This complete Project Zomboid skills guide explains all skills in the game, what they do, and how to level them efficiently for long-term survival.
List of All Project Zomboid Skills
Below is a complete list of all skills available in Project Zomboid.
Combat – Firearms
Aiming
Aiming is the skill responsible for shooting accuracy, and higher skill levels increase the chance of hitting targets more precisely. Aiming is leveled by using firearms and practicing at shooting ranges.
Reloading
Reloading is responsible for the speed and efficiency of reloading firearms, and higher skill levels reduce the time required to perform this action. Reloading is leveled by reloading weapons.
Combat – Melee
Axe
Axe is the skill responsible for using an axe as a weapon and a tool, and it is leveled by using an axe to deal damage to zombies or by chopping wood.
Long Blade
Long Blade is responsible for using long-edged weapons such as swords and combat knives, and higher skill levels increase damage dealt and overall combat effectiveness. Long Blade is leveled by using weapons with long blades in combat.
Long Blunt
Long Blunt is the skill responsible for using long blunt weapons such as machetes, baseball bats, and clubs, and it is leveled by using these weapons in combat.
Maintenance
Maintenance is responsible for maintaining weapons and tools in good condition through cleaning, lubricating, and repairing them. Maintenance is leveled by repairing and maintaining weapons and tools.
Short Blade
Short Blade is the skill responsible for using short bladed weapons such as knives and bayonets. This skill is leveled by using short blade weapons in combat.
Short Blunt
Short Blunt is the skill responsible for using short blunt weapons such as clubs and hammers. This skill is leveled by using short blunt weapons in combat.
Spear
Spear is the skill responsible for using spears and similar piercing weapons. This skill is leveled by using spears in combat against enemies.
Crafting
Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing is responsible for working with metal, including crafting and repairing metal items, tools, and equipment. Higher skill levels improve the quality of crafted items, increase work efficiency, and unlock access to more advanced recipes. Blacksmithing is leveled by forging, shaping, and assembling metal objects.
Carpentry
Carpentry is responsible for building, dismantling, and repairing wooden structures. Higher skill levels improve the quality of constructed objects, increase the amount of materials recovered when dismantling items, and unlock new buildable structures. Carpentry is leveled by performing wood-related actions such as building barricades and furniture or dismantling wooden objects.
Carving
Carving is the skill responsible for carving and shaping wood, bone, and similar materials into useful items. Higher skill levels improve the quality, speed, and efficiency of carving actions and grant access to more complex crafting recipes. Carving is leveled by carving wood and crafting items such as tools or decorative objects.
Cooking
Cooking is responsible for preparing meals and affects how effective they are when consumed, determining how nutritious and satisfying they will be. Higher Cooking levels allow for better use of ingredients, increased hunger reduction, and reduced resource consumption during cooking. Cooking is leveled by preparing food using heat sources and crafting recipes, and experience can also be gained by adding ingredients to more advanced dishes.
Electrical
Electrical is the skill related to handling and creating electrical devices and performing actions connected to electricity. Higher skill levels improve your ability to dismantle, repair, and craft electronic devices, allow you to connect and repair generators, and – when combined with the Mechanics skill – enable you to hotwire vehicles. Electrical can be leveled by dismantling electrical devices such as televisions, radios, and watches, repairing generators, and crafting simple electronic items. The best places to grind this skill are kitchens, offices, and restaurants, where electronic devices are commonly found.
Glassmaking
Glassmaking is responsible for crafting glass items such as windows, bottles, and jars using resources like sand and broken glass. Glassmaking is leveled by creating glass items with the use of a furnace; however, progression is relatively slow due to the limited number of available recipes.
Knapping
Knapping is responsible for working with stone and mineral materials in order to create basic tools and sharp blades. This skill allows the player to process materials such as flint into components used for primitive crafting. Knapping is leveled by breaking and shaping stones, especially flint nodules, into crafting materials needed for further tool creation.
Masonry
Masonry is responsible for creating structures from stone and other masonry materials, and higher skill levels improve effectiveness when working with stone and unlock more advanced masonry elements. Masonry can be leveled by processing stone, for example by crushing large rocks and using the materials to build structures.
Mechanics
Mechanics is responsible for vehicle-related work, determining the effectiveness of installing, uninstalling, and repairing car parts, as well as the chance of success for these actions. Mechanics is leveled by performing vehicle-related tasks, mainly installing and uninstalling parts such as lights, radios, batteries, seats, and tires. Experience is awarded for both successful and failed attempts; however, XP from the same part on a single vehicle can only be gained once every 24 hours, which is why having multiple practice vehicles is recommended.
Pottery
Pottery is responsible for creating pottery and clay items such as pots, planters, and vases. Pottery can be leveled by shaping clay items and firing them in a kiln.
Tailoring
Tailoring is responsible for repairing and reinforcing clothing, as well as creating clothing items, and higher skill levels increase the protection and durability of repaired garments. Tailoring can be leveled by repairing, reinforcing, and crafting clothing using materials such as fabric and thread.
Welding
Welding is the skill that allows you to join metal parts through welding and soldering, and higher skill levels result in better joint quality, increased durability, and stronger components. Welding is leveled by welding and soldering metal objects.
Farming
Agriculture
Agriculture is the skill that allows you to grow crops and manage your own garden. It affects plant growth speed, resistance to disease, and crop yield, making it one of the most valuable skills for long-term survival. Higher skill levels allow you to better assess disease risks and increase the chances of producing healthy, abundant harvests. Agriculture is leveled by performing all plant-related activities, such as planting seeds, watering crops, treating plant diseases, and harvesting produce.
Animal Care
Animal Care is responsible for caring for animals and increases the amount of resources that can be obtained from them. Higher skill levels allow you to better read animal information and improve interactions with them. Animal Care can be leveled by performing actions such as milking, shearing, giving water, and collecting eggs.
Butchering
Butchering is responsible for harvesting animal products such as meat, hides, and other resources, and higher skill levels improve the efficiency of these actions. Butchering is leveled by breaking animals down into parts, such as separating meat, fat, and hide.
Physical
Fitness
Fitness is responsible for a character’s overall physical condition, affecting stamina regeneration and how long they can run or perform physical activities without becoming exhausted. Higher Fitness levels increase resistance to fatigue and allow stamina to recover faster after exertion. Fitness is leveled by performing physical activities such as running, pushing, carrying heavy loads, and other intense actions.
Lightfooted
Lightfooted is responsible for quiet movement, and higher skill levels make your character less audible to zombies. Lightfooted is leveled by moving and sneaking, as well as by minimizing noise while exploring the environment.
Nimble
Nimble is responsible for agility and quick reactions, especially when avoiding threats. Higher skill levels increase movement speed while sneaking and improve overall dexterity, making it easier to avoid zombies and obstacles. Nimble can be leveled by sneaking and performing agile movements, such as slipping past zombies and moving through tight spaces without drawing attention.
Running
Running is the skill responsible for running and a character’s overall movement speed, and higher skill levels increase maximum running speed. Running is leveled by running.
Sneaking
Sneaking is the skill responsible for moving stealthily and silently. Sneaking is leveled by moving in sneak mode.
Strength
Strength represents a character’s overall physical power, affecting melee damage, carrying efficiency, and the strength of physical attacks. Strength is leveled by performing physical actions such as melee combat, lifting heavy objects, and other intense strength-based activities.
Survival
First Aid
First Aid allows you to treat wounds, apply bandages, dress injuries, and perform other medical procedures. Higher skill levels result in faster and more effective healing, a lower risk of complications, and better use of medical supplies. First Aid is leveled by performing medical actions such as bandaging wounds, treating infections, and using medications.
Fishing
Fishing is responsible for catching fish and activities such as using fishing rods and nets, and higher skill levels increase the chance of catching fish, improve fishing speed, and allow the use of better tools. Fishing is leveled through the act of fishing itself and by using different fishing methods.
Foraging
Foraging is responsible for scavenging, which involves finding and gathering edible plants, fruits, mushrooms, berries, and other natural resources. Higher skill levels increase the chance of finding valuable resources, improve gathering speed, and reduce the risk of injury while exploring wild areas. Foraging is leveled by collecting natural resources and exploring the environment.
Tracking
Tracking is a skill that allows you to follow tracks, making it possible to locate animals and zombies. Higher skill levels increase the chance of detecting tracks and extend the distance at which they can be spotted. Tracking is leveled by observing tracks and actively following them.
Trapping
Trapping allows you to set traps for animals, and higher skill levels increase the chance of catching animals and grant access to more effective trap types. Trapping is leveled by setting and checking traps and collecting the catch when an animal is captured.
