Traits
Traits are modifiers, positive and negative, available to players during Sandbox Mode. Some traits are chosen individually (indicated here as 'positive' and 'negative' traits) and players are also given one or more traits, also known as profession perks, associated with his/her choice of profession.
The individually-chosen traits must have a sum value of 0 (or less) in order to start the game, so if the player chooses positive traits, they are also required to choose negative ones to compensate.
Traits categorized as "opposites" cannot be taken simultaneously (e.g. "Graceful" and "Clumsy").
Occupation-oriented traits (perks) cost no points, but the player must select one (and only one) profession.
List of Traits
Name | Type | Opposite | Points | Notes | Effect |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agoraphobic | Negative | - | +4 | "Gets panicked when outdoors" | |
Athletic | Positive | Overweight | -6 | "Faster running speed; Can run for longer without tiring" | |
Axe Man | Profession | - | - | "Doubles speed breaking through doors with an axe and faster axe swing." | |
Brave | Positive | Cowardly | -3 | "Less prone to becoming panicked." | |
Claustrophobic | Negative | - | +4 | "Gets panicked when indoors" | Moving from outdoors to indoors or moving between rooms causes sharp increase in the player's panic level. |
Clumsy | Negative | Graceful | +1 | "Makes more noise when moving." | Zombies can hear the player from a farther distance than normal. |
Cowardly | Negative | Brave | +2 | "Especially prone to becoming panicked." | |
Eagle-Eyed | Positive | Short-Sighted | -6 | "Faster visibility fade; Higher visibility arc" | |
Graceful | Positive | Clumsy | -4 | "Makes less noise when moving" | The player must get closer to a zombie in order to get its attention. |
Handy | Profession | - | - | "Decreases required time in order to barricade doors and windows." | |
Hardened Drinker | Positive | Light Drinker | -3 | "Doesn't get drunk easily" | |
Hard of Hearing | Negative | Keen Hearing | +2 | "Smaller perception radius; Smaller hearing range" | The player must be closer to the source of a sound in order to hear it. |
Hearty Appetite | Negative | Light Eater | +2 | "Needs to eat more regularly" | |
Hypochondriac | Negative | - | +4 | "May develop infection symptoms without having been infected." | The player may get the queasy moodle and any subsequent moodles without having been bitten or scratched. |
Keen Hearing | Positive | Hard of Hearing | -6 | "Larger perception radius" | The player can hear sounds from farther away than usual. |
Light Drinker | Negative | Hardened Drinker | +2 | "Gets drunk quickly" | |
Light Eater | Positive | Hearty Appetite | -3 | "Needs to eat less regularly" | |
Marksman | Profession | - | - | "Improved gun accuracy and quicker reload." | |
Night Owl | Profession | - | - | "Requires little sleep. and Stays extra alert even when sleeping." | |
Outdoorsman | Profession | - | - | "Not effected by harsh weather conditions and Extra orienteering ability." | |
Overweight | Negative | Athletic | +3 | "Slower running speed; Tire from running more easily" | The player will run slower and will reach exhaustion more quickly than usual. |
Prone to Illness | Negative | Resilient | +4 | "More prone to disease; Faster rate of zombification" | |
Resilient | Positive | Prone to Illness | -3 | "Less prone to disease; Slower rate of zombification" | |
Short-Sighted | Negative | Eagle-Eyed | +2 | "Smaller view distance; Slower visibility fade" | |
Strong | Positive | Weak | -6 | "Extra knockback from melee weapons; Increased carrying weight" | Zombies and NPCs will be pushed back more when hit by the player with a melee weapon. The player will also be able to carry more weight before becoming encumbered. |
Thick Skinned | Profession | - | - | "Less chance of scratches or bites breaking the skin." | |
Weak | Negative | Strong | +4 | "Less knockback from melee weapons; Decreased carrying weight" | Zombies and NPCs will be pushed back less when hit by the player with a melee weapon. The player will also be unable to carry as much weight before becoming encumbered. |
Useful Traits
Of course, what traits you pick are your choice,but some are much better, and much worse than others. Strong and Weak are the best and worst traits respectively. With Strong, you can keep zombies away better, as well as carry some 50+ more weight, and weak can reaaally make life difficult for you. Take hypochondriac if you want to take risks, as well as free up skill points, but if you want to break records, leave it. Light drinker frees up 2 points, as long as you are not mental enough to drink whiskey during the apocalypse, you should be fine. Prone to illness, seems good, but best avoided, because a stomach ache during the apocalypse, especially Project Zomboids Super Long-Lasting Stomach Aches, really screws the game up. Graceful is useful, but 9 times out of 10 you just kill whatever zombie noticed you, as of the latest version getting rid of zombies is far more reliable than sneaking, and not risky at all.