Strength Skill
| Strength | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Skills |
| Type | Passive Skill |
| Skill Group | Physical |
| Max Level | 10 |
| Total XP | 487,500 |
| Best Occupation |
|
The Strength Skill governs a character's raw physical power. It raises melee damage and knockback, increases how much the character can carry and reduces muscle strain. It belongs to the Physical group, together with Fitness.
Strength is one of the most important skills in the game. A strong character hits harder, knocks zombies down more often and carries more loot on every trip. It also helps force open locked windows and climb tall fences. Every character starts at level 5 by default, and traits and occupations move that number up or down. The Farmer, Firefighter, Fitness Instructor and Lumberjack each start a little higher. The Strong trait gives the largest boost.
How to Level Strength
Strength is a passive skill. It rises only through exercise and use, and skill books play no part in it.
Strength exercises from the health panel train the skill directly. Carrying more than half of the character's carry limit also builds Strength over time. Running gives some experience at random intervals.
Melee combat gives Strength experience, and hitting several zombies with one swing gives more. Cutting down trees gives Strength experience as well. Removing a barricade gives a little too.
Each Strength level needs far more experience than a normal skill. The climb to the top levels takes a long time and steady effort.
Strength gains stay at the base rate whatever learning traits the character has. A boost indicator shows at level 3 and above, but the gain stays at the base rate.
Push-ups train Strength and need no equipment. Burpees train both Strength and Fitness, but they drain endurance heavily. Free weights give the fastest gains. Dumbbell presses, bicep curls and barbell curls all train Strength more quickly than bodyweight exercises. Dumbbells and barbells are uncommon finds, but gyms and garages are worth checking.
Each exercise has its own regularity. Repeating it day after day lowers its endurance cost and the stiffness it leaves. A steady daily routine gives far better results than rare, heavy sessions.
Exercise strains the muscles it works, and they turn stiff and sore some hours later. Rest and time clear the stiffness. Rotating between exercises spreads the strain across different muscles.
Training raises hunger and thirst. Eat before a session and keep water close. A secure room keeps the session safe, since movement cancels the exercise.
The XP each Strength level asks for, with the running total from level 0.
| Level | XP Needed | Total XP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| 2 | 3,000 | 4,500 |
| 3 | 6,000 | 10,500 |
| 4 | 9,000 | 19,500 |
| 5 | 18,000 | 37,500 |
| 6 | 30,000 | 67,500 |
| 7 | 60,000 | 127,500 |
| 8 | 90,000 | 217,500 |
| 9 | 120,000 | 337,500 |
| 10 | 150,000 | 487,500 |
Strength Level Effects
Each level raises melee damage and the chance of knocking a zombie down with a push. The carry limit rises too, so more supplies fit in each trip.
Muscle strain drops at higher levels, so long fights hurt the arms less. Forcing a locked window open becomes more likely. Climbing tall fences succeeds more often.
Some butchering steps need a set Strength level. Smashing a small herbivore skull needs level 1. Smashing pig, stag and herbivore skulls needs level 2, and a cow skull needs level 3. Smashing bones and jawbones and cutting up a tire need level 4.
The skill also changes the character's traits. Levels 0 and 1 bring the Puny trait, and levels 2 to 4 bring Weak. Level 5 is the neutral middle. Levels 6 to 8 bring Stout, and levels 9 and 10 bring Strong.
Strength Starting Levels
The Farmer, Firefighter, Fitness Instructor and Lumberjack each begin with one extra level. The Strong trait adds four levels and the Stout trait adds two.
The Weak trait removes two levels. The Puny trait removes five.
A trait gained later through training brings its other effects but leaves the level as it is. The level boost only applies when the trait is picked at character creation.
A high starting level saves a great deal of time. Strong is one of the most valuable traits for a melee character. It adds damage and knockdown to every swing and lets the character carry far more loot. The Lumberjack and Firefighter pair their Strength head start with combat skills, which suits a fighting style from day one.
Carry capacity also depends on moodles. Hunger and injury lower it, so a well fed, healthy character makes the most of a high Strength level.
These occupations and traits start a character with levels in Strength.
| Name | Image | Type | Levels | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | 
|
Trait | +4 | -10 |
| Stout | 
|
Trait | +2 | -6 |
| Farmer | 
|
Occupation | +1 | 0 |
| Firefighter | 
|
Occupation | +1 | 0 |
| Fitness Instructor | 
|
Occupation | +1 | -6 |
| Lumberjack | 
|
Occupation | +1 | 0 |
| Weak | 
|
Trait | +-2 | +6 |
| Puny | 
|
Trait | +-5 | +10 |
Strength Recipes
Every recipe that asks for Strength or trains it, one tab per level asked.
| Name | Image | Recipe | Crafting Materials | Tools | Skill | Station | Learned | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bone Pieces | 
|
Smash Small Herbivore Skull | 1x Lamb Skull or similar | Claw Hammer | Strength: 1 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
| Name | Image | Recipe | Crafting Materials | Tools | Skill | Station | Learned | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2x Bone Pieces |
|
Smash Herbivore Skull | 1x Calf Skull or similar | Claw Hammer | Strength: 2 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
| 2x Bone Pieces |
|
Smash Pig Skull | 1x Pig Skull | Claw Hammer | Strength: 2 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
| 2x Bone Pieces |
|
Smash Stag Skull | 1x Stag Skull | Claw Hammer | Strength: 2 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
| Name | Image | Recipe | Crafting Materials | Tools | Skill | Station | Learned | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2x Bone Pieces |
|
Smash Cow Skull | 1x Bull Skull or Cow Skull | Claw Hammer | Strength: 3 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
| Name | Image | Recipe | Crafting Materials | Tools | Skill | Station | Learned | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x Tire Piece | 
|
Cut Up Tire | 1x Tire - Old | Hacksaw | Strength: 4 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.TirePiece
|
| 2x Bone Pieces |
|
Smash Bone | 1x Animal Bone or Large Animal Bone | Claw Hammer | Strength: 4 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
| 2x Bone Pieces |
|
Smash Jawbone | 1x Jawbone | Claw Hammer | Strength: 4 | Any Surface | No | /additem Base.SmallAnimalBone
|
Notes
- Carry heavy loads to build Strength during normal looting.
- Exercise daily from the health panel for steady gains.
- Hitting several zombies in one swing gives extra experience.
- Reaching level 9 brings the Strong trait.
- Some skull and bone smashing recipes need a set Strength level.
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