Summary
Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead(CDDA) isa turn-based survival horror rogue-like. It is primarily community-developed and is free to download via GitHub. In this title, gamers can play in a world newly ravaged by simultaneous apocalypses, from zombie outbreaks to Lovecraftian horrors. They can learn to fight, hide, and flee these monsters while scavenging from the remains of humanity. On top of that, they must remain aware of afflictions like hunger, sickness, and injury, each of which is just as significant a threat as any apocalyptic creature.
During character creation, players can choose positive traits that uniquely impact gameplay. These traits are key to survival, providing benefits that range from increasing hit points and carrying capacity to giving players unique abilities. For those unsure of what to pick, here are thebest starting traits inCataclysm: Dark Days Ahead.
1Tough
Prepared To Take A Beating
The Tough trait is a must-have for players looking to fight apocalyptic horrors. Increasing the hit points of every limb by 20%, this trait allows even new characters to take a real beating. For players who prefer to fight rather than flee, bonus hit points help stop combat from turning deadly.
This trait is still a boon for players who aremore focused on exploration. In a world where fighting is inevitable, even for the stealthiest of characters, the increase in hit points allows players to explore for longer, as they can better absorb damage.
2Quick
Faster Speeds And More Hits
Whether playerswant to hide, run, or fightthrough the apocalypse, Quick is a fantastic trait. Boosting a character’s action points by 10%, this trait increases the base speed, movement order, and amount of hits a player can make per turn. These stat bonuses are vital in the early game, where outrunning and out damaging even the weakest of enemies can mean the difference between life and death.
In combat, this trait allows players to use faster weapons to get additional hits. It also helps to limit the attack speed reduction caused by early combat pain debuffs. In the long-term, the speed buff from this trait can also help players to flee from lethal evolved enemies.
3Night Vision
See Them Before Being Seen
Night Vision is a trait that allows players to toggle on the Night Vision ability, increasing their sight range at night. This trait dramatically enhances nighttime looters' survivability and efficiency, making enemies easier to avoid and items easier to locate.
No place is this trait better than for exploring cities, almost all of which arecrawling with the undead. Though a massive danger during the day, zombies have a tiny vision range at night. As long as players watch their step and make sure not to make too much noise, characters with this trait cansafely loot most cities. There is always the risk of rounding a corner right into a flesh-eating zombie, though.
4Pain Resistant
Reduced Combat Debuffs
Players seeking a more combat-orientated survival experience will want to pick up Pain Resistant. This trait gives characters a high tolerance for Pain, increasing their tankiness by helping them avoid speed, attack, and stat debuffs associated with Pain.
Pain Resistant goes a long way to improving a character’s survivability, both during the early game and in the long-term. In early games wherestrong and satisfying weaponsare not readily available, this trait can help prevent players from becoming incapacitated by Pain. Long-term, this trait will allow players to fight harder for longer and take on more powerful enemy evolutions without fear of incapacitation. Well, at least from Pain.
5Indefatigable
Avoid Exhaustion
Choosing Indefatigable as a starting trait is a surefire way to boost character survivability for veterans and new players alike. This trait increases character stamina, improving how long they can fight or run before becoming exhausted. Attacking and running, whether jogging or sprinting, quickly drains stamina.
Low stamina will cause even the most powerful characters to become incapacitated, as they receive drastic speed debuffs. In combat, characters will have such low attack speed that they will be left all but defenseless against a seemingly endless barrage of hits. Meanwhile, running characters will find their movement speed drastically decreasing as their stamina drains until even the slowest zombies can outpace them. Avoiding exhaustion is vital for survival.
6Fast Reflexes
Avoid Damage & Pain
Fast Reflexes allow characters to dodge attacks more easily. Whether in combat or trying to flee, a greater chance of dodging will significantly boost one’s survivability, helping players avoid losing hit points andgaining speed debuffs from pain. Characters with Fast Reflexes can fight or flee apocalyptic horrors faster and longer.
This trait is particularly beneficial early game, where weak characters take lots of damage and can quickly become overwhelmed by pain. While the long-term usefulness of this trait is limited by increasing a character’s dodging skill, any boost to dodging chances, no matter how small, can be the difference between life and death in this apocalypse.
7Fast Healer
Rapid Repair
As the name suggests, this trait increases a character’s healing, including HP regeneration and wound and broken limb repair. Whether early or late game, this trait significantly improves character survivability. Increased recovery rate reduces the frequency of players venturing from their base while at low health, whether due to resource shortages or sheer impatience. It also increases the time a player can explore without returning home to recover.
Long-term, Fast Healer helps characters survive the killer beasts of late-gameCDDA. For those interested in cybernetic enhancements, Fast Healer also provides quicker recovery from frequent complications.
8Addiction Resistant
Lower Costs
Addiction Resistant is a trait tailor-made for those looking to optimize their survival experience. Reducing the chance of an addiction developing and making it easier to remove addictions, this trait allows players to use stat-enhancing substances often and with limited long-term impacts. In a bind, these substances can easily save a character’s life.
For longer games, this trait allows optimization of character performance, improving everything from skill development to combat abilities. In a world where players are in a constant battle of evolution against monsters, substance use can mean the difference between being the hunter or the prey.
