Short Blade in Project Zomboid (Build 42)
Short Blade is a Combat - Melee skill. Taking it from 0 to 10 costs 32,775 XP before multipliers; the Burger Flipper occupation starts with 1 level, and it unlocks 10 recipes.
From the Build 42 dedicated server's files (depot manifest of 23 Sept 2026).
XP for each level
Level 10 alone costs 9,000 XP — 27% of the total.
XP needed for each level
| Level | XP for this level | Total XP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75 | 75 |
| 2 | 150 | 225 |
| 3 | 300 | 525 |
| 4 | 750 | 1,275 |
| 5 | 1,500 | 2,775 |
| 6 | 3,000 | 5,775 |
| 7 | 4,500 | 10,275 |
| 8 | 6,000 | 16,275 |
| 9 | 7,500 | 23,775 |
| 10 | 9,000 | 32,775 |
What you actually earn is scaled first. Starting with no levels in Short Blade 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.
Start with Short Blade
Levels a new character gets in Short Blade — and, through them, a faster XP rate (see above):
- Burger Flipperoccupation · +1
- Chefoccupation · +1
- Doctoroccupation · +1
Huntertrait · +1
Short Blade from TV and VHS
1 VHS tape give 50 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 Short Blade
Reaching the level teaches the recipe — no magazine needed.
- Lv 1Forge Long Simple Blade
- Lv 1
Forge Meat Cleaver Blade - Lv 1
Forge Small Knife - Lv 1
Make Shiv - Lv 1
Make Toothbrush Shiv - Lv 2
Forge Kitchen Knife Blade - Lv 2
Forge Large Knife Blade - Lv 3
Make Glass Shiv - Lv 5
Forge Handguard Dagger - Lv 5
Forge Hunting Knife Blade
More skills
Pictures: item and trait icons and the health-panel figure are The Indie Stone's game art; item renders and shop signs are from PZwiki (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0).
Project Zomboid is a game by The Indie Stone. PinDrop is fan-made and not affiliated with The Indie Stone.