Smoker

Lore & Background

The Smoker is a special infected whose mutation grants it a long, prehensile tongue. This tongue can be used to ensnare a survivor from a distance and drag them back to the Smoker. Once caught, the survivor is vulnerable to direct attack from the Smoker, attack from the surrounding horde, or being left suspended in mid-air. The Smoker's presence is telegraphed by a distinctive sound, silhouette, and musical cue, making it recognizable to players. It is one of five special infected in Left 4 Dead, alongside the Boomer, Hunter, Tank, and Witch.

In Their Own Story

In the aftermath of a rabies-like virus outbreak on the East Coast of the United States, the Smoker is one of the infected humans that the four Survivors must fight through campaigns like No Mercy, Death Toll, Dead Air, and Blood Harvest. The Smoker's ability to isolate a survivor from their team makes it a constant threat, especially during crescendo events and finales where the AI Director may spawn it to increase tension. The Smoker's tongue attack can be countered by a teammate shoving the ensnared survivor, shooting the tongue, or shooting the Smoker itself, which releases the survivor and creates a vision-obscuring cloud.

Reader's Guide

When facing a Smoker, the key is to stay close to your teammates. The Smoker's tongue can only ensnare one survivor at a time, so if you are caught, your teammates must act quickly to free you. They can shove you to break the tongue's grip, shoot the tongue directly, or kill the Smoker. If you are dragged away, you risk being attacked by the Smoker or overwhelmed by the common infected horde. The Smoker's distinctive sound and silhouette help you spot it before it strikes. In Versus mode, the Smoker is playable by human players, who can use its tongue to pull survivors into traps or off ledges. The Smoker is not the Witch, which is the only infected not playable in Versus mode.

Did You Know?

• The Smoker is voiced by experimental musician Mike Patton, who also voices the Boomer and Hunter.
• The Smoker's tongue is only released if a teammate shoves the ensnared survivor, shoots the tongue, or shoots the Smoker.
• When the Smoker is killed or its tongue is shot, it releases a vision-obscuring cloud.
• The Smoker can leave a survivor suspended in mid-air after dragging them.
• The Smoker is one of five special infected in Left 4 Dead, alongside the Boomer, Hunter, Tank, and Witch.