Fighting zombies

Before fighting zombies, check what each target holds and leave room to retreat. Zombies chase nearby players and can attack structures. They can walk around walls, so putting a wall between you and a zombie does not force it to attack the wall.

First encounter

1. Choose your retreat route before attacking. While you have Spawn protection, zombies ignore you. Dealing more than 1 damage to zombies, players or structures ends it, including damage from your spikes and turrets. Gathering resources does not end it, so use that time to prepare.
2. Check what the zombie holds. It can carry the Basic Axe, the Basic Sword, Basic Daggers or Basic Spear. Zombies can also carry the Basic Shield or Shield. Zombies holding either shield deal no attack damage, but the Shield can reflect your melee hits.
3. Face the zombie and attack with Use item (Left click by default), or toggle Auto attack (E by default) to keep swinging. Back away while facing it. The starter Stick knocks zombies back, so follow their position instead of swinging at the spot they occupied before the hit.
4. Keep moving until the zombie stops following. Leaving its detection range does not end the chase immediately.

Weapons

The Basic Sword becomes available at level 2 through a weapon upgrade point. It has 12.5 base damage against zombies. Your weapon choice replaces the Stick and commits you to that upgrade line for the rest of your life.

When a sword hit kills a target, it immediately repeats the hit against the same targets. Keep nearby zombies in reach when finishing a wounded target so the repeat can damage them too. The bonus needs a kill; hitting a healthy crowd does not trigger it by itself.

Some zombies can recover up to 6.25 health per second after more than 6 seconds without damage. Finish a wounded target before switching to another so it cannot recover while you fight elsewhere.

Movement

With no status effects, holding the Basic Sword moves you at 85 % of normal speed, compared with the Stick or an empty hand.

A Basic Spear hit applies Slowed for 2.5 seconds, and repeated hits stack. Leave space before the spear reaches you rather than relying on your usual speed.

Basic Daggers move you at 110 % of normal speed. A kill raises that to 130 % for 3 seconds. Use the bonus to move away from remaining zombies; switching away from the daggers ends it.

Defenses

Unlock the Wooden Spike from level 3 and the Wooden Turret from level 4 with structure points. The spike costs 20 wood and damages zombies in its attack area. Place spikes along the path to the zombie’s target, but allow for zombies walking around obstacles. See spikes for the upgrades.

A Wooden Turret costs 50 wood and shoots nearby enemies. It can choose an enemy player instead of a zombie, so check what it is shooting before depending on it to finish your target. See turrets for its range and firing rules.

Holding the Wooden Wall moves you at 50 % of normal speed. Make room before selecting it, then switch back to your weapon after placement.

Rewards

The killing hit determines the payout. Your spikes credit you while you are alive. For a turret kill, you must stay alive from the shot until it lands. Its projectile finish pays 50 % of the normal reward, and earlier damage does not split the reward among attackers.

Your killing hit	Gold	Experience
Melee or owned spike	40 gold	80 experience
Owned turret projectile	20 gold	40 experience

Zombies do not drop the items they hold.

Next steps

• Swords compares the sword line and its kill repeat.
• Leveling fast covers experience sources beyond zombie kills.
• Base building covers defenses and an exit route.