Training Skills/ Getting Materials

[bahihs]

Greetings forum dwellers,

I thought it might be nice to have a list of ways to get common (and necessary) building materials (e.g scrap metal, plastic chunks etc.) and ways to build up useful skills (e.g training fabrication by making fishhooks).

Some of this is considered exploitative (and let’s face it, it probably is) so having it out in the open can help amend these quirks in future updates. However the primary purpose of this thread (and the reason why I have posted it here instead of the suggestions section) is to share these methods as tactics and strategies (before they get, nerfed/fixed that is).

I’ll get the ball rolling:

Skills

1. As mentioned above, making fishhooks gives an astonishing amount of Fabrication skill for very little in game time and cost. The hooks can then be Disassembled and made into more hooks. Breaking the benches in the shelter and turning all the nails into hooks about 3 times or so, gets fabrication to 6 in about 1 minute (I use macros to disassemble, so your mileage may vary).
2. Making bandannas is an easy way to raise tailoring for the low cost of thread and time (bandanna’s can also be disassembled for full returns). But has diminishing returns after about level 7 (but by then you can make survival gear, so there is that)
3. Mechanics can be trained (still) by getting an integrated toolset (or solar powered welding rig, or hacksaw and wrench) and just disassembling vehicles. This takes time (in-game time that is) and you are probably better off actually building something than just grinding.

Items

1. Plastic chunks can be gotten by armfuls from disassembling tires (almost 200 from 4 wide wheels)
2. Chunks and lumps of steel can be got from disassembling vehicles (frames, doors, roofs etc.)
3. Disassembling lockers (using construction) gives you pipes, but nothing else

Those are the ones I know. How do you guys train YOUR skills and get YOUR items? In particular, how do you train archery and driving. And where do you get heating elements (other than ovens)?

[TerribLeo]

[quote=“bahihs, post:1, topic:5838”]Greetings forum dwellers,

I thought it might be nice to have a list of ways to get common (and necessary) building materials (e.g scrap metal, plastic chunks etc.) and ways to build up useful skills (e.g training fabrication by making fishhooks).

Some of this is considered exploitative (and let’s face it, it probably is) so having it out in the open can help amend these quirks in future updates. However the primary purpose of this thread (and the reason why I have posted it here instead of the suggestions section) is to share these methods as tactics and strategies (before they get, nerfed/fixed that is).

I’ll get the ball rolling:

Skills

1. As mentioned above, making fishhooks gives an astonishing amount of Fabrication skill for very little in game time and cost. The hooks can then be Disassembled and made into more hooks. Breaking the benches in the shelter and turning all the nails into hooks about 3 times or so, gets fabrication to 6 in about 1 minute (I use macros to disassemble, so your mileage may vary).
2. Making bandannas is an easy way to raise tailoring for the low cost of thread and time (bandanna’s can also be disassembled for full returns). But has diminishing returns after about level 7 (but by then you can make survival gear, so there is that)
3. Mechanics can be trained (still) by getting an integrated toolset (or solar powered welding rig, or hacksaw and wrench) and just disassembling vehicles. This takes time (in-game time that is) and you are probably better off actually building something than just grinding.

Items

1. Plastic chunks can be gotten by armfuls from disassembling tires (almost 200 from 4 wide wheels)
2. Chunks and lumps of steel can be got from disassembling vehicles (frames, doors, roofs etc.)
3. Disassembling lockers (using construction) gives you pipes, but nothing else

Those are the ones I know. How do you guys train YOUR skills and get YOUR items? In particular, how do you train archery and driving. And where do you get heating elements (other than ovens)?[/quote]

In the latest experimental build, skill grinding is not possible by making hooks as most recipes can only give XP up to the (difficulty+1) level.

My skill training route:
Hooks(Fab1)->Bayonet/wooden needles(Fab2)
->Then make/dissemble bows& fire arrows(Up to Arc5 & Fab6)
->Reinforce your gears (Tailor2/3)->Cargo Shorts, Trench-coat, Leather helm, gloves->survivor gears

For driving, sadly the only efficient way is reading books. Or you may grind slowly by driving bikes.

[bahihs]

Good to know the grinding issue is fixed (it really doesn’t make sense that you can make high powered rifles from bending a nail back and forth lol)

Also, making bows trains archery? Good to know, much easier than shooting arrows for in-game hours on end only to get low skill gains.

And bummer about the driving, I really feel like the “losing control of your vehicle” every five seconds is a bit much How hard is it to drive a car without traffic, people, or stoplights? And does no survivor have a drivers liscense in New England?

Anyway thanks for your divulging your methods.

[Blackopsman9999]

I learned driving from video games and do good in traffic

[bahihs]

@Blackopsman999 For me Gran Turismo was harder than the actual real-life driving exam lol…those drifts…

Also,TerribLeo, isn’t reinforcement of clothes risky with low tailoring (since you end up damaging your stuff) I usually dont do it until I have tailoring 1 or 2.

[Sep]

any ideas on training mechanics from 0 without reading?

[Heruedhel]

I think picking locks trains mechanics, as well as fixing plastic clothing (like sunglasses and what not) with a soldering iron trains it too.

[Sep]

I think picking locks trains mechanics, as well as fixing plastic clothing (like sunglasses and what not) with a soldering iron trains it too.

thank you, will give that a go!

[bahihs]

Anyone know how to train archery (I tried what TerribLeo suggested, but making bows does nothing for archery), other than shooting arrows for hours that is?

[Sep]

yep, i think you can go really far with it shooting pebbles

[bahihs]

yep, i think you can go really far with it shooting pebbles

You mean using a sling/slingshot and repeatedly throwing pebbles? How quick is the increase? I would imagine its the same as just using a bow…

[FunsizeNinja123]

Anyone know how to train archery (I tried what TerribLeo suggested, but making bows does nothing for archery), other than shooting arrows for hours that is?

Don’t grind and shoot stuff only when needed.

[Phantomxd]

I thought it might be nice to have a list of ways to get common (and necessary) building materials (e.g scrap metal, plastic chunks etc.) and ways to build up useful skills (e.g training fabrication by making fishhooks).

Screw that. First thing I do after I get set up. Find a library.

Sorry if this is not really in the spirit of this thread but dam it makes things easier.

[mercylost]

Disassembling and recrafting traps for trap training.
Tailoring: disassemble and recraft foot rags. Once leveled craft and upgrade clothing. Don’t upgrade starter gear until later, as higher level stuff is easier to damage.
Archer: Slingshot, 200 pebbles, and a squirrel. Actually more viable than bow and arrow because lighter and greater range.
Thrown: Reinforced sling, 200 pebbles, damned squirrel.
Melee: Squirrel, rats, weasels.
Dodge: Rats & weasels.
Construct: Find or make a screwdriver. Disassemble a lot of furniture.
Fabrication: Start with lock picks.
Mechanics: Use lock picks on doors.
Survival: bush pulling till unlock waterskins. Start nonemergency fires with Fire Drill.
Cooking: Water, and juice or scrambled eggs (find eggs in shrubbery)
First Aid: Masochist. Use knife to cauterize for fun!
Swim: Build focus, nearly drown, repeat.
Computers: Read a book.
Electronics: Doesn’t seem to train for disassembling everything, just the things you can make.

What’d I miss?

[i2amroy]

For driving the way to learn isn’t that different from learning to drive in the real world; notably driving really slow on non-city roads in your vehicle until you get better. Even with zero driving skill if you don’t go over around 20 mph you can do fairly well on backroads.

[Mattaclysm]

Is the archery skill only trainable up to a certain point by firing arrows from a bow? It was working well before, but now all progress has completely stopped. Currently at lvl 2, 95% to lvl 3, and have killed dozens of zombies with bow/arrow. Using the latest experimental.

Current equipment:
Short bow
Field point wood arrow

[KA101]

Probably the dispersion affecting your ability to analyze your shots. You’ll need more PE or a more accurate bow/arrows to keep improving, since at this point you can’t tell whether it’s you or your gear messing up your aim.

[Khrysanth]

If you watch your message log, it will even say something along the lines of “you need a more accurate weapon to improve your aim”.

[Mattaclysm]

The short bow I was using was damaged, so I tried re-crafting another one. Almost as soon as I started using it, I advanced to lvl 3 in archery. So damage to the weapon affects dispersion? Interesting…I didn’t know the calculation was that complex.

[Kyriolexical_Dino]

Just discovered a training method (dunno if it’s new though). Just go to a lab until you find a Mk IV Algorithmic Data Analyser and keep trying to access Melchior, it my character with hacking 4 has been failing for about 10 mins and keeps getting eletrocuted and attacked by man-hacks, I luckly got the Rivetch power armour, it absorbs lighting when powered and the man-hacks are really easy to deal with my machete and Silat melee style.

So far I’ve gained 1 dodge skill (was 3 now it’s 4) one bashing weapon level (9 to 10). I’ve also gathered plutonium cells from the wrecks so in relation to the power I can keep going for a long time specially with my recycler unit bionic ( you get thirst and hunger slower than normal passively).