Character Builds & Perks Guide
Your character build defines your playstyle in 7 Days to Die. This comprehensive guide covers the attribute system, top-tier perks, and proven builds for solo and multiplayer gameplay in 1.0.
Understanding Attributes
There are five primary attributes, each governing specific perks and playstyles:
| Attribute | Primary Weapons | Playstyle | Best For |
|---|
| Perception | Rifles, Spears, Bows | Ranged precision | Snipers, hunters |
| Strength | Sledgehammers, Shotguns, Clubs | Heavy damage, mining | Melee brawlers, miners |
| Fortitude | Fists, Machine Guns | Survivability, endurance | Tank builds, survival |
| Agility | Knives, Pistols, SMGs | Stealth, mobility | Assassins, speedrunners |
| Intellect | Stun Batons, Turrets, Junk Turrets | Crafting, automation | Builders, support |
Skill Points & Leveling
- Max Level: 300
- Points Per Level: 1 skill point
- Attribute Cost: 1 point per level (max 10)
- Perk Cost: 1 point per rank
Early Game Priority (Levels 1-20)
- Sexual Tyrannosaurus (Fortitude 1): Reduces stamina drain for power attacks
- Master Chef (Strength 1): Cook better food, avoid food poisoning
- Miner 69er (Strength 3): Mine faster, essential for resources
- Mother Lode (Strength 3): Get more resources per block
- Living Off The Land (Fortitude 1): Better farming yields
Top-Tier Perks Ranked
S-Tier (Must-Have)
| Perk | Attribute | Why It's Essential |
|---|
| Parkour | Agility 1+ | Jump higher, fall farther without damage, reduced stamina. Best mobility perk in game. |
| Cardio | Fortitude 1+ | Run longer, regenerate stamina faster. Mandatory for survival. |
| Healing Factor | Fortitude 3 | Passive health regeneration. Saves medical supplies. |
| Lucky Looter | Perception 1+ | Find better loot. Snowballs into huge advantages. |
| Better Barter | Intellect 1+ | Better prices, Secret Stash access. Economic advantage. |
A-Tier (Highly Recommended)
| Perk | Attribute | Benefit |
|---|
| Miner 69er | Strength 3 | Mine 2x faster at max rank |
| Mother Lode | Strength 5 | Double resource yield |
| The Daring Adventurer | Intellect 1+ | Better quest rewards |
| Advanced Engineering | Intellect 5 | Craft workstations, vehicles |
| Pain Tolerance | Fortitude 5 | Take less damage |
Best Builds
1. The Solo Survivor (Balanced)
Best for single-player, handles all situations.
Core Attributes
- Strength: 5 (mining + shotguns)
- Fortitude: 5 (survivability)
- Intellect: 5 (crafting)
- Perception: 3 (looting)
- Agility: 2 (mobility)
Priority Perks
- Master Chef 2
- Miner 69er 3
- Mother Lode 3
- Healing Factor 3
- Lucky Looter 3
- Advanced Engineering 3
- Cardio 2
- Parkour 2
2. The Assassin (Stealth DPS)
High damage from stealth. One-shot most zombies.
Core Attributes
- Agility: 10 (max stealth + damage)
- Perception: 5 (ranged backup)
- Fortitude: 3 (survivability)
Priority Perks
- From The Shadows 5 (stealth damage multiplier)
- Hidden Strike 5 (sneak attack bonus)
- Parkour 5 (escape + mobility)
- Archery 4 (silent ranged kills)
- Light Armor 3 (noise reduction)
Playstyle Tips
- Always crouch when approaching POIs
- Use compound bow or crossbow for silent kills
- Knife power attacks from behind = instant kill on most zombies
- Wear padded/military armor for noise reduction
3. The Tank (Melee Brawler)
Walk into hordes and walk out. Maximum durability.
Core Attributes
- Fortitude: 10 (health + resistance)
- Strength: 7 (sledgehammer damage)
Priority Perks
- Pain Tolerance 5 (damage reduction)
- Healing Factor 5 (regeneration)
- Iron Gut 3 (food efficiency)
- Skull Crusher 5 (club/sledge damage)
- Heavy Armor 5 (max armor rating)
- Sexual Tyrannosaurus 4 (stamina efficiency)
Equipment
- Steel Sledgehammer with mods
- Steel Armor set
- First Aid Kits for emergencies
4. The Turret Master (Intellect)
Let your robots do the fighting. Best for horde nights.
Core Attributes
- Intellect: 10 (turrets + crafting)
- Fortitude: 5 (survivability)
Priority Perks
- Robotics Inventor 5 (turret damage + durability)
- Electrocutioner 5 (stun baton mastery)
- Advanced Engineering 5 (craft everything)
- Better Barter 5 (buy parts cheaper)
- Grease Monkey 3 (vehicle crafting)
Strategy
- Deploy junk turrets during quests
- Build SMG + Shotgun auto turrets for base
- Use stun baton to immobilize zombies for turrets
- Craft ammo in bulk at chemistry station
5. The Sniper (Perception)
Kill zombies before they know you exist.
Core Attributes
- Perception: 10 (rifle damage + awareness)
- Agility: 5 (stealth synergy)
Priority Perks
- Dead Eye 5 (rifle damage)
- The Penetrator 5 (armor penetration)
- Lucky Looter 5 (find better rifles)
- From The Shadows 3 (stealth multiplier)
- Archery 3 (silent option)
Multiplayer Role Builds
Team Composition (4 Players)
| Role | Primary Attribute | Responsibility |
|---|
| Miner/Builder | Strength + Intellect | Resources, base construction |
| Looter/Scout | Perception + Agility | POI clearing, finding loot |
| Medic/Support | Fortitude + Intellect | Healing, food, vehicles |
| Combat/Defense | Strength or Agility | Horde night, protection |
Skill Books & Magazines
Magazines provide passive bonuses and unlock recipes without spending perk points.
Priority Magazine Sets
| Magazine Set | Volumes | Key Unlocks |
|---|
| Forge Ahead | 7 | Workstations (Forge, Workbench, Chemistry) |
| Pistol Pete | 7 | Pistol crafting + damage |
| Shotgun Messiah | 7 | Shotgun crafting + damage |
| Sniper | 7 | Rifle crafting + damage |
| Bar Brawling | 7 | Fist + Knuckle weapons |
| Tech Junkie | 7 | Robotic turrets + drones |
Respec Options
Made a mistake? You can reset your perks:
- Grandpa's Forgetting Elixir: Resets all perks, found rarely in loot
- Trader Purchase: Available in Secret Stash at high Better Barter
- Admin Command:
giveselfskillxp <skill> -<amount> (servers only)
Common Build Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Solution |
|---|
| Spreading points too thin | No specialization, mediocre at everything | Focus 2-3 attributes early |
| Ignoring Fortitude | Die constantly | Get Healing Factor + Cardio early |
| Max combat, no crafting | Can't make tools or vehicles | At least 3 Intellect for basics |
| Skipping Master Chef | Food poisoning, inefficient cooking | 1 point early solves food problems |
Build Progression Timeline
Days 1-7
- Master Chef 1
- Sexual Tyrannosaurus 1
- Lucky Looter 1
- Parkour 1
Days 7-21
- Miner 69er 3
- Mother Lode 2
- Healing Factor 2
- Your primary weapon perk to rank 3
Days 21+
- Max your primary attribute
- Advanced Engineering 3+
- Better Barter 3+
- Secondary weapon/utility perks