The Tool Desk
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What the skill system does
Every survivor has four basic skills: Cardio, Wits, Fighting, and Shooting. Some survivors also have a fifth skill, such as Cooking or Gardening. Skills improve through relevant actions in the game; at seven stars, a basic skill offers specialization choices. A survivor’s traits can affect which choices are available, according to the Undead Labs Player Guide.
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| 1 |
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State of Decay 2 | $37.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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A fifth skill may be a community skill or a quirk skill. Survivors without one can be taught a skill using the relevant textbook, according to the community-maintained skills reference. Community skills are especially useful to consider when they provide knowledge needed for a facility or its actions.
Which basic skills should you prioritize?
The four basics solve different field problems rather than forming a universal ranking. Xbox Wire’s hands-on overview describes their effects as follows:
#1 Best Overall
- State of Decay 2 is the ultimate open world zombie survival game Four Player Co-Op Multiplayer Establish a base, develop your characters and manage resources to survive in a post-apocalyptic world
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| Skill | What it helps with | Prioritize it when… |
|---|---|---|
| Cardio | How far a survivor can run before becoming fatigued | You travel on foot often, need stamina to escape, or carry out extended scavenging trips. |
| Wits | Stealth, detecting enemies, and searching containers faster | You want to avoid fights where possible or make looting more efficient. |
| Fighting | Health and melee capability | Your survivor is likely to face close combat. |
| Shooting | Aiming with ranged weapons | You rely on firearms to engage threats. |
For a survivor who spends much of the day traveling and looting, Cardio and Wits directly support those jobs. If you expect that survivor to take on enemies up close, Fighting becomes more relevant; if firearms are central to the role, prioritize Shooting. These are role-based choices, not a guarantee that a particular build is best in every encounter or difficulty.
How to choose a fifth skill for your community
Judge a fifth skill by what your base needs access to, which resource or activity is currently constrained, and which specialization the survivor can take. The community-skills reference lists eight main-game skills: Computers, Chemistry, Cooking, Craftsmanship, Gardening, Medicine, Mechanics, and Utilities. Their value depends on the facilities, recipes, and support needs that matter to your community.
Rank #2
- State of Decay 2 is the ultimate open world zombie survival game Four Player Co-Op Multiplayer Establish a base, develop your characters and manage resources to survive in a post-apocalyptic world
- Xbox One X Enhanced with higher resolutions, steadier framerates and better effects
- Every decision has lasting consequences In the end, how you survive just might surprise you
- Pre-order now to get the Amazon exclusive Survivor’s Pack Includes the Zed Swatter melee weapon, an exclusive vehicle and an assortment of survival supplies and abilities - Codes will be received within 7 days of release
Computers: when the base plan depends on it
Consider Computers when Command Center upgrades or related capabilities are important to your base plan. Its value is tied to what those upgrades let your community do, rather than being a universal first choice.
Mechanics: workshop, tools, and vehicles
Mechanics can unlock Workshop 3 and enable crafting homemade crossbows, toolboxes, and box mines. At seven stars, it branches into Automechanics or Engineering. Automechanics unlocks the Auto Shop; its listed level-seven community bonuses are +25% fuel efficiency and +50% vehicle stealth, according to the Mechanics reference. These are in-game bonuses.
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Choose Mechanics when workshop access, tool production, or vehicle support addresses a real need. Within its specializations, Automechanics points toward vehicle benefits and the Auto Shop, while Engineering is the alternative branch.
Gardening: food or medicine production
Gardening improves yield and allows medicine to be grown at Gardens and Farms. At seven stars, Agriculture supports food production and Herbalism supports medicine production. Their listed level-seven bonuses are +1 Food Per Day for Agriculture and +1 Meds Per Day for Herbalism, according to the Gardening reference.
Rank #4
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Pick the branch that matches the shortfall: Agriculture when food is the concern, Herbalism when medicine is. The listed bonuses describe in-game production.
Other community skills
Chemistry, Cooking, Craftsmanship, Medicine, and Utilities are also candidates. Consider them when their facility recipes, support functions, or resource contributions fill a gap your community actually has. The community-skills list is available in the skills reference.
Best Value
A practical decision check
Before assigning a survivor to a role or teaching a fifth skill, check three things:
- Facility access: Does the skill unlock a facility or action your base needs?
- Current bottleneck: Would its specialization help with a scarce resource, vehicle support, or a combat role you rely on?
- Available choices: Do the survivor’s traits leave the specialization you want available?
That approach follows the game’s skill and trait system while keeping the choice grounded in your community’s needs, rather than treating every fifth skill as interchangeable.
Quick Recap
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