Carving in Project Zomboid (Build 42)

XP needed for each level

What you actually earn is scaled first. Starting with no levels in Carving 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.

Carving skill books

Reading a volume multiplies the Carving 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).

• 

  Carving I: "Beginners Carving"

  Levels

  1–2

  Pages

  220

  XP up to

  ×3

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookCarving1"
• 

  Carving II: "Cool Woodshaping Projects!"

  Levels

  3–4

  Pages

  260

  XP up to

  ×5

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookCarving2"
• 

  Carving III: "Grinling Gibbons: His Life and Works"

  Levels

  5–6

  Pages

  300

  XP up to

  ×8

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookCarving3"
• 

  Carving IV: "Medieval Wood and Bone Carving Techniques"

  Levels

  7–8

  Pages

  340

  XP up to

  ×12

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookCarving4"
• 

  Carving V: "The Art and Process of Natural Material Carving"

  Levels

  9–10

  Pages

  380

  XP up to

  ×16

  Where it spawns →/additem "Base.BookCarving5"

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 Carving

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

• Carpenteroccupation · +1
• Park Rangeroccupation · +1
• Whittlertrait · +2
• Bushcraftertrait · +1
• Handytrait · +1

Recipes you learn by levelling Carving

Reaching the level teaches the recipe — no magazine needed.

• Lv 2Sharpen Bone
• Lv 3Carve 4 Large Bone Beads
• Lv 3Carve Bone Awl
• Lv 3Carve Large Bone Bead
• Lv 3Make Wooden Forearm Armor
• Lv 3Make Wooden Shin Armor
• Lv 3Make Wooden Thigh Armor
• Lv 4Carve Fleshing Tool
• Lv 4Carve Wooden Fork
• Lv 4Make Bone Armored Gloves
• Lv 4Make Fishing Rod
• Lv 4Make Western Boots
• Lv 4Make Wooden Shoulder Armor
• Lv 4Sharpen Long Bone
• Lv 5Carve Bone Fork
• Lv 5Make Bone Forearm Armor
• Lv 5Make Bone Shin Armor
• Lv 5Sharpen Jawbone
• Lv 6Carve Bone Sewing Needle
• Lv 6Carve Bone War Hatchet Head
• Lv 6Carve Bucket
• Lv 6Carve Wooden Spade
• Lv 6Make Bone Shoulder Armor
• Lv 6Make Bone Thigh Armor
• Lv 6Make Wooden Body Armor
• Lv 7Carve Bone Fishing Hook
• Lv 7Carve Goblets
• Lv 8Carve Whistle
• Lv 8Make Bone Body Armor
• Lv 9Carve Short Bat
• Lv 10Carve Bat

What Carving unlocks (58)

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

Search recipes58 of 58

Level	Recipe	Also needs
1	Carve 12 Small Handles	—
1	Carve 2 Small Handles	—
1	Carve 4 Large Bone Beadsmust be learned	—
1	Carve 4 Small Handles	—
1	Carve 8 Small Handles	—
1	Carve Blunt Bone Knife	—
1	Carve Bone Awlmust be learned	—
1	Carve Clay Sculpting Tool	—
1	Carve Knapping Tools	—
1	Carve Large Bone Beadmust be learned	—
1	Carve Small Handle	—
1	Carve Wooden Rod	—
1	Carve Wooden Spoon	—
1	Sharpen Bonemust be learned	—
2	Carve 6 Medium Handles	—
2	Carve Bone Spoon	—
2	Carve Dice	—
2	Carve Fleshing Toolmust be learned	—
2	Carve Medium Handle	—
2	Carve Plank	—
2	Carve Wooden Forkmust be learned	—
2	Make Bone Mask	Tailoring 2
2	Make Bone Pectoral	Tailoring 2
2	Make Pig Tusk Earrings	Tailoring 1
2	Make Pig Tusk Necklace	Tailoring 1
2	Make Pig Tusks Necklace	Tailoring 1
2	Make Western Bootsmust be learned	Tailoring 7
2	Make Wooden Forearm Armormust be learned	Tailoring 1
2	Make Wooden Shin Armormust be learned	Tailoring 1
2	Sharpen Jawbonemust be learned	—
2	Sharpen Long Bonemust be learned	—
3	Bone Spike Weaponmust be learned	—
3	Carve Bone Forkmust be learned	—
3	Carve Bone War Hatchet Headmust be learned	—
3	Carve Cutting Boards	—
3	Carve Knitting Needlesmust be learned	—
3	Carve Large Handle	—
3	Carve Pipe	—
3	Make Bone Armored Gloves	Tailoring 5
3	Make Long Tooth Necklace	Tailoring 1
3	Make Tooth Necklace	Tailoring 1
3	Make Wooden Shoulder Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
3	Make Wooden Thigh Armormust be learned	Tailoring 1
4	Carve Bone Sewing Needlemust be learned	—
4	Carve Bucketmust be learned	—
4	Carve Wooden Mask	—
4	Carve Wooden Spademust be learned	—
5	Carve Bone Fishing Hookmust be learned	—
5	Carve Gobletsmust be learned	—
5	Make Bone Forearm Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
5	Make Bone Shin Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
5	Make Wooden Body Armormust be learned	Tailoring 5
6	Carve Whistlemust be learned	—
6	Make Bone Shoulder Armormust be learned	Tailoring 5
6	Make Bone Thigh Armormust be learned	Tailoring 4
7	Carve Short Batmust be learned	—
7	Make Bone Body Armormust be learned	Tailoring 7
9	Carve Batmust be learned	—

Recipes that train Carving

66 recipes award Carving XP when made; the most per craft (base XP):

• Carve Bat · 90 XP
• Carve Short Bat · 70 XP
• Carve Whistle · 60 XP
• Make Bone Body Armor · 60 XP
• Carve Bone Fishing Hook · 50 XP
• Carve Goblets · 50 XP
• Make Bone Forearm Armor · 50 XP
• Make Bone Shin Armor · 50 XP
• Make Bone Shoulder Armor · 50 XP
• Make Bone Thigh Armor · 50 XP
• Make Wooden Body Armor · 50 XP
• Carve 4 Large Bone Beads · 40 XP
• Carve Bone Sewing Needle · 40 XP
• Carve Wooden Mask · 40 XP
• Carve Wooden Spade · 40 XP
• Bone Spike Weapon · 30 XP