Early weapons

[Paulinou]

How do you get your first weapons?
I try to use plank to make spears and also looting but i only find shovels.
(I'm noob at PZ)

[lukasz]

Spears are easy to make, you can use foraging skill to find tree branches. Foraging is a great skill anyway it is easy to level up and gives you benefits like finding food that doesn't rot and materials.


The best way to kill zombies in my opinion is to push them with space button and when they fall down just hit them with your spear in the head. It's instant kill.

[Courier]

i usually go with whatever pipe or knife i can find first. If used propperly both can be very powerfull. Usually only go to more advanced weapons once ive leveld the coresponding skill and maintanance a bit

[Nordil(Hun)]

I usually go with metal pipe, crowbar, or socket wrench. On occasion normal wrench.
Basicly anything that is unrepairable. Because you can get your maintenance high and they are quite sturdy. Metal pipes are usually found quite easily. But there were occasions when only H2H was left. Kitchen knife is terrible in melee sadly unless you one shot kill zeds.

[Zombie Hugger]

Originally posted by lukasz:

The best way to kill zombies in my opinion is to push them with space button and when they fall down just hit them with your spear in the head. It's instant kill.

Don't do that with a Spear if there is more than one zombie in close range, lol

[Paulinou]

Originally posted by Zombie Hugger:

Originally posted by lukasz:

The best way to kill zombies in my opinion is to push them with space button and when they fall down just hit them with your spear in the head. It's instant kill.

Don't do that with a Spear if there is more than one zombie in close range, lol

I'll think about that lol, how do you deal with runners?

[J's]

Hammers (or their wooden/club variety) are fairly decent weapons that allow you to carry a second bag at the same time.

The crowbar is possibly my favorite weapon for it's mix of durability and damage.

Other weapons are cool too, long blades (machete and katana) deal high damage with decent durability. Axes remain a decent weapon but the one handed version is a bit more usefull (due to second bag).

One thing to remember now though, is that bladed weapons and axes will degrade a zombies' clothes. This may or may not be an issue depending if you are looking for clothes to replace your old ones.

[Zombie Hugger]

Originally posted by Arthasla:

Originally posted by Zombie Hugger:

Don't do that with a Spear if there is more than one zombie in close range, lol

I'll think about that lol, how do you deal with runners?

You can safely deal with two at once and up to three if you have space to keep backing up. The trick is to constantly shove them while moving backwards until at least two are on the ground. Try to stand on top of one so it doesn't get up while you swing wildly at the third. Hopefully you'll make the third fall over too or just outright kill them.

If you're just dealing with two, push one on the ground, stand on top of it, then keep shoving the second one until it also falls over. Then kill the one you're standing on top of, then finish off the second.

Four or more sprinters at once is a near-guaranteed death sentence.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Zombie Hugger:

Originally posted by Arthasla:

I'll think about that lol, how do you deal with runners?

You can safely deal with two at once and up to three if you have space to keep backing up. The trick is to constantly shove them while moving backwards until at least two are on the ground. Try to stand on top of one so it doesn't get up while you swing wildly at the third. Hopefully you'll make the third fall over too or just outright kill them.

If you're just dealing with two, push one on the ground, stand on top of it, then keep shoving the second one until it also falls over. Then kill the one you're standing on top of, then finish off the second.

Four or more sprinters at once is a near-guaranteed death sentence.

Actually the zeds can grab you while they are on the ground too.
So quickly entering a window, hoping for them to fall through and you escape is no go.(Died this way once!, ran away climbed window, 6 zombies fell through, grabbed and died, while they were on the ground.)

[Zombie Hugger]

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Originally posted by Zombie Hugger:

You can safely deal with two at once and up to three if you have space to keep backing up. The trick is to constantly shove them while moving backwards until at least two are on the ground. Try to stand on top of one so it doesn't get up while you swing wildly at the third. Hopefully you'll make the third fall over too or just outright kill them.

If you're just dealing with two, push one on the ground, stand on top of it, then keep shoving the second one until it also falls over. Then kill the one you're standing on top of, then finish off the second.

Four or more sprinters at once is a near-guaranteed death sentence.

Actually the zeds can grab you while they are on the ground too.
So quickly entering a window, hoping for them to fall through and you escape is no go.(Died this way once!, ran away climbed window, 6 zombies fell through, grabbed and died, while they were on the ground.)

A zombie that you knocked down on to its back in normal combat cannot attack you. If you stand on top of it, it also cannot get up.

Zombies can only attack you from the ground if they flip to their stomach and start crawling or if they crawl through a window.

[DivineEvil]

I usually limit combat to non-weapon until I find a metal bar, lead pipe or hammer. They're all very durable, reliable and doesnt take up a lot of endurance to use. Garages and tool shelves are common locations where these can be found. If none can be found then anything goes, but I really don't like using bladed weapons before I have an opportunity to train Maintenance, and I don't like two-handed weapons due to their endurance drain.

[Glenn from Discord]

No love for spiked bats in this thread huh? It's my favorite weapon for the amount you find in early games and where you can find them (wardrobes for example). I find they do a decent job in taking out zeds, and have a decent range for close quarter combat. A lot of people seem to enjoy holding a second bag, i just use my car as my mobile treasure chest.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Noobs with Toobs:

No love for spiked bats in this thread huh? It's my favorite weapon for the amount you find in early games and where you can find them (wardrobes for example). I find they do a decent job in taking out zeds, and have a decent range for close quarter combat. A lot of people seem to enjoy holding a second bag, i just use my car as my mobile treasure chest.

Early weapons:)
Baseball bats are wasted early in the game i would say. If you have a crowbar or a wrench, they cannot be repaired or maintained and you can use them to advance in maintenance so later on your baseball bats last longer. It is why i if possible prefer to avoid using bbbats early on.

[Glenn from Discord]

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Originally posted by Noobs with Toobs:

No love for spiked bats in this thread huh? It's my favorite weapon for the amount you find in early games and where you can find them (wardrobes for example). I find they do a decent job in taking out zeds, and have a decent range for close quarter combat. A lot of people seem to enjoy holding a second bag, i just use my car as my mobile treasure chest.

Early weapons:)
Baseball bats are wasted early in the game i would say. If you have a crowbar or a wrench, they cannot be repaired or maintained and you can use them to advance in maintenance so later on your baseball bats last longer. It is why i if possible prefer to avoid using bbbats early on.

So by using a crowbar or wrench for attacking increases your maintenance skill? Also; are you able to use crowbar/wrench for their out of combat uses even after they're broken? I'm trying to see the benefit of using an item that isn't repairable. Or are you saying "once they break they're no good, so use them early rather then later on"? Finally; it seems these are "one hand blunt" would you say this is the combat skill you should focus on and utilise early on? I've read tips here where people say to focus on one combat skill to be more effective as you progress. Would you say one hand blunt is efficient mid game, and if not how do you effectively level up your combat skills effectively to justify switching from say a crowbar early game to a spiked bat mid-late game?

Thanks for the answers in advanced and sorry if i got some things wrong; I'm still quite a noob here.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Noobs with Toobs:

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

So by using a crowbar or wrench for attacking increases your maintenance skill? Also; are you able to use crowbar/wrench for their out of combat uses even after they're broken? I'm trying to see the benefit of using an item that isn't repairable. Or are you saying "once they break they're no good, so use them early rather then later on"? Finally; it seems these are "one hand blunt" would you say this is the combat skill you should focus on and utilise early on? I've read tips here where people say to focus on one combat skill to be more effective as you progress. Would you say one hand blunt is efficient mid game, and if not how do you effectively level up your combat skills effectively to justify switching from say a crowbar early game to a spiked bat mid-late game?

Thanks for the answers in advanced and sorry if i got some things wrong; I'm still quite a noob here.

No worries. I am still a noob with 600 hours:)
I plan ahead and try to play it safe. So i can have a long run. Currently on this run i am continueing and where i have plans, i am nearing 3 months.
Each time you use your weapon you have a chance to not trigger a "weapon damage". As in the weapon will not lose its durability. When that happens you gain certain amount to your maintenance skill. The higher it is the more durability you can repair on your weapon and you can repair it more times too. So you get both maintenance and weapon skill experience when you use one.(Also STR and depending how you fight, quick feet, or nimble and some endurance too!)

Once a non repairable weapon gets broken, so a crowbar or a wench than it is over. You cannot use it again.(I bury them with zeds, so they do not take up space. Strip the zeds of all usefull items on them, clothes, shoes, socks, etc.)

Crowbar in this regard is the best weapon, since it is also a tool, allthough only semi-useful as tool. Since you cannot really use it for its original purpose afaik, so you cannot force windows or doors open with it. However it can spawn on zombies too, it is quite noticeable when a zombie has it stuck in its back. Since it is also considered a long blunt weapon, the reach and damage of the weapon is also quite good. The higher your long blunt skill the longer you can use it without it getting broken and it also raises your maintenance skill. (I play burger flipper because that job gets short blade AND maintenance as skills very usefull both.)

Most folks suggest you to select a weapon and use it as much as you can to get it up to high level.
I have 3 weapon bonuses. Long blunt and axe from brawler and short blade from burger flipper.
Since usually i have terrible luck with finding axes, i usually make stone axes and use those to increase my level. Allthough with axes spawning on zombies just like crowbars you can now use a normal axe, handaxe to fight.(Wood axe is a no-no, since it does not spawn on zeds! and they changed something on that weapon i have yet to test out)

Short blade is also good, because the hunting knife also spawns on zombies. And you can kill a zombie with it instantly. On lower levels only from behind, so sneak advised, but on higher levels, even from the front.(From level 3 i think, but you really need to know what you are doing, since i knew this trick in build 40, i was able to adapt to this quite well) But you really need to know what you do. Since your knife can be stuck in the zombie after you killed it, so you need to retrieve it, and when you kill this way a zombie, you will be stuck for about 0,7-1,2 seconds. and if zeds are close you die, or get bitten which is the same.

So basicly i have three weapon skills chosen, and each of these has a type that can respawn.(I actually also found my first 2 katanas on zeds, but i think long blade cannot be taken as a skill bonus)

I level slower per weapon since i do not focus, but i am more versatile. Currently i am on level 4 with short blades level 5 with long blunt and level 2 on axe. With 1500 zombies killed. (and prolly a few car kills not added.) Other folks are prolly on level 7 or 8 with an axe by now it means that most of the enemies they usuall should be able to kill one or two axe swings.(depending on axe.) With a short blade max number of stabs i need if i do not instakill is 5. With the crowbar rarely 5-6, but usually 1-2-3 hits and the opponent is dead. Also with crowbar you can often force them on the ground with the flip style attack.

The thing is i would say currently long blunt is one of the best skills to start with. Metal rods and poles are plenty. And they are also long blunt. Yes they break and are unreparable, just like crowbars. But they can also spawn on zombies. So unlimited amount:)

[DivineEvil]

Originally posted by Noobs with Toobs:

So by using a crowbar or wrench for attacking increases your maintenance skill? Also; are you able to use crowbar/wrench for their out of combat uses even after they're broken? I'm trying to see the benefit of using an item that isn't repairable.

You gain Maintenance for using any weapons for combat.
No, you cannot use broken tools, since they're unequippable.
Unrepairable items are better used early because using repairable items is better when your Maintenance is already notably decent, and you also improved your Carpentry to improve repair rates.

Originally posted by Noobs with Toobs:

Or are you saying "once they break they're no good, so use them early rather then later on"?

Essentially yes. When you have improved Maintenance and Carpentry, a single Spiked BBat can last you months - that can't be said about unrepairable analogues.

Originally posted by Noobs with Toobs:

Finally; it seems these are "one hand blunt" would you say this is the combat skill you should focus on and utilise early on? I've read tips here where people say to focus on one combat skill to be more effective as you progress. Would you say one hand blunt is efficient mid game, and if not how do you effectively level up your combat skills effectively to justify switching from say a crowbar early game to a spiked bat mid-late game?

Short blunt is very effective early-game because they're balanced between stamina drain and ease-of-use. They're not as brittle as blades and not as heavy as Long Blunt.

You can get almost indefinite amounts from scrapping metal (Metal Bars and Metal Pipes can be used as one) and once you improved your skill and Maintenance, just having a regular Hammer as secondary weapon ensures your safety no matter what primary weapon you carry. Frying Pans, Rolling Pins, Lead Pipes - there's so much of it lying around, that you will have easy time leveling up, yet they won't break as easily as practically worthless bread/butter/kitchen knives.

Once you've got 3-4 Short Blunt and 2-3 Maintenance, just practice whatever weapon you want and if it breaks, there will always be that trusty Hammer on your belt or Lead Pipe on your back to keep yourself alive.