Crafting

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In Cataclysm, there are many different things you can craft. To display crafting screen & or / can be used.

In order to craft them you need to have at least the same skill (that listed as primary) as difficulty level of the recipe. This still does not assure success, and a good 25% gain is important if you want to assure success.

Not only items in your inventory, but all items in 2 square radius are available as crafting tools and components (with exception of spilled liquids). There will be question screen, which items you want to use in your crafting.

Character will refuse to craft anything if his morale is lower than -50.

List of recipes

"Difficulty" denotes the lowest skill level needed to unlock the recipe. You must have a secondary skill to at least 1 if needed. For example, the Crossbow requires Mechanics and Archery with a difficulty of 3. Therefore, to unlock the recipe you need level 3 in Mechanics and at least level 1 in Archery.

Weapons

Item Primary/Secondary
Skills
D
Time
Tools Materials
Wood spear --- 0 008.0
  • Hatchet | steak knife | butcher knife | combat knife | machete | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( heavy stick | broom | mop | two by four )
Steel spear piercing weapons 1 006.0
  • 1x ( heavy stick | broom | mop )
  • 2x steak knife | 1x combat knife
  • 1x string - 3 ft
Longbow archery / survival 2 150.0
  • Hatchet | steak knife | butcher knife | combat knife | machete | integrated toolset
  • 1x heavy stick
  • 2x string - 3 ft
wood arrow archery / survival 1 050.0
  • Hatchet | steak knife | butcher knife | combat knife | machete | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( heavy stick | broom | mop | two by four | bee sting )
Nail board --- 0 010.0
  • Hatchet | hammer | rock | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( two by four | baseball bat )
  • 6x nails
Molotov cocktail --- 0 005.0
  • 1x rag
  • 1x ( whiskey | vodka | rum | tequila | gasoline )
Pipe bomb mechanics 1 007.5
  • Hack saw | Integrated toolset
  • 1x pipe
  • 1x gasoline | 6x birdshot | 2x 00 shot | 2x shotgun slug
  • 1x ( string - 3 ft | string - 6 in )
Sawn-off Shotgun firearms 1 005.0
  • Hack saw | Integrated toolset
  • 1x ( double barrel shotgun | Remington 870 | Mossberg 500 | Saiga-12 )
Wood crossbow bolt mechanics / archery 1 050.0
  • Hatchet | steak knife | butcher knife | combat knife | machete | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( heavy stick | broom | mop | two by four | bee sting )
Crossbow mechanics / archery 3 150.0
  • Wrench
  • Screwdriver | Integrated toolset
  • 1x two by four | 4x heavy stick
  • 1x rubber hose
Pipe rifle: .22 mechanics / firearms 3 120.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x pipe
  • 1x two by four
Pipe rifle: 9mm mechanics / firearms 3 140.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x pipe
  • 1x two by four
Pipe SMG: 9mm mechanics / firearms 5 180.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Hammer | rock | hatchet
  • 1x pipe
  • 2x two by four
  • 4x nails
Pipe SMG: .45 mechanics / firearms 5 200.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Hammer | rock | hatchet
  • 1x pipe
  • 2x two by four
  • 4x nails
Simple flamethr. mechanics / firearms 6 120.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x pipe
  • 2x rubber hose
  • 4x glass bottle | 6x plastic bottle
Tube 40mm launcher mechanics / grenade launcher 6 060.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • 1x pipe
  • 1x two by four
  • 1x nails
Explosive slug mechanics / firearms 4 200.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x superglue
  • 4x shotgun slug
  • 1x gasoline
Grenade mechanics 2 050.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( superglue | string - 3 ft )
  • 1x ( tin can | aluminum can | empty canister )
  • 30x nails | 100x BB
  • 6x birdshot | 3x 00 shot | 2x shotgun slug | 1x gasoline
Chainsaw (off) mechanics 4 200.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Hammer | hatchet
  • Wrench | integrated toolset
  • 1x electric motor
  • 1x steel chain
Smoke bomb cooking / mechanics 3 075.0
  • Screwdriver | Wrench | Integrated toolset
  • 1x ( water | salt water )
  • 1x ( candy | cola )
  • 10x vitamins | 8x aspirin
  • 1x ( empty canister | tin can )
  • 1x superglue
Teargas canister cooking / mechanics 4 080.0
  • Screwdriver | Wrench | Integrated toolset
  • 2x bleach
  • 2x ammonia
  • 1x ( empty canister | tin can )
  • 1x superglue
NX-17 charge rifle electronics / mechanics 8 400.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (6 charges) | integrated toolset (6 charges)
  • 1x vacutainer
  • 8x power converter
  • 8x amplifier circuit
Mininuke mechanics / electronics 10 400.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Wrench | integrated toolset
  • 2x tin can | 2x chunk of steel | 1x empty canister
  • 6x plutonium cell
  • 2x batteries
  • 1x power converter

Food

Item Primary/Secondary
Skills
D
Time
Tools Materials
Cooked meat cooking 0 050.0
  • Hotplate (7 charges) | integrated toolset (4 charges) | nearby fire
  • Frying pan | pot
  • 1x chunk of meat
Dog food cooking 4 100.0
  • Hotplate (6 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 1x chunk of meat
  • 1x chunk of veggy
  • 1x water
Cooked veggy cooking 0 040.0
  • Hotplate (5 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges) | nearby fire
  • Frying pan | pot
  • 1x chunk of veggy
Cooked spaghetti cooking 0 100.0
  • Hotplate (4 charges) | integrated toolset (2 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 1x raw spaghetti
  • 1x water
Cooked TV dinner cooking 0 050.0
  • Hotplate (3 charges) | integrated toolset (2 charges) | nearby fire
  • 1x frozen dinner
mac & cheese cooking 1 100.0
  • Hotplate (4 charges) | integrated toolset (2 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 1x raw macaroni
  • 1x water
Baked potato cooking 1 150.0
  • Hotplate (3 charges) | integrated toolset (2 charges) | nearby fire
  • Frying pan | pot
  • 1x raw potato
Tea cooking 0 040.0
  • Hotplate (2 charges) | integrated toolset (1 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 1x tea leaves
  • 1x water
Coffee cooking 0 040.0
  • Hotplate (2 charges) | integrated toolset (1 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 1x coffee powder
  • 1x water
Orange juice cooking 1 050.0
  • Rock | integrated toolset
  • 2x orange
  • 1x water
Apple cider cooking 2 070.0
  • Rock | integrated toolset
  • 3x apple
Beef jerky cooking 3 300.0
  • Hotplate (10 charges) | integrated toolset (5 charges) | nearby fire
  • 1x salt water | 4x salt
  • 1x chunk of meat
V8 cooking 2 050.0
  • 1x tomato
  • 1x broccoli
  • 1x zucchini
Broth cooking 2 100.0
  • Hotplate (5 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 1x water
  • 1x ( broccoli | zucchini | chunk of veggy)
Soup cooking 2 100.0
  • Hotplate (5 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 2x broth
  • 1x ( raw macaroni | raw potato )
  • 2x ( tomato | broccoli | zucchini | chunk of veggy)
Bread cooking 4 200.0
  • Hotplate (8 charges) | integrated toolset (4 charges) | nearby fire
  • Pot
  • 3x flour
  • 2x water
Fruit pie cooking 3 250.0
  • Hotplate (6 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges) | nearby fire
  • Frying pan
  • 2x flour
  • 2x ( strawberries | apple | blueberries )
  • 2x sugar
  • 1x water
Pizza cooking 3 200.0
  • Hotplate (8 charges) | integrated toolset (4 charges) | nearby fire
  • Frying pan
  • 2x flour
  • 1x chunk of veggy | 2x tomato | 1x broccoli
  • 1x ( pesto | red sauce )
  • 1x water
Methamphetamine cooking 5 200.0
  • Hotplate (15 charges) | integrated toolset (8 charges) | nearby fire
  • Glass bottle | rubber hose
  • 2x Dayquil | 1x royal jelly
  • 40x aspirin
  • 20x caffeine pills | 5x Aderall | 2x energy drink
Royal jelly cooking 5 050.0
  • 1x honey comb
  • 2x bleach | 1x purifier
Heroin cooking 6 020.0
  • Hotplate (3 charges) | integrated toolset (2 charges) | nearby fire
  • Frying pan | pot
  • 1x salt water | 4x salt
  • 40x oxycodone
Mutagen cooking / first aid 8 100.0
  • Hotplate (25 charges) | integrated toolset (12 charges) | nearby fire
  • 3x tainted meat | 5x tainted veggy | 1x misshapen fetus | 2x arm | 2x leg
  • 2x bleach
  • 1x ammonia
Purifier cooking / first aid 9 100.0
  • Hotplate (25 charges) | integrated toolset (12 charges) | nearby fire
  • 4x royal jelly | 2x mutagen
  • 3x bleach
  • 2x ammonia

Electronics

Item Primary/Secondary
Skills
D
Time
Tools Materials
Antenna --- 0 030.0
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • 1x radio (off) | 1x two-way radio | 1x electric motor | 2x butter knife
Amplifier circuit electronics 1 040.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x flashlight (off) | 1x radio (off) | 1x two-way radio | 1x geiger ctr (off) | 1x light amp goggles | 2x transponder circuit
Power converter electronics 1 065.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (3 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges)
  • 2x amplifier circuit | 1x soldering iron | 1x electrohack | 800x batteries | 1x geiger ctr (off)
Signal receiver electronics 2 120.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (4 charges) | integrated toolset (4 charges)
  • 2x amplifier circuit | 1x radio (off) | 1x two-way radio
Transponder circuit electronics 2 140.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (7 charges) | integrated toolset (7 charges)
  • 3x signal receiver | 1x two-way radio
Flashlight (off) electronics 1 100.0
  • 1x amplifier circuit
  • 1x ( plastic bottle | glass bottle | aluminum can )
Soldering iron electronics 1 200.0
  • 1x ( screwdriver | antenna | X-Acto knife | butter knife )
  • 1x power converter
Batteries electronics / mechanics 2 050.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( ammonia | lemon )
  • 1x ( chunk of steel | butter knife | steak knife | steel crossbow bolt )
  • 1x ( aluminum can | tin can )
coilgun electronics 3 250.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (10 charges) | integrated toolset (10 charges)
  • 1x pipe
  • 1x power converter
  • 1x amplifier circuit
Radio (off) electronics 2 250.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (10 charges) | integrated toolset (10 charges)
  • 1x signal receiver
  • 1x antenna
Water purifier mechanics / electronics 3 250.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 2x hotplate
  • 2x glass bottle | 5x plastic bottle
  • 1x rubber hose
Hotplate electronics 3 300.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x soldering iron | 1x amplifier circuit
  • 1x frying pan | 1x pot | 2x butcher knife | 2x steak knife | 6x butter knife | 1x muffler
Tazer electronics 3 250.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (10 charges) | integrated toolset (10 charges)
  • 1x amplifier circuit
  • 1x power converter
Two-way radio electronics 4 300.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (14 charges) | integrated toolset (14 charges)
  • 1x amplifier circuit
  • 1x transponder circuit
  • 1x signal receiver
  • 1x antenna
Electrohack electronics / computers 4 350.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (10 charges) | integrated toolset (10 charges)
  • 1x processor board
  • 1x RAM
EMP grenade electronics 4 320.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (6 charges) | integrated toolset (6 charges)
  • 1x superglue | 6x string - 6 ft
  • 1x ( tin can | aluminum can | empty canister )
  • 1x ( power converter | amplifier circuit )
Mp3 player (off) electronics / computers 5 400.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (5 charges) | integrated toolset (5 charges)
  • 1x superglue
  • 1x antenna
  • 1x amplifier circuit
Geiger ctr (off) electronics 5 350.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (14 charges) | integrated toolset (14 charges)
  • 1x power converter
  • 2x amplifier circuit
UPS (off) electronics 5 450.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (24 charges) | integrated toolset (24 charges)
  • 4x power converter
  • 3x amplifier circuit
CBM: Internal Battery electronics 6 500.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (20 charges) | integrated toolset (20 charges)
  • 1x UPS (off) | 6x power converter
  • 4x amplifier circuit
  • 1x plutonium cell
Teleporter electronics 8 500.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Wrench | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (16 charges) | integrated toolset (16 charges)
  • 3x power converter | 5x plutonium cell
  • 3x amplifier circuit
  • 3x transponder circuit

Armor

Item Primary/Secondary
Skills
D
Time
Tools Materials
Mocassins tailoring 1 0300.0
  • Sewing kit (5 charges)
  • 2x fur pelt
Boots tailoring 2 0350.0
  • Sewing kit (10 charges)
  • 2x leather pelt
Jeans tailoring 2 0450.0
  • Sewing kit (10 charges)
  • 6x rag
Cargo pants tailoring 3 0480.0
  • Sewing kit (16 charges)
  • 8x rag
Leather pants tailoring 4 0500.0
  • Sewing kit (10 charges)
  • 6x leather pelt
Tank top tailoring 2 0380.0
  • Sewing kit (4 charges)
  • 4x rag
Hoodie tailoring 3 0400.0
  • Sewing kit (14 charges)
  • 12x rag
Trenchcoat tailoring 3 0420.0
  • Sewing kit (24 charges)
  • 11x rag
Fur coat tailoring 4 1000.0
  • Sewing kit (20 charges)
  • 10x fur pelt
Leather jacket tailoring 5 1500.0
  • Sewing kit (30 charges)
  • 8x leather pelt
Light gloves tailoring 1 0100.0
  • Sewing kit (2 charges)
  • 2x rag
Fingerless gloves tailoring 3 0160.0
  • Sewing kit (6 charges)
  • 2x leather pelt
Filter mask mechanics / tailoring 1 0050.0
  • 1x plastic bottle | 2x plastic bag
  • 1x muffler | 2x bandana | 2x rag | 4x paper wrapper
Gas mask tailoring 3 0200.0
  • Wrench | integrated toolset
  • 2x swim goggles | 1x ski goggles
  • 3x filter mask | 1x muffler
  • 1x rubber hose
Safety glasses tailoring 1 0080.0
  • Scissors | X-Acto knife | steak knife | combat knife | integrated toolset
  • 1x string - 3 ft | 2x string - 6 in
  • 1x plastic bottle
Light amp goggles electronics / tailoring 5 0400.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x ( ski goggles | welding goggles | gas mask )
  • 1x power converter
  • 3x amplifier circuit
Fur hat tailoring 2 0400.0
  • Sewing kit (8 charges)
  • 3x fur pelt
Chitinous helmet tailoring 6 0600.0
  • 1x string - 3 ft | 5x string - 6 in
  • 5x chunk of chitin
Chitinous armor tailoring 7 1000.0
  • 2x string - 3 ft | 12x string - 6 in
  • 15x chunk of chitin
Backpack tailoring 3 0500.0
  • Sewing kit (20 charges)
  • 20x rag | 16x fur pelt | 12x leather pelt

Misc

Item Primary/Secondary
Skills
D
Time
Tools Materials
Superglue cooking 2 120.0
  • Hotplate (5 charges) | integrated toolset (3 charges) | nearby fire
  • 1x water
  • 1x ( bleach | ant egg )
Two by four --- 0 080.0
  • Wood saw
  • 1x heavy stick
Steel frame mechanics 1 080.0
  • welder (50 charges)
  • 3x lump of steel
Steel plating mechanics 4 120.0
  • welder (100 charges)
  • 8x lump of steel
Spiked plating mechanics 4 120.0
  • welder (120 charges)
  • 8x lump of steel
  • 4x chunk of steel
Hard plating mechanics 4 120.0
  • welder (300 charges)
  • 24x lump of steel
Crowbar mechanics 1 010.0
  • Hatchet | hammer | rock | integrated toolset
  • 1x pipe
Bayonet firearms 1 005.0
  • 3x steak knife | 1x combat knife
  • 1x string - 3 ft
Tripwire trap traps 1 005.0
  • 1x string - 3 ft
  • 1x superglue
Nailboard trap traps 2 025.0
  • Hatchet | hammer | rock | integrated toolset
  • 3x two by four
  • 20x nails
Bear trap mechanics / traps 2 030.0
  • Wrench | integrated toolset
  • 2x chunk of steel
Crossbow trap mechanics / traps 3 045.0
  • 1x crossbow
  • 1x steel crossbow bolt | 4x wood crossbow bolt
  • 1x string - 3 ft | 2x string - 6 in
Shotgun trap mechanics / traps 3 050.0
  • 1x sawn-off shotgun
  • 2x 00 shot
  • 1x string - 3 ft | 2x string - 6 in
Blade trap mechanics / traps 4 080.0
  • Wrench | integrated toolset
  • 1x electric motor
  • 1x machete
  • 1x string - 3 ft
Booby trap mechanics / traps 3 050.0
  • 1x grenade
  • 1x string - 6 in
  • 1x tin can


Land mine traps / mechanics 5 100.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x superglue
  • 1x ( tin can | chunk of steel | empty canister )
  • 100x nails | 200x BB
  • 30x birdshot | 15x 00 shot | 12x shotgun slug | 3x gasoline | 1x grenade
Bandages first aid 1 005.0
  • 1x rag
  • 1x superglue
Silencer mechanics 1 006.5
  • Hack saw | integrated toolset
  • 1x muffler | 4x rag
  • 1x pipe
Zombie pheromone cooking 3 012.0
  • Hotplate (18 charges) | integrated toolset (9 charges) | nearby fire
  • 1x tainted meat
  • 1x ammonia
Fusion pack electronics 5 100.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • 1x superglue
  • 1x plutonium cell
Inactive manhack electronics / computers 6 080.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (10 charges) | integrated toolset (10 charges)
  • 4x steak knife | 2x combat knife
  • 1x processor board
  • 1x RAM
  • 1x power converter
  • 400x batteries | 1x plutonium cell
Inactive turret electronics / computers 7 090.0
  • Screwdriver | integrated toolset
  • Soldering iron (14 charges) | integrated toolset (14 charges)
  • 1x ( pipe SMG: 9mm | Uzi 9mm | TEC-9 | Calico M960 | H&K MP5 )
  • 2x processor board
  • 2x RAM
  • 1x power converter
  • 500x batteries | 1x plutonium cell

Crafting.cpp

The syntax is quite simple:

RECIPE(itm_spear_wood, CC_WEAPON, sk_null, sk_null, 0, 800);
 TOOL(itm_hatchet, -1, itm_knife_steak, -1, itm_knife_butcher, -1,itm_knife_combat, -1, itm_machete, -1, NULL);
 COMP(itm_stick, 1, itm_broom, 1, itm_mop, 1, itm_2x4, 1, NULL);

In RECIPE you define which item should be crafted, in which tab it should appear in the crafting menu, the primary skill which is needed to craft it, the secondary skill which increases the success chance, the skill level you require in the primary skill, the time it takes to craft in hundredth of turns (800 = 8 turns).

In TOOL you define what tools are needed and if it should be used up. -1 means you will keep the tool, 3 would mean you had use 3 charges/tools of this kind up.

Multiply items in one TOOL can substitute each other, if you want a recipe to need two tools at a time you need a second TOOL line. Same goes for the components.

In COMP you define which components the recipe uses. It works as the TOOL line, but making a craft component have a negative count forces it to instances of the item, not charges. It also means that the component's container will be consumed along with the component.

TOOL and COMP both have to end in ,NULL);





How to craft

First of all, just looting a city is unwise. You'll probably run into trouble at some point, and breaking windows or smashing down doors can bring unwanted nasties even closer. Hell, some buildings are even alarmed. So instead of looting something, why not try and craft it?

There are plenty of recipes, but most require a high skill-- e.g to add a silencer to a gun you need to have your firearms skill at 1 or higher.

Here's just a few examples for starting weapons that can be made only a few minutes into the game.



    • Nail board
  • A two-by-four with a few nails in. It makes a nice club for the early game.

Tools!

  • A rock.
  • Some nails
  • Some wood.

You wake up in a shelter. run outside and look for a suitable rock. Run back inside, smash up two or three benches. press & to open the crafting menu and you should be able to craft this easily-made club from the remnants. For now just smash furniture, windows and doors etc to get any nails and two-by-fours that you might need. Later on you'll want to deconstruct them to get the most materials for your time.

    • Wood spear!
  • It's a nice throwing weapon and it's pretty light.

Tools!

  • Steak knife/combat knife/butcher's knife etc.
  • A heavy stick/ a two-by-four.

Again, such a simple weapon. sneak into a local house, check the kitchen for a cutting implement. Unfortunately stuff like butcher's knives don't make the best weapons in the early game, but you'll need at least one for butchering animals for food anyway. Tip: If the front door it locked, smash a window facing away from town with your nailboard. This drops the sheets that were used as curtains and a heavy stick, which was the curtain-rod. Voila, open the & menu and craft youself a wooden spear. Its a pretty good throwing weapon and can also be used when you're cooking meat without a pot. you can also find heavy sticks a short walk into any nearby forest, or just use a two-by-four from smashing some furniture.

    • Crowbar

You can also smash the locker in the evac shelter with a rock to give you a pipe. Using the same rock as a tool you can turn the pipe into a crowbar. It is very useful for prying open locked doors and manholes that give you access to the sewers and other places. Its also a good melee weapon. (requires one skill point in mechanic)

    • Construction!

Okay, so you've broken a window. don't jump through it yet or you'll probably cut yourself like some little emo kid. Press * to open the construction menu, and then g to select >clear a broken window. this means you can jump through it without damage. Also it's much, much easier to board up a window than repair a smashed door. Peek out a window and see if there's anything nasty nearby-- if there isn't, press 'c' to close the window so we can continue unmolested. press * and then f to move furniture. Use this to move things like armoires and dressers in front of windows-- but remember this is only really to block line-of-sight, and you'll usually want at least one or two escape routes (usually the front door, as that blocks light anyway.)

    • Boarding/Taping up a window

Tools!

  • A hammer, two-by-fours, nails
  • Alternatively, duct-tape.

Very, very simple. Breaks line-of sight, so you can hide easily. Try not to make any noise and hide in a central room away from the entrances. You'll need 50 pieces of duct tape per window, and you usually find duct tape in rolls of 100, 200 or 250. It's quick and easy-- and you can still break through if need be.

To board it up you need a good amount of wood and nails-- but most importantly, a hammer. If you're lucky you'll find one on a corpse or dead zed-- if not, you may be able to find one in a hardware store. A hammer allows you to do quite a lot of construction and can be used as an impromptu weapon if need be (but then again, so can tattered leather pants.) Boarding up windows and doors not only defends your supposed hideout, but blocks line of sight. Again, remember to save a few escape routes and try not to make any noise while inside, or the horde may just come a knocking. For extra survivability drag some furniture in front of your boarded-up windows. That should give you a few more turns to either wake up/finish puking/reloading etc and get the hell out of dodge.

    • Traps!

Let's get to the meaty stuff. you probably won't be able to craft much at the start, but if you make 4 wood spears and somehow manage to obtain a mystical shovel (rarely in hardware stores, you can usually find them at farmhouses and barns so get exploring the countryside) then dig a pit from the * menu. You then enter the & menu and scroll through until you find the 'spike pit' trap.

    • Bear trap!

Skill requirements!

  • Primary skill: Mechanics 1
  • Secondary skill: Traps 1

Tools!

  • A wrench

Resources!

  • x3 Scrap metal
  • x1 spring

A very, very, VERY useful trap. Simple to make, they don't weight much and they hit the weakpoint for MASSIVE damage and have a prolonged stunning effect on any enemy that trips them.(although some enemies are fast enough that they can run over one without tripping it, which is why 2-3 in a line is a nice idea for trap dodgers and plain redundancy. Once you have a few beartraps your safety is all but guaranteed-- and you can even use them in an offensive capacity. by placing them at a corner and luring a zombie over them. After one use it needs to be reset, and it can get stuck inside of the larger zombies.

Also, if you're near to a forest, they tend to catch a regular supply of crunchy critters to butcher for food. Additionally, they make a loud SNAP! when they activate, which can alert you to nasties (or tasty critters) nearby. WARNING: Some powerful or large enemies that trip a beartrap and survive will drag that beartrap with them-- it's still stuck to them until they die. However, as long as you have enough traps, you can disarm one and place it somewhere else as long as the enemy is trapped in one. Generally, as long as a hulk hits 5 or 6 bear traps it's either severely injured or outright dead-- and you can also throw spears, rocks or gun it down while it's giving you the evil eye.

The only problem I see with this is the reliance on springs. Only available by finding them in craters, and metal wreckage sites. Look for craters on the map get those springs. Military outposts with turrets-- throw rocks at them at night. Turrets drop both scrap metal, steel chunks, lumps, and different types of ammunition. And a last but very rare source is the humble lawnmower. When deconstructed it also provides a few springs.


    • spiked board trap!!

Okay, get this. You get some pieces of wood and take a hammer, bash a WHOLE LOAD of nails in it like a boss... and then have it point nail-side up. I haven't used this because frankly the nail requirement is pretty huge-- it's something like 5x two by fours and x20 nails, although it's very simple to make, the components are certainly more common than springs. However, as a bonus unlike the bear trap it doesn't need to be reactivated after every use. It just sits there, anything that walks over it gets hurt. However they weight a whopping two or three times as much as a bear trap-- and bear traps do a much, much more damage. It's a nice idea if you want to put up roadblocks of spiked boards in areas though for running massive hordes back and forth over them until the nails shred their feet, then their legs, torso and hands as they try to crawl after you...