A Skill Training Encyclopedia

Guide was created for 0.D (Danny) As of May 4th, 2021, it is being worked on to update it for 0.E. Currently, the overall structure of this guide is being modified, and no skill lists have been updated to reflect the current game. Until this guide is made modern, I ask that any contributors add their date of contribution

This guide helps provide structure and direction for players looking to train their skills. There are four main ways to train skills: through crafts, practice, books, and NPC training.

Training Methods Overview

NPC Training: In general, NPC training provides the quickest manner to increase a skill. It is dependent on finding a skilled NPC who is amenable to training. Progress does slowdown as the levels grow higher, and there is a significant cool-down time between sessions.

Crafting: Crafts are probably the second quickest way to train a skill. Experience gained is influenced by focus and base craft time. A single craft may be enough to gain a level, or a few. The key benefits of crafting is that it trains proficiencies and produces some item which may aid in survival.

Books: Books are a convenient but slower way of training skills. They are easy to find and only require light and sustaining oneself. They are exceptional when one does not have the resources necessary or otherwise does not wish to make a craft available. Some skills, such as Social and Computers, are realistically only raised through reading. Sadly, they do not train proficiencies.

Practice: Practice is the final manner of training skills. In general, experience gained for each attempt is small, but having a large number of opportunities to practice will provide enough experience to grow. Some examples of this are engaging in combat, foraging, butchering, making repairs to items and vehicles, disarming traps, lockpicking, applying first aid, swimming, and driving.

Crafting Skills

The goal of this section is to suggest crafts that are worthwhile to players in general, in addition to being accessible and providing a respectable amount of experience. The game is still under significant development. In hopes of establishing some resiliency against change, principles will be recommended to help future players make adequate decisions in context of future, potential mechanics.

(Old, but current interpretation of the tables) This section mostly refers to items which may be crafted without a recipe. Some notable craftable items, however, are an exception and therefore included due to ease in crafting and acquisition.

Some items listed may have symbols after their name. The meaning for the symbols are as follows:

- : able to deconstruct to get back all materials used in crafting it

-- : requires crafting recipe

Tailoring

Overview: Tailoring allows a player to create clothes which provide protection, warmth, and storage. It is utilized in the repair of gear made from textiles.

General Principles: You need armor. You need warmth. You need storage. You need to be able to fight. Crafts are all about managing these aspects. Additionally, with nested containers offers the value of having bags that are dedicated to storing specific goods--where picking up a bag is quicker than picking up all individual units of the item. (May 4th, 2021. The following table is okay, but it is not comprehensive of useful, recommended crafts)

General Recommendations: Make spares of gear that is not particularly tough or resilience. Make spares of storage containers. Make spares of articles that satisfactory warmth. If you utilize NPCs, provide them with gear and upgrades as well. They have the potential of providing a significant amount of value, so why not equip them with the best you have to offer (especially when you need the practice)?

The following is a list of worthwhile crafts that can be used to help a player increase their skill. This list is not comprehensive or exhaustive. It is written in hopes of providing guidance and perhaps sparking ideas for a craft that the player can actually benefit from, instead of grinding out a skill level.

Level Progression
0->1	Makeshift Bandage (Favorite) Towel (wet penalties & boomer bile) Bandana -> Blindfold (sleeping) Wraps and Rags for warmth (chestwraps, foot rags, socks, handwraps, patchwork scarf)
1->2	pair of arm warmers (warmth & for broken limbs) pair of leg warmers (warmth & for broken limbs) pair of safety glasses (defense & future component) pair of light gloves union suit -- pair of glove liners -- rain hood (wet penalties & future component) rain coat (wet penalties & future component)
2->3	balaclava long underwear bottom long underwear top duffel bag pair of leather armor boots pair of leather armor gauntlets cotton hat leather pouch (storage & future component) chest rig
3->4	boonie hat leather armor guards backpack leather backpack tool belt (good storage and future component) duster (also future component) cargo pants (also future component) -- baldric holster ankle sheath ankle holster holster sheath spear strap
4->5	pair of metal armguards drop leg pouches rolled sleeping bag leather armor helmet light nomad gear axe ring holster gambeson
5->6	Tailoring (4) Crafts pair of iron greaves nomad cowl leather body armor nomad gear tac vest light survivor suit, boots, hood, gloves pair of chitin arm guards pair of chitin leg guards XL holster baldric back scabbard scabbard survivor harness pair of biosilicified chitin boots, gauntlets
6->7	Tailoring (5) Crafts survivor suit, boots, hood, gloves winter survivor suit sleeveless leather trenchcoat bone body armor ski mask flame-resistant suit, hood, gloves, socks -- chitinous helmet survivor belt, backpack, rucksack pair of biosilicified chitin arm guards, leg guards
7->8	Tailoring (6) Crafts heavy survivor suit, boots, hood, gloves winter survivor hood, gloves, boots survivor wetsuit, hood, gloves, boots survivor duffel bag chitinous armor biosilicified chitin helmet

Fabrication

Overview: Fabrication is a catch-all for crafts. It contains a number of high value tools and equipment, and absolutely should not be neglected. It is often a pre-requisite, or requires pre-requisites for more advanced crafts.

General Principle: Make stuff.

General Recommendations: Make stuff.

Level Progression
0->1	improvised lockpick cudgel fishing hook
1->2	washboard
2->3	distaff and spindle
3->4	wooden smoother pair of wooden clogs
4->5	small plastic bottle Banded Wooden Cartwheels
5->6	small plastic bottle Banded Wooden Cartwheels pilot light (mechanics 2)
6->7	lawn dart (throwing 1)

Survival

Overview: Survival allows you to transform natural resources into something of value, or to enhance the value of these resources. It is a high value skill.

General Principle:

General Recommendation: Raise it and value it. If you're scavenging, it's not vital. But, it does help with butchering, farming, foraging, and a number of other survival related applications.

Level Progression
0->1	makeshift sling- bindle- forage underbrush
1->2	plant fiber (from cattail stalks or dogbane) digging stick forage underbrush
2->3	wild vegetable stems any seeds forage underbrush
3->4	bone flute stone axe
4->5	mushroom spores
5->6	mushroom spores morel mushroom spores

Food Handling

(Disclaimer: Certain crafts that are listed are chemistry, and are not under the skill, "Applied Sciences")

Level Progression
0->1	clean water cooked meat cooked wild vegetables
1->2	pine nuts boiled egg herbal tea bone broth cooked cattail stalk scrambled eggs
2->3	dehydrated meat acid water cooked dandelion greens broth
3->4	meat jerky lard woods soup
4->5	dog food aspic
5->6	dog food aspic pemmican
6->7	salt pickled meat

Electronics

Level Progression
0->1	antenna
1->2	electric firestarter
2->3	(May make a soldering iron at lv2) electrolysis kit-

Mechanics

"Pipe" Method

(Credits to Vormithrax, in 0.E (Ellison) You first need to damage an object before you can repair it, wield the item and bash a wall). Also works with other solderable weapons.

Level Progression
0->1	repair pipe with soldering iron/welder (25 batteries) (approximately 30 minutes)
1->2	repair pipe with soldering iron/welder (75 batteries) (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes)

"Disrepair" Method

If you attempt to repair an item when your skill level is too low, you will be able to increase the skill level, but will gradually damage the item. Some items are composed of two ingredients though and can be repaired with the corresponding tool/skill for either ingredient, so you can damage it this way, then repair it back with another skill you're at a higher level in - Most likely Tailoring. Or you can use up part of the endless supply of zombie loot, some of which you'll cut up for usually no returns anyway, and not worth the soap/detergent to clean it.

"Car" Method (Variant 1)

Level Progression
0->1	remove seatbelts, headlights, dashboard and clocks from cars, requires a screwdriver (Recommended to make a homemade suppressor instead if the player has the required parts as it costs significantly less time (only requiring 4 rags, 1 pipe, and approximately 36 seconds per craft))
1->2	repair a pipe with a soldering iron/welder (200 batteries) (approximately 5 hours)
2->3	repair a pipe with a soldering iron/welder (450 batteries) (approximately 10 hours 30 minutes)
3->4	repair a pipe with a soldering iron/welder (450 batteries) (approximately 10 hours 30 minutes)
Note	From 1->4, these numbers are times are from 100 a base 100 focus including decay with 0 morale. Higher morale and focus significantly reduce the required repair time to level up.

Car method variant 2

Level Progression
0->1	make a light wooden frame, start vehicle construction with it, remove the frame which will disassemble the vehicle and do it again
1->2	homemade suppressor remove/reattach car parts
2->3	remove/reattach car parts floodlight, makeshift automotive filter/makeshift air filter/makeshift drive belt
3->4	remove/reattach car parts water purifier

Utility Skills

Trapping

Craft a nail-board trap, place, and disarm it repeatedly. This takes a long time in the real world, so training trapping is best done with a macro. This is feasibly done up to 3 (4 if the player has patience). Useful for lower perception characters since 1 trapping = 2 perception for the sake of trap detection.

First Aid

Level Progression
0->1	applying 6 makeshift bandages
1->2	applying 27 makeshift bandages arm-splints
2->3	applying 81 makeshift bandages
Note	From 0->3, these numbers are obtained from consecutive crafting from 0 to 3 (from 100 focus 0 morale) without refreshing focus to 100 every level. The number of bandages per iteration is significantly reduced by morale and higher focus.
4->5	applying 144 makeshift bandages (from 100 focus and 0 morale consecutively)

Combat Skills

Ranged Combat

• Marksmanship + Archery: May be trained up to 3 along with archery by crafting a bow, and shooting arrows at the floor or a marked target.
• Throwing: Throw things on the floor or at a practice target to train throwing up to 3 for little in-game time.
• Handguns: The same as training Archery. Requires crafting the pistol Crossbow (Recipe locked). Viable up to level 3.
• Rifles: The same as training Archery. Requires crafting the Crossbow (Recipe locked). Viable up to level 3.
• Submachine guns: The same as training Archery. Requires crafting the repeating Crossbow (Recipe locked). Viable up to level 3.
• Launchers: No real way to train other than usage and books.
• Shotguns: No real way to train other than usage and books.

Melee Combat

• Dodging: viably train dodge to 6 by waiting while surrounded by rats while wearing full turnout gear or survivor suit.
• Melee: No real way to train other than usage and books.
• Unarmed combat: No real way to train other than usage and books.
• Bashing Weapons: No real way to train other than usage and books.
• Cutting Weapons: No real way to train other than usage and books.
• Piercing weapons: No real way to train other than usage and books.
• Note: There are no crafting recipes which train combat. However, there are a few ways to train certain skills up without the need to confront enemies (see ranged combat skills).