Pen

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Pen

General

Category

Household

Encumbrance

0.1

Equipped

One-handed

Slot attached

N/A

Skill

N/A

Properties

Max condition

2

Performance

Damage

0.1–0.1

Range

0.61–0.8

Attack speed

N/A

Knockback

0.3

Knockdown

0

Technical

Item ID

Base.Pen
Base.RedPen
Base.BluePen

The pen is a writing implement and improvised weapon.

Usage

Writing

A pen can be used with journals, empty notebooks and a sheet of paper to write notes that can be left for other players on multiplayer servers. The map can be annotated with a pen, adding symbols and text in the color of the pen used (blue, black, or red).

Weapon

The pen is an improvised weapon and is not associated with a weapon skill, but attacks like a short blade, including the special execution move. Pens have a very low durability so will usually exhaust all of its durability; making it useless as a weapon. It can be used as a discardable stealth-kill weapon, as they are very common, it can be picked up, used to stealth kill a zombie then discarded. However, as the pen has a very low range, this can be dangerous.

Condition

Pens have a maximum condition of 2. Its rate of degradation is influenced by the maintenance skill. The chance of losing durability can be simplified to the following formula: 1 in (1 + maintenanceMod × 2). Where "maintenanceMod" is calculated using the maintenance skill.
Below is an example of the chance of losing durability at varying levels of the maintenance skill.

For how this is calculated, see: Durability

Maintenance skill	Durability lower chance
0	1/1 (100%)
2	1/3 (33%)
4	1/5 (20%)
6	1/7 (14%)
8	1/9 (11%)
10	1/11 (9%)

Distribution

The loot distributions can be found in the table(s) below.

Pen distribution Show / Hide

Containers

Building / Room	Container	Rolls	Chance
Not referenced	GolfLockers	4	8.0
all	Bag_Schoolbag	1	8.0
all	counter	4	8.0
all	desk	4	8.0
all	filingcabinet	4	8.0
all	inventoryfemale	1	1.0
all	locker	4	8.0
all	officedrawers	4	8.0
all	other	1	8.0
all	shelves	4	8.0
all	sidetable	4	2.0
artstore	counter	4	8.0
artstore	shelves	4	20.0
artstore	shelves	4	10.0
bedroom	crate	1	0.8
bedroom	desk	4	8.0
bedroom	sidetable	4	8.0
bookstore	counter	4	10.0
classroom	counter	4	8.0
classroom	desk	4	8.0
classroom	metal_shelves	4	8.0
closet	crate	4	8.0
empty	crate	4	8.0
garagestorage	crate	4	8.0
generalstore	shelves	4	8.0
hall	locker	4	8.0
kitchen	counter	4	8.0
kitchen	shelves	4	8.0
livingroom	shelves	4	8.0
livingroom	sidetable	4	8.0
office	counter	4	8.0
office	desk	4	8.0
office	metal_shelves	4	20.0
office	metal_shelves	4	10.0
post	counter	4	10.0
post	counter	4	20.0

Vehicles

Vehicle Type/Location	Rolls	Chance
AmbulanceGloveBox	4	8
CarpenterGloveBox	4	8
ConstructionWorkerGloveBox	4	8
DistilleryGloveBox	4	8
DoctorGloveBox	4	8
ElectricianGloveBox	4	8
FarmerGloveBox	4	8
FireGloveBox	4	8
FishermanGloveBox	4	8
FossoilGloveBox	4	8
GloveBox	4	8
GolfGloveBox	4	8
HeraldsGloveBox	4	8
HunterGloveBox	4	8
MassGenFacGloveBox	4	8
McCoyGloveBox	4	8
MetalWelderGloveBox	4	8
PainterGloveBox	4	8
PoliceGloveBox	4	20
PostalGloveBox	4	8
RadioGloveBox	4	8
RangerGloveBox	4	8
SpiffoGloveBox	4	8
SurvivalistGlovebox	4	8
TaxiGloveBox	4	8
TransitGloveBox	4	8

Crafting

This feature has been removed from the game.

Pens are no longer used in crafting, and can instead be used to write.

Formerly, the pen could be used to make doodle and with notepad to make journal, this has since been removed.

Product	XP gained	Skill(s)	Recipe	Ingredient 1	Ingredient 2
Journal x20		none		One of: Pen Pencil (consumed)	Empty Notebook (consumed)
DoodleRemoved		none		One of: Pen Pencil (consumed)	Sheet of Paper (consumed)

Code

Code snippet! This section contains source code from Project ZomboidShow / Hide

Pen
Source: ProjectZomboid\media\scripts\items_weapons.txt

Retrieved: Build 41.78.16

item Pen
	{
	    DisplayCategory = Household,
		MaxRange	=	0.8,
		WeaponSprite	=	Pen,
		MinAngle	=	0.65,
		Type	=	Weapon,
		MinimumSwingTime	=	2,
		KnockBackOnNoDeath	=	FALSE,
		SwingAmountBeforeImpact	=	0.02,
		Categories	=	Improvised,
		ConditionLowerChanceOneIn	=	1,
		Weight	=	0.1,
		SplatNumber	=	1,
		PushBackMod	=	0.3,
		SubCategory	=	Stab,
		AimingMod	=	0.8,
		ConditionMax	=	2,
		MaxHitCount	=	1,
		IsAimedHandWeapon	=	TRUE,
		DoorDamage	=	0,
		SwingAnim	=	Stab,
		DisplayName	=	Pen,
		MinRange	=	0.61,
		SwingTime	=	2,
		KnockdownMod	=	0,
		SplatBloodOnNoDeath	=	FALSE,
		Icon	=	Pen,
		RunAnim	=	Run_Weapon2,
		IdleAnim	=	Idle_Weapon2,
		TreeDamage  =   0,
		EnduranceMod = 0.5,
		CriticalChance	=	0,
		MinDamage	=	0.1,
        MaxDamage	=	0.1,
		WeaponLength = 0.15,
		Tags = Write;Pen,
        BreakSound  =   PenBreak,
        HitFloorSound	= PenHit,
        ImpactSound	=	PenHit,
        DoorHitSound = PenHit,
		HitSound	=	PenHit,
		SwingSound = PenSwing,
	}

Red Pen
Source: ProjectZomboid\media\scripts\items_weapons.txt

Retrieved: Build 41.78.16

item RedPen
	{
	    DisplayCategory = Household,
		MaxRange	=	0.8,
		WeaponSprite	=	Pen,
		MinAngle	=	0.65,
		Type	=	Weapon,
		MinimumSwingTime	=	2,
		KnockBackOnNoDeath	=	FALSE,
		SwingAmountBeforeImpact	=	0.02,
		Categories	=	Improvised,
		ConditionLowerChanceOneIn	=	1,
		Weight	=	0.1,
		SplatNumber	=	1,
		PushBackMod	=	0.3,
		SubCategory	=	Stab,
		AimingMod	=	0.8,
		ConditionMax	=	2,
		MaxHitCount	=	1,
		IsAimedHandWeapon	=	TRUE,
		DoorDamage	=	0,
		SwingAnim	=	Stab,
		DisplayName	=	Red Pen,
		MinRange	=	0.61,
		SwingTime	=	2,
		KnockdownMod	=	0,
		SplatBloodOnNoDeath	=	FALSE,
		Icon	=	Pen,
		RunAnim	=	Run_Weapon2,
		IdleAnim	=	Idle_Weapon2,
		TreeDamage  =   0,
		EnduranceMod = 0.5,
		ColorRed = 220,
        ColorGreen = 10,
        ColorBlue = 10,
        CriticalChance	=	0,
        MinDamage	=	0.1,
        MaxDamage	=	0.1,
		WeaponLength = 0.15,
		Tags = Write;RedPen,
		BreakSound  =   PenBreak,
        HitFloorSound = PenHit,
        ImpactSound	=	PenHit,
        DoorHitSound = PenHit,
		HitSound	=	PenHit,
		SwingSound = PenSwing,
	}

Blue Pen
Source: ProjectZomboid\media\scripts\items_weapons.txt

Retrieved: Build 41.78.16

item BluePen
	{
	    DisplayCategory = Household,
		MaxRange	=	0.8,
		WeaponSprite	=	Pen,
		MinAngle	=	0.65,
		Type	=	Weapon,
		MinimumSwingTime	=	2,
		KnockBackOnNoDeath	=	FALSE,
		SwingAmountBeforeImpact	=	0.02,
		Categories	=	Improvised,
		ConditionLowerChanceOneIn	=	1,
		Weight	=	0.1,
		SplatNumber	=	1,
		PushBackMod	=	0.3,
		SubCategory	=	Stab,
		AimingMod	=	0.8,
		ConditionMax	=	2,
		MaxHitCount	=	1,
		IsAimedHandWeapon	=	TRUE,
		DoorDamage	=	0,
		SwingAnim	=	Stab,
		DisplayName	=	Blue Pen,
		MinRange	=	0.61,
		SwingTime	=	2,
		KnockdownMod	=	0,
		SplatBloodOnNoDeath	=	FALSE,
		Icon	=	Pen,
		RunAnim	=	Run_Weapon2,
		IdleAnim	=	Idle_Weapon2,
		TreeDamage  =   0,
		EnduranceMod = 0.5,
		ColorRed = 50,
        ColorGreen = 50,
        ColorBlue = 210,
        CriticalChance	=	0,
        MinDamage	=	0.1,
        MaxDamage	=	0.1,
		WeaponLength = 0.15,
		Tags = Write;BluePen,
        BreakSound  =   PenBreak,
        HitFloorSound	= PenHit,
        ImpactSound	=	PenHit,
        DoorHitSound = PenHit,
		HitSound	=	PenHit,
		SwingSound = PenSwing,
	}

See also

• Pencil
• Eraser