Project Zomboid Beginner's Guide To Combat & Stealth! Tips & Tricks On How To Avoid & Fight Zombies!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Tips for new players? Let them know in the comments! New to the game? Join our Discord! discord.gg/9NC2GPufAd

[@austin3600]

Something I’ve found after over 100 hours in the game: dont take risks if you don’t have to. Are you running out of water? Are you at risk of starving? Is your base in danger of getting overrun? If the answer is no, then don’t go into that building with every window and door broken, don’t fight those zombies while exerted and tired, and don’t try taking on that horde at night. If your needs are met, you dictate when combat happens. It’d be a shame to lose a character you’ve put dozens of hours into because you got greedy

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Greed is always the big one that catches players when they start to gain confidence!

[@cezarsoba]

@@MrAtomicDuck greed and overconfidence are ladies like lady like, and they're pretentious at that.

[@Oussama_On_Ladder]

@@cezarsoba overconfidence killed my three months progress character

[@subjectnamehere1965]

"Remind yourself, that overconfidence is a slow, and insidious killer"- some narrator guy

[@dmn4373]

You are not my father! I'LL BREAK THE BOUNDARIES!

[@alturius4]

Another tip: WHen you're fighting, always. Look. Behind. You!!!! Doesn't matter if you're fighting 1 zombie or a dozen! I'm ashamed to tell how many times I've had a run end badly to a sneaky bite coming from a dead angle, despite having 100h+ in the game. Give a whack/shove, create some space, turn around for a second, turn back and give another whack. Rince and repeat

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Really good one! Always keep your awareness, for sure.

[@ScottDCS]

Keen hearing

[@JonathanCrane228]

@@ScottDCS I always run with Keen Hearing but to look back every now and then will also help both

[@bunnyboy7008]

I just lost my 24 days old charcter to a bite from behind, I was fighting a hoarde nearly annihilated it using my trust crowbar but somehow a zombie surprised me from behind & bit on my character's neck. She died instantly as I had set infection mortality to instant. Tbh, felt bad man. This was the best playthrough among all others I ever played

[@mrphoenix5951]

@@JonathanCrane228 insane pop with brita's i must look behind at all times ^^

[@leon02356]

Tip: if you hear a zombie on the other side of a door, or banging on a door, you can double tap e to open and close the door. This will let you glance inside without letting the zombie out. This has saved me from walking into rooms that have small hordes in it.

[@Nopperabou]

Good tip

[@bootyboy43]

good for that good 'ol bathroom horde in that house that seems completely empty

[@RockafellaInc]

@@bootyboy43 died too one today

[@aldopaints670]

Funny enough, I have survived a horde of 6 behind a door. But I died to a single fucking zombie behind a door 🤣

[@duglife2230]

This tip just saved my life. Thanks! 👍

[@yamyeeter1185]

Stealth Tip: If you are an engineer or have read some electronics mags, you can craft noise makers and place bombs on those noise makers with remote triggers. This works best when you want to clear a specific block or building of all zombies easily, so you have to premeditate it a little. Turn on the noise maker, wait for them to gather up round, and you can use that disraction to loot, or if you placed a bomb, can set it off and kill a bunch of them (but it will probably start a massive fire if your not careful)

[@Gunzerkingidiot]

Does it divert attention away from you if they're aggroed and are the noise makers as effective as say a car alarm?

[@kevinkearney4187]

@@Gunzerkingidiot If they’re aggro, they’ll always keep following you. However if you break line of sight for I think 6 seconds, they forget and will get distracted by the noise maker. Not sure how loud it is in relation to car alarms, sorry.

[@DerBoora]

Thank you sir

[@WilliamLawrence7]

This!

[@MrAllekzander]

Will remote noisemakers work while in containers? Sneak one into a "friend's" duffle bag or trunk? Lol

[@krevetka9744]

A tip: Use those pills! Beta-blockers allow you to reduce panic while engaging zombies and vitamins add stamina buff. Don't save them for later too much. First of all, each item of this kind can be used several times and later in the game your character gonna have increased stamina and nerves anyway. So you better use them early vs hordes.

[@bradjames8256]

Panic mechanic is often a killer for new players. Watch in the top right for this debuff and make sure you plan accordingly. It's a huge debuff, it can be the difference.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yes! This is super important. Maybe I should do a video on how the moodles work for new players?

[@knightshousegames]

@@MrAtomicDuck As someone just starting, I feel like that would be super helpful. Like some of them are obvious, like pain, exhausted, so on, but some of them are super vague, like anxious, depressed, uncomfortable, etc. Like I intrinsically understand those concepts and have a vague idea of how to reduce them, but I have no idea what actual effect this has mechanically on gameplay.

[@talknight2]

@@knightshousegames There's a wiki for that

[@benallmon5613]

Losing control of my character because of panic was weird at first. Love the desensitized mod.

[@JoeSmith-qy6qo]

@@MrAtomicDuckwhere is it

[@dichebach]

My biggest tip: DO NOT play when (a) you are tired/not focused and (b) intending/expecting to engage in combat. If you do find yourself tired/unable to focus, just evade and do not get cocky and try to take out one or two. I rarely die to the big horde. Most of my deaths are when I'm facing off against one or two maybe three, and I really should have stopped playing or taken a short break an hour earlier and wind up spazzing out on my right-mouse, running through the zombie, turning my back to them and getting bit. I think I may try a new general mindset for the game: try to kill as few zombies as possible and focus on evasion as much as possible.

[@yessir5907]

This is so true, I’ve lost many characters because I was not focused/got distracted! 😢

[@Paraneoz]

Another pro-tip for the meta of clearing / combat is 1) Always take fights on your own terms. I find that its pretty much always optimal to fight in open spaces, lure zombies out of buildings and then fight them in the open. This way you dictate combat and can always retreat, while fighting in the forest or inside cramped buildings should only be reserved for cleanup and last resort. 2) Similar to tip 1, be aggressive when securing a base or temporary safe house. On your first day especially, you should go outside and clear all the zombies near where you will be staying. Better to fight them directly now than wait for them to burst into your house while you sleep or relax. Especially useful if you play with night sprinters or similar. Stealth is typically a suboptimal route compared to direct engagement unless your specific game settings or injuries prevent it.

[@mrphoenix5951]

espacially with how fucked up the stealth is in the game crouche or not the zombie still see you hence why i put memory on short but hearing range at 400 since i use brita gun pack

[@silverghost3063]

I have somewhere around 300 hours on this game, and one good tip I usually follow is to be careful when rounding corners as you're clearing out a space. Don't stick too close to a wall when rounding corners, because there might be a zombie right around the corner waiting for you. Just speaking from personal experience, this is how I lost one of my longest runs.

[@whoknows8223]

Rip. Just started yesterday and before I enter a house I walk around the whole thing to not get surprised by Z's coming in from backdoor or stuff

[@bomboclado8469]

The green combat outline setting for every weapon could be a mentioning tip 👍

[@Para0234]

Some overall advices of my own : -Unless you are one hundred percent sure that you are in a truly safe place, EVERY PLACE IS DANGEROUS. This means that unless you are in a stairless first floor, in a sneakily crafted overwater base, or, if you are one of those that like to use some glitches (Won't blame you, I like to do it too), you are NOT safe. No matter what you do, be ready to run. In your own safehouses, plan for some escape routes. Especially when you watch TV at the beginning of the game. The TV can make more noise than you planned, so while you "train", always listen if the undead comes knocking in your doors or windows, and don't let them surprise you. -Remember, you don't win by killing zombies. You win by staying alive for just a little bit longer. Overconfidence is the most dangerous thing that can happen to a player that went beyond the "beginner" stage. -If you find a gun, store it, but DON'T use it. Guns are a last measure solution, and it brings more harm than good. The noise they make is enough to make your... neighbors pay you a surprise visit. -If you STILL want to use a gun, there are four ways where they are useful : --A last stand situation. You've been bitten, or you are ill after being scratched/lacerated. You're dead anyway, so if you can help your successor / Your multiplayer friends by taking down as much zombies as you can, it's not as if you'd survive anyway. --A bait. If you want to explore a building, you can fire one round in an area you don't plan on exploring so the neighboring zombies won't surprise you during your looting. Remember : One shot, then you leave the area as soon as possible. It's useful until you get a noisemaker, which is less dangerous for you. --You're already leaving the area. If you aren't staying where you are, if you're leaving the city, for example, then you can open a way with a firearm, as you will have left once the zombies arrive. --You have enough firepower to take down an entire city down by yourself. But if you reach that state, you're clearly experienced and know when to use and avoid using them.

[@stateofchrysalis5483]

The virgin "don't use guns" vs the Chad "use a bolt action rifle during the helicopter event after doing an hours worth of burpees and subsisting on dog food"

[@ShlickMick]

Honestly even with high zombie pop on Muldraugh I regularly go out with a shotgun and just keep luring and shooting until there's nobody left. It really doesn't take that long and even with only a moderate aiming skill I find it to be really effective. My friends and I are playing without respawn and over the last week we keep heading out to the main road to just slowly clear it all out, and with shotguns it's been a total breeze

[@ivancalimlim5037]

Another tip is that if you’re going against two zombies, shove the first one and stand on it while you fight/melee the other one

[@jeremyt7722]

You can also use another zombie to stand in for you, if you stun lock them in the right position

[@zwenkwiel816]

Pro tip you can even sit on them. Or do some squats...

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yup!

[@r3vak216]

Great advice for newer players and those whom struggle with combat! Honestly standing on downed Zombies has helped me so much!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad to hear it good sir! Thank you muchly

[@mrspankytank2858]

I’ve done the “spinning fan blade” maneuver with a vehicle to clear out a horde a few times. Works great if you’ve got a vehicle you don’t mind trashing.

[@cheddars2]

Do donuts, ruin vehicle, leave pile of 100 zeds. This has saved my life and cleared otherwise near impossible points.

[@bayawak_]

I try to just use the rear side of the vehicle to do this, trash the trunk and preserve the engine as much as possible

[@mrspankytank2858]

@@cheddars2 Don’t you love how they just keep walking into it?lol

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Will have to give this strategy a go with a vehicle I don't mind losing sometime!

[@mrspankytank2858]

@@MrAtomicDuck Works. Keep in mind the noise attracts zeds from further out of your location. After you’ve plowed down a few simply leave the area for a few minutes and the zeds from further away seem to migrate back from which they came. This is how I currently cleared the gas station area on the main road through Muldrough, from a rather large horde so I can easily gas up my main travel van and some cans without to much drama. I used a taxi I found which handles great for this purpose.

[@JadeAnnabelArt]

Hey I’ve been playing for years but I still struggle a lot. Watching this, while I knew most of the tips, still helped a lot. The small things I haven’t heard of that can come in handy :) Also you speak very clearly, and slow enough to understand. Some tutorials or guides they tend to rush their words a lot and I’m left having to go back three times to figure out what they said.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad it helped! Thank you for the kind words, and best of luck to you out there :)

[@EJames359]

I'm impressed with the quality content this channel's producing. Great production and graphics, informative and succinct as well as engaging. Keep it up!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thank you so much

[@techknight3753]

A tip that has saved me a few times; picture this: it's one of the first days of your playthrough, you managed to find a beaten up car with a little gas in it to get it around. You drive it to the edge of a point of interest, and make sure you are ready to book it, then, you open the car windows, and turn on the radio at max volume. Not as effective as a siren on an emergency vehicle, but also not as much of a loss as them.

[@OfficialCptAJones]

I've been playing Zomboid since 2013 and even I learned some tips and tricks. Didn't know that "Move To" plotted the best course through trees. Awesome vid :)

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks man, glad it was still helpful to you!

[@mtpstv94]

"Early Access" since 2013 at least? Typical... these companies need to learn what these stages mean and stop using them as an excuse.

[@OfficialCptAJones]

@@mtpstv94 it’s the best zombie game ever created in my opinion, so I don’t really care about how they label it lol. I just enjoy the game.

[@Procedurallydegeneratedjohn]

@@mtpstv94 "these companies" its a handful of people making the game and its always being updated. Have you not seen how much has changed? Its not like its a 60 dollar game. I bought it for like 7 dollars on sale. Even off sale its 20. I have almost 500 hours in the game and Ive been playing only a couple months. Its got tons of replay ability and it has more depth than most games with better visuals. Theres so many details in PZ...

[@garuco]

speaking of rough starts, I discovered the game less than a month ago, had no idea what to do with the settings in front of me and was too eager to start playing that I created the first save as apocalypse. After louting the first house, when I went outside I had to spend the first 10 minutes just trying to lose the zombies, but usually I'd lose one and gathered 2 others. jumped over a few fences and managed to get away from 10 zombies but encountered 2 new ones. attempted to fight this time but had no idea how to since I skipped the tutorial and didn't check the settings menu... it was a very short and stressful first save... but I liked it and went back for more :D

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad you went back man! Rough experiences are the usual for new players, it takes determination to come back and learn from it.

[@plamf1278]

just an fyi, you can hold e to climb through windows and large fences you don't have to double tap and also pressing c doesn't change vision in any way unless you are behind something small enough to conceal you, pressing c only reduces the noise you make, unfortunately its useless at reducing sight range, this was tested by the youtuber "Retanaru"

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Interesting to know that second part, thank you for clarifying! Maybe we should suggest that as a bit of a change, even if its a small reduction, it would make sense.

[@blak4831]

@@MrAtomicDuck Yeah it *technically* reduces the spot chance, but since that chance happens every tick things like crouching or the inconspicuous perk don't really help unless you're crossing a very small gap from cover to cover

[@killbythebook4462]

Get graceful it adds so much to inconspicuous

[@islleyd]

EVERY time I watch your videos I learn at least one thing! I play lot of this game, but I can count on you to learn more and more!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

That's what I love to hear man! Thanks :D

[@Rays_K]

Always keep at less 1 bottle of water in your inventory, so you don't have to worry about getting thirsty all the time and it last for few days. Especially important when the water supply is finally been cut. Even if you take the negative perk that make you get thirsty faster, it won't be that noticeable.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Def keep that water on you. Stay hydrated kings.

[@yamyeeter1185]

Tip: If you want to clear lots of zombies from a certain area (i.e. a gas station) but dont want to fight, simply walk around and pull the agro of EVERY zombie around. Walk circles around the group to herd them into a tight group, lead them into a forest near by, do a WIDE loop around back towards the area you cleared them from. Viola, the zombies are in the forest looking for you and you have the place to yourself

[@zwenkwiel816]

Yeah that works great can also use buildings/fences for this if you're in llouisville or something and no Forrest is nearby. Who's viola though? :p

[@sud1881]

@@zwenkwiel816 viola seems to be a fancy term for showing off something. Ex: Waiter pulls the metal cover thing off of a plate to reveal food whilst saying viola.

[@bobloerakker7010]

@@sud1881 that's voila, viola could be the waitress though😏

[@sud1881]

@@bobloerakker7010 nah the original comment indicates that you are the only person and it leaves you unnamed.

[@talknight2]

Oh yeah, that was the first thing I did as soon as I started to get my bearings in the game. Pulled a good hundred of them way out of the gas station where I'd lost my last survivor into the woods just by driving around at 5 mph, and then freely loaded up all the remaining loot and gas into my new truck.

[@MsNikkieMichelle]

Excellent tips. My biggest problem that 9 out of 10 times got me killed was my insatiable need to hoard every item. I wasted a tremendous amount of time running to and from my base to other homes and establishments trying to collect as much loot as I could, instead of spending that time leveling up my skills. Can’t really level strength if all I, doing is stockpiling. My greed would do me in,and it was especially on another dimension when I played Hydrocraft years back on the old builds. I think you covered just about all that can be stated when starting out. Don’t be like me and realize that yes, a heck of a lot of perishable foods will rot, it’s ok to leave items either behind or in containers and looted at a different time (except foods, all the other items are not going anywhere and will still be there on day 500 (granted it’s not set ablaze of something, even then there’s always more to discover and find.) Pacing is very beneficial. Instead of sprinting everywhere and getting exerted really fast, just click on ground and instruct your character to “go there” and just zoom it up some. That way if traveling long distances, you won’t get nearly as tired because you wouldn’t be running and you don’t have to painstakingly watch them walk. Retreat and understand sometimes we have to pick our battles. These little tidbits are lucrative and I absolutely started surviving wayyyyyy longer when I finally applied them to my gameplay and mindset. One last tip, have fun. I don’t backup saves because that’s really not the point of this game. Unlike 7days or other survival games, unless selected to per a death, those games allow for some booboos and mishaps-not PZ. Don’t get too attached because chances are pretty night that you will get merked BUT, enjoy it while it lasts.

[@macelharen]

as a new player my main frustration with the game is combat: i haven't found a guide about how to avoid getting spun around when trying to swing at a target. happens alot to me - suddenly i'm 180 degrees from where i was facing and the zombie i was trying to push or bash lunges at me and bites/scratches.

[@sud1881]

Try to get the isometric cursor away from your character to avoid crossing the threshold where your character spins.

[@macelharen]

@@sud1881 cheers. actually, iirc, i figured that out watching some other videos about n00b stuff...just so counter intuitive

[@killbythebook4462]

I would say make a game where you try to detect and face towards (don’t start with trying to fight) the highest amount of zombies possible as soon as possible with the best stats like keen hearing and eagle eyed. After you get the hang of focusing on where they are, practice fighting small numbers up to big numbers. You aim towards your cursor when you press and hold right mouse button. Be careful to keep your cursor just behind the feet of the nearest zombie while you back up steadily while striking. This note aims your body’s movements to where you aim, in case you have been letting go of the aim after you strike while trying to run by accident. After getting comfy with how you handle zombies with the best stats, try towards the worst ones you may usually avoid. This can help you get used to debuffs like being tired which shrink your perception radius when you go back to better traits.

[@border056]

Thanks for the tips. I'm new to the game and I'm playing on my friends private server. He increased the amount of zombies that spawn and the timer in which the respawn. I've been having a miserable experience but I'm starting to get the hang of it. These tips help.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

No problem 👍 We're always happy to help over on the Discord if you need anything!

[@xr0nin999]

Loving the videos mate. Yours along with other's recent videos swayed me into buying PZ after 7 years of having it on my radar haha

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yesssss get it man! Welcome to the community!

[@newlightgaming1227]

Another great video. Been playing PZ forever and still learning keep it up :)

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks, will do!

[@ionizor7187]

A big one for me was changing the shout key (q)to somewhere less easily hit. I have no idea how many times I accidentally hit it.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Lol, definitely done this a few times.

[@Nopperabou]

I do it when I'm trying to hit 1 to holster my weapon

[@slycooper1001]

page down key is likely the best because well wasd is movement and well i don't normally hit that button while playing games.

[@amarog_stone]

I remember the first time I played this game I spawned at muldraugh died in like 3 min. Right after I searched for guides and I found yours… 180 hours later and my character is 6 months old and I’m finally ready to face Louisville. Wish me luck bois

[@dralel1381]

What were the results?

[@kirstymilley9988]

Brilliant video Duck. I have been watching your streams for a while now and use the backing off technique a lot. This has meant that my characters last longer and i wouldn't have known this without you. The other tips about running and line of sight i didnt know either. Thank you

[@MrAtomicDuck]

My pleasure, thanks for checking out the streams as well! Means a lot :)

[@Slashinku]

When fighting zombie at a window, stand near the window. Don't face the window but the opposite side. Wait for the zombie to climb over. They won't be able to trip you. Happy stomping.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Oooo nice!

[@slycooper1001]

i used to walk around and lure them away from areas i wanted to stick around and sort stuff into loot piles to slowly take everything from a area and move it to my base.

[@casulwulfgaming1881]

Regarding ranged weapon use in combat. Moving around reduces the aim thus making you more likely to miss or do less damage when you hit the target. But if you stand still (don't need to aim) for 2-3 sec your aim will be good and you will do more damage and actually hit the target, as long as you stand still (it also depends on your aiming skill and what weapon you use). You will notice this when using the aim outline (seen in this video), a little different with ranged weapons since it changes color as hit chance from red->yellow->green. When using a shotgun, It's always a good thing to round them up or get them into a choke point before you start shooting. (using less shells that way) ALWAYS know how many shells/bullets your weapon holds and count them down as you're shooting. (or you end up hearing that "CLICK" when you're in a dire situation) Stand still when shooting while having a distance between you and the zombies, when they are getting too close for comfort you need to stop shooting and start moving away. While moving, take your time and reload your weapon if needed (shotguns are an exception, always reload them when moving). Fighting with ranged weapons will draw a lot of attention so be ready for a long fight, you should mainly walk or stand still. Running/sprinting is only for getting that distance if needed. ""I've seen too many players do the mistake of using the same tactic as with melee where they are either moving around or backing off while shooting, which is a massive waste of ammo..""

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Didn't quite wanna cover Ranged weapons in this one as its an emphasis on players that are struggling with their first few days, but this is a really good tip for those that make it to firearms!

[@casulwulfgaming1881]

​@@MrAtomicDuck I know, but I'd like to add that one of the spawn points in Rosewood is in the Police Station, so a new player could get a ranged weapon on day 1 if they're un/lucky. 😉 (that's one of the reasons why I wrote this)

[@MrAtomicDuck]

@@casulwulfgaming1881 Totally understandable!

[@mrspankytank2858]

I owe many hours and days survived to this channel alone. Awesome content awesomely delivered.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks dude!

[@TheEpicRooster]

I've been playing a lot more as of build 41's release and something thats very useful is if multihit is off you should always try and line up the zombies so that 2 of them are never side by side but rather in a single file line. It makes kiting them much easier and far safer since your less likely to be caught by one after a melee swing at the other.

[@Dave-ei4jp]

thanks for sweet welcome at the end!! Just bought the game today and im so into it

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Awesome to hear man! If you need any help, our Discord got you.

[@jungosux]

New to PZ, glad you'll be our guide to help us become apart of the zed community.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Happy to help! Welcome to the community.

[@TheMugwump1]

Thank You, Sir. Simple, and to the point.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

You're welcome!

[@tealversace]

Idk if I've ever been this early to a video. Awesome content man, keep it up!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks, very much appreciate that! :D

[@BaseDeltaZero1972]

A question I've started asking myself a lot lately... "Do I need this item *right now* and is worth risking my life/progress for when I can pop back in a few hours or tomorrow and see what the situation looks like then.?" The answer is invariably a "no, it can wait" and I have noticed my current run employing this philosophy is one of the best I am having - That generator/sweet ride will still be there tomorrow, but the mob may have thinned or moved away by then.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yes! Definitely a great attitude to have.

[@castner5308]

New player, just seen your video and really glad to see how I can start to enjoy this game. After a couple of frustrating playthroughs, I was beginning to think I was just terrible lol.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Trust me, it happens to almost every player when they start out! Eventually the aggro mechanics will just sorta... Click.

[@truec0re193]

Had a damn nice run end recently where I completely blockaded a utility station by the Xonics mall, all stocked up on food and weapons with freezers and shelving I brought, because I accidently selected exit vehicle instead of switch seats when a single zombie was outside my car door, and I took a bite to the back of the neck

[@jeremyt7722]

Ouch. My last mistake was leaving the window open and got snuck up on checking my map.

[@mitchellbarton7915]

Honestly, I consider myself a seasoned player (not god tier, but I can often hold my own) and I STILL learned something from your vid! Great content!

[@AbnormalObs]

Good vid thanks. I'm interested in getting this title but a lot of Videos were either; "OMG SO FARKN AMAZING LOVE IT YOU HAVE TO PLAY' Which puts me off, or "Extremely deep, complex mechanics, yadda yadda yadda too much detail" Which makes it sound too much to play. I appreciated the level of detail with how concise your commentary was. Thanks 👍

[@MrAtomicDuck]

No problem! Happy to give a balanced view :)

[@TravelswithRosie]

Yes Yes Yes. PZ tips are always welcome.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks Rosie!

[@Smokasaurus]

Man I need this. Once I've got a few zombies after me I can't get rid of them without attracting many more. They seem to be everywhere, more so than any content creator I've watched.

[@BladeRunner031]

This game was hard for me at the begening.Well,up to one month I would survive and then some mistake ends my life.Now Im doing ok when I learned most of the stuff but still....1 mistake and its over.Tnx for all of your videos,were helpful

[@MrAtomicDuck]

No problem, glad it's helped!

[@Kristu.]

5:36 u can use other zombie too not just player, and when a zombie is crawling into a fence or window u can push then in the middle of the animation

[@basler04]

Thanks for this. I'm a very new player and struggling a lot. I'll try this stuff next time I play

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Good luck!

[@weckardo]

as a pretty experienced player some of the tips are still pretty useful to me, great fucking video

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad to see man!

[@veriona773]

Also try practicing the use of alarm clocks or digital watch alarms. Can be useful to lure out zombies on a building.

[@catfoodbob1]

Tripwires would be a great addition if they could be anchored to any 2 points and trip things that go over them, just remember you put them there:P

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Would love some more things like this. Could be used as an early warning system!

[@Nahkalenkki658]

Just started a world with my friends and lost my character to a horde of like 40 zombies... I waited to hit my old character to bring his mobility down and then killed it which gave me the opportunity to get my loot back after losing the rest of the horde... Felt like a badass

[@DavidBrendan7799]

New to the game loving it so far! I just enabled sprinter on my newest run through server lmao! OMG it's terrifying.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Welcome to Zomboid!

[@GalopaWXY]

I'm actually a really long-time player but build 41 is defeating me xD all the animations changed, everything moves very differently and a lot of times I just fail to calculate/anticipate the timing anymore! I'm glad for this video in that regard, thank you!

[@ralone8314]

Lv 0 short blunt : i must take the zombie one at a time from that horde lv 5 short blunt : haha hammer goes bbbbbrrrrrrrrr

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Hahaha, levelling weapons is crazy

[@LargeCoke_Mediumfry]

0:24, man, that’s just normal Kentucky

[@jesterjacks3933]

Came back to like and subscribe because this video actually helped a lot

[@MrAtomicDuck]

I'm glad I could help! Thanks for the support!

[@salarmer1633]

I’ve got a great tip: try a sandbox run with the settings changed so that there’s an abundance of cars, loot, weapons etc. then when making your character choose 1 or 2 difficult negative traits. Negative traits teach you tons about game mechanics, for example, I decided to play with hemophobia, which lead me to start playing with longer ranged weapons and trying to maintain a constant greater distance of zombies. Thanks to Hemophobia, I learned that melee weapons deal more damage if they hit at its maximum range rather than at close range and that spears are great weapons and easy to make and replace, I also learned about how great of a trait smoker is, since it’s an amazing way to deal with the side effects of being completely drenched in blood. The sandbox settings are so that you can learn how to work around the negative traits rather than focusing solely on survival, as you progress and get better you can tone down the settings for more difficulty.

[@StrixWar]

I learnt very quickly 1-2 zombies are easy to take out with a simple push and then stomping their heads

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Yup!

[@maxitomix]

Perfect. Just what I needed.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad it was useful!

[@luisotaviocarvalho1630]

When playing with friends, and looking to loot some store or place with a LOT of zombies, one can be a bait and just keep walking while shouting and drawing atention. You might get a thousand or so, but if u just find a place to walk safely all you need to do is jog to you car when finished. And if you failed at least you can get some nice screenshots and a true twd experience lol

[@zlaiazaia7239]

OH GOD WHY IS THIS SO COMPLICATED I LOVE IT

[@Makrangoncias]

I picked up a new thing on my own, I got caught way too many times when opening doors so I tend to open them from range and INSTANTLY move back, even if I don't know that there is a zombie behind it or not. This have saved me many times, it gives just enough time for me to react if something comes out of that bathroom or staircase. Never ever stand right next to the door, never ever stay there when you open it.

[@jarredclax9684]

thanks for the vids man they're much needed

[@MildarValsik]

As an older gamer I know many technical strategies from MMORPG's good old kiting is a huge deal. Noticing the distance the zombie will start shambling faster with arms out stretched moves faster than normal. Using that to your advantage is a way to turn a horde of ten into a no horde. The more spread out they are more manageable. I might even have ten or 20 following me. Kill a few. Get some distance the sit on the ground for a bit checking all around my area. Then start up again. Anything close together I call a bait ball. That's when I use fire arms. If I see a mass number of them. I try to get them in a tight group then go to work on them with the shotgun first. Done it a few times on multiplayer and people thought I was screwed. (Nope). I counted my bullets and zombies. A double barrel shotgun is easy to work with. Every two shots is about 4 zombies per shot. 50 bullets maybe 200 zoms.

[@tonyzambone762]

Highly recommend Retanaru's video on zombie line of sight, he has a lot of great tips on how to lose zeds most effectively.

[@cassandra7170]

I'm new to PZ. Death number 6 now. Yay? Spawned smack in the middle of Louisville last time. Oh my. I did out 🚶‍♂️ 3 hordes. As I wondered aimlessly.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

You'll get it! Comes with a lot of practice and the learning stage can be the best part.

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

Reverse in a circle to kill big mobs. The gearing means they dont slow you down so much as you go back as opposed to when you go forwards. As it is in real life actually.

[@devonaveii2675]

You can hook up a vehicle to the front of your vehicle and tow it in reverse, as well. Very effective if you're trying to tow a weighted down van or something.

[@MNewton]

The only reason double tapping e is working to climb a fence is because you are doing it quick enough that the game registers it as a long press. Holding e is all you need to do, same for going out a window.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

No shit, you learn something new every day! 😂

[@MNewton]

@@MrAtomicDuck That makes me wonder though, is it actually faster to double tap? I know that there is a speed advantage using a controller because it has it's own button that you can just press...

[@_The_God_King_]

My first run i spawned in the same house as the beginning of your video. Camped out in the house after looting it. Started to get bored i guess ran out of stuff to read so i went into the backyard. Immediatley had like 5 zeds after me so i bolted over the fence and more or less just kept running away and into zombs until i couldnt anymore and got torn apart in a trailer park somewhere. I wasnt sure what I could do or how the zombs behave but its all a learning process.

[@TheStilldogg]

Amazing guide and I subscribed.

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Thanks!

[@buddyransom2790]

I found the best tip I got when I started was "you aren't Ramboo, you are a normal person and you should act like one!"

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Definitely better to keep your expectations in check!

[@spiro2061]

no one talks about this but trees and their silhouette will shake as a zombie passes through it, useful when going thru woods

[@LordRazer3]

Crouch jog is just a loud as normal crouch walking is don't worry about using it if you think it will help. This is useful after braking line of sight to quickly gain ground but a fare warning zombie AI cheat so after they can no longer see you they still track you for about 2 seconds afterwards so it can help to stop moving for a second before moving on.

[@slkblkcat]

Be careful with spears at first, while great to instant kill one zed on its own multiple zeds is a problem dont charge attack into a group it will leave you vulnerable for a few seconds which can be your coffin's final nail

[@runikvarze6191]

The big thing to remember is that zombies benefit more than you do from being in close range. They have multiple sets of hands, but you only get your two. Yeah, ranged combat comes with it's own set of risks in the form of attracting additional threats. But the ranged advantage in a controlled circumstance is never something to be underestimated. Just keep a close eye on your ammo.

[@pixieskitty]

My partner got me this wonderful game, I would like tips on how to fight groups of zombies as a duo, thanks in advance

[@uncolored2060]

You can sneak sprint to unaware zombie and perform stealth kill. Regular sneaking up to it is worse, because the zombie can hear you or just simply and randomly turn around

[@coarsesalts]

I always deal with hordes by gathering them in an open area like a parking lot, get a shotgun, shoot the horde from the front back and sides (this way the zombies at the edges of the horde have generally lower hp) then proceed to switch to my melee and one tap a few, I repeat this till there isn’t any left. Alternatively, I use the cars in the parking lot to slow down the zombies, loop around the horde, generally there will be a few zombies lagging behind and I just take them out before the main horde comes back.

[@kaivogel253]

don't forget to replace your clothes after you got scratched or hit with a "dry" bite. Make sure you inspect everything and if it has a hole and your tailoring skill is low, just replace that clothing item as fast as possible. Putting patches on holes is not a good idea. Remember your clothes are the only thing that can save you if you mistime a swing or shove.

[@snowfish7294]

fun tip dont try taking a large prison with a few guns and 800 bullets/shells. you will run out of ammo. also park your car close to where you are looting

[@eldondixon4562]

Back pedaling while fighting is called Kiting :)

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Ok

[@Drew-vv9ef]

A common mistake I made back then was run and instead attract a horde of like 50 zombies lol. At least I don’t do that anymore lol

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Always try to assess when to run and when to fight.

[@hutchthelynx]

i played 20 hours of this game and thought shift was sprint. i didnt know i could go even faster

[@MrAtomicDuck]

You're not missing much! Sprint can be dangerous and result in some awkward deaths due to falling on your ass lol

[@unnamedtheanonymous763]

Pretty sure you can just push zombies whilst they are climbing a fence to make them fall. Removes the possibility of them clawing at you and make you fall afterwards.

[@RyanJosepher]

Things do change though if you change the stats of the zombies. A personal favorite is bad eyesight great hearing and able to run, active day and night. Download the mod where allows you to see your stats like stamina and bars

[@benismann]

jogging and running makes additional sound jogging while crouching doesnt that's my tip

[@Jojo-ip8ms]

You can use spears to poke through broken windows, got a zombie that's close to a window and pounding on a door? No longer will you have to jump in and get bit! Just equip a spear and poke them through the window. Risk free!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Love this one! Garden forks are one of my favorite weapons.

[@rodrigobraga997]

great video!!

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Glad you liked it!

[@Dylan_Otto]

Food tips for new players: pancake batter is probably the best travelling/survival food I’ve ever seen. Its only 0.1kg and makes 4 pancakes which can all be eaten raw for 20 hunger and 210 calories each, for a total of 80 hunger and 840 calories, which is close to a person’s daily recommended intake. Moreover, it gives you happiness if cooked (raw has -10 but typically doesn’t make you depressed unless you binge eat), and you can always add more fruits to boost that. But arguably best of all, it doesn’t expire unless you cook it. Make sure you stockpile these and not eat them until you actually need to Also useful general info: cooked food for the most part can last about 2 days before it goes stale and 4 before rotting

[@Totallynotkyubey]

Pretty sure you burn around 1600 calories ingame daily and recommended daily intake for the average person irl is 2000 cal. Ice cream is twice as heavy at 0.2, but it also gives twice as many calories and cannot rot (although it melts, causing unhappiness) and you don't need water to prepare it, unlike pancakes.

[@Dylan_Otto]

@@Totallynotkyubey you’re right about the calorie part for real life, but idk y I always seem to not gain/lose any weight eating about 1k in-game. Besides my thought process is that it’s easier to gain weight than to lose it (max -1kg/day vs +3kg/day) and light, non-perishable, dense foods are not rare at all. I guess the main reason I chose pancakes is that it gives lots of hunger reduction for a respectable calorie count, and that water for the most part is very easy to find in small quantities. Hope this reply made sense to you Ps. Fuck ice cream, maple syrup is the real shit XD

[@Totallynotkyubey]

@@Dylan_Otto I agree, maple syrup and butter are the real MVPs, but they, along with pancake batter, are significantly less common than ice cream, which you find in every other freezer. I've misread the formula, 1600 calories would be enough to GAIN one kilo/day ingame, without any carbs, lipids and/or activity - you were a lot closer.

[@gabrielalejandrosandovalvi5819]

If you are doing long runs, you should backup your save file, IK that some call that a coward way to play since you can avoid consequences of death, but this game takes a awful amount of grind to actually enjoy the side activities of killing zombies. So please if you want to play a long run, have a little selflove and do a backup save

[@xeanderman6688]

While yes, you move slower when crouched and zombies will catch up to you, they still won't be able to attack you as they try to lounge, but miss and you can still outpace them. Wouldn't recommend doing it often tho

[@bigsteppa093]

My first solo world I played I drove to a post office at like 2am on like day 9. When I arrived I only saw like 5 or 6 zombies and thought I could take them, when I left my car and started fighting them suddenly out of no where 15 more zombies just came up on me and I died and lost everything 😢

[@ColdWindPhoenix84]

I've found that you can actually have a zombie stand on another zombie to keep them down for you... You know, until they fall over.

[@orionyesliketheconstellation]

tl;dr: check your wounds I nearly offed myself accidentally yesterday. Noobed out and got caught by two zombies, was so certain I had been bit, but bandaged quickly before I even bothered checking. I said "welp, I'm dead for sure" so I literally fought about a dozen zombies at the same time thinking I was 100% gonna keel over in a day or so anyways. The first two actually only scratched me, and I ended up surviving with a sliver of hp at the end of the fight with the group. My character is still alive, but damn was that dumb.

[@StoneKnight1]

kinda hoped for actual skils break down, but i guess this would be more advanced

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Traits builds are coming in my next video, but again this will be focused towards beginners, so it will be pre-constructed builds without any huge negative traits.

[@Zihenroy]

You kill 2, next morning theres 15 on your street. Their respawn rate is sick

[@MrAtomicDuck]

Then turn respawns off. You have the controls :)

[@nicholasverkennis2337]

Only go loud when you know youve got more resources than there are zombies. Too many a time have i broken all of my weapons while trying to fight a horde, or run out of ammo, and had to retreat and pull that massive group towards my base.