Project Zomboid
ByYurii Luzhko

Best Traits in Project Zomboid (B42) — Ranked

Build 42.212 min read

The cheapest skill levels are Keen Cook, Artisan, Mason and Whittler, at 1 point per level. The biggest point-giver that takes no skill level is Deaf (gives 12).

The trait planner already lets you build a character; this guide ranks the traits so you know what to put in it. Every link below opens the planner with that trait or build ready.

Trait icons of Project Zomboid
Trait icons from the game's files via the PZwiki mirror (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0).
On this page

Positive traits: 49 ranked

Sorted by points per skill level; traits that add no skill level sort last, cheapest first. Each name opens the planner with it picked.

49 traits

#
1Keen Cook — trait iconKeen Cook3+31Cooking +2, Butchering +1
2Artisan — trait iconArtisan2+21Glassmaking +1, Pottery +1
3Mason — trait iconMason2+21Masonry +2
4Whittler — trait iconWhittler2+21Carving +2
5Hunter — trait iconHunter8+51.6Aiming +1, Tracking +1, Sneaking +1, Short Blade +1, Butchering +1
6Bushcrafter — trait iconBushcrafter8+42Foraging +1, Knapping +1, Maintenance +1, Carving +1
7Handy — trait iconHandy8+42Carving +1, Maintenance +1, Masonry +1, Carpentry +1
8Blacksmith Knowledge — trait iconBlacksmith Knowledge6+32Blacksmithing +2, Maintenance +1
9Former Scout — trait iconFormer Scout6+32First Aid +1, Foraging +1, Fishing +1
10First Aider — trait iconFirst Aider2+12First Aid +1
11Gardener — trait iconGardener2+12Agriculture +1
12Athletic — trait iconAthletic10+42.5Fitness +4
13Strong — trait iconStrong10+42.5Strength +4
14Gymnast — trait iconGymnast5+22.5Lightfooted +1, Nimble +1
15Hiker — trait iconHiker5+22.5Foraging +1, Trapping +1
16Brawler — trait iconBrawler6+23Axe +1, Long Blunt +1
17Fit — trait iconFit6+23Fitness +2
18Stout — trait iconStout6+23Strength +2
19Vehicle Knowledge — trait iconVehicle Knowledge3+13Mechanics +1
20Angler — trait iconAngler4+14Fishing +1
21Baseball Player — trait iconBaseball Player4+14Long Blunt +1
22Herbalist — trait iconHerbalist4+14Foraging +1
23Runner — trait iconRunner4+14Running +1
24Sewer — trait iconSewer4+14Tailoring +1
25Tinkerer — trait iconTinkerer4+14Maintenance +1
26Target Shooter — trait iconTarget Shooter5+15Aiming +1
27Thick-skinned — trait iconThick-skinned8——Lower chance of being scratched or bitten.
28Fast Healer — trait iconFast Healer6——Recovers quickly from injuries and illness.
29Fast Learner — trait iconFast Learner6——Increased XP gains.
30Keen Hearing — trait iconKeen Hearing6——Larger perception radius.
31Adrenaline Junkie — trait iconAdrenaline Junkie4——Moves faster when highly panicked.
32Brave — trait iconBrave4——Less prone to becoming panicked.
33Eagle Eyed — trait iconEagle Eyed4——Faster visibility fade. Higher visibility arc. Weapon sights more effective at long range.
34Graceful — trait iconGraceful4——Makes less noise when moving.
35Inconspicuous — trait iconInconspicuous4——Less likely to be spotted by zombies.
36Organized — trait iconOrganized4——Increased container inventory capacity.
37Resilient — trait iconResilient4——Less prone to disease. Slower rate of zombification.
38Cat's Eyes — trait iconCat's Eyes3——Better vision at night.
39Crafty — trait iconCrafty3——Increased XP gains for Crafting skills.
40Wakeful — trait iconWakeful3——Needs less sleep.
41Dextrous — trait iconDextrous2——Transfers inventory items quickly. Faster rope climbing speed, and less chance of falling. Faster weapon shouldering time.
42Fast Reader — trait iconFast Reader2——Takes less time to read books.
43Inventive — trait iconInventive2——Has lower skill level requirements to research recipes from items or auto learn recipes.
44Iron Gut — trait iconIron Gut2——Less chance to have food illness.
45Light Eater — trait iconLight Eater2——Needs to eat less regularly.
46Low Thirst — trait iconLow Thirst2——Needs less water to survive.
47Nutritionist — trait iconNutritionist2——Can see the nutritional values of any food.
48Outdoorsy — trait iconOutdoorsy2——Less affected by harsh weather conditions.
49Speed Demon — trait iconSpeed Demon1——Drives very fast.

Negative traits: 32 ranked by points given

28 of the 32 negative traits take no skill level in the files. That is not a claim they are harmless: their effect is the game's own sentence in the last column. The files rate none of them.

32 traits

#
1Deaf — trait iconDeaf12none2Can't hear sound.
2Illiterate — trait iconIlliterate10none2Cannot read any books or in-world text.
3Puny — trait iconPuny10−53Far less knockback from melee weapons. Extremely small carrying weight.
4Unfit — trait iconUnfit10−43Very low endurance and endurance regeneration.
5Thin-skinned — trait iconThin-skinned8none1Higher chance of being scratched or bitten by zombies.
6Disorganized — trait iconDisorganized6none1Decreased container inventory capacity. Affects world containers and bags, but not your main inventory.
7Out of Shape — trait iconOut of Shape6−23Low endurance, low endurance regeneration.
8Restless Sleeper — trait iconRestless Sleeper6none—Slow loss of tiredness while sleeping.
9Slow Learner — trait iconSlow Learner6none2Decreased XP gains.
10Weak — trait iconWeak6−23Less knockback from melee weapons. Decreased carrying weight.
11Fear of Blood — trait iconFear of Blood5none1Panic when performing first aid on self. Cannot perform first aid on others. Gets stressed when bloody.
12Reluctant Fighter — trait iconReluctant Fighter5none—Decreased combat XP gains.
13Short of Breath — trait iconShort of Breath5none—Faster endurance loss.
14Agoraphobic — trait iconAgoraphobic4none4Gets panicked when outdoors.
15Claustrophobic — trait iconClaustrophobic4none4Gets panicked when in small indoor rooms.
16Conspicuous — trait iconConspicuous4none1More likely to be spotted by zombies.
17Hard of Hearing — trait iconHard of Hearing4none2Smaller perception radius. Smaller hearing range.
18Hearty Appetite — trait iconHearty Appetite4none2Needs to eat more regularly.
19Prone to Illness — trait iconProne to Illness4none1More prone to disease. Faster rate of zombification.
20Sleepyhead — trait iconSleepyhead4none1Needs more sleep.
21Slow Healer — trait iconSlow Healer3none1Recovers slowly from injuries and illness.
22Smoker — trait iconSmoker3none1Unhappiness rises when tobacco is not smoked. Stress and unhappiness decrease after smoking tobacco.
23All Thumbs — trait iconAll Thumbs2none1Transfers inventory items slowly. Can't craft anything while walking. Slower rope climbing speed, and higher chance of falling. Slower weapon shouldering time.
24Clumsy — trait iconClumsy2none1Makes more noise when moving.
25Cowardly — trait iconCowardly2none3Especially prone to becoming panicked.
26Fast Metabolism — trait iconFast Metabolism2none1Permanent tendency to lose weight. Starts with Low Weight trait.
27High Thirst — trait iconHigh Thirst2none1Needs more water to survive.
28Short Sighted — trait iconShort Sighted2none1Smaller view distance. Slower visibility fade. Weapon sights less effective.
29Slow Metabolism — trait iconSlow Metabolism2none1Permanent tendency to gain weight. Starts with High Weight trait.
30Slow Reader — trait iconSlow Reader2none2Takes longer to read books and other literature.
31Weak Stomach — trait iconWeak Stomach2none1Higher chance to have food illness.
32Sunday Driver — trait iconSunday Driver1none1Drives very slow.

What the starting budget buys

Fill the budget greedily, cheapest point per level first, skipping any trait that would break the budget or exclude one already picked. It is the planner's own arithmetic, not a recommended playstyle: it ignores what the perks do.

BuildTraitsResult
From the starting budgetKeen Cook, Artisan, Mason3 traits, 7 skill levels, 1 point left

Perks with no skill level

23 positive traits add no skill level (for example Speed Demon: drives very fast; Dextrous: transfers inventory items quickly. faster rope climbing speed, and less chance of falling. faster weapon shouldering time; Fast Reader: takes less time to read books). Their worth is how they change play, so the files cannot rank them.

FAQ

What are the best traits in Project Zomboid?

By points per skill level, Keen Cook, Artisan, Mason and Whittler (1 per level). Traits without skill boosts cannot be ranked from the files.

Which negative traits take no skill level?

28 negative traits take no skill level in the files, led by Deaf (12 points). What each does is in the table.

How many trait points do you start with?

The occupation sets the budget (Custom Occupation gives 8); the sandbox presets add 0 free points in Build 42.21.

Pages to keep open

Related pages

Sources

Thanks to The Indie Stone for making Project Zomboid. This is an unofficial fan production; PinDrop is not affiliated with The Indie Stone.