📜 Optional Self Traits - Player Guide

Posted: 2026-07-05 15:27 • Edited: 2026-07-18 21:49

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Optional Self Traits - Player Guide

What are Self Traits?

Self Traits are an optional character system that gives your survivor a random mix of positive and negative traits.

The system does not start automatically. You can begin whenever you choose and stop later if you no longer want to use it.

Self Traits can affect XP, health, stamina, movement, carrying capacity, combat, crafting, harvesting, trader rewards, group play, and vehicle acceleration.

Each trait has up to 3 levels. A new roll may give a trait at Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3.

How to Start Self Traits

Craft:

Start Self Traits

Cost:

10 Paper
100 Duke's Casino Tokens

Search for

self

in the crafting menu. Use the crafted item and confirm the popup.

Starting the system clears any old Self Trait state and then creates a new random roll.

How to Stop or Reroll Self Traits

Craft:

Stop Self Traits

Cost:

10 Paper
100 Duke's Casino Tokens

Stopping removes every positive and negative Self Trait, all trait levels, and all progress counters from that character.

To reroll, use Stop Self Traits first and then craft and use Start Self Traits again. The new roll is random and may be different.

Where to See Your Traits

Open the Skills menu and find the Self Traits section. Traits are divided into Positive Traits and Negative Traits.

Dementia 2/3

This means Dementia is active at Level 2. A trait showing

0/3

is not active.

Most active traits show a Remaining value. This is the amount of progress still required for the next change.

Negative traits improve downward:

Level 3 -> Level 2 -> Level 1 -> Removed

Positive traits improve upward:

Level 1 -> Level 2 -> Level 3

Close and reopen the Skills menu if a Remaining value does not refresh immediately.

Training Equipment

Some world props provide faster physical training while you stand on or use their area:

Stationary Bike and Treadmill: Cardio training. Helps Obesity, Athletic Build, and Bodybuilder. It steadily consumes stamina and water.
Bench Press: Strength training. Helps Obesity, Dystrophy, Weakling, Athletic Build, and Bodybuilder. It steadily consumes stamina, food, and water.
Bed02 / Comfortable Bed: Adds extra Dystrophy recovery while food healing is active.

Negative Traits

Dementia

Effect: XP gain is reduced by 10% / 20% / 30%.

How to improve it: Read books, magazines, or schematics. Each completed read gives 1 progress.

Required per current level: 250 / 250 / 250 reads.

Obesity

Effect while digesting: Mobility is reduced by 7.5% / 15% / 25%, and stamina use rises by 15% / 30% / 50%. Jump strength is reduced by 10% / 20% / 30%. Food used while restoring stamina rises by 10% / 20% / 30%.

How to improve it:

Running: 1 progress per second
Cardio training: 4 per second
Strength training: 2 per second
Jumping: 2 per jump
Normal melee attack: 2
Power melee attack: 4

Required per current level: 28,800 / 28,800 / 43,200 activity points.

Dystrophy

Effect: Maximum stamina is reduced by 10 / 25 / 50. Mobility while encumbered is reduced by 7.5% / 15% / 25%. Water used while restoring stamina rises by 10% / 20% / 30%.

How to improve it:

While food healing is active: 1 progress per second
While food healing is active and resting on a comfortable bed: 2 total per second
Strength training: 4 per second

Required per current level: 5,400 / 5,400 / 10,800 recovery points.

Alarmism

Effect: Your damage is reduced while hostile enemies are within roughly 25 blocks.

Level 1: -5% with 1-3 hostiles, -7.5% with 4-9, -10% with 10+
Level 2: -8% with 1-3 hostiles, -12% with 4-9, -16% with 10+
Level 3: -10% with 1-3 hostiles, -15% with 4-9, -25% with 10+

How to improve it: Stay near at least one hostile enemy. You gain 1 progress per second. After 15 seconds without being hit, you gain an additional 3 per second, for 4 total.

Required per current level: 14,400 / 21,600 / 28,800 points.

There is no separate visible stress bar. Nearby hostile enemies are the condition used by this trait.

Brittle Bones

Effect: General damage resistance is reduced by 10% / 25% / 50%, and safe fall tolerance becomes lower. Each hostile hit makes separate arm-sprain and leg-sprain rolls:

Level 1: 15% arm chance and 15% leg chance
Level 2: 30% arm chance and 30% leg chance
Level 3: 50% arm chance and 50% leg chance

How to improve it: Vitamins give 1 progress per second while active. Eating the following gives immediate progress:

Egg: 15
Corn: 3
Super Corn: 10
Potato: 5
Mushrooms: 5
Radiated Mushroom: 1
Yucca Fruit: 5
Pumpkin: 5
Blueberries: 5

Required per current level: 7,200 / 7,200 / 14,400 points.

Weakling

Effect: Stamina use rises by 10% / 25% / 50%. Maximum health falls by 10 / 20 / 30. Carrying capacity falls by 3 / 6 / 9 slots.

How to improve it:

Moving while encumbered: 1 progress per second
Strength training: 4 per second
Normal melee attack: 2
Power melee attack: 4

Required per current level: 10,800 / 10,800 / 28,800 points.

Allergy Sufferer

Effect: While on grass, maximum health and stamina fall by 10 / 20 / 30. Each hostile hit also has an added 10% / 20% / 30% chance to trigger infection.

How to improve it: Spend time in the forest biome for 1 progress per second. Standing or walking on grass gives another 1 per second, so forest grass can give 2 total.

Required per current level: 14,400 / 14,400 / 28,800 points.

Clumsy

Effect: Crafting takes 5% / 15% / 25% longer.

How to improve it: Butcher animals or carcasses. Each qualifying harvest action or hit gives 1 progress; it is not one point per complete carcass.

Required per current level: 500 / 500 / 1,000 actions.

Clumsy cannot improve while Jack of All Trades is active.

Pacifist

Effect: All damage dealt to entities is reduced by 10% / 20% / 30%.

How to improve it: Each time another entity attacks you, you receive 1 progress.

Required per current level: 250 / 250 / 500 received attacks.

Fear of the Dark

Effect at night: Mobility is reduced by 5% / 10% / 15%. Without a recognized active light or night-vision source, weapon handling is reduced by 10% / 25% / 50%.

How to improve it: Night time gives 1 progress per second. Using an active helmet light, active gun flashlight, night vision, held torch, or burning-shaft weapon gives another 1 per second.

Required per current level: 14,400 / 14,400 / 21,600 points.

Fear of Animals

Effect: Damage to animals is reduced by 5% / 15% / 25%. Animal butchering yield is reduced by 10% / 25% / 50%.

How to improve it: Kill animals. A normal animal kill gives progress; hostile predators and bears can award several points because they match additional danger categories.

Required per current level: 200 / 200 / 400 animal-kill points.

Fear of Zombies

Effect: Damage to zombies is reduced by 5% / 15% / 25%.

How to improve it: Kill zombies.

Required per current level: 2,000 / 2,000 / 4,000 zombie kills.

Fear of Fire

Effect: Heat and fire resistance is reduced by 5 / 10 / 15.

How to improve it: Each active exposure contributes and several can stack:

Burnt forest: 1 per second
Near a campfire: 1 per second
Holding a torch: 1 per second
Using a melee weapon with a burning-shaft mod: 1 per second
Burning from a Molotov: 6 per second

Required per current level: 14,400 / 14,400 / 28,800 points.

Fear of Pain

Effect while injured: Damage resistance and natural injury recovery are reduced by 10% / 25% / 50%. This applies to sprains, broken limbs, splints or casts, abrasions, treated abrasions, and lacerations.

How to improve it:

Treated injuries, splints, casts, or treated abrasions: 1 per second
Steroids while limb-injured: an additional 1 per second
Sprain or untreated abrasion: 2 per second for each matching injury
Broken limb or laceration: 3 per second for each matching injury
Each hit received: 10 progress

Required per current level: 10,800 / 10,800 / 21,600 points.

Social Phobia

Effect: XP gain while grouped is reduced by 5% / 10% / 15%.

How to improve it: Remain grouped with other players for 1 progress per second.

Required per current level: 10,800 seconds (3 hours) / 10,800 seconds (3 hours) / 21,600 seconds (6 hours).

Unlucker

Effect: Loot Stage and the relative chance for zombies to drop loot bags are reduced by 5% / 10% / 15%.

How to improve it: Kill zombies.

Required per current level: 1,500 / 1,500 / 3,000 zombie kills.

Positive Traits

Positive traits have three upgrade steps. The first requirement earns Level 1; the next two requirements earn Levels 2 and 3. When a positive trait is already active, the Skills screen shows the Remaining amount for its next level.

Genius

Effect: XP gain is increased by 10% / 20% / 30%.

How to improve it: Read books, magazines, or schematics. Each completed read gives 1 progress.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 250 / 250 / 500 reads.

Dementia blocks Genius progress until Dementia is removed.

Athletic Build

Effect: Maximum stamina rises by 10 / 25 / 50. Mobility while not encumbered rises by 7.5% / 15% / 25%.

How to improve it:

Running: 1 per second
Cardio training: 4 per second
Strength training: 2 per second
Jumping: 2 per jump
Normal melee attack: 2
Power melee attack: 4

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 28,800 / 43,200 / 57,600 activity points.

Obesity or Brittle Bones blocks Athletic Build progress.

Bodybuilder

Effect: Maximum health rises by 10 / 20 / 30; carrying capacity rises by 3 / 6 / 9 slots; melee entity damage and melee block damage rise by 10% / 20% / 30%.

How to improve it:

Moving while encumbered: 1 per second
Strength training: 4 per second
Cardio training: 2 per second
Normal melee attack: 2
Power melee attack: 4

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 28,800 / 36,000 / 43,200 points.

Dystrophy or Weakling blocks Bodybuilder progress.

Courage

Effect: Damage rises while hostile enemies are within roughly 25 blocks.

Level 1: +5% with 1-3 hostiles, +8% with 4-9, +10% with 10+
Level 2: +7.5% with 1-3 hostiles, +12% with 4-9, +15% with 10+
Level 3: +10% with 1-3 hostiles, +16% with 4-9, +25% with 10+

How to improve it: Stay near at least one hostile. You gain 1 progress per second, plus another 3 per second after 15 seconds without being hit.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 7,200 / 14,400 / 21,600 points.

Alarmism blocks Courage progress.

Charismatic

Effect: Selling prices and bonus Dukes from standard trader-job rewards improve by 10% / 15% / 25%.

How to improve it: Complete standard trader jobs, including fetch, clear, infested clear, restore power, fetch-and-clear, and buried supplies.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 50 / 50 / 100 completed jobs.

Lucky Guy

Effect: Loot Stage and the relative chance for zombies to drop loot bags rise by 5% / 10% / 15%.

How to improve it: Kill zombies.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 2,000 / 3,000 / 5,000 zombie kills.

Unlucker blocks Lucky Guy progress.

Jack of All Trades

Effect: Crafting time is reduced by 5% / 10% / 15%.

How to improve it: Butcher animals or carcasses. Each qualifying harvest action or hit gives 1 progress.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 500 / 500 / 1,000 harvest actions.

Clumsy blocks Jack of All Trades progress.

Experienced Hunter

Weapons affected: Knuckles, knives, and stun batons.

Effect:

Level 1: +7.5% attack speed, +10% entity damage, +5% dismember chance
Level 2: +15% attack speed, +25% entity damage, +15% dismember chance
Level 3: +30% attack speed, +50% entity damage, +30% dismember chance

How to improve it: Land headshot kills with an affected light melee weapon.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 500 / 1,250 / 2,500 headshot kills.

Pacifist or Clumsy blocks Experienced Hunter progress.

Crusher

Weapons affected: Spears, clubs, and sledgehammers.

Effect:

Level 1: +7.5% attack speed, +10% entity damage, 10% knockdown chance
Level 2: +15% attack speed, +25% entity damage, 25% knockdown chance
Level 3: +30% attack speed, +50% entity damage, 50% knockdown chance

How to improve it: Land headshot kills with an affected heavy melee weapon.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 500 / 1,250 / 2,500 headshot kills.

Pacifist or Fear of Zombies blocks Crusher progress.

Cold Mind / Fearless

Effect while at least one hostile is within roughly 25 blocks:

Level 1: 10% lower stamina use and 10% better weapon handling
Level 2: 25% lower stamina use and 25% better weapon handling
Level 3: 50% lower stamina use and 50% better weapon handling

How to improve it: Stay near at least one hostile enemy. Progress is 1 per second. You do not need to kill the enemy or take damage.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 7,200 seconds (2 hours) / 14,400 seconds (4 hours) / 21,600 seconds (6 hours).

There is no separate stress resource or stress bar. Nearby hostile enemies are what activate and improve the trait.

Veteran of the Wasteland

Effect: Damage dealt while in the wasteland rises by 5% / 15% / 30%. Reload speed also rises when hostiles are nearby:

Level 1: +4% with 1-3 hostiles, +8% with 4-9, +12% with 10+
Level 2: +8% with 1-3 hostiles, +16% with 4-9, +24% with 10+
Level 3: +12% with 1-3 hostiles, +24% with 4-9, +36% with 10+

How to improve it: Kill zombies while you are in the wasteland biome.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 100 / 175 / 250 wasteland zombie kills.

Fear of Zombies blocks Veteran of the Wasteland progress.

Schumacher

Effect: Vehicle motor torque and acceleration rise by 15% / 25% / 40%. This improves how strongly vehicles accelerate; it is not a direct top-speed bonus.

How to improve it: Drive a vehicle for 1 progress per second.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 7,200 seconds (2 hours) / 14,400 seconds (4 hours) / 21,600 seconds (6 hours).

Team Player

Effect: Your other online grouped allies receive XP and Loot Stage bonuses of 5% / 10% / 25%. The bonus is given to teammates, not to you from your own trait.

How to improve it: Remain grouped with other players for 1 progress per second.

Required for Levels 1 / 2 / 3: 28,800 seconds (8 hours) / 36,000 seconds (10 hours) / 43,200 seconds (12 hours).

Social Phobia blocks Team Player progress.

Important Notes

Self Traits are optional and do not start automatically.
You cannot choose the exact traits or starting levels in a roll.
A random roll can place the same trait at Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3.
Opposing traits are blocked from appearing or progressing together where listed above.
Stop Self Traits permanently removes all Self Trait levels and progress from that character.
Use Stop Self Traits before Start Self Traits when you want a fresh roll.
The Remaining value may require closing and reopening the Skills menu to refresh.

Use Self Traits only when you want extra character progression, extra challenge, and long-term goals.

This mod is a modified standalone version based on work from Project Z.

📜 Optional Self Traits - Player Guide Views: 134