In Project Zomboid, almost anything can be a weapon when you want to take down a zombie. Whether it’s a frying pan, a plunger, or a kitchen knife, nearly all household items are useful in combat. But the real fun begins when you find truly good weapons and can efficiently navigate the map. However, even here the selection is vast, and more damage isn’t always better. Your play style and the weapon’s handling are crucial in determining how effectively you can use it against zombies. With our Top 10, you’re on the right track and will hopefully quickly get into the gameplay!
Baton - The Perfect Weapon for Beginners
Weapon Type: Short and Blunt
Location: Police stations, on police officers, survivor’s house
The baton is a wonderful weapon for beginners because it is relatively easy to find and extremely effective in combat. You can hold it in one hand, attack quickly, and deal comparatively high damage. Additionally, the baton has high durability, although, unfortunately, you cannot repair it. If you have multi-hit enabled, you can hit two zombies at once, which is super practical for hordes!
Pitchfork - Classic Zombie Defense
Weapon Type: Long and Pointed
Location: Farm, hardware stores
The pitchfork is also a classic weapon in a zombie apocalypse and can be used in Project Zomboid as well. It falls under the category of spears, a long weapon with great reach. If you prefer to keep zombies at a distance, then a pitchfork is perfect for this purpose. It also has long durability and deals significant damage. The only downside: it’s very rare!
Baseball Bat for Beginners
Weapon Type: Long and Blunt
Location: Starter kit, sporting goods store, gym
If you’re looking for a two-handed weapon to start with, you should go straight for the baseball bat. Anyone who has activated the starter kit in the sandbox settings should take a look in their backpack and equip the baseball bat available right at the start. It has solid reach, deals good critical damage, and can also hit multiple opponents at once. Additionally, you can knock zombies to the ground with it, giving you time to catch your breath. Another advantage is that the baseball bat can be upgraded for even more damage!
Wooden Spear as a Crafting Alternative
Weapon Type: Long and Pointed
Location: Crafting
We’ve already mentioned the pitchfork as a spear, but you don’t necessarily need to find such a weapon to defend yourself. With some crafting skills, you can carve a spear out of a simple stick. Especially for players who don’t want to rely on found weapons, a wooden spear is a wonderful alternative for the beginning. At the same time, you can also use the spear for fishing to survive in the wilderness. And if you’ve found a short stabbing weapon, you can attach it to the tip for more damage!
Knife for One-Hit Kills
Weapon Type: Short and Pointed
Location: Kitchen, camping stores, survivor’s house
Speaking of knives, let’s take a closer look at this type of weapon. The tutorial already taught you that you can perform a one-hit kill with them, which is especially effective when sneaking! Knives also have a high chance of critical hits and are great as a secondary weapon. The best knives are the classic kitchen knife and the hunting knife, but really any short stabbing weapon can be deadly.
Crowbar - Durable and Versatile
Weapon Type: Long and Blunt
Location: Cars, garage
The crowbar is one of the best weapons for many players. It deals good damage and has the longest durability of any melee weapon in the game. This alone makes it perfect for those who don’t want to constantly worry about repairs. It’s easy to find and belongs in almost every inventory. And with multi-hit, you can hit three zombies at once! You can also use the crowbar to pry open doors or use it for other crafting purposes.
Upgraded Baseball Bat with Nails
Weapon Type: Long and Blunt
Location: Crafting
We’ve already mentioned the regular baseball bat, and its crafting possibilities are extremely practical for those who find it too boring. Once you’ve found some nails and a hammer, you can upgrade your bat! This deals a bit more damage and gives you the option to repair the baseball bat and equip it with more nails. By the way, you can also attach nails to blunt weapons.
Machete - The All-Rounder
Weapon Type: Long and Pointed
Location: Pawnshops, weapon stores
Now we come to the Top 3 of the ranking – the weapons that every player should use. Starting with the machete, a one-handed weapon with good damage, great reach, and excellent crafting options. You can, for example, attach it to an already mentioned spear to drastically increase your reach. But even on its own, the machete is a wonderful all-rounder, easy to handle, and repairable. The only problem is that it is quite rare, and you’ll probably have to search through several stores and houses to find it.
Axe - Versatility and Utility
Weapon Type: Various
Location: Garages, fire departments, crafting, hardware stores
Axes are also a staple in a typical zombie apocalypse and are perfect for taking down hordes of undead. The game offers you a range of different axes, all of which are handled differently. Some can only be used two-handed, slow and powerful – while others are lighter, faster, and can be used one-handed. Find the type of axe that suits you best. Axes are, of course, also useful outside of combat, for chopping wood or breaking down barricades. You can also repair or craft them yourself, making them long-lasting.
Katana - The Ultimate Melee Weapon
Weapon Type: Long and Pointed
Location: Pawnshop, survivor’s house, residential houses
At the very top is the katana, the best melee weapon in the game! It deals massive damage, capable of killing most zombies with a single stroke. On top of that, it consumes little stamina, has great reach, and can attack quickly in succession. Katanas can be used both one-handed and two-handed. But such a weapon isn’t found everywhere, it’s extremely rare and has a spawn chance of only 0.2% at best, but usually around 0.01%. Additionally, it’s fragile and cannot be repaired.
Conclusion
Melee weapons are perfect for keeping most zombies at bay and taking on your first fights. And the selection is vast! Find the weapons that best suit your play style. You can rent a Project Zomboid server with us and join your friends in the search for rare weapons. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find one of the rare katanas!
