory can often seem impossible.

Knowing the maps, tools of the trade, and some general PUBG tips and tricks will help you edge your way closer and closer to that esteemed top spot. With its numerous settings and weighty gunplay reminiscent of a military sim, new players face an almighty learning curve en route to their first chicken dinner. We're here to make sure you have the knowledge you need to bring home the win.

Never stop moving

You're at your most vulnerable when looting, and many players tend to stand completely still when rifling through an opponent's death box. Subtle back and forth, or side-to-side movements will ensure you're never a sitting duck, even when collecting your hard-earned new items.

Play the border, but also the blue

While your instincts may be to avoid the zone at all costs, there are certain advantages to existing inside the damaging area. The blue zone, especially early on, doesn't do that much, and if you manage to find a Jammer Pack, you can negate the negative effects altogether.

Players usually won't expect players to appear from behind them, so while you do want to plan ahead and avoid taking too much damage, the surprise factor of appearing from the blue zone can often be an effective strategy.

Find your style

There are many ways to play PUBG; that's the beauty of it, and the key to personal success is to find a method of playing that suits you and stick to it. Prefer long-distance fights? Find a sniper rifle and a scope as quickly as you can, and keep your eye out for any fights going on in the distance. If you prefer getting up close and personal, drop heavy in a place like School, pick up an SMG, and go to work.

Try not to be too rigid in this regard, though. Always have a plan B. Pair that sniper rifle with a shorter-range weapon, just in case. You never know when one of those up-close players will try to invade your space.

Pay attention to zeroing distances

Scopes in PUBG all have a zeroing distance that is displayed when aiming down sights. If the given distance is 100 meters, then that means your bullet will land exactly where you click up to that distance. If your target is roughly 200 metres away, then you will have to aim a bit higher - learning exactly where takes hours of practice and trial by error, but paying attention to the zeroing distance makes the process a lot easier. You can also increase or decrease the zeroing distance with PgUp and PgDn.

You can suss out distances using PUBG's map. Each white square on the in-game map is 100m². Therefore, if you are in a long-range shootout, you can pull out your map, spot roughly where they are judging from landmarks, and count up how many white lines separate the two of you.

Use the training map

The most difficult aspect of PUBG for many new players is handling the weapons. PUBG's weapons have a lot of recoil if you're coming from other shooters, so spend plenty of time in training mode getting used to the kick of different weapon types. You don't need to learn the recoil patterns of every gun in the game before jumping into a single match, but having a feel for the weapons will save you a lot of time later on.

Supply drops hold the best guns and armour

If you keep wondering where other players are getting their LMGs and sniper rifles, then you have been shying away from those supply drops that are parachuted in by plane every few minutes.

Each supply drop contains a medley of high-level gear, so if you want the very best items, then you will need to find a vehicle, follow the container as it falls, and kill everyone else around the landing zone.

The Pan is (still) the best melee weapon

Not only is the pan the most damaging melee weapon in the game, but it is also bulletproof. If you have one in your inventory, then it will hang over the posterior of your character model, providing your backside with full protection from incoming enemy fire. Not too bad if you happen to be running away from a heavily armed individual.

Stay hidden, stay safe

When it comes to using the terrain to your advantage, there are a few options available to you. Provided you're not wearing fluorescent clothing, sticking yourself in a bush can be a surprisingly effective way of going unseen. Similarly, you can try hiding in grass as well, but note that grass stops rendering if you're looking past a certain distance, so you won't be able to hide from long-range snipers this way.

Other than that, common sense applies. High ground at the edge of a map usually makes for good 'wait-and-see' spots that let you watch the match unfold, taking out opponents when the right opportunity presents itself.

Patience is key

Just because you can see an enemy, it does not necessarily mean you should shoot them. It is not just that you might miss or get killed by them, but also that you do not know who else is watching or going for the same target. If you do want to rack up the kills, then it is still wise to hold fire until you can claim a quick and easy kill.

Use vehicles carefully

If a player knows where you are in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, they have a great chance of killing you. Driving around in a noisy, bulky jeep or sedan alerts everyone in the area to your presence, making it tough to then go back into hiding. If you are going to use a car, do so to cover large distances quickly or head to the map's outskirts for the best gear.

Close the doors

This is important because, firstly, you weren't born in a barn. Secondly, it can actually be a significant form of psychological warfare against your opponents. Typically speaking, you can tell if a place has been looted because all the doors get left open. It signifies that a player has gone looting.

So when you come to loot a building or use it as a vantage point, close the doors behind you to fool other players into thinking it is a safe loot spot. Even if you leave a building, it is wise to shut the door behind you to waste the time of other players, giving you a solid head start and/or the chance to lay some traps.

Smoke grenades are your best friend

It may seem counterintuitive to pick up an item that does no damage, but when we tell you that smoke grenades are maybe the single most important tool in PUBG, we aren't kidding. These throwables can obscure an assault, protect you when escaping, or simply provide visual cover when looting or reviving. Don't be a sitting duck and cover yourself with smoke.

With these tips, you are giving yourself a much better chance at surviving, and even closing out the odd game or two. Familiarizing yourself with every PUBG map can also give you a huge advantage - knowing the best loot spots and the safest paths to travel can be a make-or-break moment in many a game