Construction Worker
| Construction Worker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Occupations |
| Type | Occupation |
| Points | -2 |
| Skill Boosts |
|
The Construction Worker brings a mix of building skill and blunt weapon combat. It suits a survivor who wants to fight with hammers and pipes and build with stone and wood.
The occupation costs 2 points from the trait budget. It starts with two levels each in Short Blunt and Masonry. It also starts with one level each in Long Blunt, Carpentry and Maintenance.
The name suggests a builder, but the occupation leans just as much toward the fight. Its building speed is the same as any other character with the same skills. The value comes from the skill levels themselves. Two blunt weapon skills and Maintenance make it a sturdy melee start, while Masonry opens stone and brick from the first day.
Construction Worker Skills
Two levels of Short Blunt make hammers, pipes and other short blunt weapons faster and stronger. The Construction Worker has the best start in this skill of any occupation. Those weapons are common, so the start is useful from the first fight. Critical hits come more often, and the chance of pushing off a zombie that grabs from the front rises. Muscle strain falls a little too, so long fights tire the arms less.
One level of Long Blunt adds a little strength to bats and crowbars. The Baseball Bat and Crowbar are common early finds. The Crowbar is among the most durable melee weapons in the game, and it doubles as a prying tool. Together, the two blunt skills cover a large share of the weapons found in a town.
Two levels of Masonry open stone and brick walls, door frames and window frames at once. Cooking pits, stone anvils and stone wheels are within reach as well. A cooking pit allows cooking without a stove, which helps once the power fails. Level 5 brings the good brick wall, the short brick wall and the brick fence.
One level of Carpentry opens rugged furniture, a chopping block, the wooden floor and small drying racks. Level 2 brings wall frames, door frames and window frames. One level of Maintenance helps every melee weapon last a little longer. It also opens most of the stone, bone and improvised weapon recipes.
Each starting level shows as an experience boost at character creation. That boost speeds up early training in each skill.
A new Construction Worker starts with these skill levels.
| Skill | Levels | Skill Group |
|---|---|---|
| Short Blunt | +2 | Combat - Melee |
| Long Blunt | +1 | Combat - Melee |
| Masonry | +2 | Crafting |
| Carpentry | +1 | Crafting |
| Maintenance | +1 | Combat - Melee |
How to Play Construction Worker
A Construction Worker plays well as a builder who can also hold the line. A hammer serves as both the main tool and the main weapon. A Claw Hammer is a good example, since it builds and fights equally well. Short blunt weapons are common, so a replacement is rarely far away.
The Masonry start makes stone and brick buildings possible early. Brick walls can be stronger than wooden ones, which suits a lasting base. Clay bricks come from Pottery, so the Artisan trait can fill that gap. A mason's trowel belongs in the building kit.
Masonry trains with every stone recipe and every piece built. Breaking a large stone into stones is a simple early recipe. From level 1, making a stone block from stone gives a good amount of experience. Brick walls, stone walls and their frames give more from level 2.
Stone is easy to find with a little effort. Some grassy tiles in forests and wild areas hide large stones sunk in the ground. Those stones can be dug out and carried home. Mineral deposits hold limestone, flint and stone as well.
The Construction Worker also has a small foraging bonus for trash and junk. Trash and junk are easier to spot while searching.
Traits that add skill levels fit the occupation well. Handy adds a level each of Carpentry, Carving, Maintenance and Masonry, and it also speeds up building. Mason adds two levels of Masonry and teaches the forges, furnaces and kiln. Strength-boosting traits suit the blunt combat style. Strong adds four levels of Strength and extra knockback, so swings send zombies to the ground more often.
For the long blunt side, Baseball Player and Brawler each add a level of Long Blunt. A Construction Worker with either trait starts with a solid bat fighter's head start.
Early goals include a hammer, a pipe or bat, a saw and a stock of nails. A pickaxe helps dig stones out of the ground, and a trowel covers the masonry work. Short Blunt trains with every blow, so fighting small groups with a hammer pushes the skill up steadily.
Notes
- Short Blunt starts higher here than for any other occupation.
- Stone and brick walls are open from the first day.
- A hammer covers both building and fighting.
- Dig large stones out of grassy forest tiles for masonry.
- Pottery bricks feed straight into the Masonry start.
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