FIELD NOTE 14 / PERMADEATH
Rescue Beacon.
Keep the Responder.
The loadout item that prevents the next instance of Responder loss.
Quick answer
Section titled “Quick answer”Equip a Rescue Beacon before entering a match to prevent the next loss that your Responder would receive in a situation where permadeath is enabled. The Beacon occupies a loadout slot and is consumed when it provides that protection, so it is not permanent insurance.
Verification scope: Reviewed August 25, 2026. This guide uses the released Armageddon 1.0 rules and the 1.0.4.0 fix that prevents a Beacon-carrying Responder from being lost when leaving a match.
How the Rescue Beacon works
Section titled “How the Rescue Beacon works”The official rule has three parts:
- The Rescue Beacon must be equipped as a loadout item.
- It prevents the next instance of loss that the protected Responder would receive where permadeath applies.
- It is consumable and takes one loadout slot.
This means the Beacon protects the Responder, not every resource or outcome in the match. The official posts do not describe it as a revive button, a respawn timer, or a permanent account upgrade.
When permadeath can apply
Section titled “When permadeath can apply”| Difficulty | Official Responder-loss boundary |
|---|---|
| Beginner | Respawns are frequent, but permadeath can still apply if the team wipes before a respawn point or after extraction is called. |
| Normal | Respawns occur after major objectives, but the same wipe and late-extraction risks remain. |
| Hard | Responders are in danger of permanent loss from the moment they spawn. |
| Nightmare | Responders are in danger of permanent loss from the moment they spawn. |
The Beacon can therefore matter even on Beginner. Lower difficulty reduces the number of situations where death becomes final; it does not remove all risk from extraction or mission failure.
How to get a Rescue Beacon
Section titled “How to get a Rescue Beacon”The Armageddon notes identify the Rescue Beacon as the only loadout item purchasable with either Credits or Merits. The official sources used here do not establish a permanent price that this page can safely promise across updates, so check the current in-game store before spending either currency.
Merits come from Weekly Assignments. Credits are tied to the broader extraction and progression economy. Keeping those two acquisition paths on one canonical page avoids splitting “Rescue Beacon cost,” “how to get a Rescue Beacon,” and “what does a Rescue Beacon do” into thin competing URLs.
What Hotfix 1.0.4.0 fixed
Section titled “What Hotfix 1.0.4.0 fixed”The August 25 notes fixed a case where a Responder carrying a Rescue Beacon could still be lost when the player left a match. That is a confirmed released fix, not an unofficial workaround.
The patch does not change the basic tradeoff: a Beacon still occupies a loadout slot and is a consumable. It also does not turn the item into immunity from infection; Gene Therapy is the cure for infection.
Rescue Beacon versus normal respawn
Section titled “Rescue Beacon versus normal respawn”A normal respawn returns an eligible player during the match according to the mode and difficulty rules. A Rescue Beacon instead protects the persistent Responder from the next loss that would otherwise apply. Those are related systems, but they are not the same mechanic.
Hotfix 1.0.4.0 added a final Survival respawn after Wave 3 and at the start of extraction. The same patch says Objective Mode will receive a final pre-extraction respawn in a later update, so that Objective change is not treated as live here.
Common questions
Section titled “Common questions”Is the Rescue Beacon reusable?
Section titled “Is the Rescue Beacon reusable?”No. The official 1.0 material calls it a consumable. Maintaining protection over several failed runs therefore requires additional Beacons.
Does it take a loadout slot?
Section titled “Does it take a loadout slot?”Yes. The slot cost is one of the explicit tradeoffs in the official design.
Does it work on Beginner?
Section titled “Does it work on Beginner?”Yes, when a situation can produce permadeath. The developer specifically notes that Beginner players may benefit when extraction proves too difficult.
Does it cure infection?
Section titled “Does it cure infection?”No. The Rescue Beacon protects against the next Responder loss. Gene Therapy cures infection; Phalanx pills only delay it.
Limits
Section titled “Limits”This page does not invent a permanent Credit or Merit price, a menu button, or protection beyond the next loss. Store prices and interface paths should be checked against the current live build.
Related guides
Section titled “Related guides”- Weekly Assignments & Merits
- How to Cure Infection
- Difficulty Levels
- Responder Customization & Progression
Sources
Section titled “Sources”| Source | Reliability | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Road to 1.0: Permadeath | Official | Permadeath boundaries, Beacon effect, loadout cost, and consumable status. |
| Update Notes: Armageddon 1.0 | Official | Released item and Credits/Merits acquisition paths. |
| Hotfix Notes: 1.0.4.0 | Official | Fix for losing a Beacon-carrying Responder when leaving a match. |