What is the best trait?

[Deep Fried Peter]

Realistically what is the best trait to go with

[VANGUARD]

The word "best" is really vague.
What's best changes with context.
What is it you want to do/achieve?

[LykosNychi]

Strong.
No matter what build, no matter what playstyle, no matter what difficulty, no matter the settings, you can never go wrong with Strong.

The base carry weight is pitifully bad, so that a 'fully' geared survivor weighs basically their total carry weight. Now sure you can argue that heavier clothing will weigh you down and make it harder to fight, but the game already represents that with combat speed and run speed multipliers. A lot of items have relatively heavy weights, which seems to be derived from a lot of items just having rounded up weights.

A character with a bulletproof vest, t-shirt, denim shirt, jeans, sweater, coat, empty backpack, item on back, holstered sidearm, two belt items, and a helmet? That character is going to weigh just under 10 units already. Add to that a fannypack of medical supplies and about 3.0 of ammuniton, and you have a character that is already nearly overburdened.

I don't like the tedium of taking armour off every time I'm not expecting combat, because frankly combat happens whether you expect it or not. And strength xp is gained so ridiculously horrifically slowly, that I simply cannot play a character without the Strong trait anymore. Tried it once, could never go back. There's just too many things you "need" to be safe from multiple scenarios.

[Bussy]

Originally posted by Cheesy:

Realistically what is the best trait to go with

Thick Skinned

What ever helps you the most in your playthroughs. Dying to zombies biting you from behind? Keen hearing. etc

Personally I like traits that give +1/+x in several skills ill use the most, even 1 point at start means that skill will effectively level 3 times faster and is a must for things like Tailoring, which in my opinion is really strong skill to level.

As you get experienced a lot of negative traits are free points; High thirst, hearty appetite, smoker, slow healer, weak stomach, extremely underweight/obese, weak, restless sleeper, sleepyhead, prone to illness etc. All of these are easy to manage and some go away entirely by just playing carefully

[NotForMe]

Just generally, Anything that buffs strength, or fitness. They take the longest to level up, and have a much broader effect on the game.

And I wouldn't say any specific trait, but as a profession Burglar is my go to, sneaky bonuses, and being able to hot wire cars, and pick locks, way too effective early game.
Smoker, and Slow healer, are generally the traits I look to when trying to make up for the profession.
Though if you are playing solo, you can always just give yourself the extra points.
My Friends and I normally give ourselves 10 extra points when we play together, and that's just how we set our servers up.

[Death]

There really is no "best" trait. It all depends on your play style and experience.

[jerrypocalypse]

I don't know if it's necessarily "good" but I have a hard time giving up Outdoorsman. The significantly reduced chance of getting a cold and the innate resistance to taking damage from trees is great to me, and only 2 points

[Bert]

If you play without save scumming... Thick Skinned period.

Everything that reduces your chance of getting zombified... basically.

[Death]

Originally posted by ryak:

If you play without save scumming... Thick Skinned period.

Everything that reduces your chance of getting zombified... basically.

I disagree that Thick Skinned is all that great. Any damage from zombies is still a chance at death and a bite is still guaranteed death. You are better off not getting hit in the first place. I admit that for new players it could potentially save them from taking any damage from the zombies, but it's not guaranteed to do so, so I personally wouldn't rely on it.

[Quill]

It really depends upon what you're going for really. Graceful is great on sneak builds allowing you to walk behind a zombie unnoticed at max sneaking but if you're a Veteran blasting a shotgun with reckless abandon you'd probably more favor hunter for an additional boost to guns if you can afford it

[Terranical]

Best Positive Trait is definitely strong that takes up 10+ points.
Best Negative Trait to take to get free points is Very underweight and Thirsty, because food and water is abundant all over the game's map. It'll take you very quickly to go from 60kg to 80kg in a week if you consume high calory food, and water is very easy to find and maintain once power and water supplies turn off.

[Korhal]

I make a claim for the -2 traits.

Dextrous: You will item shuffle a lot in this game, decreasing the time doing this, will help, most certain for MP.

Cats Eyes: The night is dark and full of terrors ...

Wakeful: You can either play the game or you can look at a blackscreen more regularly, because your chars wants to sleep again.
(NEVER take "Restsless sleeper")

Outsdoorman: 99% chance to basically never get sick. It lets you go out during blizzards and stormy rain days. Otherwise,you might catch a cold, you then will cough and the zeds will find you.

[jerrypocalypse]

Originally posted by Korhal:

Outsdoorman: 99% chance to basically never get sick. It lets you go out during blizzards and stormy rain days. Otherwise,you might catch a cold, you then will cough and the zeds will find you.

Just to clarify, it's 90% (10% chance to catch a cold)

[Jackpot]

I know a lot depends on what build you're going, but I think REGARDLESS of the build that Wakeful is VERY ideal (in solo play)

Because you spend less time sleeping which in turn means you have more time to do what you want whenever it's exploring/raiding stores, exercises and so on.
Generally you have more time to spend your days and in turn it's more efficient long term and short term.


For Multiplayer, I think I'll go with Dexterous (since sleep is often disabled.) because of similar reason with Wakeful, you spend less time just standing and grabbing a bunch of items and can immediately haul from one place to another.

I only chose traits that could fit into ANY build, which would exclude most skill related ones.

I also want to give a shoutout to Outdoorsman for basically making it FEEL like you're just immune to catching the cold from rain. (I know it's not 100% but it feels like it.) for just 2 trait points you can cha cha real smooth in the rain without going back into your base and being sick. I've never experienced being sick from rain whiles having this trait.

Originally posted by ryak:

If you play without save scumming... Thick Skinned period.

Everything that reduces your chance of getting zombified... basically.

If you're a save scum (Bad.) OR just someone who always plays safe and avoids getting bitten/scratched by zombies technically thin skinned may be better purely for the fact you won't encounter it's negative effect of getting scratched and such if you never get scratched in first place.
But otherwise I'd highly recommend Thick Skinned for newer players.

[Korhal]

Originally posted by jerrypocalypse:

Originally posted by Korhal:

Outsdoorman: 99% chance to basically never get sick. It lets you go out during blizzards and stormy rain days. Otherwise,you might catch a cold, you then will cough and the zeds will find you.

Just to clarify, it's 90% (10% chance to catch a cold)

Thanks for the correction. :) I wrote it out of my mind, so its good your clarified that!

[Korhal]

Originally posted by Jackpot:

I know a lot depends on what build you're going, but I think REGARDLESS of the build that Wakeful is VERY ideal (in solo play)

Wakeful also basically buffs fitness in a passive way.
Getting tired also means getting less endurance and less regeneration, if you are exhausted. Wakeful helps to delay the "Drowsy"-moodle, so it keeps the debuffs away and basically provides a boon in fitness through that. :)