Choosing the right tool for the job is a big part being successful in an open-world game like State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition. Try to engage a horde with the wrong gun and you might find yourself working on Rule #1 from Zombieland – Cardio.
Today, we’re going to break down the different types of weapons that you can find in State of Decay, giving you a bit of information on each so that you’re armed with the knowledge needed to make it to the other side of the apocalypse. Of course, it’s not all just about guns and violence, choosing the right Home Site is a big part of survival as well.
Melee Weapons
Melee weapons are broken down into three categories, and the choice that players make when picking up a weapon can have a significant impact on combat. While Light Blunt Weapons and Light Edged Weapons are fairly standard for any player to pick up and use, it’s the Heavy Weapons that are going to require the right user to get maximum results.
Although powerful, Heavy Weapons are very slow to swing, and it’s often possible for players to get attacked in between. These melee options also drain your Stamina, so it’s advised that you only allow characters who have the Powerhouse skill to use them. This will reduce the penalty to their stamina, and give your group a great option if you come up against multiple zombies in close quarters. For some of the finer points of combat in State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition, read through our guide.
Firearms
There are just too many specific guns to break them all down, so instead we’re going to focus on some of the concepts that will help you choose the right Firearm for the job. There’s also the idea of Influence that is gained and lost by putting a weapon into the Supply Locker, or taking it out.
To begin, know that each Firearm, whether it’s an Assault Rifle, Light Machine Gun, Revolver, or anything else, comes with a set of categories that decide how it will perform in combat. For example, the Accuracy rating is going to determine the bullet spread, while the Durability rating will let you know how much use you’ll get from it. Other categories, such as Magazine Capacity and Weight, are fairly easy to understand.
Ourselves, we try to use Melee weapons as much as possible, choosing a stealth approach before a run-and-gun style. For us, a gun’s statistics aren’t that important, although the Suppressor category lets us know which ones can be silenced, and that’s a major factor in us choosing a Firearm. The other major point of interest is the Influence Cost, which will let you know how much Influence you gain by putting a Firearm into the Supply Locker. This is a big deal because, in a way, Influence is a currency in State of Decay, and the penalty for removing a weapon tends to be much greater than the Influence gain for putting it in. This means that we’re often choosing a Firearm that we looted while out and about, rather than one we’ve already stashed in the Supply Locker.
Explosives
Just like Melee weapons and Firearms, there are many different types of Explosives in State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition, so we’re going to talk about the two different types and what each should be used for.
Thrown Explosives will include things like the Frag Grenade and the Pipe Bomb, and these should be used to take out large hordes of zombies. They should never be used on a single zed-head, or even in a situation where you feel like a confrontation can be avoided. Thrown Explosives make noise, and that noise will only attract more unwanted attention.
The other type of Explosives are Mines, and most of these (as well as the Thrown Explosives) can be created using a Munitions Shop or Weapons Lab. The point of these is typically to set traps for any zombies that might be in the area, but players will want to take care not to put them in locations where they’ll be a problem for other survivors.
In the case of the Whistling Box Mine, after being set it will let out a whistle that is aimed at attracting zombies, then explode after 20 seconds. This can be used to draw a group of undead away from your objective, killing them so that you can loot or proceed without having to get your hands dirty.
The weapons in State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition are many, and somewhere along the line you might even find a favorite, but it’s not so much the specific Firearm, Explosive or Melee weapon as it is how you choose to use them. If you take a smart approach to combat, the weapon you choose is going to be based on necessity, not preference. Also, this is the apocalypse, and since beggars can’t be choosers, you’ll use whatever you find, and you’ll like it.
Now that you’re armed with some knowledge on the in-game weapons, be sure to take a peek at our State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition zombie guide.
If you’re looking to get your hands on all of our State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition content in one place, visit our State of Decay guide and become the ultimate survivor.
