Project Zomboid's main character creation mechanic comes in the form of traits, which are gameplay altering passive effects that can unlock new recipes, or significantly hinder various aspects of a character. These traits can vary from driving vehicles much faster, to seeing better at night and more. Players will have to decide between a set amount of negative and positive traits to balance out their builds, creating the ultimate flawed survivor.

Table of Contents
Positive Traits
Negative Traits
Exclusive Traits

What are Traits?

Traits are gameplay-altering passive skills that can drastically affect a character's power, their starting skills, and even grant unique effects. Traits are divided into positive and negative and come with a point cost. By default, most occupations start with negative trait points, requiring players to select harmful passives for their characters. Players can also acquire unique traits from specific occupations, which often unlock new recipes or mechanics.

Note: Players can also be awarded an amount of free points. Learn how to add free trait points on a server here.

Positive Traits

Name	Points	Description	Effects
Adrenaline Junkie	-4	Moves faster when highly panicked.	Adds a flat bonus of 0.20 or 0.25 for the character's base speed at Strong or Extreme Panic, which increases walking, running, and sprinting speed.
Angler	-4	Knows the basics of fishing.	+1 Fishing Knows how to make and fix a fishing rod. Improves foraging.
Artisan	-2	Better at pottery and glass crafts.	+1 Glassmaking +1 Pottery
Athletic	-10	Can run faster and longer without tiring.	+4 Fitness +20% running/sprinting speed. -20% running/sprinting endurance loss from the trait itself.
Baseball Player	-4	Has practice with a baseball bat and knows how to hit with precision.	+1 Long Blunt
Blacksmith Knowledge	-6	Can use an anvil to create metal items.	+1 Maintenance +2 Blacksmithing
Brave	-4	Less prone to becoming panicked.	30% panic except for night terrors and phobias.
Brawler	-6	Used to getting into trouble.	+1 Axe +1 Long Blunt
Cat's Eyes	-3	Better vision at night.	+20% better vision at night. Improves foraging.
Crafty	-3	Increased XP gains for Crafting skills.	130% XP for all crafting skills.
Dextrous	-2	Transfers inventory items quickly.	50% inventory transferring time.
Eagle Eyed	-4	Has a faster visibility fade and a higher visibility arc.	Character has a wider field of view. Improves foraging.
Fast Healer	-6	Recovers faster from injury and illness.	Does not apply to exercise fatigue. Recently inflicted injuries have less severity. Including Scratches, Lacerations, Lodged Bullets, Deep wounds (with/without glass), Bites and Fractures. (Check Health for more details.)
Fast Learner	-6	Increases XP gains.	130% XP for all skills except Strength and Fitness.
Fast Reader	-2	Takes less time to read books.	130% reading speed.
First Aider	-2	Has a CPR and First Aid course certificate.	+1 First Aid
Fit	-6	In good physical shape.	+2 Fitness
Former Scout	-6	Knows how to pick wild berries and how to treat small injuries.	+1 First Aid +1 Fishing +1 Foraging Knows how to make and fix a fishing rod. Improves foraging. Start a fire on campfires with notched plank faster.
Gardener	-2	Has basic agriculture knowledge.	Increases the player's agriculture skill by 1. Improves foraging.
Graceful	-4	Makes less noise when moving.	60% footsteps sound radius.
Gymnast	-5	Agile and discreet.	+1 Lightfooted +1 Nimble
Handy	-8	Faster and stronger constructions.	+1 Carpentry +1 Carving +1 Maintenance +1 Masonry +100HP to all constructions. Increases building speed (≈11%).
Herbalist	-4	Can find medicinal plants and craft medicines and poultices from them.	+1 Foraging. Able to find herbal medicines, make poultices from them, and identify poisonous wild food. Improves foraging.
Hiker	-5	Used to surviving in the jungle.	+1 Foraging +1 Trapping Improves foraging.
Hunter	-8	Know the basics of hunting.	+1 Aiming +1 Short Blade +1 Sneaking +1 Tracking +1 Butchering Improves foraging.
Inconspicuous	-4	Less likely to be spotted by zombies.	50% chance of zombies spotting you.
Inventive	-2	Has lower skill level requirements to research recipes from items or auto learn recipes.	-
Iron Gut	-2	Less chance to have food illness.	50% chance of food illness. Food illness lasts shorter. Check Health for more details.
Keen Cook	-3	Knows cooking recipes.	+2 Cooking +1 Butchering Improves foraging.
Keen Hearing	-6	Larger perception radius.	200% perception radius. Zombies that approach from behind will be visible much earlier.
Light Eater	-2	Needs to eat less regularly.	75% hunger.
Low Thirst	-2	Needs to drink water less regularly.	50% thirst.
Mason	-2	Better at building stone and brick constructions.	+2 Masonry
Nutritionist	-2	Can see the nutritional values of any food.	Allows the player to see the nutritional values of any food, even those that aren't packaged. Improves foraging.
Organized	-4	Increased container inventory capacity.	130% capacity for all containers, including boxes, cupboards and cars
Outdoorsy	-2	Not affected by harsh weather conditions.	10% chance of catching a cold. 1% or 1.25% chance of getting scratched/lacerated while walking or running through trees; Improves foraging.
Resilient	-4	Less prone to disease. Slower rate of zombification.	75% zombification progression rate, 45% chance of catching a cold, 80% cold strength and 50% cold progression speed.
Runner	-4	Runner in the spare times.	+1 Sprinting
Sewer	-4	+1 Tailoring	+1 Tailoring
Speed Demon	-1	The fast driver.	200% Gear switching speed. 115% top speed for all vehicles.
Stout	-6	Extra knockback from melee weapons and increased carry weight.	+2 Strength
Strong	-10	Extra knockback from melee weapons and increased carry weight.	+4 Strength +40% knockback power (damage does not increase).
Target Shooter	-5	+1 Aiming	+1 Aiming
Thick Skinned	-8	Less chance of scratches or bites breaking the skin.	Multiplies the chance of not being injured by a zombie attack by 1.3 (base 15% chance, modified by character's weapon skill). Additionally, alters the chance of clothes being damaged by walking through trees to 1 in 13.
Tinkerer	-4	+1 Maintenance	+1 Maintenance
Vehicle Knowledge	-3	Has a detailed knowledge of common and heavy vehicle models and their repairs.	+1 Mechanics Can repair standard and heavy-duty vehicles.
Wakeful	-3	Needs less sleep.	-30% Fatigue increase rate +10% Sleep efficiency
Whittler	-2	Can carve wood and bone items.	+2 Carving. Can craft Bone Fishing Hook, Bone Sewing Needle, and sharpen animal bones. Improves foraging.
Bushcrafter	-8	Can find medicinal herbs and craft medicines and poultices from them, and make simple stone and bone tools. Start fires faster.	+1 Carving +1 Foraging +1 Knapping +1 Maintenance Improves foraging. Start a fire on campfires with notched plank faster.

Negative Traits

Name	Points	Description	Effects
Agoraphobic	+4	Gets panicked when outdoors.	Panic increases when outdoors. Foraging search radius decreased.
All Thumbs	+2	Transfers inventory items slowly.	400% inventory transferring time.
Short of Breath	+5	Faster endurance loss.	140% running/sprinting endurance loss. 130% increase in swing endurance lost.
Claustrophobic	+4	Gets panicked when indoors.	Panic increases when indoors.
Clumsy	+2	Makes more noise when moving.	120% footsteps sound radius (results in 144% footsteps sound area).
Conspicuous	+4	More likely to be spotted by zombies.	200% chance of getting spotted by zombies.
Cowardly	+2	Especially prone to becoming panicked.	200% panic except for night terrors and phobias.
Deaf	+12	Smaller perception radius and hearing range.	Can't hear sound. Radio chatter will not appear above the radio. However, they can see/read a TV due to closed captions.
Disorganized	+6	Decreased container inventory capacity.	70% capacity for all containers, including boxes and cupboards.
Emaciated	-	Low strength, low endurance and prone to injury.	Is only present at weight 50 and less and will begin taking damage at weight 35. 40% melee damage. 75% chance to fail to climb a tall fence. 30% endurance regeneration. 20 more fall damage.
Fast Metabolism	+2	Permanent tendency to lose weight. Starts with Low Weight trait.	-
Fear of Blood	+5	Panic when performing first aid on self, cannot perform first aid on others, gets stressed when bloody.	-
Weak	+6	Less knockback from melee weapons. Decreased carrying weight.	-2 Strength
Hard of Hearing	+4	Smaller perception radius. Smaller hearing range.	Besides the decreased perception radius, the range of sound will be decreased, and the sound effects will be muffled.
Hearty Appetite	+4	Needs to eat more regularly.	150% hunger. Gives a +3% bonus to packaged foods, mushrooms, berries, and animals for foraging.
High Thirst	+2	Needs more water to survive.	100% more thirst.
Illiterate	+10	Cannot read books.	Unable to get a mood boost by reading leisure books, learning new recipes by reading recipe magazines, or getting an XP multiplier by reading skill books.
Very High Weight	-	Reduced running speed, very low endurance and prone to injury.	Is only present at weights 100 and above. Max fitness of 7 (while have this trait, losing it removes limitation). The trait itself reduce run speed and endurance. 120% chance to trip while run/sprint vaulting a low fence. 90% chance to trip from lunging zombies. 75% chance to climb a tall fence. 40% endurance regeneration. 20 more fall damage.
Out of Shape	+6	Low endurance, low endurance regeneration.	-2 Fitness
High Weight	-	Reduced running speed, low endurance and prone to injury.	Max fitness of 9 (while having this trait, losing it removes limitation). The starting weight is 90 and is only present between weights 85 and 100. 1% slower running speed, 200% endurance loss. 110% chance to trip while run/sprint vaulting a low fence. 95% chance to trip by lunging zombies. 85% chance to climb a tall fence. 70% endurance regeneration.
Reluctant Fighter	+5	Less effective with weapons.	75% of skill XP for short blade, long blade, small blunt, long blunt, axe, spear, maintenance and aiming.
Prone to Illness	+4	More prone to disease. Faster rate of zombification.	125% progression rate of zombification. 170% chance of catching a cold, 120% cold strength, and 150% cold progression speed.
Puny	+10	Less knockback from melee weapons. Decreased carrying weight.	-5 Strength -40% knockback power (damage does not decrease).
Restless Sleeper	+6	Slow loss of tiredness while sleeping.	Sleep for fewer hours each time, and slower loss of tiredness when sleeping.
Short Sighted	+2	Small view distance. Slower visibility fade.	View distance blurred past 4 tiles. This can be negated with glasses and prescription glasses. -2 foraging radius in search mode. This can be negated with glasses and reading glasses.
Sleepyhead	+4	Needs more sleep.	+30% Fatigue increase rate. -10% Sleep efficiency.
Slow Healer	+3	Recovers slowly from injuries and illness.	Does not apply to exercise fatigue. Recently inflicted injuries have more severity. Including Scratches, Lacerations, Lodged Bullets, Deep wounds (with/without glass), Bites, and Fractures. (Check Health for more details.)
Slow Learner	+6	Decreased XP gains.	70% XP in all skills except Strength and Fitness.
Slow Metabolism	+2	Permanent tendency to gain weight. Starts with High Weight trait.	-
Slow Reader	+2	Takes longer to read books.	70% reading speed.
Smoker	+3	Stress and unhappiness decrease after smoking tobacco. Unhappiness rises when tobacco is not smoked.	Stressed will constantly slowly rise. Smoking cigarettes will lower the stress level.
Sunday Driver	+1	The very slow driver.	Accelerates vehicles 40% slower. Has a max speed of 30 km/h.
Thin-skinned	+8	Increased chance of scratches, lacerations, or bites breaking the skin.	Multiplies the chance of not being injured by a zombie attack by 0.7 (base 15% chance, modified by character's weapon skill). Additionally, alters the chance of clothes being damaged by walking through trees to 1 in 3.
Low Weight	-	Low strength, low endurance and prone to injury.	Starting weight is 70 and is only present between weights 65 and 75. 80%x melee damage. +10% chance to trip by while run/sprint vaulting a low fence or from lunging zombies. 85%x chance to fail a tall fence climb.
Unfit	+10	Very low endurance, very low endurance regeneration.	-4 Fitness
Very Low Weight	-	Very low strength, very low endurance and prone to injury.	Is only present between weights 50 and 65. 60% melee damage. 20% higher chance to trip by while run/sprint vaulting a low fence or from lunging zombies. 75% chance to fail a tall fence climb. 10% more fall damage.
Weak Stomach	+2	Higher chance to have food illness.	200% chance of food illness. Food illness lasts longer. Check Health for more details.

Exclusive Traits

Name	Occupation	Description	Effect
Desensitized	Veteran	Does not reach states of panic.	0% panic from all sources except nightmares. 200% chance to have nightmares.
Ax-pert	Lumberjack	Better at chopping trees. Faster axe swing.	Swing axes 25% faster (combat and tree cutting).
Burglar	Burglar	Can hotwire vehicles, less chance of breaking the lock of a window.	Can hotwire vehicles and has less chance of breaking the lock of a window when forced open.
Blacksmith Knowledge	Blacksmith	Can use an anvil to create metal items.	+1 Maintenance +2 Blacksmithing
Keen Cook	Chef	Knows how to cook.	+2 Cooking +1 Butchering Improves foraging.
Vehicle Knowledge	Mechanic	Familiar with the maintenance and repair of all vehicle models on the roads of Kentucky.	+3 Mechanics, can repair all vehicle types without having to read any recipe magazines.
Night Owl	Security guard	Requires little sleep. Stays extra alert even when sleeping.	Recovers from tiredness quicker while sleeping. Doesn't reduce sleep duration.