# Skill tips
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042
**Category:** The Bunker
**Created:** [July 1, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042 "2013-07-01T15:23:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dracolich\_Zero](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Dracolich_Zero)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/1 "2013-07-01T15:23:10Z")
[left]Hi there, new user here, but long time playing cat myself, even so i still can’t manage to do some stuff which is why i’m trying to get some help, you see, i can’t manage to increase some specific skills due to lack of reading material, and practical methods aren’t that hot, so i wish to know if anyone of you can give me some tips regarding increasing the following skills: 1-First Aid, 2-Survival, 3-bashing weapons&piercing weapons, and lastly i’d like to know if the method i’m using is the most effective way of reading books, 1-listen 5 minutes to music, 2-read book till focus drops to about 10-15, rinse and repeat.[/left]
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### Author:  [@InritusOO](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/InritusOO)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/2 "2013-07-01T15:37:19Z")
First Aid: It’s hard if you don’t have a lot of medical supplies on hand. My advice is to get this skill up to 1 and then craft bandages.
Survival: Butcher corpses until 1, then just make a bunch of digging sticks. You can use those for fire.
Bashing/Piercing: I think the only good way to raise those is to find stuff to kill. Docile wildlife usually works, but you need to keep pace with them.
I just keep music on while I read. If you have any drugs or good food, use them, the morale boost will speed things up, because books drain focus really quickly. If you’re using strong drugs like meth, keep a large stockpile of food and water, because the withdrawal will cause you stats to plummet. Thankfully, the mood penalty for withdrawal and cravings isn’t too bad.
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### Author:  [@Iosyn](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Iosyn)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/3 "2013-07-01T15:44:12Z")
[ol][li]first aid: Craft bandages, then wrestle wolves or a few lone zombies. It’s a pretty hard skill to train without manuals, so think of it as a long term goal. besides, if you get hurt too much it becomes too risky.[/li]
[li]Survival: super easy. just butcher every zombie you kill. Stops them coming back, ups your survival.[/li]
[li]Melee skills are even easier than survival, just keep bashing away. piercing weapons seem really damn hard to level though, not sure if it’s a bug or what. I’d stick with bashing/cutting.[/li][/ol]
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### Author:  [@Dracolich\_Zero](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Dracolich_Zero)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/4 "2013-07-01T15:57:15Z")
LOL forgot to mention that i had my first aid at lvl 3 since i reead the big book of first aid -\_-’ ok then what about traps?, are they any use at all other than for recovering land mines shotguns and crossbows?, thanks…
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### Author:  [@Endovior](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Endovior)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/5 "2013-07-01T20:37:15Z")
> [@Dracolich\_Zero](#):
>
> recovering land mines
Do not do this. Even with a reasonably high perception and traps skill, there’s still a nontrivial chance that you’ll fail, and landmines [can instantly kill you though armor while at full HP](http://smf.cataclysmdda.com/index.php?topic=344.msg11565#msg11565). It’s just not worth it; eventually, disarming landmines will lead you to screw up and die.
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### Author:  [@Dracolich\_Zero](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Dracolich_Zero)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/6 "2013-07-01T20:39:19Z")
Nice tip, thanks i’ll keep away from them now 🙂
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### Author:  [@Catfoodbob](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Catfoodbob)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/7 "2013-07-01T20:55:44Z")
Are landmines flammable?
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### Author:  [@Weyrling](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Weyrling)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/8 "2013-07-01T22:42:18Z")
> [@Endovior](#):
>
> Do not do this. Even with a reasonably high perception and traps skill, there’s still a nontrivial chance that you’ll fail, and landmines [can instantly kill you though armor while at full HP](http://smf.cataclysmdda.com/index.php?topic=344.msg11565#msg11565). It’s just not worth it; eventually, disarming landmines will lead you to screw up and die.
If your traps skill is greater than 10, the chance of them exploding is really low, I’ve looted about 30 land mines so far after taking several months to level my traps skill (Skill rust option 1).
Zero of them have exploded (on me) so far. I had 14 perception and 10 dexterity, not sure how important the stats are beyond spotting the mines though, skill seems to be the prevailing factor, at less than 10 skill it’s practically a coin flip (or worse… mostly worse).
Also, I’m pretty sure land mines are not flammable, but I’ll do a quick test and edit with my results.
Edit: Land mines are not flammable, and even if you burn a house down with land mines inside, they won’t burn up. Whether they’re in trap form or item form is irrelevant.
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### Author:  [@Dracolich\_Zero](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Dracolich_Zero)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/9 "2013-07-02T01:03:44Z")
LOL i just realized something that i forgot to mention -\_- the most important skill: melee. Are there any books that help with this or is it simply do and learn?
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### Author:  [@Aggrons\_shell](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Aggrons_shell)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/10 "2013-07-02T02:24:58Z")
Tip: fast learner.
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### Author:  [@Flare](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Flare)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/11 "2013-07-02T02:49:17Z")
> [@Dracolich\_Zero](#):
>
> LOL i just realized something that i forgot to mention -\_- the most important skill: melee. Are there any books that help with this or is it simply do and learn?
Spetsnaz knife techniques, but that’s about it as far as I recall. Best to go ranged instead.
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### Author:  [@KWilt](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KWilt)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2013, 10:16am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/12 "2013-07-02T10:16:10Z")
Figure I might as well hop on this train and ask: does driving faster increase driving faster? Or will I earn the same rate of skill driving at 10 mph as 100 mph?
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### Author:  [@Stevensonz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Stevensonz)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/13 "2013-07-02T12:58:11Z")
> [@KWilt](#):
>
> Figure I might as well hop on this train and ask: does driving faster increase driving faster? Or will I earn the same rate of skill driving at 10 mph as 100 mph?
drive at 16-32 speed with cruise control on then press left and right simultaneously keeping the vehicle going straight as driving skill only levels when you do turning. (Wiggling the vehicle trains it faster)
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### Author:  [@darth\_servo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/darth_servo)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/14 "2013-07-02T13:44:12Z")
> [@Dracolich\_Zero](#):
>
> LOL i just realized something that i forgot to mention -\_- the most important skill: melee. Are there any books that help with this or is it simply do and learn?
Easiest way is to get out there an smash stuff. Sometimes you can get lucky and find a rabbit or squirrel trapped in a building that you can corner and wail on with your weapon of choice to up your melee without danger… Otherwise, zombies.
Remember to use terrain to your advantage – make them have to scramble across a vehicle chassis or through a window to get to you. Rip them apart as they clamber slowly towards you, then back away before they can take a lunge. Quick and Deft are helpful traits to start with.
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### Author:  [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)
#### Post date: [July 3, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/15 "2013-07-03T01:26:30Z")
> [@Flare](#):
>
> [quote=“Dracolich\_Zero, post:9, topic:2042”]LOL i just realized something that i forgot to mention -\_- the most important skill: melee. Are there any books that help with this or is it simply do and learn?
Spetsnaz knife techniques, but that’s about it as far as I recall. Best to go ranged instead.[/quote]
If you’re a martial artist, 101 Wrestling Moves helps too.
Skill 10 is generally considered rather high-level at best.
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### Author:  [@Noh\_Merci](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Noh_Merci)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/16 "2019-08-07T17:32:09Z")
A bit late to the party I know, but I trained up my bashing some without realizing it using sharpened rebar; it deals primarily bash. Since it gives reach, makes it a safer option than a cudgel or what have you.
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### Author:  [@Mantar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Mantar)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-tips/2042/17 "2019-08-07T20:49:01Z")
A quick scan shows that landmines are difficulty 10, and the disarm trap function give you a random result between your trap skill and your trap skill \* 4. called “roll.” Is this is less than 50, your dexterity and perception get rolled against with a 5-20 roll, if it’s lower then roll gets bumped up by 1 and you roll again until they fail.
If the final value of roll is equal to or greater than the trap’s difficulty, you succeed. A skill of 10 guarantees you won’t ever set off a landmine. 8 or 9 is very unlikely unless you have poor stats, and then it’s still pretty unlikely. 9 is a 2.8% before stat rolls, and 0% if you make one of the two stat rolls.