Spear Skill
| Spear | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Skills |
| Type | Skill |
| Skill Group | Combat - Melee |
| Max Level | 10 |
| Total XP | 32,775 |
The Spear Skill governs fighting with spears and other long thrusting weapons. It raises attack speed and damage with them and reduces the muscle strain of each thrust. It belongs to the Combat - Melee group.
Many spears are crafted rather than found. Knives, stones, bones and glass can all serve as spear heads. That makes the skill useful for survivors short on supplies. Every character trains this skill from the first level up.
Spears trade durability for reach. A spear strikes from farther back than a knife or a hammer, so zombies stay out of grabbing range for longer. That reach lowers the risk of scratches and bites in close fights. The cost is wear. Spears break quickly, so a spear fighter needs a steady supply of shafts and heads.
How to Level Spear
Spear experience comes from hitting enemies with a spear. Every thrust that lands on a zombie counts. Steady fighting with a spear is the main way to train.
The early levels fill fast, and the later ones need many more hits. Fighting small groups that the character can handle safely gives the steadiest progress.
The Fast Learner trait raises the experience rate to 130 percent. The Slow Learner trait lowers it to 70 percent. The Reluctant Fighter trait lowers it to 75 percent for every combat skill.
Every character begins at level zero in this skill, so practice drives every level.
The cheapest training weapon is a plain Wooden Spear. It costs only a long stick and a knife to carve. A pile of spares lets a character keep training without worrying about breakage. Carving these spears raises the Carving skill as well.
Training goes best against lone zombies or small groups. Spears suit fighting at the edge of reach and then stepping back. Rest between fights to keep endurance high. Long sessions also build Strength and Fitness.
The XP each Spear level asks for, with the running total from level 0.
| Level | XP Needed | Total XP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75 | 75 |
| 2 | 150 | 225 |
| 3 | 300 | 525 |
| 4 | 750 | 1,275 |
| 5 | 1,500 | 2,775 |
| 6 | 3,000 | 5,775 |
| 7 | 4,500 | 10,275 |
| 8 | 6,000 | 16,275 |
| 9 | 7,500 | 23,775 |
| 10 | 9,000 | 32,775 |
Spear Level Effects
Each level makes spear thrusts faster and stronger. Damage climbs with the skill, so a trained fighter needs fewer thrusts per zombie. Critical hits also become more common.
A higher level raises the chance of pushing off a zombie that grabs from the front. That shove can turn a deadly grab into an escape.
Muscle strain falls at higher levels, so long fights tire the arms less.
Spears have a special attack animation. The chance of that animation stays the same at every level.
These bonuses apply only to weapons in the spear group.
Spears also have a charge attack. A character sprints for a few seconds and then thrusts into a zombie. The charge can kill a zombie outright, but it works best on a lone walker away from others. Zombies can still bite during the finishing animation, so step away as soon as it ends.
The chance of losing condition on each thrust depends on this skill and Maintenance. At low levels in both, spears break after only a few fights. Raising both makes each spear last far longer.
Spear Weapons
The skill covers wooden shafts with a point or blade at the end. The Wooden Spear and the Wooden Spear (Fire Hardened) are the simplest. Knife spears such as the Spear with Kitchen Knife, Spear with Hunting Knife and Spear with Fighting Knife are stronger.
Primitive spears use stone, bone or glass heads. Metal heads from metalworking make the Spear with Metal Head and Spear with Long Metal Head.
A few odd objects count too. The Garden Fork and the Umbrella (Closed) both use this skill.
All spears are two-handed. A Wooden Spear comes from carving a long stick with a sharp knife. Fire hardening the shaft over an open fire makes it sturdier. Binding a knife or a metal head to the shaft adds damage and helps the spear last. Glass heads hit hard but shatter quickly.
The hardest-hitting weapons that Spear governs. Every one of them is listed under Spears.
| Name | Image | Damage | Weight | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spear with Long Simple Metal Head | 
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 3 | /additem Base.SpearCrudeLong
|
| Spear with Hunting Knife | 
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 3 | /additem Base.SpearHuntingKnife
|
| Spear with Long Metal Head | 
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 2.7 | /additem Base.SpearLong
|
| Spear with Long Stone Head | 
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 2.7 | /additem Base.SpearStoneLong
|
| Spear with Large Knife | 
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 3 | /additem Base.SpearLargeKnife
|
| Spear with Scrap Knife |
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 3 | /additem Base.SpearScrapKnife
|
| Spear with Fighting Knife |
|
1.2 - 1.7 | 3 | /additem Base.SpearFightingKnife
|
| Spear with Simple Metal Head | 
|
1 - 1.6 | 2.5 | /additem Base.SpearCrude
|
| Spear with Hand Fork | 
|
1.1 - 1.6 | 3 | /additem Base.SpearHandFork
|
| Spear with Glass Head | 
|
1 - 1.6 | 2.4 | /additem Base.SpearGlass
|
| Spear with Kitchen Knife | 
|
1 - 1.6 | 2.7 | /additem Base.SpearKnife
|
| Spear with Small Knife | 
|
1 - 1.6 | 2.7 | /additem Base.SpearKnifeSmall
|
| Spear with Scissors | 
|
1 - 1.6 | 2.5 | /additem Base.SpearScissors
|
| Spear with Screwdriver | 
|
1.2 - 1.6 | 2.5 | /additem Base.SpearScrewdriver
|
| Spear with Metal Head | 
|
1 - 1.6 | 2.4 | /additem Base.SpearShort
|
Notes
- A Wooden Spear is a cheap weapon to train the skill.
- Knife spears put a spare blade to good use.
- Stone and bone heads work when metal is scarce.
- The Garden Fork counts as a spear weapon.
- Use the sprint charge only on lone zombies.
- Carry spare spears, since they break quickly at low skill.
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