Blacksmithing in Project Zomboid (Build 42)

XP needed for each level

What you actually earn is scaled first. Starting with no levels in Blacksmithing cuts every gain to ×0.25; a starting +1 is ×1, +2 ×1.33 and +3 or more ×1.66. Fast Learner adds ×1.3, Slow Learner ×0.7. How the multipliers work.

Blacksmithing skill books

Reading a volume multiplies the Blacksmithing XP you earn while your level is inside its range: every tenth of the book read adds a tenth of the multiplier. The game lets you open a volume from one level below its range, and not once you are past it (ISReadABook.lua).

• 

  Blacksmithing I: "Elementary Forge Practice"

  Levels

  1–2

  Pages

  220

  XP up to

  ×3

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookBlacksmith1"
• 

  Blacksmithing II: "General Purpose Blacksmithing"

  Levels

  3–4

  Pages

  260

  XP up to

  ×5

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookBlacksmith2"
• 

  Blacksmithing III: "Old West Smiths and Their Secrets"

  Levels

  5–6

  Pages

  300

  XP up to

  ×8

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookBlacksmith3"
• 

  Blacksmithing IV: "Really Hard Steel Co. Workers Handbook"

  Levels

  7–8

  Pages

  340

  XP up to

  ×12

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookBlacksmith4"
• 

  Blacksmithing V: "The Complete Encyclopedia of Metallurgy"

  Levels

  9–10

  Pages

  380

  XP up to

  ×16

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookBlacksmith5"

Multipliers from the game's skill-book table (lua/server/XpSystem/XPSystem_SkillBook.lua); “where it spawns” opens the map's item finder on the loot tables.

Start with Blacksmithing

Levels a new character gets in Blacksmithing — and, through them, a faster XP rate (see above):

• Blacksmithoccupation · +4
• Blacksmith Knowledgetrait · +2

Blacksmithing from TV and VHS

1 VHS tape give 350 XP. Both stop counting once the skill reaches level 3 in the default sandbox settings, and before the multipliers above. Shows and tapes, by name.

Recipes you learn by levelling Blacksmithing

Reaching the level teaches the recipe — no magazine needed.

• Lv 2Forge 2 Spoons
• Lv 2Forge Small Knife
• Lv 3Forge 10 Nails
• Lv 3Forge Draw Plate
• Lv 3Forge Forks
• Lv 3Forge Heading Tool
• Lv 3Forge Metalworking Punch
• Lv 3Forge Nails From Piece
• Lv 3Forge Nails From Wire
• Lv 3Forge Smithing Hammer Head
• Lv 3Forge Tongs
• Lv 4Forge 4 Fishing Hooks
• Lv 4Forge Baking Pan
• Lv 4Forge Baking Tray
• Lv 4Forge Fine Butter Knives
• Lv 4Forge Fine Spoons
• Lv 4Forge Frying Pan
• Lv 4Forge Long Simple Blade
• Lv 4Forge Masonry Trowel
• Lv 4Forge Precious Metal Butter Knives
• Lv 4Forge Precious Metal Spoons
• Lv 4Forge Roasting Pan
• Lv 5Forge Bucket
• Lv 5Forge Cooking Pot
• Lv 5Forge Corkscrew
• Lv 5Forge Cup
• Lv 5Forge Fine Forks
• Lv 5Forge Fleshing Tool
• Lv 5Forge Hatchet Head
• Lv 5Forge Kettle
• Lv 5Forge Large Knife Blade
• Lv 5Forge Masonry Chisel
• Lv 5Forge Meat Cleaver Blade
• Lv 5Forge Precious Metal Forks
• Lv 5Forge Saucepan
• Lv 6Assemble Forearm Armor
• Lv 6Assemble Metal Shoulder Armor
• Lv 6Assemble Metal Thigh Armor
• Lv 6Assemble Shin Armor
• Lv 6Assemble Shoulder Armor - Right
• Lv 6Forge Ball-peen Hammer Head
• Lv 6Forge Buckle
• Lv 6Forge Carpentry Chisel
• Lv 6Forge Claw Hammer Head
• Lv 6Forge Club Hammer Head
• Lv 6Forge Codpiece
• Lv 6Forge File
• Lv 6Forge Fine Scissors
• Lv 6Forge Fingerless Metal Gloves
• Lv 6Forge Fireplace Poker
• Lv 6Forge Forceps
• Lv 6Forge Gardening Hoe Head
• Lv 6Forge Gardening Trowel
• Lv 6Forge Hand Scythe Head
• Lv 6Forge Hinge
• Lv 6Forge Hunting Knife Blade
• Lv 6Forge Kitchen Knife Blade
• Lv 6Forge Long Spear Head
• Lv 6Forge Metal Mask
• Lv 6Forge Metal Neck Guard
• Lv 6Forge Metalworking Chisel
• Lv 6Forge Metalworking Pliers
• Lv 6Forge Needle
• Lv 6Forge Saw
• Lv 6Forge Scissors
• Lv 6Forge Scrap Metal Shortsword
• Lv 6Forge Sheep Shears
• Lv 6Forge Small Files
• Lv 6Forge Small Steel Sheet
• Lv 6Forge Spear Head
• Lv 6Forge Steel Sheet
• Lv 6Forge Tweezers
• Lv 7Forge Axe Head
• Lv 7Forge Drill
• Lv 7Forge Goblet
• Lv 7Forge Handguard Dagger
• Lv 7Forge Jar Lids
• Lv 7Forge Lantern
• Lv 7Forge Scythe Head
• Lv 7Forge Simple Shortsword Blade
• Lv 7Forge Small Metalworking Punches and Chisels
• Lv 7Forge Spade Head
• Lv 7Forge Wrench
• Lv 8Forge Mace Head
• Lv 8Forge Metal Helmet
• Lv 8Forge Pick Axe Head
• Lv 8Forge Scrap Metal Sword
• Lv 8Forge Shortsword Blade
• Lv 8Make Jawbone Morningstar
• Lv 8Make Spiked Baseball Bat
• Lv 8Make Spiked Club
• Lv 8Make Spiked Cudgel
• Lv 9Assemble Articulated Metal Shin Armor
• Lv 9Assemble Articulated Metal Thigh Armor
• Lv 9Assemble Full Metal Forearm Armor
• Lv 9Assemble Shoulder Armor - Left
• Lv 9Forge Crude Sword Blade
• Lv 9Forge Metal Body Armor
• Lv 9Forge Sledgehammer Head
• Lv 9Forge Wood Axe Head
• Lv 10Forge Coat of Plates Body Armor
• Lv 10Forge Crowbar
• Lv 10Forge Doorknob
• Lv 10Forge Garden Fork Head
• Lv 10Forge Machete Blade
• Lv 10Forge Straight Razor
• Lv 10Forge Sword Blade

What Blacksmithing unlocks (128)

Crafting and building recipes that need a Blacksmithing level. “Must be learned” recipes also need a magazine, a TV show or an occupation that teaches them.

Search recipes128 of 128

Level	Recipe	Also needs
0	Forge Bar From Chunks	—
0	Forge Bar Half	—
0	Forge Bar Quarter from Chunk	—
0	Forge Block From Chunks	—
0	Forge Copper Sheet	—
0	Forge Iron Band	—
0	Forge Scrap Into Bar Quarter	—
0	Forge Scrap Into Chunk	—
0	Forge Small Copper Sheet	—
0	Forge Small Iron Band	—
0	Pierce Block	—
0	Pierce Chunk	—
0	Split Gold Bar	—
0	Split Silver Bar	—
1	Forge 10 Nailsmust be learned	—
1	Forge Coins	—
1	Forge Draw Platemust be learned	—
1	Forge Forksmust be learned	—
1	Forge Gold Sheet	—
1	Forge Gold Sheets	—
1	Forge Heading Toolmust be learned	—
1	Forge Large Hook	—
1	Forge Metalworking Punchmust be learned	—
1	Forge Nails From Piecemust be learned	—
1	Forge Nails From Wiremust be learned	—
1	Forge Silver Sheet	—
1	Forge Silver Sheets	—
1	Forge Small Knifemust be learned	—
1	Forge Smithing Hammer Headmust be learned	—
1	Forge Tongsmust be learned	—
2	Forge Baking Panmust be learned	—
2	Forge Baking Traymust be learned	—
2	Forge Fine Butter Knivesmust be learned	—
2	Forge Fine Spoonsmust be learned	—
2	Forge Frying Panmust be learned	—
2	Forge Masonry Trowelmust be learned	—
2	Forge Precious Metal Butter Knivesmust be learned	—
2	Forge Precious Metal Spoonsmust be learned	—
2	Forge Roasting Panmust be learned	—
3	Forge 4 Fishing Hooksmust be learned	—
3	Forge Bucketmust be learned	—
3	Forge Cooking Potmust be learned	—
3	Forge Corkscrewmust be learned	—
3	Forge Cupmust be learned	—
3	Forge Fine Forksmust be learned	—
3	Forge Fleshing Toolmust be learned	—
3	Forge Kettlemust be learned	—
3	Forge Long Simple Blademust be learned	—
3	Forge Masonry Chiselmust be learned	—
3	Forge Precious Metal Forksmust be learned	—
3	Forge Saucepanmust be learned	—
3	Pierce Ingot	—
3	Split Metal Sheet	—
4	Assemble Forearm Armormust be learned	Tailoring 2
4	Assemble Metal Shoulder Armormust be learned	Tailoring 2
4	Assemble Metal Thigh Armormust be learned	Tailoring 2
4	Assemble Shin Armormust be learned	Tailoring 2
4	Forge Ball-peen Hammer Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Bucklemust be learned	—
4	Forge Carpentry Chiselmust be learned	—
4	Forge Claw Hammer Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Club Hammer Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Codpiecemust be learned	Tailoring 3
4	Forge Filemust be learned	—
4	Forge Fireplace Pokermust be learned	—
4	Forge Forcepsmust be learned	—
4	Forge Gardening Hoe Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Gardening Trowelmust be learned	—
4	Forge Hand Scythe Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Hatchet Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Kitchen Knife Blademust be learned	—
4	Forge Large Knife Blademust be learned	—
4	Forge Meat Cleaver Blademust be learned	—
4	Forge Metal Maskmust be learned	Tailoring 2
4	Forge Metalworking Chiselmust be learned	—
4	Forge Metalworking Pliersmust be learned	—
4	Forge Sawmust be learned	—
4	Forge Scissorsmust be learned	—
4	Forge Sheep Shearsmust be learned	—
4	Forge Small Steel Sheetmust be learned	—
4	Forge Spear Headmust be learned	—
4	Forge Steel Sheetmust be learned	—
4	Forge Tweezersmust be learned	—
5	Forge Drillmust be learned	—
5	Forge Fine Scissorsmust be learned	—
5	Forge Gobletmust be learned	—
5	Forge Hingemust be learned	—
5	Forge Hunting Knife Blademust be learned	—
5	Forge Jar Lidsmust be learned	—
5	Forge Lanternmust be learned	—
5	Forge Long Spear Headmust be learned	—
5	Forge Scrap Metal Shortswordmust be learned	—
5	Forge Scythe Headmust be learned	—
5	Forge Small Metalworking Punches and Chiselsmust be learned	—
5	Forge Wrenchmust be learned	—
5	Make Spiked Clubmust be learned	—
6	Forge Axe Headmust be learned	—
6	Forge Fingerless Metal Glovesmust be learned	Tailoring 3
6	Forge Handguard Daggermust be learned	—
6	Forge Metal Body Armormust be learned	Tailoring 3
6	Forge Metal Helmetmust be learned	Tailoring 3
6	Forge Metal Neck Guardmust be learned	Tailoring 3
6	Forge Needlemust be learned	—
6	Forge Simple Shortsword Blademust be learned	—
6	Forge Small Filesmust be learned	—
6	Forge Spade Headmust be learned	—
6	Make Spiked Baseball Batmust be learned	—
7	Forge Mace Headmust be learned	—
7	Forge Pick Axe Headmust be learned	—
7	Forge Scrap Metal Swordmust be learned	—
7	Forge Shortsword Blademust be learned	—
7	Make Jawbone Morningstarmust be learned	—
7	Make Spiked Cudgelmust be learned	—
8	Assemble Articulated Metal Shin Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
8	Assemble Articulated Metal Thigh Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
8	Assemble Full Metal Forearm Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
8	Assemble Shoulder Armor - Leftmust be learned	Tailoring 4
8	Assemble Shoulder Armor - Rightmust be learned	Tailoring 4
8	Forge Coat of Plates Body Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
8	Forge Crude Sword Blademust be learned	—
8	Forge Garden Fork Headmust be learned	—
8	Forge Sledgehammer Headmust be learned	—
8	Forge Wood Axe Headmust be learned	—
9	Forge Crowbarmust be learned	—
9	Forge Doorknobmust be learned	—
9	Forge Machete Blademust be learned	—
9	Forge Straight Razormust be learned	—
9	Forge Sword Blademust be learned	—

Recipes that train Blacksmithing

123 recipes award Blacksmithing XP when made; the most per craft (base XP):

• Forge Coat of Plates Body Armor · 100 XP
• Forge Crowbar · 100 XP
• Forge Doorknob · 100 XP
• Forge Machete Blade · 100 XP
• Forge Sword Blade · 100 XP
• Forge Crude Sword Blade · 90 XP
• Forge Sledgehammer Head · 90 XP
• Forge Wood Axe Head · 90 XP
• Forge Mace Head · 75 XP
• Forge Pick Axe Head · 75 XP
• Forge Shortsword Blade · 75 XP
• Forge Axe Head · 70 XP
• Forge Scrap Metal Sword · 70 XP
• Forge Spade Head · 70 XP
• Forge Handguard Dagger · 60 XP
• Forge Lantern · 60 XP