What this is
This site has 25 guides. Each one covers a skill in Project Zomboid Build 42. They are written for new players, and a 10-year-old should be able to follow every one.
Every guide has the same 15 chapters. Once you know one, you can find your way around all of them. Each guide ends with a 7-question test, a list of words, and its sources.
Which game version
The game is now at version 42.20.4. We last looked on 23 September 2026, in the official patch notes.
Every guide was checked against 42.20.4. The version is printed at the top of each guide.
The game keeps changing. When it does, we check each guide again, one at a time. A guide gets a new version number only after its facts have been checked against that version.
| Guide | Checked against | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Firearms | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Foraging | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Fishing | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Trapping | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Carpentry | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Cooking | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| First Aid | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Agriculture | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Animal Care | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Butchering | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Tailoring | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Maintenance | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Mechanics | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Electrical | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Carving | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Knapping | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Masonry | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Pottery | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Glassmaking | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Welding | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Melee Combat | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Agility | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Fitness & Strength | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
| Reloading | 42.20.4 | Up to date |
How we check facts
- We start with the official wiki, pzwiki.net.
- Next come the official patch notes and The Indie Stone's blog posts.
- Fan guides count only when they say which game version they checked.
- Player reports come last. When a guide uses one, it says so.
When 2 sources disagree, the guide gives both numbers. Some facts depend on your sandbox settings. Those facts say "on default settings" and name the setting, so you can find it.
Every guide ends with a box called "How sure are we?". It lists what is confirmed, what comes from fan guides, and what is only a player report. Calculators say "estimate" unless the game's own formula is published.
Sandbox settings these guides assume
Every number here assumes default settings unless the sentence says otherwise.
| Option | Default | Guides that mention it |
|---|---|---|
| Hearing | Random between Normal and Poor | Agility |
| Night Predator | Off | Animal Care |
| Animal Stats While Away | Normal | Animal Care |
| Maximum Dismantling XP Level | 0 | Carpentry, Welding |
| Water Shutoff | 0 to 30 days | Carpentry |
| Electricity Shutoff | 14 to 30 days | Cooking, Electrical, Hunting |
| Refrigeration Effectiveness | Normal | Cooking |
| Generator Fuel Consumption | 0.1 | Electrical |
| Firearm Moodle Multiplier | 1.0 | Firearms |
| Firearm Noise Multiplier | 1.0 | Firearms |
| Transmission | Blood and Saliva | First Aid |
| Start Time | 9 AM | Fishing |
| Nutrition | On | Fitness & Strength |
| Muscle Strain Factor | 0.7 | Fitness & Strength |
| Nature's Abundance | Normal | Foraging |
| Animals Attract Zombies | On | Hunting |
| Weapon Multi-Hit | Off | Melee Combat |
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Fan-made
This is a fan-made site. It is not an official Indie Stone site. Project Zomboid is made by The Indie Stone.