How to Repair Weapons - Project Zomboid Guide - IGN (2024)

Project Zomboid is an exceptionally realistic survival experience. It's possible to end up with grazed hands when climbing through a broken window or a nasty cold when running through the rain, for example, punishing players for the slightest slip-up or lack of luck.

Weapon maintenance is crucial to pay attention to in the game, no matter if you prefer to attack with ranged weapons or melee weapons. Your trusty weapons can - and will - break as you use them, so make sure you always have a backup and know how to fix them.

Here, you'll find a guide on how to repair weapons in Project Zomboid, looking at how to see the condition of a weapon when you pick it up and how to know when it's about to break. Additionally, we'll look at how to repair guns alongside melee weapons, as the two methods differ.

How Do Repairs Work in Project Zomboid?

When you find a weapon that you want to pick up and use, make sure to hover over it with your mouse for a moment.

Crucial information will be displayed here, showing you how heavy it is and how much it'll encumber your character, what condition it's in, and how much damage it can deal. Keep this in mind when looking at swapping your weapons, too.

When a weapon is completely broken, it will automatically be removed from your character's hands and placed, broken, in the inventory. This is why it's crucial to monitor the condition of your weapon throughout your run - we'd suggest checking on it after every big fight or session using it.

Each weapon will deteriorate at a slightly different speed, too, so getting in the habit of checking frequently can prevent you from ending up in a horde with just a teaspoon to your name.

Non-combat use can also damage a weapon. For example, using an axe to cut down trees will damage the axe in the same way that fighting a zombie would.

Repairs are not automatically successful in Project Zomboid. Consider whether it's worth the gamble and time expenditure before sitting down to repair a weapon.

Your character will need some level of Carpentry, the Lucky/Unlucky Traits can have an impact, the chosen repair material will change the success rate, and the frequency of existing repairs will also affect the overall chances with a diminishing returns system in effect.

Put simply, if you have high Carpentry, good items, and the Lucky Trait, you're more likely to repair your weapon successfully.

The items that you'll need to repair your melee weapons will change for each type of weapon. Nails are used for Spiked Bats, and Wood Glue and Duct Tape can be used for the majority of blades and wooden weapons. Scotch Tape and Adhesive Tape are also useful.

Not every weapon needs repairs - crowbars can be effective melee weapons that won't give out on you in battle.

To repair a ranged weapon, you'll need at least two copies of the same weapon in your inventory. One will be repaired and the other will act as a source of spare parts for the initial weapon, getting consumed in the process.

When the spare parts weapon is consumed in the repair process, the mended weapon will be presented with a 50% condition stat. We'd suggest using weapons in the realm of 20-25% condition to maximize efficiency here and avoid wasting high-level items.

Importantly, you'll also need to have an Aiming skill above 3 in order for successful ranged weapon repairs. Police Officer characters will have this automatically and Veterans will be able to get it quickly, starting off with a natural 2 stat.

How to Repair Weapons

While the repair system itself may be quite convoluted, the act of repairing a weapon in Project Zomboid is fairly straightforward.

First, open your inventory and hover over the weapon. Pay attention to the following pieces of information:

• Potential repairs. The percentage of the condition stat that you'll be able to repair. This will never be 100% - it's impossible to fully mend weapons here.
• Chance of success. How likely your character is to successfully finish the repair.
• Required materials. The items you'll need to pull off a repair successfully.

From there, decide whether it's worth it and then right click to select the repair option. This does take time, so don't sit down to repair a gun in the middle of combat. Find a safe place to repair and mend your weapons where you won't be bitten in the process.

It's not always worth the time, effort, and resources to mend weapons in this game. If it's easily replaceable, like a knife, simply drop it and find another one in the next house.