Good starting skills?

[Crusoe]

Looking to start playing again after years away. The game has added a lot, it seems.

I want to scavenge and explore, going back to a base I gradually modify and upgrade.

What are some good starting skills for that?

[Muu]

Graceful/Inconspicuous - These are good for sneaking around. Graceful reduces the sound you make while inconspicuous makes you less likely to be seen.

Fast learner - lets you level up quite a bit faster.

Any of the strength perks give you more carry weight. Or you can take organized which lets you put more stuff in a container, BUT it's not as good if your character isn't strong enough to lift the backpack filled with extra goodies.

[Crusoe]

Originally posted by Princess Muu-Muu:

Graceful/Inconspicuous - These are good for sneaking around. Graceful reduces the sound you make while inconspicuous makes you less likely to be seen.

Fast learner - lets you level up quite a bit faster.

Any of the strength perks give you more carry weight. Or you can take organized which lets you put more stuff in a container, BUT it's not as good if your character isn't strong enough to lift the backpack filled with extra goodies.

This is helpful, thanks. I remember sneaking and reading a lot in my previous 50 hours, haha.

[WillieSea]

Brave helps you land more hits with your weapon, since you are less likely to get scared.

Strong traits help you swing your weapon for longer periods of time before becoming tired. It also can help you break into houses (open windows) and knock back zombies when you hit them. It can also help you one-hit kill zombies more often.

[Peter Lion]

Maxing out carpentry will give you access to barricading your building and building new doors very early. Which is essential for keeping zombies out of your safehouse.

The way the beginning of the game stands right now I feel like taking carpentry is the only logical choice. But you can create a very dynamic character of any flavour and still make it work.

[martindirt]

My favorite build:
Outdoorsman
Inconspicuous
Graceful
Lucky
Smoker
Hemophobe
Slow healer
Claustrophobic
.....
There were some other(s), but I'm play saved or full random characters, so don't remember 100%.

[Spack Jarrow]

Originally posted by Crusoe:

Looking to start playing again after years away. The game has added a lot, it seems.

I want to scavenge and explore, going back to a base I gradually modify and upgrade.

What are some good starting skills for that?

The one that lets you collect stuff faster from containers is the single best perk in the game. Sometimes you have to run in and out of a shop to grab essential tools.

As you learn the map of the game , you will know where to find this and that.

This helps you do the high risk and reward runs with higher survival probabilty.

[Flying Tiger]

Originally posted by Peter Lion:

Maxing out carpentry will give you access to barricading your building and building new doors very early. Which is essential for keeping zombies out of your safehouse.

The way the beginning of the game stands right now I feel like taking carpentry is the only logical choice. But you can create a very dynamic character of any flavour and still make it work.

Cheers for that, I'll tell you how it goes

[WillieSea]

You can easily build up your carpentry skill without wasting trait points at the beginning of the game. But I feel that way about any skill that is easily raised by game play unless there is an immediate survivability reason for it.

[Kruger]

i go unemployed with cat eye and thick skinned :)

[Mr. Quiet]

Been trying a Burglar build with 'Cat Eyes' and 'Lucky'. But I avoid engagements as much as possible. It's challenging and intense, especially if you venture out at night time. Unemployed gives you a few more points to spread around, but the two skills I like starting with pay off throughout the game in my experience.

[ThrillaMan]

One major thing is that it matters whether you are playing the default installation or if you switch to IWBUMS. Also, it depends on your gameplay and if you will be playing vanilla or using Hyrdrocraft. I am a Hydrocraft user. If you are as well, and since you will be looting, and smashing zeds, you could try the this with the default installation:

Profession: Unemployed
High Thirst
Hearty Appitite
Smoker
Hemophobic
Weak Stomach
Hard Of Hearing
Slow Reader
Wears Hearing Aid
Night Vision
Dextrous
Resilient
Thick Skinned
Athletic
Strong

On my most recent character, I am well over 5000 zed kills & 3 months into gameplay. TBH,I don't feel like I will ever die.

Meanwhile, I barley make it a day in IWBUMS due to how aggressive I play & kill zeds. These starting skills do not apply in that situation.

[Cat Al-Iraqi قطة]

Originally posted by Princess Muu-Muu:

Graceful/Inconspicuous - These are good for sneaking around. Graceful reduces the sound you make while inconspicuous makes you less likely to be seen.

Fast learner - lets you level up quite a bit faster.

Any of the strength perks give you more carry weight. Or you can take organized which lets you put more stuff in a container, BUT it's not as good if your character isn't strong enough to lift the backpack filled with extra goodies.

I think athletic is better than strong because you can fight and run for literal AGES without getting tired.

[martindirt]

Originally posted by Le monke:

Originally posted by Princess Muu-Muu:

Graceful/Inconspicuous - These are good for sneaking around. Graceful reduces the sound you make while inconspicuous makes you less likely to be seen.

Fast learner - lets you level up quite a bit faster.

Any of the strength perks give you more carry weight. Or you can take organized which lets you put more stuff in a container, BUT it's not as good if your character isn't strong enough to lift the backpack filled with extra goodies.

I think athletic is better than strong because you can fight and run for literal AGES without getting tired.

Depends on your gaming style.
If you are a fighter, you need more stamina.
But for looters, better if they can carry more & can move silently.

[katsuragi]

fire officer
strong
athletic

pay for it with whatever disadvantages you prefer

[Abyssian]

Originally posted by Crusoe:

Looking to start playing again after years away. The game has added a lot, it seems.

I want to scavenge and explore, going back to a base I gradually modify and upgrade.

What are some good starting skills for that?

Yep, as others said, depends on your playstyle. You can be either drifter, or nature child. My fav skills at the start are always something you cannot earn during playing. For example it's stupid to choose herbalist, because at some point you can find herbalism magazine. I start with:
Prone to illness +4 (better turn off zombification)
Hemophobic +3 (not good for multiplayer)
Weak stomach +3 (it's really easy to avoid spoiled food)
Hypochondriac +2 (with zombification turned off, this is harmless)
Dextrous -2 (i really don't know why others don't use it, quick weapon unpacking is sometimes a
lifesaver)
Outdoorsman -2 (you'll never catch nasty cold or flu)
Organized -6 (bigger carryweight for your backpack)
Strong -10 (your personal carryweight is also bigger, hits harder, have good knockback)

These are universal, no matter who you want to be.