69 (Nice) Tips And Tricks For BEGINNERS in Project Zomboid!

1. You will die

First and foremost, you must accept that you will die a lot. It’s just a matter of time. So be sure to not get too attached to your character. Below are 69 quick tips and tricks to learn more about Project Zomboid.

2. Starting location

Riverside has the smallest zombie spawn in the game, which makes it a great starter city and is a good place to start your journey.

3. Don’t get seen

Cover up your windows with sheets and curtains to avoid being seen by zombies from the outside. Be sure to collect sheets and cover up all windows to avoid line of sight from all eyes.

4. Sheets

If you don’t have any sheets, you can pick up curtains from the second floor, if available. Then you can bring it down and put it downstairs.

5. Cans of food

Find any food you can find and pick up cans of food as well. Don’t go too crazy with the cans as it will be heavy to carry in the beginning. 

6. Can opener

Be on the lookout for a can opener, as you will need one to be able to open the cans of food.

7. Food goes bad

Food will also go bad, so be sure to eat the fresh food first and save canned food for later.

8. Find a weapon

Find a starter weapon, such a frying pan or a kitchen knife.

9. Take it easy

Don’t bite off more than you can chew, try and only fight a handful of zombies at a time.

10. Don’t run

Stop running and sprinting in the beginning, you should take it slow and not run if you absolutely have to, as you will only attract more zombies if you do. You will easily out walk them instead.

11. Zombie spawns

Rosewood has the second least zombie spawn in the game, do with that what you will.

12. Map

A great tip is to use the Project Zomboid Map website to find Points of Interest and to help you navigate easier.

13. Push the zombies

You can shove zombies to the ground and stand on them if you need to catch your breath. Assert your dominance and show them who’s boss.

14. Keep your moodles in check

Be sure to check your moodles regularly, they tell you things like if you’re hurt or have a cold, keep them in check. 

15. Water bottle

Find a water bottle and fill it up with water.

16. Drink water

If you get thirsty, be sure to drink some water.

17. Rest

If you run out of stamina, you can rest. But be sure to not get caught by any zombies though.

18. Sleep

When you get tired, you should sleep. Try to keep to a regular sleep schedule.

19. Bandages

If you’re bleeding be sure to bandage your wounds, change them out when they get dirty.

20. Rip clothes

Rip up clothes you find on zombies if you run out of bandages.

21. Sterilize bandages

You can sterilize bandages by boiling them in hot water in a pot.

22. Sterilize wounds

Sterilize and clean wounds if they’re infected with some alcohol wipes or disinfectant.

23. Don’t get infected

Be sure to notice that infected is not infected by zombies, bitten is when you are in danger.

24. Don’t get bitten

If you are bitten, there’s unfortunately nothing you can do, more than accepting your fate and to start over.

25. Collect water

You can collect water by placing buckets, bowls and pots on the ground outside.

26. Drink safe water

Don’t drink water from the lake or rain, you can die if you do so.

27. Boil water

Tainted water can be boiled to be able to drink it safely. 

28. Bags

Find a bag to carry around more stuff, preferably a backpack to keep your hands free. A plastic bag or a tote bag does work as well.

29. Medical supplies

Find medical supplies such as bandages, disinfectant, painkillers and beta blockers, to be on the safe side. 

30. Pen

Find a pen to be able to write and mark places on your map.

31. Eraser

You also need an eraser to be able to remove and change your writing.

32. Colored pens

There’s multiple different colours of pens you can find to spice up your maps.

33. Find a watch

You need a watch to be able to tell time, with a digital watch you can also keep track of the temperature.

34. Alarms

You can set alarms when you need to wake up.

35. Read books

By reading regular books and comic books you will reduce your stress levels. Be on extra look out for the HottieZ  

36. You can break windows

Break a window with a tool in your hand, or you will hurt yourself on the broken glass.

37. Remove broken glass

Remove the broken glass before you jump through a broken window, or you will cut yourself.

38. Chop trees

You can chop down trees with an axe.

39. Saw planks

If you have a saw you are then able to saw those logs into planks.

40. Hammer

Find a hammer and nails that you need to build walls and so on for your base.

41. Barricade windows

You need that hammer and nails to be able to barricade your windows as well.

42. Double barricades

You can double up your barricades by barricading your windows on both the inside and outside.

43. Improve carpentry skills

To level up your carpentry skills, disassemble as much furniture as possible.

44. Improve electrical skills

Same thing with leveling up your electrical skills, you should  disassemble tv’s, radios and lamps.

45. Read skill books

Find and read skill books to increase these skills even faster, it will add an xp multiplier.

46. Blunt weapons

Use blunt weapons to not damage clothes you want to grab from zombies, knives and so on will damage them.

47. Short ranged weapons

Short ranged weapons use less stamina to fight longer periods before getting exerted.

48. Weapon experience

You gain experience in each category of weapons when fighting with them.

49. Weapon durability

All weapons and items have durability and will break when used. However, any weapon is better than no weapon.

50. Outline settings

To help with fighting, activate the green outline option which will highlight the target you’re attacking. 

51. Outages

Both the water and electricity will be shut down after a set amount of days, this is randomized at the beginning of your playthrough.

52. Emergency Broadcast

Listen to the emergency broadcast to get information about upcoming weather conditions as well as when the water and electricity shuts down.

53. Generator

You will need a generator to be able to have power after the electricity shuts down.

54. Generator magazine

To be able to operate a generator you need to find the instruction manual on how to use it.

55. Car keys

There’s a possibility to find car keys in nearby houses of parked cars, as well as on the ground around it.

56. Siphon gas

You can siphon gas from other cars if you have a gas can.

57. Gas pumps

To refuel your car you can also use gas pumps

58. Sleep in cars

You can sleep in the car if you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere.

59. Drive slow

When you do manage to get a car, be sure to not drive too fast, because there’s loads of road stops and crashed cars on the roads that you will definitely crash into. 

60. Hot wire cars

You are able to hot wire cars if you have level 1 in electronics and level 2 in mechanics.

61. Helicopter event

The helicopter event will attract zombies to your nearby surroundings, keep away from your base when it happens, unless you want a very crowded base.

62. Don’t use guns (in the beginning)

I’d suggest not to use any guns to begin with, it can be tempting to pick up the flashy gun you find, but your low experience in aiming and the noise it makes is not worth the risk.

63. Guns

If you decide to use guns, the shotgun gives you the most bang for your buck in the beginning. Killing more zombies with each shot due to the spread.

64. Level up aiming/reloading

The shotgun does help you to level up both your aiming and reloading skills quickly when you use it, for you to then be able to use pistols more effectively later on.

65. Build a base

When you get comfortable enough, you can start building a more permanent base to collect all your valuable loot from your runs.

66. Storage

Build storage containers and shelves etc. to store all your loot in.

67. Decorate your house

You can pick up and bring most of any furniture or decoration in the game, to decorate your own base. 

68. Fishing

Other sources of food to survive later on in your playthrough is to fish, you need a fishing rod and fishing tackles, that will increase your chances. .

69. Farming

When you run out of other food options you can also set up a farm to grow fresh vegetables for you to snack on.