Project Zomboid B42 Skills (42.19): Full List & What to Grind Next

Project Zomboid B42 Skills (42.19)

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Skill Finder

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Build 42.19 has **35** train-able character skills. Category headers in the skills UI are not separate levels. This page is a **Skill Finder + grind planner**: pick one lane, read the **XP path**, then run a low-friction loop. For full effect text and deeper notes, open the [skills index](/skills/).

## Quick-Start

1. ![icon:goal](/static/images/pz-icons/Book.png) Pick **one role** for the next 1–2 in-game days: fighter, builder, crafter, medic, driver, or forager.
2. ![icon:routine](/static/images/pz-icons/AlarmClock.png) Open **Skill Finder**, filter that skill, and read the **XP path** first—ignore old “dismantle for free XP” advice unless it matches the path column.
3. ![icon:tools](/static/images/pz-icons/Wrench.png) Identify the **bottleneck item** (tool, book, propane, needle, seed, etc.), then loot for that specifically.
4. ![icon:kit](/static/images/pz-icons/Backpack.png) Keep a single “training kit” bag so one missing item does not break the loop.
5. ![icon:sandbox](/static/images/pz-icons/Wrench.png) If the grind feels wrong, change **per-skill XP multipliers** in sandbox—or raise **Level for Dismantle XP Cutoff** if you want furniture dismantle to train Carpentry—instead of blaming the skill.

## Skill Finder

Use the table like a shopping list: filter by skill name or category (Passive, Agility, Combat, Firearm, Crafting, Farming, Survival). **XP path** is what trains the skill in 42.19; **Low-friction loop** is a practical habit, not a guaranteed XP formula.

## Full Skill Table (B42.19)

| Category | Skill | XP path | Low-friction loop | Skill book |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Passive | ![icon:fitness](/static/images/pz-icons/Barbell.png) Fitness | Exercise menu; chance XP while running/sprinting with usable endurance; chance XP on successful non-ranged hits while endurance is still high. Can decay with long inactivity. | Short exercise blocks + normal looting; do not “gym hero” into exhaustion. | No |
| Passive | ![icon:strength](/static/images/pz-icons/Barbell.png) Strength | Exercise menu; chance XP while moving at over ~50% max carry weight; tree hits with a non-bare-hands weapon; multi-hit last-hit count on non-ranged hits. Can decay with long inactivity. | Haul meaningful loads near base; separate skill from Fitness—train both if you need carry + fight budget. | No |
| Agility | ![icon:run](/static/images/pz-icons/AlarmClock.png) Running | Chance XP while jogging or sprinting with usable endurance (same move family as Fitness chance rolls). Skills panel name **Running** (some older text still says Sprinting). | Safe road jogs with food/water; stop before endurance collapse. | No |
| Agility | ![icon:light](/static/images/pz-icons/Mouse.png) Lightfooted | Primarily stealth movement around zombies (footstep/detection). Independent of Sneaking/Nimble. | Quiet approaches near small groups; pair with Sneaking when needed. | No |
| Agility | ![icon:nimble](/static/images/pz-icons/Mouse.png) Nimble | **Move while aiming** (combat stance). XP only rolls when your tile position changes—standing still while aiming does not farm it. Fence climbing is **not** the Nimble XP path. | Aim-walk in safe spaces (doorways/fences for safety only—not for XP). | No |
| Agility | ![icon:sneak](/static/images/pz-icons/Mouse.png) Sneaking | Crouch/sneak near zombies without being spotted; reduces detection distance and crouch footstep sound. | Practice on 1–2 roamers, not hordes. | No |
| Combat | ![icon:axe](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Axe | Successful hits with axe-category weapons. Melee weapon XP uses a damage-based amount with a low per-hit cap. | One main axe + spare; fight 1–2 at a time. | No |
| Combat | ![icon:longblunt](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Long Blunt | Hits with long blunt weapons (bats, crowbars, etc.). | Keep a durable main weapon and backups. | No |
| Combat | ![icon:shortblunt](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Short Blunt | Hits with short blunt weapons. | Indoor short-reach fights; watch muscle strain. | No |
| Combat | ![icon:longblade](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Long Blade | Hits with long blade weapons. Has skill books with **reduced** multipliers (1.5 / 2.5 / 4 / 6 / 8). | Read the matching volume before long grinds. | Yes (reduced) |
| Combat | ![icon:shortblade](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Short Blade | Hits with short blade weapons. | Close-range only; keep bandages ready. | No |
| Combat | ![icon:spear](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Spear | Hits with spear-category weapons. | Space with doorway/fence; spears break—carry spares. | No |
| Combat | ![icon:maint](/static/images/pz-icons/Wrench.png) Maintenance | Melee combat use (when weapons lose condition). Decreases chance of melee weapons being damaged. Full-rate books (3–16). | Use your main weapon; avoid “wrong tool” swings; keep spares. | Yes |
| Firearm | ![icon:aim](/static/images/pz-icons/RadioRed.png) Aiming | Score hits with ranged weapons. Base XP = **number of targets hit that shot**. Below level 5, amount × **2.7**. Not “total damage dealt.” Reduced books (1.5–8). | Early shotguns hit more targets per shot—noise and ammo still cost. | Yes (reduced) |
| Firearm | ![icon:reload](/static/images/pz-icons/Wrench.png) Reloading | Reload actions: insert magazine, load rounds into magazine, related reload steps. Below level 5 those actions grant more XP. Reduced books (1.5–8). | Safe reload drills with spare mags away from fights. | Yes (reduced) |
| Crafting | ![icon:carp](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Carpentry | Build wooden constructions; some barricade actions grant small Carpentry XP. On default 42.19 presets, **Level for Dismantle XP Cutoff** is **0**, so **furniture dismantle does not train Carpentry** (dismantling electronics still trains Electrical). Skills panel name: **Carpentry**. | Build storage/barricades you actually need; do not bank on dismantle XP unless you raised the cutoff. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:cook](/static/images/pz-icons/Macandcheese.png) Cooking | Cook food and craft food recipes (including evolved recipes). | Cook what you already loot; keep a heat source + containers. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:fa](/static/images/pz-icons/Bandage.png) First Aid | **Treatment actions** grant XP (bandage, clean burn, stitch/splint/remove glass/bullet, etc.)—not “dig dirt barehanded” and not self-injury as a strategy. | Stock bandages/disinfectant; treat real wounds after fights. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:elec](/static/images/pz-icons/RadioRed.png) Electrical | Dismantle electronics and complete electrical recipes/repairs (generators at higher levels). **There is no separate Radio skill**—radios are devices; the skill is Electrical. | Batch-dismantle watches/CDs/remotes/speakers/TVs safely at base. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:weld](/static/images/pz-icons/BlowTorch.png) Welding | Metal welding recipes and dismantling with a propane torch. Skills panel name **Welding** (not “Metalworking”). Builds crude metal barricades/objects. | Workshop batches; stock propane + welder mask. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:blacksmith](/static/images/pz-icons/BlowTorch.png) Blacksmithing | Blacksmith/forge recipes and related metal crafting (B42 trade skill)—**separate from Welding**. | Read Blacksmith books before long forge sessions. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:mech](/static/images/pz-icons/Wrench.png) Mechanics | Install, uninstall, and repair vehicle parts. | One “practice car” + tool kit; work in batches. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:tailor](/static/images/pz-icons/Thread.png) Tailoring | Rip clothing for materials; patch/reinforce clothes. Some early “shorten clothing” recipes may not award XP—check the action before grinding. | Needle + thread/twine kit; reinforce daily gear. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:carve](/static/images/pz-icons/Hammer.png) Carving | Carving recipes for small wooden objects. | Batch small wood crafts when you have spare planks/tools. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:knap](/static/images/pz-icons/HammerStone.png) Knapping | Flint/stone knapping recipes for stone tools and components. | Stock stones; batch basic components early when metal is scarce. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:glass](/static/images/pz-icons/Be_crafty.png) Glassmaking | Glassmaking recipes for glass and glass objects. | Mid-game batches with furnace inputs—avoid one-offs. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:mason](/static/images/pz-icons/HammerStone.png) Masonry | Masonry builds; some pickaxe ground-cover harvesting can grant masonry XP. | Plan brick/stone projects; tools + materials ready. | Yes |
| Crafting | ![icon:pottery](/static/images/pz-icons/ClayJar_Fired.png) Pottery | Pottery/clay recipes for clay and pottery objects. | Clay + kiln/batch workflow. | Yes |
| Farming | ![icon:farm](/static/images/pz-icons/Map_tree.png) Agriculture | Harvest crops **you planted**. Skills panel name **Agriculture** (some older text still says Farming). | Small repeatable plot near water. | Yes |
| Farming | ![icon:animal](/static/images/pz-icons/Map_tree.png) Animal Care | Care actions (water, collect eggs, milking/shearing, etc.). Skills panel: Animal Care / Husbandry. | Secure pens first; train while you already need animal products. | Yes |
| Farming | ![icon:butcher](/static/images/pz-icons/Macandcheese.png) Butchering | Butchery pipeline: carcass hooks, head/leather/meat removal and related steps. | Process animals you already have—do not invent wasteful grinds. | Yes |
| Survival | ![icon:fish](/static/images/pz-icons/Map_tree.png) Fishing | Catch and pick up fish (larger fish grant more XP); checking fishing nets grants small XP. | Safe shore loop with spare gear; season/bait still matter. | Yes |
| Survival | ![icon:trap](/static/images/pz-icons/Map_tree.png) Trapping | Harvest successful traps (animals or valid catches). Building traps alone is not the main XP path. | Check traps on a safe route; craft better traps as you level. | Yes |
| Survival | ![icon:forage](/static/images/pz-icons/Map_tree.png) Foraging | Enter Search Mode and collect forage finds. Higher levels unlock categories and better finds. | Fence/road-edge search loops near base. | Yes |
| Survival | ![icon:track](/static/images/pz-icons/Map_tree.png) Tracking | Inspect animal tracks / Search Mode wildlife clues; higher levels reveal more detail and can find smaller clues. | Combine with Foraging when exploring rural edges. | Yes |

## Skill books (quick reference)

Most craft/survival books use multipliers **3 / 5 / 8 / 12 / 16** for volumes 1–5 (level bands 1–2 … 9–10). **Aiming**, **Reloading**, and **Long Blade** use reduced rates **1.5 / 2.5 / 4 / 6 / 8**.

- **Full-rate books:** Blacksmithing, Butchering, Carpentry, Carving, Cooking, Electrical, Agriculture, First Aid, Fishing, Knapping, Foraging, Glassmaking, Animal Care, Masonry, Mechanics, Welding, Pottery, Tailoring, Tracking, Trapping, Maintenance
- **Reduced-rate books:** Aiming, Reloading, Long Blade
- **No skill book:** Fitness, Strength, Running, Lightfooted, Nimble, Sneaking, Axe, Long Blunt, Short Blunt, Short Blade, Spear

Loot tips: [skill books in B42](/skill_books_are_endangered_in_b42_here_s_where_to_find_them/).

## Name & rule corrections (42.19)

- **Welding ≠ Blacksmithing.** Older guides said “Metalworking”; the skills panel name for metal barricades/torch work is **Welding**. Forging metal items is **Blacksmithing**.
- **No Radio skill.** Use **Electrical** for devices, generators, and dismantling electronics.
- **Strength and Fitness are separate** rows—do not merge them in a planner.
- **Nimble** XP is aim-move, not fence-hopping.
- **Carpentry dismantle XP** is gated by sandbox **Level for Dismantle XP Cutoff** (default **0** on official presets).
- **Aiming** XP is hit-count based (×2.7 under level 5), not total damage.
- **First Aid** XP is treatment actions, not self-injury.

## Tips

- ![icon:focus](/static/images/pz-icons/AlarmClock.png) Grind one skill (or tightly related pair) per day; five concurrent grinds usually means five stalled bars.
- ![icon:stash](/static/images/pz-icons/Backpack.png) Keep training-kit items in one labeled container.
- ![icon:mods](/static/images/pz-icons/UI_Cross.png) When testing odd XP behavior, try without mods first.
- Use the full [skills guide](/skills/) when you need every description, FAQ, and related deep links.

## Related guides

- [Full skills index (35 skills)](/skills/)
- [B42 crafting overhaul](/b42_crafting_overhaul_surviving_the_apocalypse_one_skill_at_a_time/)
- [Electrical leveling](/how-to-level-up-the-electrical-skill-in-project-zomboid/)
- [Maintenance leveling](/how-to-level-up-the-maintenance-skill-quickly-and-safely-in-project-zomboid/)
- [Lightfooted](/what-is-light-footed-and-how-to-level-it-up-in-project-zomboid/)
- [First Aid](/first-aid/)
- [B42 farming](/homestead_or_starve_mastering_farming_in_project_zomboid_build_42/)
- [B42 metalworking overhaul](/forging_the_apocalypse_build_42s_metalworking_overhaul_in_project_zomboid/)

Project Zomboid B42 Skills (42.19): Full List & What to Grind Next

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