# Tips, Tricks, and Newb Questions!
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42
**Category:** The Bunker
**Created:** [January 3, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42 "2013-01-03T03:04:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 467
### Author:  [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9322 "2015-07-23T23:19:03Z")
> [@Random\_dragon](#):
>
> I really should test which of the skill rust modes is the least broken.
Off is the least broken one.
There is zero difficulty in keeping most of the skills up when awake in any of the modes. In fact, the overnight loss is often the only one that can’t be trivially countered. You need coffee for this one.
Electronics/fabrication/tailoring/mechanics/driving - all of those are effectively immune to rust, because they can be trivially refreshed.
Ranged skills - one bullet from the weakest weapon and rust is prevented.
Melee skills - keep an unpulped crawling zombie corpse around, let it rez and bash it when skills start rotting.
In order for skill rust to matter, it would have to stop depending on player keypresses so much and start depending on actual choices. For example, limiting the maximum sum of skills, so that you can’t be a grandmaster of everything at once. Or having it require actual survivor time to counter, like having to craft for an hour per day to keep crafting skill from rusting.
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9323 "2015-07-23T23:21:36Z")
Off is always gonna be the least broken. Still, I don’t know much of the finer points of each type of skill rust. :V
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### Author:  [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9324 "2015-07-24T02:09:28Z")
> [@Random\_dragon](#):
>
> Still, I don’t know much of the finer points of each type of skill rust.
Vanilla is the most punishing one - you need to keep refreshing skills a lot or they drop quickly. Expect to only get good crafting skills with books or lots, lots of tedium.
Int is weaker than vanilla, with scaling depending on your intelligence. I think they should be equal at 0 intelligence.
Cap prevents skills from dropping down a level, meaning you grind it up to a level and then leave it there. Rewards periods of grinding, while discouraging “practicing” skills at a sane pace.
IntCap combines Int and Cap.
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9325 "2015-07-24T02:26:41Z")
Hmm. Which implies IntCap is the least broken, besides off. \<3
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### Author:  [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9326 "2015-07-24T02:58:17Z")
> Yes, you're obviously SO much better than the vast majority of everyone else. :eyeroll::
>
> Perhaps you didn’t mean it that way, but that’s VERY much the way it came across.
>
> As to skill rust, I like the concept, and I’ve tried playing with it, but when I, say, spend 24+ hours fighting constantly, finally get to safety, sleep, and have my melee skills rust when I wake up, something is mega-broken. It’s just plain dumb.
>
> Haven’t done something in a few months? Some kind of penalty to the first few skill checks while you remember makes sense. Not practicing the skill since YESTERDAY leading to permanent skill loss does not.
Yes, yes I did come across as condescending and it was my intention. However I was doing so because of how condescending he came across…as…so yea, I don’t like it when people think something should be removed because THEY PERSONALLY don’t like it. I will admit I have not gotten very far in game yet. Just full on skilled noob over here, and I am not afraid to admit that, or think myself any better than anyone. But yeah, not putting up with shit like that ^^ Sorry.
ANYWAYS… I get where you are coming from now, but Your trying to fix the wrong thing here. The rust system is perfect for the way the game currently plays, IF you are looking for a challenge. However the skill system needs adjustment. As the game plays now with full on skill rust, I have in 10 days gotten my character to this level in 9 days:
survival: 7
tailoring: 4
cooking: 4
submachine guns: 3
fabrication: 3
marksmanship: 2
rifles: 1
construction: 1
melee: 1
bashing weapons: 1
dodging: 1
Now I started at 0 on all skills, and I don’t care if my character has 14 intelligence and found a autobiography of a mountain man, there is no way ANYONE can become a certifiable pro of survival in 9 days without a dam good starting point. Clearly the entire time scale is out of whack for skills… but thats kind of ok, since I don’t want to have to grind my character through a 2-3 months+ in game to get that kind of leveling because then the GAME is not fuun to play so much… well… could be, since that kind of skill time table would mean more forced scavenging…
Anyways. If you want to change the time scale of skill rust because its broken, then you have to change the time scale of skill leveling to. Its not exactly “accurate” as things are, but it is balanced especially since it makes it difficult to get and maintain skills untill you can reach the “second tier” of progress as I think of it, installing a functioning memory CBM. The current rust settings in my VERY limited experience, look like they will make that just possible, without making it a simple thing I can just up and do without any forethought or planning. That, I like.
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### Author:  [@deoxy](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/deoxy)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9327 "2015-07-24T14:14:22Z")
[quote=“Litppunk, post:9326, topic:42”]As the game plays now with full on skill rust, I have in 10 days gotten my character to this level in 9 days:
survival: 7
tailoring: 4
cooking: 4
submachine guns: 3
fabrication: 3
marksmanship: 2
rifles: 1
construction: 1
melee: 1
bashing weapons: 1
dodging: 1
Now I started at 0 on all skills, and I don’t care if my character has 14 intelligence and found a autobiography of a mountain man, there is no way ANYONE can become a certifiable pro of survival in 9 days without a dam good starting point. Clearly the entire time scale is out of whack for skills… but thats kind of ok, since I don’t want to have to grind my character through a 2-3 months+ in game to get that kind of leveling because then the GAME is not fuun to play so much… well… could be, since that kind of skill time table would mean more forced scavenging…[/quote]
Well, since a game year is, by default, 56 days, each “day” is roughly equivalent to a week, 9 game days WOULD be “2-3 months”.
Also, as to skill books, I have advocated splitting skills into knowledge (book learning) and practical ability, but the devs have said it’s too much work for too little benefit.
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### Author:  [@Jarlaxle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Jarlaxle)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9328 "2015-07-24T15:30:03Z")
> [@troll from behind](#):
>
> So the only way to play with gaining stats through skills is by making straight 8s and NEVER boosting ones stats through cbms or mutagens?
Wait!1! You can gain stats now? Where have I been?
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9329 "2015-07-24T15:57:26Z")
I still need to play around with that “stats through skills” mod. Anyone know how awesome/broken/derp it may or may not be?
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### Author:  [@Zero](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zero)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9330 "2015-07-24T16:14:04Z")
Biggest brokenness with Stats Through Skills is that it ignores starting stats. So if you start with all 4s and set start time to 0 you get a ton off free points.
Second biggest brokenness is that you can train up int which makes it easier to read books quickly which lets you train up int…
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9331 "2015-07-24T16:17:16Z")
Oh this is starting to sound hilarious.
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### Author:  [@Jarlaxle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Jarlaxle)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9332 "2015-07-24T17:17:40Z")
> [@Random\_dragon](#):
>
> Oh this is starting to sound hilarious.
Yeah I don’t think I’ll fool with it for now, sounds way to exploit-y and me knowing me I’ll have to use it and it will ruin the game for me.
Great idea though just needs some tweaking. Like melee being increased would almost certainly raise strength for instance and maybe even dexterity, not like a point for each level but maybe a stat point for every 5 levels?
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9333 "2015-07-24T17:26:31Z")
Would be great for some Charles Atlas shenanigans though.
EDIT: …dafuq? Despite claims to the contrary, it seems that changing your starting stats DOES apply with Stats Through Skills on. The modinfo description should be changed.
Also? Starting skills don’t affect stats either, from the looks of it. So much for picking the black belt profession to instantly become Thor.
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### Author:  [@Azrad](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Azrad)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9334 "2015-07-24T19:00:59Z")
[quote=“Random\_dragon, post:9333, topic:42”]Would be great for some Charles Atlas shenanigans though.
EDIT: …dafuq? Despite claims to the contrary, it seems that changing your starting stats DOES apply with Stats Through Skills on. The modinfo description should be changed.
Also? Starting skills don’t affect stats either, from the looks of it. So much for picking the black belt profession to instantly become Thor.[/quote]
That’s weird.
…I didn’t know Thor was a black belt.
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9335 "2015-07-24T19:03:03Z")
Fiiiine, name a Norse god of fistenating all the things. :V
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### Author:  [@Azrad](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Azrad)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9336 "2015-07-24T19:05:19Z")
> [@Random\_dragon](#):
>
> Fiiiine, name a Norse god of fistenating all the things. :V
Fisto. The Norse god of fisting, fistening, fistology, and folk dance.
You didn’t ask me to give a correct answer.
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### Author:  [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9337 "2015-07-24T19:06:29Z")
Huehuehue. \>.o
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### Author:  [@Azrad](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Azrad)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9338 "2015-07-24T19:07:58Z")
Hahahahaha.
Why are we laughing?
Also, can I install the fusion blaster and it won’t get in the way of bionic claws/monomolecular blade?
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### Author:  [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2015, 1:08am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9339 "2015-07-25T01:08:24Z")
No it won’t, that is probably one of the few advantages the thing has.
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### Author:  [@troll\_from\_behind](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/troll_from_behind)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9340 "2015-07-25T13:27:22Z")
So how do the vehicle parts take damage, is it straight “hit points”?
Trying to figure out what would be “enough” armour for me IFVs that basically are copies of WH40Ks Rhino, Predator and Land Raider.
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### Author:  [@Nickal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Nickal)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/9341 "2015-07-25T13:28:59Z")
Any suggestions for not basically basting in my own clothes during the summer. Never had a problem with winter, then summer decides to be a \*\*\*\*\*.
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