Skip To...
Anyone who’s tried the deep and intricate world of Project Zomboid must know by now there are several occupations and traits one can choose from, although only a few are the best. With character creation being one of the most significant decisions in any match, even without mods, players need to think twice before diving into the zombie-infested world of the game. Thankfully, you can choose a few things to make your imminent death in this title more bearable.
The 5 Best Starting Occupations in Project Zomboid
Since there are over 20 occupations to choose from in Project Zomboid, it is essential to know which are the best and throw a few traits into the mix to make survival easier. We’ve picked the five surefire ones you should pick whenever you venture into this digital world. So, without further ado, let’s see your character’s profession in the apocalypse.
5. Police Officer
Let’s start with those who want to live their Leon S. Kennedy fantasy in Project Zomboid with the Police Officer occupation as one of the best. This starting choice is fantastic for those who want to handle guns easier at the start of the game. Initially, it might be hard to find weapons and even a bad idea to use them too soon. They attract zombies and can even be counterproductive. However, knowing how to shoot will go a long way once you raid some of the game’s military areas. You’ll get minus four starting points, so we recommend grabbing All Thumbs and Overweight to even things out.
4. Park Ranger
This is ideal for those who want to live deep inside the forest. If you didn’t know, there are many ways to live off the land, and a Park Ranger can do so without any major issues. You’ll get points in Carpentry, Foraging, Trapping, and Axe, making it ideal for a forest survival playthrough. Sadly, you’ll begin with minus four points, meaning you need some negative traits. In this case, we recommend picking Slow Reader and Claustrophobic.
3. Repairman
You might think that the initial wave of the apocalypse made people run away from their homes and leave everything intact. Well, that isn’t the case. People siphoned gasoline out of cars and left homes in a poor state before getting out of dodge. The Repairman occupation is one of the best in Project Zomboid because it provides bonuses for Carpentry, Maintenance, and Short Blunt. These are great for those who want more potent melee weapons and build a few barricades. You’ll also get minus four starting points, so grab Disorganized and High Thirst. The latter won’t matter much since you’ll have plenty of water in the first days.
2. Engineer
Our favorite, even if it isn’t in the first spot, is Engineer. It only provides bonuses to Engineer and Carpentry, but it is super useful due to the recipes it gets. You can build traps and devices that you can’t learn from magazines, making this occupation a tinkerer’s dream. Furthermore, you get experience bonuses for the aforementioned skills, leveling them up much faster, and we all know how challenging it is to level up specific skills in the game. Overall, it is a great occupation that you should try at least once. You also get minus four points, so pick Slow Reader and High Thirst to get a few points to invest in positive traits.
1. Carpenter
Lastly, we have Carpenter as the best occupation in Project Zomboid. When looking at the long run, you know the game will cut off electricity and water, and you’ll need to set a base to protect yourself. You should pick this one to make a sturdier base or even wall off a whole gated community. It starts with three levels of Carpentry and two starting points, meaning it is a perfect trade-off. You should pick Slow Reader as a negative trait to earn a few positive points to use in good traits.
Recommended Traits for Any Playthrough
We couldn’t leave without mentioning some good and bad traits you should pick for any build. Here are a few we recommend for you:
- Positive Traits:
- Inconspicuous
- Graceful
- Outdoorsman
- Handy
- Negative:
- Slow Reader
- Overweight
- Pacifist
- Prone to Illness
Picking any of the above things will make things a lot easier, but remember, you’ll eventually die. Still, it is good to see how long you last and to let you live alone in this zombie-riddled county. Remember to pick the best occupations in Project Zomboid and a few useful traits.
