First Aid Kit Breakdown: Stop Zomboid Wounds From Killing You
Project Zomboid First Aid Kit Guide (B41/B42)
For both vanilla and modded gameplay
Instant Answer:
The First Aid Kit in Project Zomboid is a container for medical supplies โ equip it in your secondary hand to open it, then use the Health panel to right-click injuries and apply bandages, disinfectant, etc. It won't magically heal you by itself. (For a step-by-step Quick-Start, jump to the Quick-Start section below.)
Why This Matters: Surviving in Zomboid means knowing how to patch wounds fast. A single untreated cut can kill you or leave you hobbling for days. This guide covers everything about First Aid Kits in Build 41 and 42 โ from basic bandaging and skill tricks to advanced modded medical systems. We'll break down common pain points and provide pro tips, so you can keep your survivor (and maybe your friends) alive longer.
Guide Overview:
- Quick-Start: Using a First Aid Kit in 5 Easy Steps
- Injuries & Treatments: Scratches, bites, burns, oh my!
- First Aid Skill โ Useless or Useful?: Leveling tips & skill perks
- Essential First Aid Kit Contents: What to carry (and what not to)
- Stopping Infections: Wound infection vs. The Infection
- Long-term Care: Fractures, burns, and recovery strategy
- Multiplayer Medic: Healing others & team triage
- Mods & Overhauls: How mods change first aid (for the better)
- Real Player Anecdotes: Hard lessons from the apocalypse
- Patch History: How updates changed first aid priorities
Quick-Start: How to Use a First Aid Kit in PZ ๐
So you just found a First Aid Kit โ now what? Here's a rapid-fire 5-step guide to using it effectively:
- 1 Equip the First Aid Kit: Open your inventory (default I key). Find the First Aid Kit item and right-click โ Equip Secondary. Why? In Project Zomboid, bags (including the kit) must be held or worn to access their contents. Once equipped, it appears as a secondary container in your inventory UI (just like a backpack or duffel would).
- 2 Open the Kit to Access Supplies: With the kit equipped, you'll see a sub-inventory under your main inventory. Click the arrow or the kit's name to expand it. Now you can see what's inside. Common contents include things like bandages, alcohol wipes, tweezers, painkillers, etc. If the kit is empty, you can fill it with your own medical items for organization.
- 3 Check Your Health Panel: Click the heart icon on the left of your screen to open the Health panel. If you have injuries, they'll be listed by body part. For example: "Right Forearm โ Bleeding" or "Left Hand โ Laceration". If an injury is bleeding, address it immediately โ you'll see your overall Health dropping if you're bleeding.
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4
Right-Click the Injury โ Apply Treatment: In the health panel, right-click the injured body part. A menu of options appears (if you have the necessary supplies available). For example:
- Bandage (if you have any bandage or ripped sheets in inventory or in the kit).
- Disinfect (if you have disinfectant liquid or alcohol wipes).
- Remove Glass (if a wound has glass embedded โ requires tweezers or you'll use bare hands, which hurts more).
- Stitch (if it's a deep wound, requires needle + thread or suture needle + holder).
- 5 Let the action complete and monitor status: Your character will perform the action (you'll see a progress bar). Once done, the injury icon changes โ e.g. from a bleeding wound to a bandaged wound. Keep an eye on it. Bandages get dirty over time (especially if the wound is infected) and need changing. You'll see the bandage icon turn brown/red when dirty or if bleeding reoccurs. Re-open the kit and apply a clean one when needed.
Quick Example: You cut yourself climbing through a broken window โ "Left Arm โ Bleeding" shows up. You equip your First Aid Kit, right-click the arm in health panel:
- Select Disinfect (if available) to clean the wound (this prevents wound infection, which in-game causes extra health loss).
- Then right-click again and Bandage. If you have a sterilized bandage in the kit, the game will use that (sterilized gives better healing and less infection chance).
- The bleeding stops โ you're safe for now. ๐
Figure: Disinfectant is essential to properly cleaning wounds before bandaging. In Project Zomboid, always disinfect if you can โ it can prevent a minor wound from festering.
That's it! You've successfully used a First Aid Kit. Remember, the kit itself is just a container; it's the supplies and your actions that do the healing.
Field Medic 101: Injuries and How to Treat Them
Project Zomboid is notoriously unforgiving with injuries. Let's break down the various wound types and the right way to handle them. Knowing the difference between a scratch that you can shrug off (with a bandage) and a laceration that could mean life-or-death is huge.
Common Injury Types (and What They Mean)
In PZ, injuries are not created equal. Here are the usual suspects you'll encounter:
Scratches
Description: Minor wound, often from breaking a window or minor zombie swipes. Causes bleeding (light) and pain. Zombie scratch infection chance: 7% (if it's a zombie-inflicted scratch).
Treatment: Disinfect and bandage. Scratches don't require stitching. They heal fairly quickly (1-3 days) if kept clean and bandaged.
Lacerations
Description: Deeper cut, can happen from heavier glass or more severe zombie attacks. Causes moderate bleeding and more pain. Zombie laceration infection chance: 25%.
Treatment: Disinfect, then bandage. No stitching needed (laceration is not a "deep wound" in code, it's a severe surface wound). Heals slower than scratches (4-7 days). High chance to reopen if you exert yourself, so change bandages often.
Deep Wounds (a.k.a. Gouges)
Description: These are serious puncture or deep cuts (think getting gouged on broken glass or maybe animal antlers in B42). Heavy bleeding. If caused by a zombie (rare, usually it's from non-zombie accidents), treat it as very dangerous but it doesn't carry the zombie virus unless it explicitly says bite.
Treatment: Must stitch the wound closed before bandaging. Use a suture needle + suture holder (forceps) if available โ this causes less pain, but a regular needle + thread works in a pinch (just more painful). Disinfect before stitching if you can (to avoid sealing in an infection). After stitching, bandage it. Deep wounds take a long time to heal (upwards of 10-14 days or more) even when stitched.
Bites
Description: Zombie bite โ the big bad. Causes bleeding and pain like a laceration. Infection chance: 100% if from zombie (you will almost certainly turn in 2-3 days, there is no cure in vanilla). Non-zombie bites (like a dog bite in B42) do not have the zombification factor, but can still cause normal infection.
Treatment: If a zombie bit you... well, you can bandage it and maybe delay the inevitable, but it's game over for that character in vanilla (around 2 days later you'll get sick, die, and reanimate). Some players turn off infection in sandbox or use mods (we'll discuss later) to survive bites. If it's an animal or player bite (B42 adds animals that can bite, or PvP bites), treat it like a deep laceration: disinfect, bandage, maybe stitch if it's gaping. High chance of wound infection (regular infection) if not treated, which can be deadly too over time.
Fractures (Broken Bones)
Description: Result from high falls, car crashes, or zombies stomping you when you're down. A fractured leg or foot will cripple your movement (you'll be very slow or unable to walk). Fractured arm/hand means very slow weapon swing and inability to carry much.
Treatment: Splint it ASAP. Right-click the limb in health panel โ apply splint (requires 2 sturdy sticks + ripped sheets or bandages). With a splint, the healing begins. Keep the splint on for several weeks. Painkillers help with the constant pain. Eat well to speed healing (a well-fed character heals faster). Healing time: ~2-3 weeks with splint (can be longer on default settings โ up to 4 weeks). High First Aid skill makes splints more effective (faster healing). And yes, you can technically still move with a broken leg if it's splinted, but you'll be very slow โ consider staying put.
Burns
Description: Caused by fire (house fire, Molotov cocktail accidents, etc.). Burns hurt a ton (severe pain) and damage over time. They also get infected easily.
Treatment: Disinfect and bandage. There's no special burn ointment in vanilla, so it's about keeping it clean and covered. Change bandages often. You can also use cool water in real life, but in-game it's abstracted (no mechanic for that). Just know burns take a long time to heal and will often get infected (wound infection). Watch for infection moodle and treat with disinfectant repeatedly. Pain management (painkillers) is important; a severe burn will keep you in Agony (which nerfs your combat abilities heavily).
Lodged Bullet or Glass Shards
Description: Not a "wound type" per se, but a condition. If you climb through broken glass, you might have glass shards in the wound. If you get shot (hey, MP or NPCs eventually), the bullet can be lodged.
Treatment: Use Tweezers or Suture Needle Holder (Forceps) to remove the object. Right-click wound โ "Remove Glass" or "Remove Bullet". Doing it with your bare hands is possible but causes extra damage and pain (and may even create another deep wound). After removal, treat the wound type that remains (often a deep wound once the object is out, meaning disinfect + stitch + bandage).
Injury Quick-Ref Table:
* Heal times assume no Slow/Fast Healer trait and proper care. High First Aid skill can reduce these times modestly.
Pro Tips for Wound Care
Always Disinfect if Possible: A wound infection (not zombie virus, just regular infection) will slow healing and can kill you if it progresses too far. You'll know you have one if the wound keeps getting dirty quickly or you develop a fever despite no zombie infection. Use Disinfectant, Alcohol Wipes, or bourbon/whiskey. In a pinch, even sterilize bandages by boiling them (grab a cooking pot of water, right-click bandages to sterilize if water is hot).
Sterilized Bandages vs. Dirty Rags: A sterile bandage applied to a clean wound lasts longer and lowers infection risk. Dirty or bloody bandages actually increase infection risk and slow healing. Change bandages the moment they get dirty (you'll get a hint in the health panel). Pro tip from players: Instead of carrying 20 bandages, carry some clean rags (ripped sheets) โ you can sterilize them in batches, and they weigh less. One player even noted using socks as makeshift bandages because they have lower weight than bandages (just make sure they're clean!).
Pain Management: Injuries cause Pain moodles (Moderate Pain, Severe Pain, Agony). Pain makes your actions slower and can even knock you out of combat stance if extreme. Always keep Painkillers in your kit. Take them as needed (they take a little time to kick in). For minor pain (scratches), you might save painkillers; for deep wounds or fractures, you'll need them to stay functional. Also, Beta Blockers don't reduce pain but are great if you're panicking (often happens when you get hurt around zombies).
Don't Run with a Fracture: If you fractured your leg, do not try to run. You'll only worsen it or trip. Walk slowly, use sneak movement. In Build 41, moving with a broken leg is painfully slow even when splinted. In one patch, they made it so without first aid you could "barely walk at all" with certain injuries โ so splint really is a lifesaver.
Keep wounds dry: If you get caught in rain with an open wound, change to a dry bandage when you can. Getting soaked probably isn't great for that stitched-up bite on your arm (game doesn't explicitly model this, but it's a good immersive habit).
Multiple Injuries: Address bleeding injuries first. The game's health is basically "bleed to death" meter in those moments. A scratch and a deep wound at the same time? The deep wound bleeds more, but treat whichever is actively bleeding. Sometimes scratches stop bleeding on their own quickly โ you can check if the bleeding tag is gone. If so, you can focus on bigger wounds.
First Aid Skill: Useless Hobby or Lifesaver?
One of the biggest debates among Zomboid veterans: Is the First Aid skill even worth it? On the surface, it seems underwhelming โ after all, no matter your First Aid level, a zombie bite is still 100% fatal. Even a novice can bandage a wound. So why bother?
Let's demystify the skill and then cover ways to level it (if you decide it's worth leveling).
What the First Aid Skill Does (in Vanilla)
In vanilla B41/B42, leveling First Aid gives you a few key benefits:
- Faster Medical Actions: Each level makes you bandage, stitch, splint, etc. faster. At low level, your character fumbles a bit, taking longer to wrap that bandage. At high level, you'll patch up injuries noticeably quicker. This can be life-saving when you're trying to stop bleeding during a fight or before another zombie comes.
- Better Bandages & Splints: Higher skill makes bandages and poultices last longer before getting dirty. It also improves splint efficacy โ effectively, fractures heal a bit faster and you regain some movement quicker with a splint if you have high First Aid.
- Evaluate Injury Severity: At low skill, if you inspect someone (or yourself) via medical check, you get vague info. With higher First Aid, you start seeing more details like exact health of limbs, whether a wound is infected, how well it's healing, etc. For example, a Level 0 character might see "Upper Arm โ bandaged" whereas a Level 5 might see "Upper Arm โ bandaged (healing)". At max Level 10, you can even see hidden info like how long until a fracture heals or how progressed an infection is (in vanilla, exact timers are hidden, but high skill approximates).
- Reduced Chance to Screw Up: Although vanilla doesn't have "treatment failure" per se, certain actions like removing bullets can cause extra damage if you're unskilled (think of it as fumbling surgical tools). The devs haven't fully simulated botched medical procedures in vanilla yet, but mods do this (more on that soon). Still, the concept is that a higher skill would reduce any risk of doing further harm. In code, First Aid skill might reduce additional pain inflicted when you perform treatments (this is subtle, though).
What First Aid skill does not do: reduce zombie infection chance or cure you. A Level 10 Doctor can still get chomped and die just as fast as a Level 0 Couch Potato if it's a zombie bite. This is a deliberate design choice (zombie virus is unbeatable in vanilla lore). Some players argue First Aid should help here (like maybe a small chance to not die, or to delay zombification if you act quickly), but that's not in the vanilla game.
The "Useless in Solo" Problem
Many single-player survivors never bother with First Aid skill because the only way to level it is to get hurt on purpose (risky) or grind in weird ways. And if you do get hurt seriously, you might just die of the zombie infection before your skill ever matters. As one community member put it:
"The only way you can level it up in solo is by tending your own wounds and... well, the most common ways of getting those wounds also come with the % risk of literally just dying from infection."
In multiplayer, it's a different story: healing others gives XP and you don't risk your own life. That's why a lot of players say First Aid is a "multiplayer skill". If you're playing solo, you might never go beyond Level 1 or 2 naturally, and that's often fine.
However, B42 might shake things up a bit: with animals and other injury sources (like hunting accidents, animal bites that aren't zombie bites), First Aid could become more relevant. Also, NPCs (when they come) would make having a "doctor" in your group valuable โ you could level First Aid by treating NPC survivors. So the skill may be future-proofed to matter more later.
Leveling First Aid โ Vanilla Style
If you do want to level it up in vanilla, here are some methods (be warned, all involve taking some damage):
The Broken Glass Trick
Set up a controlled scenario where you lightly injure yourself, then heal. For instance, put broken glass on the ground (smash a window) and walk over it barefoot. This will cut your feet (scratches or lacerations) โ not ideal, but it's a way to get some XP by bandaging. Caution: There's a chance it deep wounds you or multiple cuts, so have supplies ready. And obviously, clear the area of zombies first.
Tree Scratches
Run through trees or forests without wearing full covering clothing. This can cause scratches on arms/legs. They're usually minor. You can then bandage them for XP. A user humorously noted they "never thought to wreck my feet" by running unclothed through forest until someone suggested it. It works, but again, risk vs reward.
Fall from a low height
A mild fall (like hopping over a railing or off a low roof) might cause a minor injury but not too severe. If you sprain or slight fracture, you can splint it โ XP for applying splint. Just don't break your legs completely from too high, or that's a long recovery.
Deliberate Burn (not recommended)
Standing near a fire to just barely catch yourself on fire and then extinguish can injure you (burn yourself slightly) which you treat. This is really dangerous and not worth the small XP โ you might set yourself fully ablaze. Probably skip this one unless you're a masochist.
Let zombies scratch you with protection
If you wear thick clothes (denim shirt, leather jacket, etc.), zombie attacks have a lower chance to penetrate and cause only scratches instead of lacerations or bites. Some players intentionally take a few scratches (with Infection mortality turned off in sandbox) to grind XP, since you can survive scratches easily if zombie infection is off. If you leave infection on โ you're playing roulette with death.
First Aid XP per treatment
The XP gained is relatively small per wound. You get a bit of XP for cleaning and bandaging wounds, more for stitching deep wounds, and maybe for splinting fractures. Removing glass gives some too. There's an XP multiplier if the wound is on someone else vs yourself (healing others yields more). So in solo, you're really nickel-and-diming XP. Read First Aid skill books to multiply XP gained if you plan to grind โ at least get the multiplier to make those painful scratches count more. First Aid for Beginners (Vol.1) will give you a 3x boost up to level 2.
Bottom Line: In pure vanilla, many players don't prioritize leveling First Aid beyond using it when needed. It's often more practical to avoid getting hurt at all (prevention over cure). However, if you survive long enough, accidents happen โ and having even modest skill can make your healing process smoother. It won't save you from a bite, but it could save you days of recovery time for a nasty wound.
(In the Mods section later, we'll see how overhaul mods make leveling First Aid much more engaging and worthwhile โ even adding ways to train without self-harm like practicing on corpses.)
Professions & Traits that Affect First Aid
When making your character, a few choices affect your medical prowess:
Doctor (Profession)
Gives +3 First Aid skill on start. Also gives some related bonuses (in build 41, just the skill; in some mods or future builds, doctors might have unique abilities). In vanilla, a Doctor is mainly useful in MP or if you really anticipate needing that skill. Many say it's not worth a 3-point profession because of reasons above (zombie infection undermines it). But if you play with infection off, Doctor becomes much more valuable.
Nurse (Profession)
Gives +2 First Aid. Basically a lighter version of Doctor. Some MP groups run a Nurse for RP or because it's cheaper point-wise than Doctor. In vanilla, no unique perk beyond the skill. (Mods add unique recipes for Nurse, like crafting some medical items from household stuff).
Veteran and other combat roles
No medical bonuses, but note Veterans start with Desensitized (no panic) which indirectly helps in medical treatment because if you're panicking, your actions (including first aid) are slower. So a panicked non-vet will bandage slower than a calm vet. Something to consider โ keep your character calm to treat faster (use Beta Blockers to reduce panic if needed when performing first aid in a tense situation).
First Aider (Trait)
A positive trait giving +1 First Aid (costs 4 points). Honestly, you can usually find a skill book and hit a zombie a couple times to need a bandage and get that levelโฆ It's not a popular pick unless you have 4 points left and nothing else to spend on. It does allow you to skip First Aid for Beginners book perhaps. If you really want to be a dedicated medic, you could stack Doctor profession + First Aider trait for a starting First Aid of 4.
Fast Healer / Slow Healer (Traits)
These don't change your First Aid skill, but directly affect how fast injuries heal. Fast Healer (-2 points) means you regrow health quicker and injuries mend faster; Slow Healer (+6 points) does the opposite (bad trait if you plan to fight a lot, you'll spend forever recuperating from wounds). If you have Slow Healer, First Aid skill's importance goes up because you'll want to optimize every little bonus to speed up healing (and maybe you'll be treating infections and swapping bandages longer).
Thick Skinned / Thin Skinned (Traits)
Again not directly First Aid, but worth a mention. Thick Skinned (-8 points) gives you a lower chance of scratches/lacerations penetrating your skin when zombies attack. Thin Skinned (+8) makes scratches more likely and worse (basically makes you a paper doll). If you have Thin Skinned, expect to be bandaging a lot. That could inadvertently raise your First Aid skill just from sheer number of woundsโฆ or get you killed. Most players consider Thin Skinned one of the most dangerous negative traits. Thick Skinned, conversely, can keep you from needing First Aid in the first place. Consider your playstyle โ if you want to play a clumsy field medic who's always patching themselves, you do you ๐.
In summary, the First Aid skill is a bit of a paradox in vanilla: extremely realistic in concept, but underutilized in practice due to the harsh zombie infection mechanic. But it's not totally useless โ it shines when dealing with non-fatal injuries, especially in long playthroughs or MP. And it may shine brighter in Build 42 and beyond.
Stocking the Kit: Must-Have Medical Supplies (and Junk to Ditch)
Your life may one day depend on what's in your First Aid Kit. Literally. In Project Zomboid, inventory space and weight are at a premium, so you can't carry a hospital on your back. Here we'll list the essential items to keep in a First Aid Kit (whether it's the kit container or just a section of your bag) and what you can skip or leave at base.
First Aid Kit Spawn Contents (Vanilla)
When you find a First Aid Kit in the world, it often comes with a random assortment of medical goodies. You might get some of the following (it's like a little Christmas present of pain relief):
- Bandages or Adhesive Bandages (Band-Aids)
- Alcohol Wipes
- Cotton Balls (sometimes with disinfectant)
- Beta Blockers (for panic)
- Painkillers
- Vitamin pills
- Tweezers
Each kit is different; sometimes you get lucky with a suture needle and some thread, or even a bottle of disinfectant. Other times it's 3 packs of vitamins and no bandage. ๐ Because of this randomness, never assume a found kit has everything you need. Check it immediately.
New in B42: There are variants like "First Aid Kit - Camping" and "First Aid Kit - Military" which presumably spawn in outdoor stores or army surplus and in military bases respectively. These might contain specific items (e.g. the military one might have more bandages, maybe a tourniquet if they added those, etc.). The devs fixed an issue where these new kits were spawning empty, so by the time B42 is stable, they should have loot inside. If you see one on a shelf (likely green colored for military, maybe orange for camping), snag it and see what special gear it has.
Remember, the kit itself has a weight reduction (like a bag). It can hold up to 4 weight units of stuff with some reduction, so it's a convenient way to keep all medical items together without weighing you down as much. However, some players prefer to just use a normal bag or fanny pack for meds because First Aid Kits can't be worn, only held. It's a personal choice: roleplay and organization vs. pure optimization.
Everyday Carry: What to Keep on You
Here's a solid First Aid Kit packing list that many survivalists recommend for outings:
Bandages (Sterilized)
Quantity: ~4. Use a cooking pot of water + heat source to sterilize bandages or ripped sheets. Sterilized bandages greatly reduce infection chance and last longer on wounds. You can also carry a few Adhesive Bandages (the little bandaids) for very small wounds; they're super light, but they only work on scratches and such.
Alcohol Wipes or Bottle of Disinfectant
Quantity: 1-2 packets of wipes, or 1 bottle. Wipes are one-use each, lightweight and don't require pouring. A bottle of disinfectant can cleanse many wounds but weighs more (and if you forget to put the cap on after use, it might spill in some versions โ careful!). Some players carry a bottle of whiskey which doubles as a disinfectant and a morale booster (bourbon disinfects almost as well as medical alcohol in-game).
Painkillers
Quantity: a full bottle (20 pills) or at least 10. Pain is common even with minor injuries and can stack up. They're light, no reason not to carry a bunch.
Beta Blockers
Quantity: a sheet or two (10-20 pills). These don't directly heal but if you get into a fight and then try to bandage while panicking, you'll fumble slower. Popping beta blockers keeps you calm to perform quick first aid under pressure. Especially if you don't have the Brave trait.
Tweezers
Quantity: 1. Vital for removing glass shards or bullets. It's small and only 0.1 weight. Don't leave home without it once you have one.
Suture Needle & Thread
Quantity: 1 needle + a few units of thread (each thread has multiple uses). This is for deep wounds. If you have the Suture Needle Holder (Forceps), bring that too, as it makes stitching less painful and also works for bullet removal. However, forceps weigh 0.3 and are a bit rare; if weight is an issue, plain tweezers can remove glass/bullets but cannot stitch โ that needs a needle. The needle & thread can double for clothing repairs if needed, so it's multi-purpose.
Splint materials
Quantity: 2 sturdy sticks + 1 ripped sheet (or already crafted splint). You can craft a splint on the fly, but it's not a bad idea to keep a ready-made splint in your kit. It weighs 1.0 though, so many don't carry one until they need it. Up to you โ at least know how to get sticks (saw logs or forage branches) and have some sheet material in a pinch.
Scissors
Quantity: 1 (optional). Why scissors? They let you cut clothing into bandages on the go faster and yield more bandages per clothing item. Also needed if you want to do stitches removal (though you can just leave stitches in until healed). Scissors or a knife also can be used to cut bandages if you're carrying extra sheets. Not critical, but convenient.
Antibiotics
(Multiplayer or modded mainly). In vanilla, there's "Vitamins" but no antibiotics item for wound infection. If you have mods like First Aid Overhaul or Immersive Medicine, antibiotics become a thing to carry for treating infected wounds. In pure vanilla, you might carry Vitamins as a "just stay awake" or minor boost if you get sick (they help with fatigue and give a tiny boost to immune system against common cold, but do nothing for zombie infection).
Tourniquet
(Modded item). Not in vanilla B41/42, but some mods or roleplay scenarios include tourniquets to stop bleeding. If you have one (maybe from Brita's mod or others), it can be useful for severe bleeds. Otherwise, ripping a shirt and tying it could be imagined, but not an actual mechanic in vanilla.
Water Bottle
Wait, that's not a medical item! True, but cleaning wounds and staying hydrated while healing is important. Always have water on you. You can also use water to clean dirty bandages if needed (though boiling is required to sterilize).
And here's what you don't need to lug around on looting runs, but should keep back at base:
- Extra stash of bandages/rags: Keep a cupboard full of cleaned bandages at home. No need to carry 30 with you; 4-5 is enough if you're careful (you can always tear some clothing for emergency bandages if you somehow used all and are still bleeding).
- Spare Splints: One splint on your person is enough (or just the materials). You won't commonly break multiple limbs on one outing unless something goes really wrong.
- Blood Testing Kit: Only relevant if using certain mods or playing with blood transfusion mechanics (not in vanilla).
- All the First Aid books: You only need those when you're safe and reading. Don't carry skill books on a loot run โ they're heavy. Read at base then leave them.
- Medical Journal / Doc's Journal: (mod item in some overhauls): Some mods add journals to simulate medical knowledge. Only carry if you need to refer to it; otherwise, stash it.
- Vaccine or Lab equipment: (from cure mods): Those are end-game items, no reason to have on a routine trip.
Let's put the critical on-the-go list in a handy format:
First Aid Kit Checklist (Travel Size):
- Sterilized Bandages or Adhesive Bandages (x4) - Alcohol Wipes (x4) or Disinfectant Bottle (x1) - Painkillers (x10) - Beta Blockers (x5) - Tweezers (x1) - Suture Needle + Thread (x1 each) - (Optional) Suture Holder/Forceps (x1) - Ripped Sheets (x6) [for improvised bandages or splint] - Sturdy Sticks (x2) [for splint] - Scissors or Hunting Knife (x1, to cut clothing for bandages) - Water Bottle (x1, to stay hydrated & clean rags)
Keep that kit in your vehicle's glove box or on your person when exploring. One Reddit user mentioned they keep a fully stocked kit in their car and one by their base's door, in case they come home bleeding โ smart! You could do the same: a "go-bag" First Aid Kit ready to grab.
Weight Management Tips: The First Aid Kit container itself weighs 1.0 when empty. Filled with ~4 weight of supplies, the kit's weight becomes something like 3.0 (because of weight reduction bonus). If you instead shove those items in your normal backpack, your backpack gives its own reduction. Generally, a big hiking bag is more weight-efficient than the small kit, but having a separate kit keeps things organized and you can hand it off to a friend in MP ("Hey, use my medkit!").
If you're going super light, you might ditch the kit box and just use a belt fanny pack for first aid items. Fanny packs hold 1.0 weight with a nice reduction and are quick-access. Some players using mods like Undead Survivor or Brita's get expanded fanny packs (6-8 capacity), which they use as dedicated med pouches โ that's actually pretty realistic (think paramedic fanny pack). In vanilla, the fanny pack is only 1.0 capacity, so it's hard to fit everything. Maybe just a couple bandages and pills in it for emergencies, while the rest stay in your main bag.
Infection vs. Infection: Dealing with Wounds and the Zombie Virus
Not all infections are created equal in Project Zomboid. There's the "normal" wound infection (which can happen from any dirty wound) and then there's the Zombie Infection (capital "I", aka the Knox Virus) which is a death sentence in vanilla. Let's break down how to identify and manage each. It's crucial to understand the difference โ some new players panic at any sign of sickness, not realizing there's a good chance it's not the zombie plague.
Wound Infection (Localized Infection)
What is it?
Any time you have an open wound, if it's not kept clean, bacteria can infect the wound. In-game, this is a wound infection. Symptoms: the wound will have a slight greenish tint in the health panel if infected (in B41), or it might say "infected" (not to be confused with the Moodle that says "queasy" etc., which is usually zombie virus). Wound infections cause your health to tick down slowly, and if untreated, you'll eventually get a fever and die from it (blood poisoning).
Causes
Not disinfecting a wound, leaving dirty bandages on too long, using filthy rags, or just bad luck. Also, non-zombie injuries are more prone if not treated (since zombie-caused injuries usually kill you via virus or you die before wound infection matters).
Treatment
Disinfect the wound and keep it bandaged with sterile or clean bandages. If a wound is infected, you might need multiple treatments:
- Remove dirty bandage, use disinfectant (game will say "cleaning wound").
- Re-bandage with a fresh sterile bandage.
You might have to repeat this daily until the infection clears. You'll know it's gone when the wound no longer says infected and your health stops dropping.
In vanilla, that's it. There's no antibiotics item to magically cure it (antibiotics exist in game files but not implemented in gameplay). However, Build 42 has expanded medicinal herbs โ things like wild garlic poultice act as natural antiseptic. So if you're into foraging and have the Herbalist knowledge, you can craft Poultices (plant-based dressings). Garlic poultice fights infection on wounds, and other poultices (like onion IIRC) help with inflammation. They are not as strong as disinfectant but it's something.
Impact
Wound infection can make you Sick (which reduces strength and speed) and give Fever which will kill you if untreated. But it's entirely curable with good first aid โ it just takes time and supplies. Think of it as a serious but manageable illness.
Zombie Infection (Knox Infection)
What is it?
The virus that turns you into a zombie. You contract it from zombie bites (100% chance), zombie lacerations (25%), or zombie scratches (7%). It is 100% fatal in the default game settings. You cannot cure it, you cannot even diagnose it with 100% certainty until symptoms show (aside from trusting the percentages).
Symptoms
After being bitten or otherwise infected, there is an incubation period (varies, typically 1-3 days in-game, can be a bit longer if well-fed and such). Early on, you might not realize it โ your health might recover from the wound itself. But then you'll start getting Queasy (moodle). Many things cause queasy (food illness, etc.), but if you were bitten, you know why it's there. Queasy will escalate to Nauseous, Sick, Fever. By the fever stage, you're losing health rapidly. You'll also notice anxious and agitated moodles (as your body somehow knows it's dying). No matter what you do, you will succumb once it progresses. Typically you die and immediately stand back up as a zombie unless someone is ready to finish you off.
Treatment
None in vanilla. The only "treatment" is prevention โ don't get hit. Or in sandbox, set infection mortality to something else (you can set it to "Never" which means zombie infection behaves like a normal wound infection โ you'll get sick but recover). Some players set it to "2-3 days" (default), or "Instant" (bite kills you outright, more brutal but quick), or "Never" (essentially making the game much easier, as zombie attacks are no longer auto-fatal โ you'll just treat them as wounds).
Roleplay & Strategy
Once you know you're zombified (fever hits or you're certain from a bite), you have decisions: maybe use your remaining time to do a heroic last stand, or get your affairs in order (drop loot for allies, etc.). In MP, many groups will mercy-kill an infected teammate before they turn (some won't even wait for proof if it was a known bite).
This can be intense: There are stories of players misidentifying a bite vs dog bite in modded games โ e.g. someone got nipped by a dog (which does NOT zombify) but the team panicked and shot him thinking he was doomed. That's where high First Aid skill might help: as suggested on Reddit, a skilled First Aider could tell the difference between a zombie bite wound and an animal bite wound. In future updates, that scenario may play out where your team doctor says "Wait, that's not a human bite โ don't shoot him!"
Mods for Zombie Infection
There are a few notable ones:
- Antibodies mod: gives you a chance to fight off the zombie infection based on health and time. Some players like this, as it's more 28 Days Later style (some rare immune folks).
- Zombie Virus Vaccine mod: lets you eventually craft a cure if you gather rare items and basically do end-game science. This mod is balanced by how hard it is to actually make the cure (so it's not trivial).
- The Only Cure mod: allows a grim remedy โ amputate the bitten limb to prevent full infection. Yes, you can cut off your arm or leg in that mod (with a saw, causing massive damage and pain, but potentially saving your life if done quickly after a bite). Vanilla doesn't have that, though build 42 might eventually include limb trauma or something along those lines in the far future.
Tip: If you suspect you're infected (zombie virus) and you haven't turned off infection, you might choose to take risks you wouldn't otherwise. E.g. go on a suicidal loot run into town because hey, you're dead anyway, might as well try to get something useful for your friends or your next character. Conversely, if playing with infection off, you can treat every injury as just a bump in the road and pour all your effort into healing because recovery is actually possible.
Sanitization & Hygiene
While on the infection topic, note that keeping yourself and your equipment clean can indirectly help. In B41/B42, blood on your character doesn't cause infection per se, but it can cause nausea if you're super bloody for a long time (and thus confuse you if you get queasy). Try to wash off blood when you can, to avoid that false-positive scare. Also, a bloody or dirty bandage is a breeding ground for wound infection โ change them often.
You can boil bandages (ripped sheets) in a cooking pot to sterilize them โ do this whenever you have a safe moment and have gathered a bunch of dirty rags from previous adventures. A well-prepared base will have a pot of sterile bandages ready to go.
TL;DR on Infections:
Wound infection: Pain in the ass, can kill if ignored, but treatable with good first aid and supplies. First Aid skill helps here by making bandages last longer and presumably cleaning more effectively.
Zombie infection: You're toast in vanilla. No first aid can save you โ but first aid can ease your final days (bandaging the bite so you don't also bleed to death, taking beta blockers so you're not panicking, etc.) and protect others from you when you turn (if you bandage your wounds, maybe you won't bleed on others? Just roleplay perhaps, there's no actual transmission by blood contact implemented, only bites/scratches).
One more thing: Don't confuse "Infection" (wound) with "Cold/Flu". If your character gets a cold (from being out in rain, cold weather), you get sneezes and coughs and a fever but it's not lethal โ treat with rest, vitamins, staying warm. It's easy to think "oh no infection!" when you actually have a common cold. Cold won't kill you, but it can attract zombies due to noise. The flu (if unlucky to get it) is a bit worse but also not necessarily fatal. These illnesses are separate from wounds and don't involve First Aid skill at all (beyond maybe recognizing symptoms).
Long-Term Care: Fractures, Burns, and Recovery Strategy
Early game, you're scrounging for a bandage to stop the bleeding. Late game, you might have stockpiled medical supplies, even built a little infirmary in your base. The focus shifts from immediate survival to efficient recovery โ minimizing downtime from injuries so you can get back to looting/building.
Surviving Fractures Without a Hospital
A broken leg can be a death sentence if a horde finds you hobbling. But if you manage to get to safety, here's how to recuperate faster:
Always Splint ASAP
As mentioned, apply a splint right away. Even a crude splint will improve mobility slightly (you might go from practically zero speed to maybe 10-20% walking speed โ still slow, but better). It also starts the healing process. Without a splint, a fracture might not even heal at all in game (or it takes vastly longer). A splint can be removed and replaced; if you have higher First Aid, you might replace it periodically to "refresh" the duration it can stay before falling off (though usually you just leave it until healed).
Stay Fed & Rested
This is huge. Your body heals faster when well-fed. In PZ, being well-fed gives a passive regen boost. Also, sleeping in a good bed gives better healing. If you broke something, take it easy. Don't go sprinting or getting into fights with that arm/leg. If you must move around, consider using a car to get places (sitting in car doesn't strain your leg).
Pain Management for Fractures
You will have persistent pain. Take painkillers regularly to keep pain below "Agony" level, otherwise you can't do much. In multiplayer, having someone perform actions for you (like one friend builds while you direct, etc.) can help if your character is out of commission.
Time Expectations
With no extra boosts, a broken leg is about 4 weeks to heal on normal healing speed. If you have Fast Healer, maybe 2-3 weeks. If Slow Healer, oh boy, it could be 6-8 weeks. That's a long time. High First Aid skill (say Level 5+) might shave a few days off, but it's not dramatic. Some players speed up time (sleep a lot, or if in singleplayer, use fast-forward while safe) to get through it.
Wheelchairs? Crutches?
None in vanilla. But a fun tip: you can sit on chairs to rest. Place chairs around so you can shuffle from one to another to rest often. Crawling isn't an option, but you can press "L" to limpโฆ (just kidding, there's no manual limp key โ you're automatically limping).
Occupying Yourself
Use the downtime to read all those skill books and magazines you've collected. You're stuck at base, might as well make use of it. In MP, your team could ferry you books or have you craft things that don't require movement (like cooking or ammo reloading bench, etc.). Mental health is a factor too โ if you get bored or depressed while bedridden, it can slow healing indirectly (lack of sleep from depression etc.). So keep that TV or radio on, or have entertainment in reach.
Burns โ The Lingering Injury
Burns are tricky because even after the initial treatment, they tend to stay painful for a long time and can get infected. Some tips:
- Remove burned clothing: If you got burned through wearing clothes, those clothes are probably charred. Ditch them (they provide no protection now and just add weight). Also, you might not notice small burns under clothing unless you check health panel carefully.
- Aloe Vera (if using Hydrocraft or similar mods): Some mods or future updates might add herbal remedies for burns. In vanilla, nothing specific besides general first aid.
- Watch for infection: Burns often do get infected because the skin is all damaged and it's easy for bacteria to get in. Keep it super clean. Change bandages multiple times a day if needed.
- Stay cool/warm appropriately: If you have a fever from infection, manage your temperature (stay cool, but not cold). If it's just burn pain, staying comfortable temperature-wise is fine.
Burns can take as long as fractures to heal depending on severity. The game doesn't differentiate 1st, 2nd, 3rd degree explicitly, but it does have a "deep wound" if extreme. If you survived being on fire, count your blessings and treat it as a long-term injury.
Early-Game First Aid Priorities vs. Late-Game
Early Game (Day 1-7)
Your priorities:
- Find at least some bandages or make ripped sheets. Even just a t-shirt to rip up is critical.
- Find Disinfectant or hard liquor or some kind of antiseptic. If you spawn in apocalypse mode, sometimes the bathroom of your house has a bottle of disinfectant or alcohol wipes โ score! If not, plan a run to a bathroom, clinic, or pharmacy ASAP.
- Painkillers โ nice to have, but not as urgent as bandages.
- Ideally, a needle/thread or suture for deep wounds, but early game you might not get one until you loot a clinic.
- Learn to use what's available: If you have no disinfectant, boil water and use clean rags โ better than nothing. If you have no painkillers, try to avoid activities that cause pain (don't climb through more broken windows after you already cut yourself once).
- Avoid fights where you risk injury: Early on, you may not have any medical supplies, so prevention is key. Run from a big horde instead of risk getting scratched. One shallow cut can spiral into death if you can't find something to stop the bleeding or if it gets infected.
Patch history side-note: after build 41's release, a patch made it so that in the CDDA challenge scenario โ where you start injured โ first aid became even more critical to just start moving. That taught many players to treat injuries immediately. The lesson applies universally now: fix yourself up before trying to travel far.
Late Game (1+ months in)
By now, you hopefully:
- Have a stockpile of supplies (a shelf full of bandages, maybe a few bottles of disinfectant, lots of painkillers).
- Possibly have Herbalist and are growing medical plants (to make poultices for when the antiseptic runs out). For example, a Comfrey poultice helps with fractures, Garlic poultice for infections, Plantain for bites/stings (yes there are also animal/insect bites to consider in late game if enabled).
- Maybe have found a Trauma Bag (if using certain mods or added in B42?) โ basically a bigger medical bag. Not in vanilla B41, but who knows, B42 might surprise us with an EMT duffel or such. If you have one, you can consolidate your advanced gear there.
- Might have higher First Aid skill by now, either through deliberate practice or just inevitable minor injuries over time. A level 4-5 First Aid in late game is not uncommon just from normal play if you have been careless a few times and fixed yourself up.
You might also have NPCs (in the future) or just other players to care for. Late game, you could set up a clinic: a safe, sterile area in your base with a bunch of medical supplies. Maybe even a rain collector or sink for water, a stove to boil bandages, a cupboard labeled "Hospital" with all meds. This is more for RP currently, but it's also practical when you're settled.
Vehicles and First Aid
By late game, you likely use cars to get around. Always keep some medical supplies in your car! Glove boxes are great for a few bandages and wipes. Car crashes are a thing โ if you wreck, you could get glass in you or go through windshield. If you survive the impact, having bandages in reach is huge. I personally keep a full first aid kit in the trunk or glove box of every active vehicle I use. It has saved my life after a nasty crash where I was far from home but could at least patch up and limp away.
Maintaining Health
Late game you should also focus on overall health:
- Eat well to keep Healing boost.
- Get enough sleep (if sleep is enabled).
- Avoid or manage negative moodles like stress or depression which can slow you down in responding to threats.
- Keep your weight in a good range; being very underweight or overweight gives you health penalties. Underweight trait reduces your hit points, for example, meaning the same injury is effectively more dangerous. If you started Underweight, hopefully by late game you've eaten enough to get to normal weight.
Real Player Anecdote
"I remember a few months into one run, I had a solid base and tons of supplies. Feeling invincible, I took a fall while building a rooftop farm โ snapped my leg. I thought I was prepared: had a splint, painkillers, everything. What I didn't expect was how bored my character would get sitting around for weeks! I ended up nearly drinking myself to death out of depression (whiskey as a bandaid for sadness). Lesson learned: stockpile books and hobby items in your medical bay. First Aid isn't just about bandages; sometimes it's treating the mind while the body heals." ๐
The takeaway is, the longer you survive, the more you need to think about sustainable first aid. In early game you're in triage mode, just slap a bandage and go. In late game, a minor wound you ignore could turn into that one mistake that ends a 6-month character (because you got infected or you had to limp away from a surprise sprinter). So always respect injuries at any stage.
Multiplayer Medic: Healing Your Friends (or Frenemies)
In multiplayer, First Aid takes on a whole new dimension. No longer are you limited to patching yourself up; you can (and should) help your teammates. This is where the First Aid skill actually shines, because as we discussed, you get XP for treating others without having to injure yourself! Let's talk about best practices in MP medical care:
How to Treat Another Player
Medical Check
Get close to the injured player, right-click them and choose "Medical Check". Your character will spend a moment examining them (they should stay still for this). This lets you see their health panel (you'll see their injuries and status, based on your First Aid skill you get more info). This is crucial because sometimes your buddy might not notice a wound or might not realize how bad it is ("Oh, I didn't know I was bleeding from my groin, oops"). A high skill first-aider can spot if a wound is infected or how close to healed it is.
Treating Them
After the check, you can then right-click their body parts in the health panel (just like you do on yourself) and apply bandages, disinfect, etc., using your supplies. The patient can also do things simultaneously if needed (like they take painkillers while you bandage their arm). Coordination helps โ ideally have them stand still and not queue other actions while you work.
Speed & Efficiency
If you have multiple people wounded after a fight, prioritize:
- Bleeders: Anyone actively bleeding (especially heavy bleeding) gets treated first.
- Critical injuries: Deep wounds, multiple lacerations โ handle these next.
- Minor stuff last: Scratches that already stopped bleeding, etc.
If more than one medic is present, even better โ divvy up the patients. There's no limit to how many people can work on one person, but practically one medic per patient is enough since injuries are sequentially treated.
Bandage Type
Use sterile bandages on others if you have them โ save your friend a potential infection. Honestly, using your best supplies on others is a great way to keep the team alive. If someone is a "medic" role in your group, maybe they carry the bulk of the first aid supplies. I often play with one player carrying a medical duffel with extra of everything, so after a big skirmish we all cluster up and get patched by them.
Share the Load
In MP, you can transfer medical items freely. If I'm out of bandages but my friend has some, they can drop or hand me some mid-treatment. Or I can yell "I need disinfectant!" and someone can throw a bottle in my direction (drop on ground). Good communication is key.
XP Gains
Healing others grants you First Aid XP proportional to the amount healed and the complexity of treatment. Bandaging a scratch gives a little, stitching a deep wound gives more, etc. This makes it actually feasible to level First Aid to 10 in MP if you're the dedicated medic always patching people up. Some groups even have a rule that only the medic does the healing to funnel XP to them โ up to you if you want to min-max that way or just have everyone heal themselves.
Specialized Roles & Loadouts
If you're playing with roles, a Doctor/Medic character should consider:
- Taking the Doctor profession or at least First Aider trait to start with higher skill.
- Carrying more medical gear than others, possibly even some niche items like extra sutures, multiple tweezers (in case one gets lost? or to lend out).
- Staying out of front-line combat a bit. It doesn't help if the doctor is the first to go down. But Zomboid's emergent gameplay means anyone can get caught out. Still, maybe the medic hangs back when someone is doing a risky melee.
- Communicating: they should call out, "If you get hit, fall back to me!" This works well โ after a fight, everyone meets at the medic who sets up a mini triage area.
- Other players can carry minimal kits (for self-help if they get separated), but they might rely on the medic for serious help.
One cool benefit: If someone has lower First Aid and they bandage you, it might be slower and their bandages won't last as long. So it is beneficial to let the higher skill person do it. A Level 8 medic's bandage might stay on longer before needing change, meaning less chance of infection and less fuss.
PvP and Hostile Encounters
If you play with PvP or encounter hostile NPCs (in the future), first aid might be needed for gunshot wounds or stab wounds. Those often come with bullets lodged or deep wounds:
- Have someone cover the area while the medic works โ you don't want your medic getting sniped while standing over a patient.
- Smoke screens, retreating behind cover to do medical are tactics some MP servers use (especially in gun-heavy servers).
- If an enemy is downed but not dead, you could choose to heal them and capture them (if you're roleplaying). Or if you're a bandit, maybe you do the opposite: bandage them just enough so they don't die and you can interrogate them. The medical system allows for some dark creativity, heh.
"Don't Shoot, It Was a Dog Bite!"
This scenario is specifically why group communication and perhaps a medic's insight is important. With B42's introduction of animals, it's possible a player could get bitten by, say, a wolf or a dog. Visually on the health panel it might just say "bite". Less experienced players might panic: "He's bitten! He's gonna turn!"
A knowledgeable medic (or just out-of-game knowledge) would know only zombie bites transmit the Knox infection. But in the heat of the moment, who knows? B42 might add a detail like "Bite (Human)" vs "Bite (Animal)" if your First Aid skill is high enough. That would be a lifesaver โ preventing friendly fire on a non-zombie bite victim.
If someone does get a zombie bite though, it's generally understood that they're done for. In MP, it's a drama moment: do you Mercy Kill your friend or let them ride it out? Some do group votes or have a pact. Others let the person choose how to go (some go out in a blaze of glory). As a medic, you might feel useless in that case, but you can still make their end comfortable: bandage them so they won't bleed out (so they die "peacefully" from the fever instead of blood loss), give them painkillers so they aren't in pain, maybe even sleeping pills so they are sedated. It's grim, but that's a roleplay aspect you might embrace.
Multiplayer Medical Emergencies: a short story
(True story from a MP session): We were a 4-man crew looting a pharmacy in West Point. Of course, alarm goes off. In the scramble, our driver crashed the getaway van into a streetlight. Two of us flew out the back โ broken legs for both. Zombies incoming. Our "security" guy starts blasting to cover us. I, as the medic, drag one injured into the store while bullets are flying, quickly splint his leg and bandage a laceration on his head. The other crawler is being guarded by the shooter, but he's screaming for help. I finish #1, run (well, jog) out to #2, who by then has a zombie munching on his foot. We kill the zed, but #2's foot is bitten badly. At this point, he's a goner (bite = 100%). But we don't tell him; we just silently agree to get him home. I patch him, we load everyone in the now slightly smashed van, and drive off. On the way, I hand #2 a bottle of bourbon and some painkillers. He kinda knows what's up. He went out sitting by our base campfire that night, enjoying one last drink, then opted to shoot himself rather than turn. Rough night, but the fact that three of us made it was thanks to having a medic and a plan.*
In summary, multiplayer first aid is about teamwork and specialization. It's one of those skills that can turn a disastrous raid into a survivable one if handled right. And it creates a lot of memorable emergent stories, like the one above. Always communicate, prioritize, and carry extra supplies for your friends.
Modded Medicine: Overhauls and Realism Mods (B41/B42)
Modders felt that Project Zomboid's medical system was a bit too simplistic (or "useless" in some cases), so they created various mods to deepen the gameplay. Here we'll overview a few popular ones and how they alter the first aid experience. Whether you want a more challenging survival or just new toys to play doctor with, there's likely a mod for you.
First Aid Expanded (by Braven) โ Modular Add-on
This is another mod by the same author, meant to complement or stand alone, focusing on wound infections and healing speed. Key features:
- 3 Grades of Wound Infection: Low, mid, severe. Low-grade infection can be handled with just alcohol (liquor), mid needs disinfectant, severe basically needs antibiotics. This is more nuanced than vanilla's binary clean/dirty.
- Antibiotics Matter: It explicitly adds use for the "Antibiotics" item (present but unused in vanilla). Antibiotics will fight off any grade of infection and even reduce the sickness it caused.
- Bullet wounds can fracture bones: So getting shot in the leg might break it too, adding complexity.
- Longer Healing: All wounds heal slower by default (to be more realistic). So you won't be fully healed from a laceration in a day or two; it might take several, making First Aid skill and proper care more important.
It's lighter weight than the full Overhaul. It doesn't add new items like adrenaline but tweaks existing mechanics. It can run with or without Overhaul. In fact, the author notes if you use both, disable one of the wound infection systems to not double up.
If you don't want everything Overhaul offers, Expanded is like a middle ground: more realism but not too many new systems.
Other Notable Medical Mods:
Pie's First Aid Overhaul
Another take on overhauling, with some unique ideas:
- Adds treatment failures (botching) similar to Braven's mod.
- Makes wound infections cause sickness up to full flu if untreated.
- Introduces Cauterization as well.
- Level 10 First Aid reveals debug info (exact heal times, etc.).
- You can intentionally inflict injuries via first aid menu.
- New Paramedic profession with speed boost to all first aid actions.
This mod has fewer subscribers (a bit niche), but it's like a hardcore version for those who want even more challenge.
Immersive Medicine
A big one that adds a blood transfusion system, blood types, a ton of new medicines and even medical equipment. It's like turning PZ into a proper medical sim. You can track blood loss, perform transfusions if types match, etc. Complex, but if you love detail, it's out there. Compatibility with other mods can be finicky (the author Braven mentions load order if combining with Immersive Medicine to avoid UI issues).
Not Enough Items โ Medical
There are small mods that add more medical loot variety, like different types of pills, more realistic names for drugs (renaming "Painkillers" to actual drugs like Morphine or Ibuprofen, for flavor).
Amputation mod (The Only Cure)
As mentioned, lets you amputate limbs to stop zombification. A drastic measure โ you need a saw or axe, a lot of bandages, and ideally some alcohol (for both disinfecting and for the patient's courage...). It's a bit clunky but functional.
"Disinfect or Die" mod
This was an older mod that simply made wound infection a lot more deadly (if you don't disinfect, you die). The newer overhauls have kind of rolled that idea in with more nuance.
First Aid Training mod
Some mods or server settings might allow you to gain First Aid XP passively or through books that give XP. Check your server's mod list โ if they have something like that, leveling might be easier.
First Aid Kit Remodel (Cosmetic)
Not gameplay-changing, but if you care about looks, there's that mod by Lily that gives the kit a unique 3D model (instead of reusing the lunchbox model). Completely aesthetic, but nice for immersion.
When using multiple mods, remember to check compatibility. For example, using Braven's Overhaul and Pie's Overhaul together is not recommended โ they overlap a lot and could conflict. Community posts indicate you should pick one or the other, or use one plus components of another if carefully configured.
Also, in multiplayer, all players need to have the same mods. If your server has First Aid Overhaul, everyone should have it active or weird things happen (like one player not having the new items in their game, etc.).
Is Modded First Aid "Better"?
It depends on your taste. Many players find vanilla First Aid adequate given PZ's focus on avoidance over recovery. But if you're a medic at heart or want a more simulationist approach, these mods will make healing a more involved process (for better or worse).
It can increase the difficulty โ suddenly that scratch you ignored could require a full course of antibiotics and days of rest in mods. It definitely makes the Doctor role meaningful, as a high skill greatly reduces risk and speeds healing in Overhaul mods.
For B42, as the devs add things like animals and possibly later NPC injuries, they might incorporate some ideas from mods (they often pay attention to popular mods for inspiration). For example, maybe making wound infection a bit more dangerous or adding more use for the medical herbs they're including.
One modder on the forums even suggested renaming the skill "Medicine" and broadening it, which might happen if NPC medical care or advanced systems come in later builds.
In any case, mods allow you to tailor the game to your liking. Just be sure to read mod descriptions carefully so you're not caught off guard by new mechanics. The last thing you want is to bleed out because you didn't realize the mod removed the auto-bandage-from-inventory feature or something (most don't remove features, they add, but you get the idea).
Real Survival Stories: Community Anecdotes & Lessons Learned
Let's lighten the guide with a few true tales from survivors (and the lessons they teach). These anecdotes come from community posts and personal experiences โ maybe you'll find them relatable or at least cautionary!
The Sock Stuffer
"I once ran out of bandages during a helicopter event chase. Ended up getting scratched by a tree branch. Bleeding, panicking, no bandages leftโฆ so I took off my socks and used them to bandage my forearms. Gross? Yes. But they were relatively clean and it kept me alive until I lost the horde and made it home. Now I always carry a spare pair of clean socks in my kit as backup bandages!"
Moral: Improvise when necessary, and don't overlook clothing as emergency bandages. Also, stock more bandages next time.
The Overzealous Medic (MP)
In a multiplayer session, our group's doctor was so eager to treat us that he'd sometimes start bandaging mid-fight. On one occasion, I wasn't even hurt, but he mis-read the UI and thought I was bleeding. He ran up and started bandaging my perfectly fine arm while zombies were still around! ๐ We joke about how the biggest risk to us was our own medic wrapping us head to toe for no reason.
Moral: In MP, communicate and make sure treatment is actually needed (and the area is safe) before playing doctor. Also, maybe assign one person to cover the medic so they don't get tunnel-vision.
The Station Wagon of Life
"I keep a beat-up station wagon parked in my base yard loaded with medical supplies. It's like an ambulance. One day, a friend got bitten a few neighborhoods over. We knew he was doomed, but we wanted to give him a last hurrah. We raced the station wagon to him, picking up another survivor with a broken leg on the way. In the back of the car, I'm bandaging one guy's leg and giving the other some booze for the pain of the bite. We actually made it back to base in one piece. Dubbed that car the ER on wheels."
Moral: A vehicle can be a mobile medbay. Load a car trunk with spare medical items for group outings or rescue missions. And even if someone's a goner (bitten), good first aid can at least extend their time or ease their suffering.
Invisible Glass Shards
"I once spent a week of in-game time with my character getting progressively sicker. I was confused โ no zombie attack, well-fed, no evident wounds. Finally realized I had a tiny glass shard in my thigh from jumping through a window, and I never noticed it in the health panel. The wound was bandaged but the shard was still in there, causing infection. I removed it with tweezers and immediately started recovering. Felt like a real doctor House moment diagnosing myself."
Moral: Always double-check for "foreign body" in wounds if your health is declining mysteriously. That little "Remove Glass" or bullet option can hide under the bandage icon. First Aid is not just bandaging โ you might need to perform minor surgery!
The Unintentional Level 10
"I took First Aid purely as a roleplay skill. By month 8 of survival, after countless close calls, I realized I had naturally reached First Aid level 10. It was the only skill I maxed without reading any skill books. Turns out being clumsy and often injured (but surviving) made me a medical expert. Now my character in lore is basically an improvised field surgeon. I even set up a clinic and started intentionally taking in wounded survivors (MP) to heal them up, because hey, I'm the best at it now."
Moral: Even if First Aid seems underpowered, consistent use can pay off. A high skill medic in late game MP is a huge asset. And sometimes your playstyle (even if it's getting hurt a lot) can turn into a strength if you learn from those experiences (and gain XP).
These stories show the human side of Project Zomboid's first aid โ panic, humor, bravery, and sometimes tragic relief. First aid is often the thin line between a minor scare and a death screen, and it leads to memorable moments.
One Last Check-Up (Conclusion)
In the zombie apocalypse, a well-stocked First Aid Kit and the knowledge to use it effectively can mean the difference between "only a scratch" and "tragic death by infection." We've covered how to bandage every type of wound, manage both the common cold and the zombie virus, and use everything from socks to sutures to keep ourselves alive. We also explored the added depth (and chaos) that mods and multiplayer bring to the table.
In one sentence: Treat every injury with respect, keep your First Aid Kit prepped, and you'll greatly extend your lifespan in Project Zomboid. Even if you never reach First Aid level 10, the careful use of disinfectant and bandages will save your life many times over.
Further resources for the curious survivor:
- PZWiki โ First Aid Skill (for detailed mechanics and numbers).
- Community Guides and Reddit โ players often share new tips or post their medic run experiences.
- Project Zomboid Discord โ there's a wealth of knowledge in #gameplay-help, including first aid tips for specific builds or mods.
Good luck out there, and remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cureโฆ but a few pounds of medical supplies might be worth even more in Knox Country. Stay safe and stay bandaged!