# 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:** 50

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/981 "2013-06-20T01:48:47Z")

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Sledgehammers take hella lot of action points to use, so expect to get hit first. But it is powerful.

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**Author:** ![Weyrling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7bcc69/32.png) [@Weyrling](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Weyrling)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/982 "2013-06-20T01:53:03Z")

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> [@timtek](#):
>
> I just got myself a sledgehammer. Info says it’s great if you’re strong enough to wield it. I can technically wield it but is it gonna be useful with a ten in strength or should I just stick with my nail board?

Stick with the nailboard unless you find CBM Hydraulic Muscles or mutate Insanely Strong.  
I recommend only using a sledgehammer if you have a strong terrain advantage, a bash skill above 6, good armor, and 15-30 strength.  
Alternatively, if you’re facing a single zombie trying to come through a window, then you can take a free shot at him and switch back to the nailboard, the sledgehammer has a high minimum damage, it’s just slow to use.

Once you are up there though, its the most devastating melee weapon around, on a critical you can flatten (almost?) any enemy in the game. You can even gib zombies if you have a high enough bash skill.

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**Author:** ![halberdsturgeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ab992/32.png) [@halberdsturgeon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/halberdsturgeon)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/983 "2013-06-20T04:35:36Z")

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It’s almost never worth it because of how slow it swings. Even if you have hydraulic muscles or something, you’re generally better off using a quicker weapon, because you’d be one-shotting most enemies either way and the only difference would be that the sledgehammer would leave you vulnerable for longer.

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**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/984 "2013-06-20T04:53:18Z")

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Yeah. Swing speed & the time loss to pulling stuck weapons is the biggest reason Martial Arts remain viable to the endgame. They’re all quite fast, and they never get stuck.

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**Author:** ![Reservoir](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/reservoir/32/28_2.png) [@Reservoir](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Reservoir)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/985 "2013-06-20T13:43:16Z")

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> [@halberdsturgeon](#):
>
> [quote=“Reservoir, post:975, topic:42”]Worms arent that hard. Get yourself a meele weapon and fight them.

This is terrible advice. Worms are one of the worst enemies in the game to melee, especially for low-powered characters. They hit hard before they split, you can’t lure them onto a movement penalty tile to get free attacks on them, and they spawn dynamically alongside graboids. You gain nothing from fighting them and where there’s one there’s invariably a hundred or so more. Just get onto a road and leave.[/quote]  
You can take them one by one with a nailboard in a few hits. just plant yourself in the corner of a road and start killing. and they are not that powerful. And the “only” way to deal with them is using meele weaponry, unless pistols or shotguns

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**Author:** ![Iron\_Foot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f6c823/32.png) [@Iron\_Foot](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Iron_Foot)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/986 "2013-06-20T14:25:51Z")

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Question. Let’s say I put on some steeltoed boots for that +4 bash/cut protection.

As you may have noticed, feet don’t have a health bar, so does the protection go to your legs? Same thing with gloves/arms.

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**Author:** ![Stevensonz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Stevensonz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Stevensonz)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/987 "2013-06-20T14:35:16Z")

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Spray that fire extinguisher more than once on slow monsters and you can dance around them.

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**Author:** ![anon388770](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9a140/32.png) [@anon388770](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/anon388770)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/988 "2013-06-20T14:37:48Z")

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Where can I find jackhammers? I checked out multiple mines, hardware stores, public works, garages, nothing.

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**Author:** ![Stevensonz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Stevensonz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Stevensonz)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/989 "2013-06-20T14:43:28Z")

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> [@anon388770](#):
>
> Where can I find jackhammers? I checked out multiple mines, hardware stores, public works, garages, nothing.

The locked door area in public works (places that generates big tools like chainsaw and sledgehammer),mines,pawnshops,caverns. anyway those things are pretty rare.

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**Author:** ![anon388770](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9a140/32.png) [@anon388770](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/anon388770)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/990 "2013-06-20T14:59:10Z")

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I just checked out a public works building and I found a jacqueshammer! Thanks for the tip.

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**Author:** ![Rosso\_Fuoco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Rosso\_Fuoco](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rosso_Fuoco)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/991 "2013-06-20T15:16:09Z")

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Uhm…  
A build simple to use? I keep dying during the 1st day :c.

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**Author:** ![ClaytonRISING](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/claytonrising/32/75_2.png) [@ClaytonRISING](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ClaytonRISING)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/992 "2013-06-20T15:41:45Z")

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[quote=“Rosso Fuoco, post:991, topic:42”]Uhm…  
A build simple to use? I keep dying during the 1st day :c.[/quote]

If you find yourself dying very fast on new characters, and aren’t a purist, mod yourself a starting pistol and some ammo. I know the new spawning system makes things very hard at first.

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**Author:** ![Rosso\_Fuoco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Rosso\_Fuoco](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rosso_Fuoco)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/993 "2013-06-20T15:46:37Z")

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Already tried, lol.  
I am just surronded by 100000000000 zeds D:

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/994 "2013-06-20T15:52:58Z")

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[quote=“Rosso Fuoco, post:993, topic:42”]Already tried, lol.  
I am just surronded by 100000000000 zeds D:[/quote]

[My only response to this.](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SiMHTK15Pik)

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**Author:** ![Senrain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/senrain/32/11388_2.png) [@Senrain](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Senrain)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/995 "2013-06-20T15:56:44Z")

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Any advice for dealing with several bears deciding to camp out near my base full of food and water? These damn squatting bears won’t leave!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/996 "2013-06-20T16:02:46Z")

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Use something for it’s intended use. AKA bear traps.

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**Author:** ![Senrain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/senrain/32/11388_2.png) [@Senrain](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Senrain)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/997 "2013-06-20T16:05:49Z")

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Ah, yeah.

I’ll have to pay a visit to the trap cluster I saw further up the road then. Hopefully there are no buried landmines among the bear traps. Should get my hands on a rifle as well, really don’t want to get into melee range with one given their reputation.

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**Author:** ![Senrain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/senrain/32/11388_2.png) [@Senrain](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Senrain)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/998 "2013-06-20T16:23:56Z")

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I jinxed myself didn’t I… =-=

 ![](http://i.imgur.com/1iJrl1p.png)

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**Author:** ![Reservoir](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/reservoir/32/28_2.png) [@Reservoir](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Reservoir)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/999 "2013-06-20T19:41:19Z")

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That is why you always need 11 perception. I never start without it for the same reason, Im scared of stepping on a landmine or getting my head blown by a shotgun trap. Its one of my biggest fears ingame and in real life.

So, after not playing for what seemed like hundreds of years, Im going to start asking stupid questions around here like:

What is the “focus” thing?  
Is a church a good place to barricade and survive for a long period of time? I heard there are blazers there  
Does the “Sound” thing even work?

So yeah

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![woflsipder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/woflsipder/32/90_2.png) [@woflsipder](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/woflsipder)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/1000 "2013-06-20T19:44:26Z")

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> [@Reservoir](#):
>
> That is why you always need 11 perception. I never start without it for the same reason, Im scared of stepping on a landmine or getting my head blown by a shotgun trap. Its one of my biggest fears ingame and in real life.

Pffffff 11 perception , what are you cray? just go with 9 and get diamond cornea so you can invest pioonts in dexterity or dodge and gracefully dance through minefields full of shothun traps.

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