Graceful vs. Inconspicuous

[Crossbow7734 40]

Hi. I just wonder, which of those two traits is better in your opinion.  If possible write down some arguments behind your decission. 

[Axezombie 88]

I vote for Inconspicuous because it gives an advantage on all senses (-50% chance to be spotted) unlike graceful giving advantage only for hearing (-60% noise)

[Fenris_Wolf 268]

16 hours ago, Axezombie said:

I vote for Inconspicuous because it gives an advantage on all senses (-50% chance to be spotted) unlike graceful giving advantage only for hearing (-60% noise)

Inconspicuous effects the vision check, not all senses (sight only). With that trait, your check receives a x0.5 multiplier (so -50%).

Graceful is on the footsteps noise check, and you receive a x0.6 multiplier (-40%), before lightfoot perk levels are applied

 

Given a choice between the two, I'd also take Inconspicuous. It helps when getting caught out in the open. If you want to stop making noise just stop moving. Its easy to hide from their hearing, hiding from their vision often means going indoors, and once indoors your footsteps get muffled anyways.

[BoogieMan 156]

I'd get Graceful, because a lot of the time you aren't in the field of view of zombies, and if you are, you want to no longer be in sight.

 

In most situations I believe that hearing is the zombies most useful sense.

 

Visual detection is limited by direct line of sight, if you're out of sight, the trait is effectively doing nothing.

It feels like it really just takes one or a few zombies to spot you and begin moving towards you and making noise, which then draws other nearby zombies with them. So if that logic holds, take the -50% chance and roll for each zombie in a crowd who is facing you. Odds are one or several will see you even if most others don't. It's probably more effective against small numbers of zombies, but small numbers of zombies aren't all that dangerous anyway. In your safehouse, you've probably blocked all your windows so any time you're doing things inside it's not helping.

 

 

Sound doesn't require line of sight and seems to go through walls and other obstructions at least to some degree. So if there is a zombie anywhere nearby, the trait is doing something unless you're standing still doing absolutely nothing. Remember that visual tracking is only one of four ways zombies seem to be able to track. Others being hearing, smell, and memory. If you're out of line of sight,  that sense is out regardless. If you're out of line of sight and make less noise, that's one plus part of another sense they don't have, and still has an effect if you keep moving and looting before they break inside. 

 

Last, while experimenting with sandbox settings I find the zombies stupidly easy to deal with if their hearing is set low. Really, it's too effective so I never lower it from default anymore. Even if their vision is low I feel like the other senses do a decent job of making them still plenty enough of a hassle. Even if they can't see well they'll still bash on stuff and draw more friends and know where you are even if their back is to you.

[Dr_Cox1911 269]

I only take one of those if I play singleplayer. In mutiplayer both are kinda obstructive, because usually the one with a heavier backpack does the kiting of the horde while the other one loots. If the kiting one has those traits the zeds loose interest way too often.

[Crossbow7734 40]

Interesting point.  Still which one do you prefer? 

[Dr_Cox1911 269]

I'm going with Inconspicuous, because as Fenris_Wolf said if you want to be stop making noise abruptly you just stop moving.

[Crossbow7734 40]

By the way. My playstyle includes a lot of rumbling thrugh the forest, but I still don't know if Graceful helps with rustling when moving through the trees? Does any skill or trait help with that?

[Fenris_Wolf 268]

The only reference to Graceful is in the footstep check code. It has no effect on the trees.

Expanding on my choice, I spend a ungodly amount of time in line of sight to zombies but not actually moving. Usually I'm firing shots and moving positions. Hordes are already attracted by the gunshots, footsteps are hardly a concern. By the time the zombies are in footstep range, I've probably stopped moving already.

[josko_91 57]

I use none of them, I always use reverse versions of them so I can pick other traits for the combat build I go for!

[Navarome 70]

i never use any of those traits too.  you end up leveling up the sneak skill and theres more usefull traits than these ones