How to use the portable decontamination station (PDS) in Warzone

Having a PDS for the final few circles is a game-changer in Warzone.

PDS in Warzone
Image via Activison

The portable decontamination station (PDS) Field Upgrade in Warzone is one of the most useful equipment items in the battle royale if players know how to use it correctly.

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As part of the season two reloaded update, Raven Software re-introduced the PDS Field Upgrade, which originally debuted in February 2022. The equipment item went on to become popular among pro players and found plenty of use in tournaments and wager matches. The devs didn’t bring the PDS back at the start of MW3‘s iteration of Warzone, but that short absence is now over.

How to use the PDS in Warzone

PDS in Warzone
The PDS will save you on more than one occasion. Image via Activision

The PDS is a field upgrade that closely resembles the Trophy System. When deployed, it creates a zone of approximately six meters that will protect players from most gas, lasting for a maximum of 15 seconds, with that uptime being reduced by 50 percent in the final two circles. Enemy teams are also able to destroy the Field Upgrade.

By default, players can survive for around 14 seconds in the gas. A PDS extends that time for about an extra 15 seconds, depending on the circle. The Irridated Perk also helps, as it allows players to move faster in the gas and take reduced damage. As part of the Warzone season two update, the Irridiated perk recieved a buff, reducing gas damage by 20 percent instead of 10 percent, meaning players can now survive an average of four seconds longer in the gas. If you are able to find multiple Trophy Systems while also having the Irridiated perk equipped, you might not even need to fire a bullet in the final few circles to win a match.

While the PDS is one of the best Field Upgrades in Warzone, it still has weaknesses. If a team uses the equipment item in the gas, they will still need to rotate to the new circle after it’s done, so players will need to have gas masks on the ready if they want to survive. In saying that, it’s worth giving this Field Upgrade a try the next time you come across one.

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Ryan Lemay
Ryan graduated from Ithaca College in 2021 with a sports media degree and a journalism minor. He gained experience as a writer with the Morning Times newspaper and then Dexerto as a games writer. He mainly writes about first-person shooters, including Call of Duty and Battlefield, but he is also a big FIFA fan. You can contact him at ryanlemay@dotesports.com.