Project Zomboid B42 Cigarettes: Find a Pack in 10 Minutes

If you’re here because your character just hit that Smoker moodle and you’re already imagining the spiral: breathe. In project zomboid b42 where to find cigarettes, the fastest play is still the boring play—hit gas stations + convenience stores first, then bars/liquor as your second wave, and fill the gaps with office desks, bedside tables, and glove boxes while you travel. Don’t “search the whole town”; run a tight loop that checks the right containers and leaves before the neighborhood wakes up. Jump to Quick-Start and you’ll have a pack before your run turns into a stress simulator.

Quick-Start

You want cigarettes in your bag in 10 minutes (in-game), not a heroic clear of a building you can’t hold.

10-minute cigarette loop (day 1)

Step	Target	What you’re really searching	Time cap	Bail condition
1	Spawn house	Nightstand + bathroom cabinet + kitchen junk drawers	2 min	Alarm / zombie banging
2	Nearby corner store / convenience store	Counter, behind-register shelves, office back room desk	2–3 min	More than 8 zombies at front
3	Gas station	Counter/register, back office desk, bathroom trash	2–3 min	Loud fight / window break
4	Parking lot cars	Glove boxes + seats (fast)	1–2 min	Door alarm / horde wander
5	“Plan B” building	Bar, diner, small grocery	3–4 min	You’re winded + chased

Info card

Rule of Thumb: If you haven't checked a register/counter/desk yet, you haven't actually "searched" the building.

Where Cigarettes Actually Spawn (and Why You Keep Missing Them)

Cigarettes aren’t “in stores.” They’re in specific containers that match the game’s little apocalypse logic: places where people stash small, tradeable, personal items.

Container type	Why it’s good	Typical buildings	Speed tip
Counters / behind-register shelving	High-traffic impulse items	Gas stations, convenience stores, diners	Search these before you touch aisles
Desks (especially back office)	Personal stash spot	Gas stations, stores, offices	One desk can beat five shelves
Nightstands / bedside tables	“Pocket stuff” lives here	Homes, motels	Hit every nightstand in a 2-bedroom house fast
Jackets / zombies	People carry habits	Anywhere with bodies	Check pockets after you secure the area
Glove boxes	Car clutter grab-bag	Parking lots, streets	Two cars can equal one house

The Building Tier List: Yield vs. Risk (B42-Friendly)

You’re not just hunting cigarettes—you’re hunting low-noise, high-density searches.

Tier	Buildings	Why it works	Main risk	What to bring
S	Gas stations, convenience stores	Register + counter loot density	Front windows draw attention	1 weapon, 1 bag, quick exit plan
A	Bars, liquor stores, diners	“Personal item” containers + back rooms	Tight interiors, surprise zombies	Flashlight, shove discipline
B	Offices, police station admin areas	Desks for days	Chokepoints, glass	Patience + door control
C	Homes (fast sweep)	Nightstands + junk drawers	Time sink if you over-search	Stop after bedrooms/bathroom
D	Warehouses	Tons of containers, low cigarette bias	Wasted time	Only if you’re here anyway

The 90-Second Store Clear (Container-First Pattern)

This is the difference between “I can’t find cigarettes” and “I have 60 cigarettes by week two.”

Front counter first. Counter + register area is the point.
Behind-the-counter shelves. Don’t roleplay—treat it like a speedrun.
Back office desk. If the building has an office, it’s basically a cigarette lottery machine.
Bathroom trash / cabinet. Quick hit; don’t linger.
Leave. You’re not here for canned goods right now. You’re here so your moodles stay quiet while you loot canned goods later.

Noise budget: If you fight more than 3 zombies inside a store, you've already lost the time advantage.

Don’t Forget the Ignition: Lighters and Matches

Cigarettes without a way to light them is like finding the perfect shotgun with no shells: emotionally devastating, practically useless.

Where to find lighters/matches (quick list) - icon:fuel Gas stations and convenience store counters (again: impulse items) - icon:home Kitchen drawers and bedroom nightstands - icon:cash Bars/diners back rooms - icon:car Car glove boxes

Micro-tip: When you find a lighter, stash a spare in a different bag or vehicle. B42 or not, you will eventually die to “I had everything on me.”

Advanced: Turn Cigarettes Into a Supply Chain (Not a Lucky Find)

Once you’ve got your first pack, stop thinking in “find cigarettes” and start thinking in maintain cigarettes.

Three habits that keep you stocked - icon:rotate Rotate targets: Don’t hit the same two stores forever; clear a district, then move. - icon:travel Loot while traveling: Every “walk to base” is a glove-box run. - icon:late Check bodies late: Don’t pocket-search during a fight; do it when the street is quiet and your stamina is back.

Sandbox / Server Knobs (Use With Care)

If you’re playing Sandbox and really don’t want the Smoker mini-game, you can tilt loot without turning the whole apocalypse into a Costco trip.

Recommendation:
    - If you change anything, nudge "Other/Junk" loot up one notch before you touch Food/Weapons.
    - Keep loot respawn OFF if you want cigarettes to still feel like a resource you earned.

Multiplayer: Cigarettes Are Currency

On a server, cigarettes become the cleanest barter item in the early game: light, stackable, always wanted.

Team roles that work - Runner: hits S/A-tier buildings and bails fast (cigarettes + lighters) - Cleaner: secures the street, then bodies/vehicles - Quartermaster: stores cigarettes separately from “combat kits” so a wipe doesn’t bankrupt the group

Quick FAQ

Question	Short answer
“I looted two stores and found none—am I bugged?”	Probably not. You might be missing counters/desks, or your loot rarity is harsh. Switch to a gas station + bar loop.
“Do cigarettes spawn more on zombies?”	They can; treat zombies as a bonus source, not your primary plan.
“Why do I only find lighters but no cigarettes?”	You’re checking the right container type but the wrong building density. Add a bar/liquor stop.
“Should I drop Smoker in B42?”	Only if you hate supply chores. If you enjoy having a ‘maintenance’ resource, Smoker is still a fun constraint.
“How many cigarettes is ‘enough’?”	If you can stock a week’s worth, you can stop hunting and start living.

The funny part is that cigarettes in Project Zomboid are exactly like real-life spare cables: they’re everywhere, but only if you check the drawers you assumed were empty. The day you stop searching “the building” and start searching the furniture, you’ll wonder why you ever panicked.

Action Steps Recap: Hit a gas station + convenience store loop, search counters/desks first, grab a lighter, and treat glove boxes/nightstands as your steady refill.

Patch-History (Collapsible)

Patch History

Date	Change Note	Impact on early-game priorities
2025-12-11	B42 MP announcement for unstable branch (context for version/branch mismatch when loot feels “different”).	Verify branch + mods first before you blame loot tables; then run your cigarette loop.
2025-12-11	Official video linked with the MP announcement.	Helps players confirm they’re following the right branch expectations before tuning loot settings.
2026-01	Notes updated and consolidated for the cigarette loop.	Double-check your current B42 patch notes/mod list if your usual stores stop paying out.