State of Decay 2 Best Starting Skills - Which Characters to Choose at Start

When you start your first playthrough of State of Decay 2, you’ll have to choose from several pairs of characters. They all have different backstories, and, more importantly, different skills and traits. Some of them are better suited to certain playstyles than others, so it’s pretty important to know what you’re getting yourself into. That’s why we’re writing this guide, to show you State of Decay 2 best starting skills and help you choose your characters at the start.

Surly Siblings

Kimberly and Marcus are a pair of estranged siblings brought together by the apocalypse, not really a great fit for newcomers. She starts off with some pretty abysmal skills, barely developed at all. However, she does have a free skill slot, which means you’ll get to choose her fifth skill. She also has the Straight A Student trait, which affects her skills and the speed at which she develops them, as well as the Into Cheesy Movies trait, which increases her morale in locations that have a film projector.

He, on the other hand, is quite adept at fighting. He’s also witty, and a brilliant mechanic. He has three traits that improve his skills, but your biggest dilemma with him will be whether to keep him in the machine shop or let him out into the killing field.

Old Buddies

Goff and Quin are middle school buddies – one constantly getting into trouble, the other cleaning up after him. They’re also not the perfect choice for beginners. Goff is the useless of the two when you begin. He has terrible skills, and the only one he’s any good at is shooting. He also gets a morale bonus from places with a projector, thanks to his Watched Sports trait. The other two trais are just there for buffing his stats, but they don’t do a fantastic job of it. The only upside to him is that you can choose his fifth skill at a later time.

Quin is equally underprepared to fight zombies, but he has one thing going for him – he’s an amazing craftsman. He has the DIY Remodeler trait, which gives him a morale boost when there’s an upgraded workshop in the base, and he’s generous.

Perpetual Breakup

Karly and Julia are a couple who constantly bicker and fight. Karly has some decent cardio skills, along with an open fifth slot. She starts off with the Sore Neck trait, which lowers her carry capacity by five. Julia, on the other hand, is really bad at defending herself, but is a great chemist. If you want rare skills in your community (and you should), this is a good place to start.

Odd Couple

Finally, there’s T-Bone and Teach. They’re the absolute best for first-timers – he’s a brute and she’s good at gardening. T-Bone starts off with an almost maxed out fighting skill, and some knowledge of shooting. He prefers sleeping in an outdoor bed – it gives him a morale boot.

Teach isn’t as good at combat, but her wits and botany skills are her redeeming qualities. She’s has the Highschool Teacher trait, which affects her skills, and the Into Gardening Shows, which will improve her morale if there’s a projector in the base.