Training basic skills from 0?

How do I train basic skills from 0? For example, I want to train mechanics, but it is at 0. I need to make car repairs.

Lockpicking doors with the improvised lockpicks are a slow but surefire way to get the first two levels in mechanics.

Its easier to do it through books, look for the one called “Under the hood” in this case

[quote=“John Candlebury, post:2, topic:11467”]Lockpicking doors with the improvised lockpicks are a slow but surefire way to get the first two levels in mechanics.

Its easier to do it through books, look for the one called “Under the hood” in this case[/quote]

Using a crowbar to open things also trains mechanics very slowly.

Turns out I had Under the Hood already. I thought I couldn’t read red labeled books.

I guess red labeled book just means that you have never even looked into such a book, so you do not know what it is about and how can it help you. After you read a book the first time it changes its color.

Book color coding:
Red: Book has never been read by this character ®ead once to skim book and learn more about it

Blue: You can currently read this book for skill levels, might have memorable recipes as well.

Yellow: books that have recipes you don’t know, but that you can’t gain skill from right now. Either because your skill is too high, or because your skill is too low.
It is usually a waste of time to read Yellow books that are below your level. Normally you are better off just keeping them near your crafting area so you can craft the non-memorized recipes until you learn them at your convenience. If you are below the needed min skill level, keep it nearby for when you arn’t. Depending on your plans you may be better off crafting your way though the book instead of reading it. (such as if you are going to craft enough appropriate level things to skill though it anyways)

Magenta: Book has no recipes, but is too high skill level for you.
It is a good idea to keep these books if you don’t have intentions to mass craft through these levels.

|Grey:| You have learned everything this book has to offer. - Even when books are grey its a good idea to leave them laying in the corner in case you die and a new character finds your loot. Also if you play with skill rust on, you can re-read it if your skill level drops to low. If you play with skill rust off and auto deleting worlds you might as well use it for firewood. they tend to burn fairly well and can be used one last time to make you some delicious stomach filling food (or other fire crafting recipes)

  • thanks deoxy

I like to hold on to books with high-level crafting recipes just in case a new item is added and the recipe gets put in that book.

I just keep all the books. Just in case, anything.

[quote=“Litppunk, post:6, topic:11467”]Book color coding:
Red: Book has never been read by this character ®ead once to skim book and learn more about it

Blue: You have learned all the recipes from this book, but can still read it for skill levels.

Yellow: You are beyond being able to learn any more skill from this book, but it still has recipies you havn’t memorized yet.
It is usually a waste of time to read Yellow books. Normally you are better off just keeping them near your crafting area so you can craft the non-memorized recipes until you learn them at your convenience.

|Grey:|
You have learned everything this book has to offer. - Even when books are grey its a good idea to leave them laying in the corner in case you die and a new character finds your loot. Also if you play with skill rust on, you can re-read it if your skill level drops to low. If you play with skill rust off and auto deleting worlds you might as well use it for firewood. they tend to burn fairly well and can be used one last time to make you some delicious stomach filling food (or other fire crafting recipes)[/quote]

Correction on blue - any book that you can gain skill from is blue, whether it has recipes for you or not.

Correction on yellow - books that have recipes you don’t know, but that you can’t gain skill from right now are yellow. This includes books that you can’t gain skill from because your skill is too high, but ALSO includes books you can’t yet gain skill from because your skill is too low.

Books that have no recipes but are too high skill level for you are a pink/magenta-ish color.

thanks deoxy. fixed it.
anyone want to add this to wiki if it isn’t already?

Unless it’s been changed, since the most recent experimental I played was from two or three months back, maybe four, you can decently train mechanics via soldering stuff. Just solder some scrap metal or random junk that can be soldered. As long as you have enough batteries it should train mechanics at a steady rate.

been renerfed.

Best bet for mechanic is crafting until level 2 then deconning cars. and MP3 player is a good way to speed the process up

deconning cars?

[quote=“Litppunk, post:13, topic:11467”]deconning cars?[/quote] Deconstructing vehicles, AKA removing random parts off of it until you level up.

thought thats what he meant, but even spellcheck didn’t seem to get it.

Even that seems to have been nerfed once you get high enough level. After about, what, 8 or so? I only seem to gain skill from putting things ON, not taking them off.

well at that point there isn’t anything that requires high enough skill level to take off to level it is there? Where as it takes a lot of skill to put on say the 5th engine.

Last I checked, there’s no reason I can find (except increasing CBM checks, of course) to having any mechanics skill higher than 14. Once I got to 14, I could add as many engines as I wanted.

Oh. I wouldn’t know. I hadn’t gotten that far before… Although my most recent will be there soon, lots of supplies an area already cleared of zeds, and just hit level 5 mech among other things. Sorry if my statement was misleading.

by the time you hit 6 or 7 mech you hopefully have a welding rig and can repair military composit plates/reinfirced windshields, and steel plates for levels.

apparantly steerable tires are pretty mechanically challanging too. what do more tyan 2 of those do again IDR if all wheel drive was a thing here