Pen

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Pen
Pen Model.png
Red Pen
Pen
General
Category
Household
Encumbrance
Moodle Icon HeavyLoad.png
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.

Containers
Building/Room Container Rolls Chance
all filingcabinet 4 8
locker 4 8
officedrawers 4 8
other 1 8
shelves 4 8
artstore counter 4 8
shelves 4 1
shelves 4 2
bedroom crate 1 0.8
desk 4 8
desk 4 8
sidetable 4 8
bookstore counter 4 1
classroom counter 4 8
desk 4 8
metal_shelves 4 8
closet crate 4 8
empty crate 4 8
garagestorage crate 4 8
generalstore shelves 4 8
hall locker 4 8
kitchen counter 4 8
shelves 4 8
livingroom shelves 4 8
shelves 4 8
sidetable 4 8
sidetable 4 8
office counter 4 8
desk 4 8
metal_shelves 4 8
post counter 4 8

Crafting

BoxSmall.png
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
Notebook.png
Journal x20
none
One of:
Pen.png Pen
Pencil.png Pencil

(consumed)
Notebook.png
Empty Notebook
(consumed)
Paper.png
DoodleRemoved
none
One of:
Pen.png Pen
Pencil.png Pencil

(consumed)
Paper.png
Sheet of Paper
(consumed)

Code

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

Pen.png 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,
	}

RedPen.png 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,
	}

BluePen.png 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