Before watching your untimely death occur during the zombie apocalypse, you must thoroughly craft a character designed to last more than ten minutes in the end times. Here is how character creation works in Project Zomboid for beginners.
How to Build Your Character in Project Zomboid
While it’s true that the whole point of Project Zomboid is to die, you should still attempt to survive as long as possible. It’s the journey, after all. For that, you must understand the character creator and learn how to select traits and your occupation to suit your playstyle and increase survivability.
First and foremost, know that your occupation affects your beginning stats and, to some extent, the equipment you begin your adventure with. For example, if you choose Carpenter, you’ll start with +3 Carpentry and +1 Short Blunt. If you select Burglar, you will begin with +2 Lightfooted, +2 Nimble, and +2 Sneaking. Again, your occupation depends on your playstyle.
As for traits, these are both positive and negative. Some require you to smoke to relax; others, however, ensure you can survive extreme panic with a cool head. The goal is to find a balance between the two.
The Best Occupations for Beginners in Project Zomboid
Your occupation in Project Zomboid, or your character’s job before the zombie apocalypse, provides unique advantages. These advantages often significantly boost specific skills, like carpentry, farming, or fishing, for example. As such, you’ll want to choose wisely.
If you’re playing multiplayer, try to choose a profession that benefits the group and synergizes with what others pick.
Some of the best occupations in the game include:
| Occupation | Skills | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | +3 Carpentry +1 Short Blunt | For those attempting to build a long-term base, the Carpenter provides a necessary skillset to construct barricades and more. |
| Veteran | +2 Aiming +2 Reloading | The Veteran keeps a level head in any situation and can dish out headshots with most weapons. |
| Farmer | +3 Farming | Everyone must eat in the zombie apocalypse, so the Farmer becomes a cherished part of any community. |
| Electrician | +3 Electrical | For long-term survival, the Electricians can turn on the power and keep a base functional and happy. |
| Mechanic | +3 Mechanics +1 Short Blunt | The Mechanic understands the inner workings of vehicles and can turn a broken-down hunk into a mobile base. |
Besides the Veteran, though they definitely have a place on the zombie-clearing squad, these professions all focus on long-term survival and ways to benefit a community of survivors.
The Best Traits for Beginners in Project Zomboid
Once you have your Project Zomboid professional locked down, you must then focus on the various traits—both positive and negative—to round out your character.
| Trait | Effect | Positive/Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dextrous | +50% inventory transfer time. | Positive |
| Lucky | +10% chance of finding loot. -5% chance of failing item repairs. | Positive |
| Fast Learner | 130% XP for all skills except Strength and Fitness. | Positive |
| Fit | +2 Fitness | Positive |
| Underweight | -1 Fitness. Starting weight of 70. 80% melee damage. +10% chance to trip. 85% chance to fail a tall fence climb. | Negative |
| Smoker | Stress slowly rises. Smoking reduces stress. | Negative |
| Slow Reader | 70% reading speed. | Negative |
| Organized | 130% capacity for all containers. | Positive |
| Outdoorsman | 10% chance of catching a cold. 1% or 1.25% chance of getting scratched while Walking or Running through trees. Start a fire faster. | Positive |
| Athletic | +4 Fitness. +20% running/sprinting speed. -20% running/sprinting endurance loss. | Positive |
It’s important to note that unless you’re cheating, you cannot select every Positive trait we’ve listed here, as you won’t have enough points. You need to balance a few Negative traits to acquire points to place into a handful of Positive traits. It’s a give-and-take method of character creation.
Once you’re finished with character creation and ready to tackle the zombie apocalypse in Kentucky, give yourself the best start possible with the top starting location in the game!
