How to Beat Shambler Encounters

Learn how to defeat Shamblers in The Last of Us Part II. Use Molotovs or headshots and exploit the environment for effective combat.

Shamblers are a unique infected type that you will encounter for the first time in a specific area where Ellie must make a journal entry. To defeat them, direct combat is often necessary, as sneaking past them will prevent you from triggering the journal entry. Molotovs are highly effective, or you can use two headshots to eliminate them quickly.

Shambler Encounter Strategy

When you first encounter Shamblers, you must engage them in combat to trigger Ellie's journal entry. This encounter occurs after some crawling, where you drop down into an area with multiple Shamblers. A good strategy is to fight them from where you drop down, as they may be unable to climb up to that position.

• Combat Approach: Do not sneak past them; engage directly.
• Effective Weapons: Throw Molotovs or use two headshots.
• Positional Advantage: The drop-down point can offer a safe fighting spot.

After defeating the Shamblers, you can proceed to collect items:

1. Trading Card (Dr Daniela Star): Head through the lifted gate and down the tunnel. Enter the first door on the right, labeled "storage room." Go to the left, hop over the desk, and crawl under a hole in the storage cage to find the card next to the gate.
2. Artifact (Whittled Statue): In the same room, next to the cage, enter the door labeled "lounge." The note is next to the microwave as you enter.
3. Artifact (Soda Can Note): In the lounge, find a vending machine in the back right. Break the glass to get a note with a partial code: 1-5-2-?-?. The full code is 15243, which opens a locked door containing goodies.
4. Artifact (Locker Room Note): To the right of the vending machine, on a table, is another note.