Low Strength tips?

[Caplin]

Hi All,

I have a randomly-generated survivor with some martial arts training, but a rather low strength of 6. DO you have any tips for dealing with this deficiency? As it stands now, I struggle to smash lockers and benches, which was my usual game starting strategy. I opted for a standard shelter start, so am reasonably safe, as far as I know.

I have fabrication skill, so at least I can craft things. Am I perhaps best looking for a ranged weapon, which won’t be as strength-dependent?

[Dot12321]

Yeah, I would go for making a bow. Once you can make better arrows they are pretty ridiculous

[Coolthulhu]

Grab a stick or a rock to bash stuff with it.
Use cutting and piercing weapons, since bashing (including unarmed) scales with strength.

[pisskop]

Invest into slings or pneumatic bolt rifle. silent, ranged, cheap ammo thats quick to make, and reasonable.

Go for piercing damage when you must, and focus on being a raider more than a fighter.

[system]

[quote=“pisskop, post:4, topic:12270”]Invest into slings or pneumatic bolt rifle. silent, ranged, cheap ammo thats quick to make, and reasonable.

Go for piercing damage when you must, and focus on being a raider more than a fighter.[/quote]

I really second what PK has to say here. Firearms are your best choice unless if you mutate to raise that strength score. I don’t recommend bows simply because they do rely upon strength. Alpha or Ursine would suit you well to perform this. Hit’n’run tactics will be your friends. Getting a pair of night vision goggles or a night vision mutation will greatly increase your survivability. Traps are incredible too. I like to place eight nailboard traps and dance around them. It’s very easy to clear out a school/mega store just by luring the zombies into traps. Below I’ll show you my typical set up. Explosives might be helpful too. Tazers might suit you well, but I haven’t used them in combat except against a robot.

Trap set up

OXXO O=Open Space
XOOX X=Trap location (nailboard or caltrops are best here)
XOOX
OXXO

Of course, you can expand it more, but 8 is a very solid number. Also, get yourself a hammer and screwdriver to take apart furniture instead of smashing. It’ll be faster IRL and works 100% of the time.

[AdonaiJr]

I loved the tips. Tnx for you guys.

[survivornaginata]

[quote=“Coolthulhu, post:3, topic:12270”]Grab a stick or a rock to bash stuff with it.
Use cutting and piercing weapons, since bashing (including unarmed) scales with strength.[/quote]
this but
be warry of zombie soldiers,they have high piercing cutting resistance rendering your early cutting and piercing wespons very inefficient.

[pisskop]

Honesly I use fire and a fire-axe or a gun straight up on soldiers early game.

Dont play games with your life.

[survivornaginata]

[quote=“pisskop, post:8, topic:12270”]Honesly I use fire and a fire-axe or a gun straight up on soldiers early game.

Dont play games with your life.[/quote]
i usally beat them up with nord if i dont have quarterstuff.i combine those with makeshift macauitl which usually serves as my primary.all are competent weapons and also can be safely used against shockers.

fire axe is luck in early game aside from firefigher start though even he is not guarnteened to have one.
lighting fire under soldjers can lead to death becuse of grenade ammunition drops.

[pisskop]

The secret is to lead them off of it when they have low health.

Its a practice thing.

[survivornaginata]

[quote=“pisskop, post:10, topic:12270”]The secret is to lead them off of it when they have low health.

Its a practice thing.[/quote]
yes,thats good thinking but conidering time to start fire now i find usual burn the zs kind of hasle and i also seem to have poorest lucks with matches/lighers or rain in worst moments.fire drils take even more time to set fire.

nord and quartersfuff are enogh for starting normal characters if you go on them one on one though i like killing them on wires in FEMA camps.just run around corpse pit next to them.

[Caplin]

Edit: Are we limited to wearing one bindle now? I’ve crafted two, and can’t seem to think of anything which might be taking up my other arm. I receive the “You don’t have a hand free,” message. I’m honestly a bit confused about encumbrance in general.

Thanks for the tips, all. I’ve got a knife spear for now, and have decided to craft some bindles to help with the low volume. I’ve noticed quite a few “This item is too simple,” messages, so guess I’ll have to find more complicated stuff to fabricate soonest.

The trap layout might be helpful once I reach that point, but for now basic survival is going to keep me occupied for a time. I’m trying to avoid grinding or doing anything too unrealistic, so we’ll see how long that lasts.

[system]

[quote=“Caplin, post:12, topic:12270”]Edit: Are we limited to wearing one bindle now? I’ve crafted two, and can’t seem to think of anything which might be taking up my other arm. I receive the “You don’t have a hand free,” message. I’m honestly a bit confused about encumbrance in general.

Thanks for the tips, all. I’ve got a knife spear for now, and have decided to craft some bindles to help with the low volume. I’ve noticed quite a few “This item is too simple,” messages, so guess I’ll have to find more complicated stuff to fabricate soonest.

The trap layout might be helpful once I reach that point, but for now basic survival is going to keep me occupied for a time. I’m trying to avoid grinding or doing anything too unrealistic, so we’ll see how long that lasts.[/quote]

The traps are Day 1 for me. Craft some makeshift slings, break all of the tables and benches in the shelter, gather nails and craft nailboard traps, head to the location to set them up. As I mentioned, Megastores and Schools are great places to perform this at. Why? Among all of the other goodies, food.