During the character creation process, depending on your starting occupation, you’ll have an opportunity to allocate skill points to various traits — both negative and positive — to round out your character and help them survive. But how do you know what the best traits in Project Zomboid are?
Free Point Skills in Project Zomboid
There are a few traits in Project Zomboid that, while providing a negative effect, don’t harm your character in an overt manner. These are considered “free skills” as they free up points to choose more beneficial options.
Sunday Driver
While firmly placed in the negative trait category, Sunday Driver simply forces the player to drive a little more slowly and carefully on the road. When selected, Sunday Driver will force vehicles to accelerate 40% slower and top out their max speed at 30 km/h.
For most, walking is a more viable option. As such, by selecting Sunday Driver, you’ll acquire extra skill points to select positive traits.
Smoker
Smoker is another negative trait that barely affects the player overall. You can easily loot cigarettes to help keep your stress levels down, and entire packs can last you quite a bit. As such, choosing the Smoker trait frees up more points to choose positive options.
Best Starting Traits in PZ
The wide selection of positive traits helps you create your ideal zombie survival character. Sadly, you can’t choose many, so pick wisely.
A few recommended traits in Project Zomboid include:
Cat’s Eyes
You’ll spend a significant amount of time in the dark while playing Project Zomboid. Of course, the night is always right around the corner. The ability to see more clearly at night proves invaluable. Cat’s Eyes provides +20% better night vision and affects searching, too.
Fast Reader
By finding skill books hidden throughout the world, you’ll gain experience buffs to various necessary and vital traits, like fishing, farming, and carpentry. With the Fast Reader trait, you’ll take less time to read an entire skill book, with a 130% reading speed.
Brave
In a game about surviving the zombie apocalypse, it should be no surprise to anyone that you’ll face down countless undead, including entire hordes, at times. Putting on a brave face can certainly help. With the Brave trait, you’ll find yourself less prone to panic. The trait provides 30% panic except when due to night terrors or phobias.