List of Left 4 Dead characters

This is a list of characters from Valve's Left 4 Dead series.

Summary
The Survivors are people in the world who either have not yet contracted the Infection (by virtue of natural immunity) or are carriers of the disease but who display none of its symptoms―and who may thus falsely believe themselves to be immune. The term, however, is commonly used to refer to the eight playable characters from the Left 4 Dead game series. Although the playable characters are immune, a comment by Bill suggests that they could become an Infected at any point. In addition, The Sacrifice comic presents the hypothesis that the Survivors are carriers of the Infection―and as such are a positive danger to any uninfected humans they encounter.

In Left 4 Dead, it is never explained how they met up with each other, or how long they have been together (although judging by the timing given by the intro cutscene and The Sacrifice comic, it is less than 12 days by the start of the first campaign). At the start of the first campaign in Left 4 Dead 2, the playable characters have just met each other and do not even know each other's names. There are also non-playable Survivors that players will meet throughout the campaigns. In the comic, the Survivors are referred to as "Tango-Mike" (T-M in the NATO Alphabet) by the APC Driver, probably in reference to Typhoid Mary, the most notorious real-life carrier known in America.

Each playable Survivor has his or her own unique appearance, personality, dialogue, and backstory, making them easier to identify at a distance. Players can choose which Survivor they control in the lobby, or be automatically assigned to a Survivor that is not being controlled by a player when they join a game that is already in progress. Every Survivor plays the same; their physical differences are purely cosmetic and do not alter gameplay. When controlled as AI Bots, Survivors will have preference over specific weaponry, and will attempt to choose that type if possible.

To portray their personalities Valve uses (perhaps deliberately and with tongue firmly in cheek) a standard screenwriter ploy to populate B-grade action, Western, sci-fi, sitcom and costume drama scripts with characters that are instantly recognizable to 'popcorn' audiences. This involves casting four main characters, each of whom have nothing much in common with one another but who are thrown together to face a challenge. Each character is then assigned a stereotyped personality selected from four distinctive types:

Cynic: self-centered, hostile, fires off put-downs and sarcasm, questionable morality, shady past, street or book smart. Francis and Nick.

Optimist: moral, friendly, feelings trump facts, naive, does the right thing, loyal. Louis and Ellis.

Realist: objective, lives by a personal code, disciplined, builds bridges, leadership role, adaptable. Often cast as The Hero. Bill and Coach.

Apathetic: aloof, neutral, from a different social background, enigmatic, along for the ride, swept up in events, victim, suffers bravely, supporter, observer. Zoey and Rochelle.

Once introduced, the screenwriter finds it very easy to develop sub-plots and dialog appropriate to these characters' personalities and their interactions with the environment and each other. (Zoey's fourth wall breaching "zombie bullshit" elevator soliloquy and Ellis' asinine 'Keith stories' are illustrative examples in this regard.) Once set, the screenwriter is then also free to allow individual characters to mature (or regress - if a villain or coward is needed) as the plot unfolds. Valve induces precisely this type of personality metamophosis in both volumes of Left 4 Dead. Most notably, in the wake of Bill's death Zoey is made to 'grow up' and thus take on marked aspects of his personality whilst Nick subtly loses a lot of his hard-shell cynicism. To maintain audience credibility, the screenwriter will not make wholesale personality changes to all leading characters: which is probably why Valve left the other Left 4 Dead persona untouched.

Left 4 Dead Survivors
NOTE: Left 4 Dead Survivors appear in The Passing for Left 4 Dead 2, but are unplayable characters. As the DLC The Sacrifice takes part in Left 4 Dead's story arc, it is possible to play as the Left 4 Dead Survivors in Left 4 Dead 2 due to the DLC being ported to Left 4 Dead 2 as well. They are also playable in the Left 4 Dead 2 ports of No Mercy and the other original campaigns since it is simply a retelling of the same events for Left 4 Dead. It is revealed in The Sacrifice comic that the Survivors are Carriers, and that they have been inadvertently transmitting the disease throughout Philadelphia.

Bill
Aged in his late fifties or early sixties, Bill is the oldest of all the Survivors. He is a Vietnam veteran who fought in the U.S. Army 1st Special Forces Group and his combat skills have helped to keep him alive. He wears an olive green military beret, a matching jacket with a stained white shirt underneath, dark gray-brown pants, and jungle boots. In official media, he is usually seen wielding the Assault Rifle―a weapon he prefers in-game and which complements his backstory. He and Francis appear to have a prickly relationship, often spewing insults or jokes at one another, but this may in fact be friendlier than what they let on. He always has a lit cigarette in his mouth.

It is revealed in The Passing that Bill was killed prior to the bridge being raised during The Sacrifice, enabling the safety of the other Left 4 Dead Survivors. His body can be seen next to the generator in the final level of The Passing at The Port, alongside his signature Assault Rifle, which can be taken and used by the player. The events of his death are told in The Sacrifice comic. During the time of his life, Bill was the unofficial team leader, although his relationship with Francis was never easy whilst, towards the end and as revealed in The Sacrifice comic, that shared with Zoey was placed under considerable strain.

Bill is voiced by Jim French, who also voiced Father Grigori in Valve's Half-Life 2 and The Fisherman in Valve's Half-Life 2 Lost Coast.

Francis
Francis is a tough biker with tattoos covering his arms and neck. His tattoos identify him as a member of "Hell's Legion," a name possibly inspired by the real-world Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club. Since his character model was changed during development, it has been speculated that Francis' new face was modeled after the head developer of the game, Mike Booth. The Valve connection is strengthened by the fact that Francis has the Lambda symbol from the Half-Life series cut into his hair. He wears a black leather vest over a white tank top, fingerless gloves, black jeans and boots. Valve commentary reveals that he is an impressive 6 feet 5 inches tall. Francis has a self-centered personality that seems to resent aspects of Bill's leadership whilst treating Louis with an openly dismissive attitude at times. During development, his character was to have a love interest in Zoey, but this was dropped after play-testing and his relationship with her is now warm―if not neutrally platonic. In official media, he is usually seen wielding either the Pump Shotgun or the Auto Shotgun, and in-game, prefers those types of weapons.

Francis is voiced by Vince Valenzuela

Louis
Louis was an assistant manager at a local retail electronics chain store. His design was later changed, and he was made a Junior Systems Analyst in his company's IT department. His clothing resembles that of a typical business man, but seems to emulate Shaun from Shaun of the Dead, who wore a red tie and white shirt, and was an assistant manager at a local retail electronics chain store. He keeps the sleeves rolled up and the tie loose, and also wears a black watch on his left wrist. In official media, he is usually seen wielding a Submachine Gun or dual Pistols. In-game, Louis prefers the Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle. At some point prior to The Passing in The Sacrifice comic, Louis was injured. According to The Sacrifice comic, his leg was damaged by Witches when he incautiously entered a sailboat occupied by them. This recent injury renders him almost immobile and because of this he uses a Heavy Machine Gun at the Port. Louis' character is upbeat and positive at all times towards his fellow Survivors―almost to an exaggerated degree. Bill seems to regard him with wry tolerance, Francis with open mocking indifference whilst Zoey is the only one to treat him with genuine warmth―as she does with all her comrades. In parodys of the franchise, Louis is often addicted to pills.

Louis is voiced by Earl Alexander.

Zoey
Zoey was in her first year of college prior to the outbreak which makes her at least 18 years old―or slightly older depending on her college entry age. Her backstory reveals that she was ostensibly studying movie making on a scholarship, her parents were divorced and that she had a somewhat closer relationship to and more shared interests with her father―a city police officer. She wears a reddish-pink track jacket, blue jeans, Converse shoes and keeps her hair tied up in a ponytail. Her original design was based on Alesia Glidewell who previously worked with Valve on Portal as a model for the character Chell. However, when the character designs were updated later in development, Zoey was made to resemble actress/model Sonja Kinski instead. In official media, she is usually seen wielding dual Pistols. In-game, Zoey shows preference for the Hunting Rifle. Zoey's character is that of a warm-hearted young woman with a marked dash of tom-boy toughness. But as someone dies, she is very emotional. She is closest to Bill, who reciprocates with a protective father-daughter stance, but also reaches out to include (and thereby help bond) the other two Survivors into a comradely team. Initially, she is more of a follower, but during the events depicted in The Sacrifice comic and The Passing campaign, in the wake and shock of Bill's death, it is apparent that she has grown up fast and is taking on a leadership role in the group.

Zoey is voiced by Jen Taylor.

Coach
Coach is a Physical Education teacher at the local high school in the town of Savannah―his home town. A prospective professional defensive linesman, a career-ending knee injury suffered at college led Coach to take up teaching as an alternative pathway into a possible pro-coaching football career. He wears a polo shirt in the yellow and purple colors of his high school employer, fingerless gloves, beige slacks and gray sneakers. He is the oldest of the Left 4 Dead 2 group and serves in an unofficial capacity as its leader. He is a religious man, stopping the survivors for a group prayer before entering Liberty Mall, and shows his weak point to be his stomach - always ready to stop when a food joint is nearby. In-game, he shows preference for Tier 1 and Tier 2 shotguns, while in official media the Chainsaw appears to be his signature weapon.

Coach is voiced by Chad Coleman.

Ellis
He is a mechanic hailing from Savannah, similar to Coach. He wears a yellow T-shirt with a logo, a white and blue cap, with a truck towing logo (that is also seen in the car alarm section in The Parish), a half-removed one-piece work suit, and black work boots. Ellis appears to have a lack of comprehension of the seriousness of his current situation and retains a somewhat goofy personality in comparison to the other Survivors. Ellis also has a love interest in Zoey when he first meets her in The Passing. In-game, Ellis has preference for the Sniper and Hunting Rifle, while in official media, the Grenade Launcher appears to be his signature weapon.

Ellis is voiced by Eric Ladin.

Nick
A shady con man and gambler drifting from city to city who bemoans his bad luck in happening to be passing through Savannah (and not Las Vegas) when the current crisis hit. He wears an expensive white suit with a blue button-down shirt, several gold rings and brown leather shoes. Nick holds negative and pessimistic views towards both the situation he has fallen into and the three strangers he is forced to join up with. Over time, despite his hard-boiled attitude towards his fellow Survivors, he softens and mellows as he increasingly learns to trust them. In-game, Nick shows a preference for Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle variant weaponry.

Nick is voiced by Hugh Dillon.

Rochelle
Rochelle is a minor associate producer for a news station with a high reputation, though her job had more to do with moving cables and coffee duties. She was in Savannah producing a segment about the evacuation center when the area became overrun with the Infected. She wears a pink T-shirt with a Depeche Mode logo, silver hoop earrings, blue jeans, a thin studded belt around her waist, two silver bracelets on her left arm and knee-high brown boots. Rochelle has the most realistic grasp of the situation and is very caring towards her fellow Survivors. Rochelle and Francis show romantic interest in each other when they meet in the campaign The Passing. In-game, Rochelle has preferences similar to Nick; she prefers Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle variants.

Rochelle is voiced by Rochelle Aytes.

NPC's
Among the characters involved with the Left 4 Dead series, there are a number of Non-Playable Characters that help the Survivors along the way, or in some cases, hinder their progress. Often, they are either a roadblock forcing a Crescendo Event or they are a good Samaritan providing the Survivors with a ride to safety. Most of these characters become Infected (such as the CEDA Worker Infected), are killed (such as Annie and Jeff), can be presumed dead as they are never seen again (such as Louis's co-worker Ray), or continue to survive the apocalypse (such as Virgil and Whitaker).

The Church Guy
The Church Guy is a mentally unstable man who is never actually seen until he turns Infected, and can be found in chapter three of the Death Toll campaign, The Church. He is afraid of the Infection, locking himself in the safe room that the Survivors must get through. It is later revealed that he was bitten by a survivor who claimed to be immune, yet became an Infected; as a result, he suffers from extreme paranoia of Survivors, coupled with the growing insanity caused by Infection. After waiting for an hour, he assumes that he is immune. Ultimately, it turns out the Church Guy isn't immune after all; he will change into a Hunter, Smoker, or Boomer.

He repeatedly says "Better safe than sorry," and causes a Crescendo Event where he rings the church bell to attract a Horde to kill the Survivors, apparently viewing this as a way for them to "prove their immunity/humanity.`" After the event, the safe room door can be opened and a Special Infected will emerge, providing a conclusion to his change. The Infected he will change into can be foretold by listening to the Church Guy starting to growl (Hunter), cough (Smoker), or gurgle (Boomer) before the door is opened. After opening the door and ascending to the second floor of the safe room, the Survivors can see that the Church Guy has written his motto all over a wall, over 180 times.

His voice actor, Nathan Vetterlein, also voiced the Scout from Valve's Team Fortress 2.

Whitaker
Whitaker is a 60-year-old man who owns a gun store located in front of Liberty Mall in the Dead Center campaign. By the time the Survivors arrive at his gun store, he has already barricaded himself "on the roof" with large amounts of ammunition and provisions. When the Survivors enter his store, he is contacted over an intercom and offers to clear a roadblock that is preventing The Survivors from reaching the mall on condition they go to the nearby Save 4 Less supermarket and fetch him a six-pack of Cola. A Crescendo Event is triggered when the Survivors enter the supermarket and set off the burglar alarm. Once the cola has been deposited in the delivery tray in his safe room door, Whitaker launches a missile at a flammable truck near the roadblock, destroying it and allowing the Survivors to continue to the mall. Some commentators believe Whitaker may have used a Rocket Launcher or Rocket Propelled Grenade because it has a different sound effect to the Grenade Launcher featured later in the game and its projectile trails a line of smoke to its target. Originally, Whitaker was supposed to provide covering fire to the Survivors during their trip to and from the supermarket (a concept reprised in The Passing Finale). Whitaker is also encountered by the original Survivors in the unofficial campaign No Parking. In No Parking, Whitaker is not seen until the players stumble onto a cache of weapons. However, when they take some, it triggers an event where Whitaker drives up and talks to The Survivors for a minute. While talking, Francis remarks that they should steal his car, to which Whitaker responds, "You can try, I own a lot of guns," and he begins to fight The Survivors. While attacking, he uses a variety of attacks, from gunfire to suitcase bombs. Seemingly killed when his vehicle crashes, The Survivors move ahead. However, Whitaker survived the crash and follows The Survivors and resumes conflict with them. This time, he has another trick up his sleeve. He will occasionally attempt to run over your party, dealing damage and rendering them helpless against the zombie onslaught.

Whitaker is voiced by Dayton Callie.

Chopper Pilot
The Chopper pilot is seen in the intro video to Left 4 Dead, and in the start of No Mercy, he tells anyone who can hear him to proceed to Mercy Hospital where they can contact him with a radio and he will pick them up and bring them to an unknown location. During the rescue at the top of Mercy Hospital, he will engage in communication with the Survivors, where he will reveal he had an "incident," implying he attempted another rescue earlier but was attacked by the Infected.

Unfortunately for the Survivors who are rescued and taken to apparent safety, the pilot is infected, turns into an Infected mid-flight, and is shot, forcing a crash landing. The Survivors being carriers of Infection may be the reason the News Chopper 5 pilot became an Infected as stated in The Sacrifice comic or he may have been infected during his street pickup as he stated in the Rooftop Finale.

Although his cap appears to have associations with the United States Marine Corps possibly showing a military background, his civilian clothing may also indicate he is currently not affiliated with them. The headphones he wears are Aero-X Orbital 2000's.

Virgil
A character appearing in Left 4 Dead 2 with a Cajun accent. He pilots the escape boat in Swamp Fever, has the Survivors gather fuel on the mainland and return to the boat in Hard Rain, then drops off the Survivors at the beginning of The Parish. Virgil may be immune to the virus, or a carrier and is saving Survivors out of good will and to use them to gather fuel. He is now a widower after his wife was killed by an Infected bite, and will occasionally refer to himself in third-person. His boat is named the Lagniappe, a reference to the Louisiana custom of the same name, meaning a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase. Throughout the entire Left 4 Dead series, Virgil seems to be the only evacuation personal is known to have survived his encounter with the survivors.

There is a joke on the Steam forums that states that Virgil is a talking boat. This "theory" is substantiated by Chet Faliszek who stated that "Virgil is not a Man" when someone asked why Virgil existed during the "Last Man on Earth" Mutations.

Virgil is voiced by Randall Newsome.

Infected Characters
In the case of Common and Uncommon Infected, observed aggressiveness manifests itself primarily in the form of frenzied physical blows and kicks. Bite attacks are of a secondary nature and may even be incidentally delivered. The Infected primarily attacks uninfected humans who have attracted attention through noise, movement and displaying bright lights. It is unknown whether other sensory stimuli such as smell or color variation trigger attack responses. Common Infected are also frequently observed displaying mutual aggressiveness towards one another. However, these attacks are not shown when the Infected finds an un-infected human.

The Infection might also have changed their physiology. Some infected suffer instant fatal tissue damage, and dismemberment from moderate blunt force, yet they can still jump down from heights of approximately 20 feet with perfect physical coordination and without harm. They have no fine motor control and their gross motor control functions are heavily degraded, thus rendering them incapable of picking up objects and operating simple mechanisms such as door handles.

When passive and unstimulated, Common Infected lean against a support (such as a wall), sit, lie recumbent or stagger aimlessly in short uncoordinated steps. Many will vomit profusely or display visual signs of being unwell (e.g. slumped over cradling the head). Uncommon Common Infected tend to be less inert in their passive state since they are invariably observed to be in a standing posture.

When active and stimulated, Common Infected undergo a rapid transformation during which their speed of movement is rapid, their gait is highly coordinated and focal direction unerring. Uncommon Common Infected display the same behavioral qualities with the exception that they appear to be more sensitive to external stimuli and are thus more easily aroused and provoked.

Through some unknown mechanism, a small percentage of Infected humans will undergo a dramatic mutation, eventually turning into one of the Special Infected. There are nine varieties of the Infected, seven of which are playable. Eight varieties are considered "Special Infected," which have special abilities in addition to doing more damage against the Survivors. In turn, two of these eight varieties are considered "Boss Infected", namely the Tank and the Witch.

Common Infected
Common Infected, as their name implies, are the most commonly faced enemy and are the easiest to defeat. They are more akin to the antagonists from the film 28 Days Later than to the typical shambling cinematic zombie. They are exclusively AI-controlled and fairly weak. Their strength lies in their tendency to attack in large groups of up to several dozen, known as Hordes.

However, the danger they pose must never be underestimated. Common Infected can easily bring down health on Expert as every claw attack brings down your health by 20 (10 if hit from behind), unlike Easy (1 from front, 0.5 from behind), Normal (2 and 1) and Advanced (5 and 2.5). While they seem capable of ignoring pain, they can still be killed easily. They are capable of climbing ladders and scaling objects, as well as breaking down weak walls and doors. They cannot break down the beginning safe room door (unlike the Tank), so you should be relatively safe inside a closed safe room. This type of Infected are attracted by flashlights, loud noises such as car alarms, or by Boomer bile. They appear to lack self-preservation, but do appear to have some intelligence, as in the Hard Rain or The Passing campaign; the Horde will attack when the storm picks up and there is minimal visibility (or maybe they get really aggressive or get attracted to the lightning and noise of the storm).

Throughout Left 4 Dead, the physical appearance and dress of Common Infected are consistent with the particular location being visited. For example, in Mercy Hospital, they are medical staff, patients and maintenance personnel, whilst at Metro International Airport Common Infected include flight, cabin and ramp crew plus business executives. In more neutral locations such as Riverside or Daughtery Farm, Common Infected appear as generic "everypersons", including servicemen wearing camouflage, blue collar and office workers and young adults through to late-middle-aged individuals of both genders. The same principle applies throughout Left 4 Dead 2, but given this game's diverse locales, the range of physical variation displayed is considerably wider relative to Left 4 Dead.

Boomer
The Boomer is a Special Infected that vomits a special bile at Survivors, which temporarily blinds them and draws Common Infected to them. At a distance the Boomer isn't much of a threat; his large size and low health make him an easy target against any weapon at mid or long range. However, if within range he can vomit on Survivors, attracting the Horde. When he dies, he explodes, covering any Survivors who are close enough with bile, blinding them and causing them to stumble backwards. The Boomer is notorious on the Expert difficulty for being able to snipe Survivors. Boomers can be anticipated because of the near-constant gurgling they make. In Left 4 Dead 2, there is also a female Boomer, although the gender has no effect on gameplay.

Hunter
The Hunter is a Special Infected that is not as mutated on the outside. The Hunter is extremely fast and agile, capable of quickly scaling walls. Additionally, he can pounce and pin down Survivors, clawing at their abdomen until either the victim is dead or the Hunter has been knocked off or killed by another Survivor. They are not the most physically robust Infected, having relatively low health, and thus it doesn't take very much to kill them. When the Hunter crouches down in preparation to pounce, it growls, giving it away to any nearby Survivors. However, whilst standing, it makes no noise. The Hunter is the only Special Infected that can remain absolutely silent. In Left 4 Dead 2, they can be killed with a melee weapon while in the state of pouncing by aiming upwards and hitting, although this is fairly difficult, as timing is vital and it's easier to kill them from a distance with a high-powered primary weapon.

Smoker
The Smoker is an ambush class that can strangle Survivors with its long tongue, similar to Half-Life's Barnacle. The help of another Survivor is required to escape from a Smoker's hold (though if quick enough it is possible, though difficult, to kill a Smoker who has already grabbed you, earning an achievement). As the name implies, Smokers emit smoke when killed to impair Survivors' vision. A Smoker also will frequently cough, letting the Survivors know when he is in the area. The Smoker can drag players that he has captured with his tongue towards himself, though he remains stationary and cannot move. The Smoker is also momentarily paralyzed for a few seconds after having his tongue removed from his captive by another Survivor. In Left 4 Dead 2, the Smoker has six tongues, but this has no effect on gameplay.

Tank
The Tank is the biggest and strongest of all the Infected and is reasonably fast, only slowing if hit with large amounts of automatic weapons fire or when lit on fire (Versus in Left 4 Dead only and any mode aside Versus on Left 4 Dead 2). He is the only player-controllable "Boss Infected." If any Survivors at 40% or above health (including health gained from Pain pills or the Adrenaline Shot) are running away from the Tank, it will not be able to catch them, as they can run slightly faster (unless the Tank in question is an AI Tank in Left 4 Dead). The Tank has incredible strength and resistance―his punch can send Survivors flying, rendering them temporarily defenseless, and in Expert mode, instantly incapacitate them. The blow can send Survivors off high hazards to their deaths. He is also capable of throwing chunks of concrete that he rips out of the ground to momentarily stun Survivors and dealing the same damage as a punch from a Tank. It can also punch large objects in the direction of Survivors with enough force to incapacitate them instantly. Nevertheless, the Tank will die within 30 to 45 seconds if set on fire (varying with the difficulty), except in Versus. When controlled by a player, the Tank has a "Control Meter"; unless the player is able to locate the Survivors and hit one of them, the Control Meter of the Tank will slowly lessen, and once it runs out, the player will lose control of the Tank to another randomly assigned player. When idle, the sound that a Tank makes is heavy breathing. The Survivors are alerted of an approaching Tank by dramatic music, furious roars and, when he is dangerously close, the screen will start to shake. The Tank's Music Cue.

Charger
The Charger is a Special Infected that appears in Left 4 Dead 2. The Charger's main attack is charging forward and plowing into the Survivors. On a successful charge, he will grab and carry a single Survivor while knocking down the others. Once the Charger has hit a wall or other surface, or after he has run a certain distance, he will begin slamming his captive into the ground until an ally frees them. If he misses and hits a wall, he will stumble, leaving him open to attack. The Charger can be detected by the Survivors by the warped growling noise he makes. He will announce his charge with a loud bellow. The Charger appears to have a rocky or calloused surface on his larger right arm, which may be what he uses to inflict most of his force when charging, while his other arm appears to have no bones or muscle. Because of his hulking size, the Charger cannot be shoved off with melee, and must be killed in order to release his victim. If a Survivor has explosive rounds, they will dislodge the Charger from the Survivor and stumble him. Any Survivor that has been knocked out of the way during his charge will fly a considerable distance and slowly stand back up, making the Charger a deadly foe in cramped hallways or near high passageways. He is also the strongest and most durable of the Special Infected (excluding the Tank and the Witch); additionally, his melee attacks are very strong and can easily incapacitate a weakened Survivor.

Spitter
The Spitter is a new Special Infected in Left 4 Dead 2. She possesses the ability to spit a green ball of acid from long distances, which, upon hitting the ground, will expand into a large puddle and damage any Survivors who make contact with it. After spitting, however, the Spitter is temporarily paralyzed for a second, giving the Survivors a chance to kill her. The longer the Survivor stands in it, the more damage the Survivor takes from the goo. This ability allows the Spitter to aid other Special Infected; for instance, if a Hunter pounces a Survivor, a Spitter can spit upon that Survivor, causing even more damage. However, in spite of such a useful ability, the Spitter is very weak in terms of health, so taking out a Spitter will be an easy task. Upon death, the Spitter leaves a similar, smaller kind of puddle that has the same effect on the Survivors. She is one of the most powerful Infected if Survivors are caught standing in her spit, and are too distracted to move quickly due to other Infected or a lack of awareness at damage being dealt. On Scavenge mode or any finale requiring Gas cans, when Gas cans are dropped, the Spitter's goo will ignite the Gas cans if left in the goo long enough.

Jockey
The Jockey is a Special Infected that appears in Left 4 Dead 2. He is a small Infected that attacks Survivors by clinging to them from behind and literally riding the Survivor while attacking them. He can shift his weight around and cause the Survivor to stumble in his desired direction, giving this Special Infected a type of control over the Survivor. Survivors who are being ridden by the Jockey can attempt to "resist" the Jockey, which will allow other players a chance to catch up and knock the Jockey off. Jockeys can ride Survivors into dangerous situations, such as into natural hazards, Witches, or other Infected; a Jockey can also pull a Survivor off of a ledge, causing them to become incapacitated, or riding them to their death if they are not resisting. The Jockey seems to have a spinal disease, similar to kyphosis, giving him a hunched appearance. He also has a maniacal laugh and is constantly twitching, giving him a sort of hyperactive nature.

Witch
The Witch generally appears a few times per campaign and rarely found in the same chapter and She will remain passive unless provoked by flashlights, gunfire, Pistol fire does not provoke her easily, but it will do only a small amount of damage. or Survivors in close range. She is the second "Boss Infected." She is very powerful, capable of incapacitating, and even killing Survivors with one hit. When the Director spawns a Witch, the faint chord of the Witch music will play, allowing veterans of the game to quickly prepare for the "obstacle." The Witch cries loudly, which Survivors will mention they hear, warn you to turn off your flashlight, and dramatic music will play. While the Witch can be killed, it is best to avoid startling her unless absolutely necessary. The most common means of her being startled is by staying near her too long or bumping into her. The flashlight will quicken her agitation rate, as she stands up faster with a flashlight shone near (or on) her. If you attack her, or if someone else startles it, it will say "[Survivor's name] startled the Witch". If a Special Infected like the Jockey or Charger gets too close to the Witch and a person was targeted and hit her, it will say, "You startled the Witch! Best not to disturb her next time."

The Witch is very rarely found in small rooms and normally stays off the main route, but has been found in front of safe rooms (or even inside the safe room), doorways, and in the middle of streets. Once a Witch has killed a Survivor, she will try to retreat out the area with her hands covering her head and then completely disappear. However, in some strange cases, the Witch has been known to kill the closest Survivor to her. This does not usually happen, and when it does, the Witch runs off as normal after killing the Survivor. Also, if a survivor blocks the Witch from attacking the Survivor who startled her, she will attack the Survivor blocking her and either incapacitate the blocking player and run away or incapacitate both the blocking player and the player who startled her. If the Witch is lit on fire (Molotov, Incendiary ammo, Gas can) while she is chasing a Survivor, she will immediately start chasing after whoever burned her. Even if she is retreating, if she is lit on fire, she will go after that Survivor even though she either killed another Survivor or one locked themselves in a safe room.

The Wandering Witch appears in Left 4 Dead 2. She is seen only in the daylight hours, aimlessly wandering around and sobbing loudly with its head in its hands. It's constant movement makes The Wandering Witch harder to avoid, but it is also far more introverted and reacts only to direct attacks or physical contact. One can even damage it slightly without startling it. Unlike the sitting Witches, she does not seem to be alerted more readily by flashlights.

The Wandering Witch remains as vulnerable as ever to crowning from a shotgun, and its more placid nature makes her much easier to crown.

In Left 4 Dead 2's Hard Rain campaign, around 7 or 8 Wandering Witches have gathered in an abandoned sugar mill, which the Survivors must get through to obtain fuel for their rescue boat. An achievement, Sob Story, is earned for navigating the sugar mill without killing any of them.

On the Australian version triggering explosives Such as the Grenade launcher, Propane Tanks and Oxygen Tanks will course the witch to let out a shriek and vanish this is an easy way to kill a witch with out being in danger.

She has on occasions been observed to peacefully follow the Survivors without any provocation, although they may just be walking along its programmed path.