Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid Moodles (Build 42)

26 moodles23 with four levels3 single-state

Moodles are the status icons in the top-right corner of the screen. Build 42 has 23 moodles with four levels each — Queasy is the first level of Sick, Peckish the first of Hungry — plus 3 single-state ones. Below: every level as the game names and describes it, the point where each level starts, and what causes and eases each moodle.

Names, descriptions and thresholds from the Build 42 server's files (depot manifest of 23 Sept 2026); causes and cures adapted from PZwiki, Moodles. Moodle icons © The Indie Stone, matched to each moodle by the game's own code.

Queasy, Nauseous, Sick, Fever

Queasy is the first level of the Sick moodle: it starts when sickness passes 25%, then Nauseous at 50%, Sick at 75% and Fever at 90%.

  1. Queasyfrom 25% sickness“Not feeling too good.”
  2. Nauseousfrom 50% sickness“Weak with illness.”
  3. Sickfrom 75% sickness“Very weak and unwell.”
  4. Feverfrom 90% sickness“Increasing danger of becoming rat food.”

Queasy from a zombie, or from food?

The game's own code answers why you cannot tell: the Sick moodle shows the highest of zombie infection, food sickness and the “fake” infection, plus general sickness from corpses — one icon for every cause. The zombie infection (a bite always, a laceration 25%, a scratch 7%) climbs steadily from the moment you are hurt to death after 48–72 in-game hours on the default settings, so its levels arrive on a schedule:

  1. Queasy12–18 h after the wound
  2. Nauseous24–36 h after the wound
  3. Sick36–54 h after the wound
  4. Fever43–65 h after the wound

Food sickness instead fades once nothing is adding to it. Odds, the hit table and the sandbox options that change all this are on the injuries page.

What makes you sick, and what cures it

  • Zombie infection — always fatal in the standard modes; only custom sandbox settings can make it survivable.
  • Raw or bad food, and tainted water — small amounts may be survivable; a lot can kill.
  • Rotting corpses — when more than five lie piled together and flies are buzzing. Keep at least 10 squares away outdoors, stay out of the building they are in, or be on another floor.
  • Cigarettes — unless the character has the Smoker trait.

Everything but zombie infection wears off if the character is well fed and rested; lemongrass helps. As sickness rises, carrying capacity drops, body heat climbs and healing slows. Traits change it: Resilient stretches the time to death from infection ×1.25 and Prone to Illness shortens it ×0.75 (the game's code); Iron Gut halves the chance of food sickness and Weak Stomach doubles it.

Adapted from PZwiki, Sick (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0); shared under the same licence.

All moodles and their levels

23 of 23

  • Endurance

    Running, fighting or carrying weight. Weaker combat, slower movement, no sprinting; rest, sit or lie down to recover.

    1. Out of BreathHard to run or swing a weapon. Why not have a rest in a comfy chair?
    2. High ExertionCan barely jog or swing a weapon.
    3. Excessive ExertionCan barely walk or swing a weapon.
    4. ExhaustedCan barely move or swing a weapon.

  • Heavy Load

    Carrying too much. Slower movement and attacks, faster endurance loss, and at the top up to 25% of health; drop items or use bags.

    1. Weighed Downfrom 1× capacityCarrying a little too much.
    2. Overloadedfrom 1.25× capacityCarrying too much. You're slowed by the weight.
    3. Very Overloadedfrom 1.5× capacityCarrying far too much. You can barely move.
    4. Extremely Overloadedfrom 1.75× capacityCan't take much more! You're going to hurt yourself carrying all that.

  • Angry

    Disabled — it belonged to the NPCs, who are not in the game now.

    1. Irritatedfrom 10%A bit narked off.
    2. Annoyedfrom 25%Seriously bad mood.
    3. Angryfrom 50%Ball of rage.
    4. Furiousfrom 75%Spoiling for a fight.

  • Stressed

    Fear of infection and the Smoker trait among others. It hurts combat and, long term, causes unhappiness; cigarettes and reading help.

    Driven by: stress plus the Smoker's nicotine stress

    1. Tensefrom 25%On edge.
    2. Agitatedfrom 50%Racing heart. Confused thoughts.
    3. Stressed Outfrom 75%Shaking hands. Impossible to think straight. Make it stop!
    4. At Breaking Pointfrom 90%You're at your limit! This can't go on...

  • Thirsty

    Going without drink. It brings weakness and a lower carrying capacity; drink clean (boiled) water.

    1. Slightly Thirstyfrom 12%Dry mouth.
    2. Thirstyfrom 25%Dehydrated.
    3. Parchedfrom 70%Feeling faint and dizzy.
    4. Dying of Thirstfrom 84%Water... water...

  • Tired

    Staying awake too long. Worse combat, vision and awareness; sleep or caffeine.

    1. Drowsyfrom 60%Could do with a lie-down.
    2. Tiredfrom 70%It's well past your bedtime. Growing weak with tiredness.
    3. Very Tiredfrom 80%Can barely think straight. Weak with tiredness.
    4. Ridiculously Tiredfrom 90%So weak and tired. Desperately, inhumanly tired.

  • Hungry

    Going without food. Hunger lowers carrying capacity, healing and body heat; being well fed speeds healing.

    1. Peckishfrom 15%Could do with a bite to eat.
    2. Hungryfrom 25%Could eat a horse right now. Growing weaker.
    3. Very Hungryfrom 45%Weak with hunger.
    4. Starving to Deathfrom 70%Just a crumb, a berry, a cockroach, anything...

  • Panic

    Mostly the sight of zombies nearby. It hurts combat; beta blockers or alcohol calm it, and characters grow more resistant the longer they survive.

    1. Nervousfrom 6Do your best to remain calm.
    2. Alarmedfrom 30Nervous and jumpy. Trembling hands.
    3. Frightenedfrom 65Shaking all over.
    4. Terrifiedfrom 80Arggghhh!

  • Sick (Queasy)

    Zombie infection, poison, rotten or dangerous food, or being near decaying corpses. See below.

    Driven by: the highest of zombie infection, food sickness and fake infection (÷ 100), plus general sickness

    1. Queasyfrom 25%Not feeling too good.
    2. Nauseousfrom 50%Weak with illness.
    3. Sickfrom 75%Very weak and unwell.
    4. Feverfrom 90%Increasing danger of becoming rat food.

  • Bored

    Staying inactive indoors. On its own harmless, but it leads to unhappiness; going outside or panicking clears it.

    1. Getting Boredfrom 25Occupy yourself, or seek entertainment.
    2. Boredfrom 50Why does nothing interesting ever happen around here?
    3. Very Boredfrom 75Can barely take it any more. Isn't there ANYTHING fun to do?
    4. Extremely Boredfrom 90They never said the end of the world would be like this...

  • Unhappy

    Builds up from long boredom, chronic stress and similar sources. It slows item interactions; medicine, recreation and good food help.

    1. Sadfrom 20Having a hard time lately. Seek some way to forget your troubles.
    2. Weepyfrom 45You always feel on the edge of tears. Nothing seems to go your way.
    3. Miserablefrom 60Ravaged by mourning and desperation. You're losing hope...
    4. Hopelessfrom 80What's the point in going on? Nothing good will ever happen...

  • Bleeding

    Wounds that break the skin — one level per bleeding wound. Bandage them.

    Driven by: bleeding body parts — one level each; a bleeding neck jumps to the top level

    1. Minor Bleeding1 bleeding partBandage required.
    2. Bleeding2 bleeding partsWeak from blood loss.
    3. Severe Bleeding3 bleeding partsVery weak from blood loss.
    4. Massive Blood Loss4+ parts, or the neckDeath from blood loss imminent.

  • Wet

    Rain and sweat. Slightly slower movement and a risk of catching a cold; shelter, a towel or the Outdoorsman trait help.

    1. Moistfrom 15Slightly damp from rain, sweat, or something else...
    2. Wetfrom 40Damp from rain, sweat, or something else...
    3. Soakingfrom 70You could catch a cold.
    4. Drenchedfrom 90You're going to catch a cold!

  • Has a Cold

    Being wet or cold for long. Sneezing and coughing attract zombies; stay indoors, fed, watered and rested.

    1. Runny Nosefrom 20Occasional sneezing.
    2. The Snifflesfrom 40Prone to sneezing.
    3. Head Coldfrom 60Sneezing and coughing. You feel sick and slow.
    4. Nasty Coldfrom 75Continually coughing and sneezing. You'd better look after yourself.

  • Injured

    Shows how much health is gone, not whether you are wounded. It lowers carrying capacity.

    Driven by: health lost (100 − health)

    1. A Little Hurthealth under 80Take better care of yourself.
    2. Injuredhealth under 60Weakened by injuries or illness.
    3. Severe Injurieshealth under 40Severely weakened by injuries or illness.
    4. Critical Injurieshealth under 25Not going gently into that good night...

  • Pain

    Injuries, and exercise fatigue. It weakens combat and can stop you sleeping; painkillers or alcohol, and time as wounds heal.

    1. Minor Painfrom 10Feeling slight pain.
    2. Painfrom 20Throbbing pain. It's hard to keep focused.
    3. Severe Painfrom 50The pain brings tears to your eyes. It's hard to go on.
    4. Agonyfrom 75Searing pain shoots through your body. It's hard to even think.

  • Drunk

    Alcohol. Drowsiness and delayed driving; it wears off with time.

    1. Tipsyfrom 10Downed some booze.
    2. Inebriatedfrom 30Had one too many. Co-ordination slightly impaired.
    3. Plasteredfrom 50Had a few too many. Co-ordination impaired.
    4. Utterly Shit-facedfrom 70'Iss you an' me 'gainst the wurld. I love you. I LOVE YOU.'

  • Well Fed

    1. SatiatedGnawing hunger entirely absent. For now.
    2. Well FedTummy full. Goodness making its way through your system.
    3. StuffedStomach contented. You feel healthier and stronger.
    4. Full to BurstingCouldn't manage another single, solitary bite.

  • Hyperthermia

    Heat — weather, exertion, warm clothes or zombie infection. It speeds dehydration and fatigue.

    Driven by: body temperature (°C)

    1. Unpleasantly Hotabove 37.5 °CConsider wearing less clothing. You feel thirstier.
    2. Overheatedabove 39 °CThirsty. Sweaty. Over-exposed.
    3. Sunstruckabove 40 °CNauseous, unable to concentrate, and desperate for liquids.
    4. Hyperthermiaabove 41 °CDelirious. The heat is melting your life away. Get somewhere colder!

  • Hypothermia

    Cold — weather, too few clothes, being wet. Slower movement and attacks, and eventually death.

    Driven by: body temperature (°C)

    1. Chillybelow 36.5 °CIt feels a bit nippy round here...
    2. Coldbelow 35 °CYou need to find ways to keep warm.
    3. Freezingbelow 30 °CMan alive, it is SO cold.
    4. Hypothermiabelow 25 °CYou're going out. You may be some time.

  • Windchill

    Cold storms while outdoors; it lowers the felt temperature until you get inside.

    1. Slight Windchillfrom 5The wind's making it feel a little colder.
    2. Uncomfortable Windchillfrom 10The wind's making it feel somewhat colder.
    3. Freezing Windchillfrom 15The wind's making it feel a lot colder.
    4. Horrific Windchillfrom 20The wind feels like you're being stabbed with icicles.

  • Uncomfortable

    Too many clothes that cause discomfort; it adds to unhappiness.

    1. A Little Uncomfortablefrom 20You feel a little uncomfortable.
    2. Uncomfortablefrom 40Your clothes, the environment, or something else is making you uncomfortable and unhappy.
    3. Very Uncomfortablefrom 60Your clothes, the environment, or something else is making you very uncomfortable and unhappy.
    4. Extremely Uncomfortablefrom 80Your clothes, the environment, or something else is making you extremely uncomfortable and unhappy.

  • Noxious Smell

    Rotting corpses (slowly makes you sick) or a generator running indoors (toxic fumes). A gas mask or a full suit helps.

    1. Bad SmellPee-ew. Something smells.
    2. Awful OdorEurgh. Something smells awful.
    3. Overwhelming StenchA vile stink makes you feel ill.
    4. Deadly FumesYou can't breathe. Get away from here!

Single-state moodles

  • DeceasedThis is how you died. High risk of becoming rat food.
  • ZombifiedSudden attraction to gunshots, house alarms, and human flesh.
  • Restricted MovementHeavy clothing, bulky bags, or large items are making you unable to sprint.No sprinting: barefoot (with Fitness under 5), leg injuries, overloading or heavy clothes.

“From” is the value of the character's stat where the level starts (MoodleStat): percentages for stats the game keeps between 0 and 1, points for those it keeps between 0 and 100, and multiples of carrying capacity for Heavy Load. Injured counts health lost, so it reads as the health left; the temperature moodles read body temperature and Bleeding counts bleeding body parts (Moodle.Update). The coloured bar shows how much of the stat each level covers. Thresholds the files do not let us read with confidence are left out.

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Project Zomboid is a game by The Indie Stone. PinDrop is fan-made and not affiliated with The Indie Stone.