Max Community Size in State of Decay 2: Everything You Need to Know

The maximum community size in State of Decay 2 is 12 survivors. While you might start with a smaller group, the game allows you to recruit additional survivors as you progress, up to this cap. However, the path to reaching a full roster of 12 isn’t straightforward. The game actively encourages strategic choices about who to recruit and who to let go, especially as your community grows beyond nine members. The availability of recruitment opportunities diminishes significantly once you have nine survivors, making each new face in your group a crucial decision. This limitation adds a layer of depth to the game, forcing players to carefully consider the skills, traits, and personalities of each potential recruit. This article will delve deeper into how to achieve the maximum community size and address some common questions that arise along the way.

The Road to 12 Survivors

Reaching the maximum community size of 12 survivors in State of Decay 2 isn’t just about finding new people. It’s about navigating the game’s mechanics, making strategic decisions, and understanding the nuances of community management. Here’s how it generally works:

• Starting Small: You begin the game with a handful of survivors.
• Recruitment Missions: The primary way to increase your community’s size is through missions. These missions often present you with the option to “Recruit X to your Community” upon completion.
• Enclave Relationships: Building positive relationships with other enclaves is often key to unlocking recruitment opportunities. Completing their quests and assisting them will improve your standing and, eventually, may lead to an invitation to join your community.
• The “9 Survivor” Hurdle: Opportunities to recruit become much rarer once your community hits nine survivors. This is a deliberate game mechanic designed to make recruitment more challenging and to emphasize the importance of each survivor in your group.
• Exile & Replacement: If you find a survivor with far superior traits, you might consider exiling an existing one to make room. This is a difficult, but sometimes necessary, choice.
• Strategic Choices: You will need to evaluate skills, traits and the general suitability of each potential survivor, especially when your community grows. This will keep your group balanced and strong.

The game design actively encourages you to be selective. You are not just amassing bodies; you are carefully crafting a group with the skills and personalities to help them survive the zombie apocalypse.

The Importance of Character Selection

In State of Decay 2, your survivors are more than just numbers. They have unique skills, traits, and even quirks that can drastically affect your community’s overall efficiency and morale. As the game limits the maximum size, your choices about which survivors to bring into your community become extremely important. Here are a few things to consider:

• Skills: A balanced community needs survivors with a wide range of skills, including combat, scavenging, medicine, mechanics, and gardening.
• Traits: Some traits can be incredibly useful, while others can be detrimental. Look for traits that complement your playstyle and benefit the group as a whole.
• Morale: The morale of your community is critical. Keep them happy and well-fed, or they will become disgruntled, less efficient and could even leave.
• Red Talon Operatives: Red Talon operatives can be found and recruited in the game, these can have excellent stats and can be powerful additions to your roster.
• Quirks and Negative Traits: Always read the quirks and traits and see how useful they are for you, some might have really useful abilities, whereas some may have terrible detrimental traits that can cripple your community.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What happens if I exceed the 12-survivor limit in State of Decay 2?

You cannot exceed the 12-survivor limit. The game simply will not allow you to recruit new survivors once you hit the maximum. You will either have to exile an existing survivor or decline to recruit.

2. Does the maximum community size change with difficulty levels?

No, the maximum community size remains at 12 survivors regardless of the difficulty setting.

3. Is it possible to recruit every member of an enclave?

Yes, under certain circumstances. Some enclaves, like the medics, mechanics, drunks and soldiers, can be fully recruited into your community, but it requires a series of missions, and eventually, an offer to join you. You cannot recruit the cannibals through normal gameplay; however, one can be recruited through the trader legacy mission after killing the person they are looking for in the mission prior.

4. How does co-op affect the maximum community size?

Co-op play doesn’t change the maximum community size. Only the host’s community roster is impacted, other players in co-op are only temporary members within the world.

5. Is it better to have a community of 12 or stick with a smaller group?

There’s no single right answer. A larger community can take on larger challenges but can also require more resources to manage. A smaller community may be easier to handle but has less flexibility. It depends on your playstyle and goals.

6. Can I transfer survivors to a new map?

Yes, when you decide to move to a new map, you can bring your current group of up to 12 survivors with you.

7. What happens to my community when I finish the game?

Completing a legacy mission “wins the game” for your community by ensuring its lasting contribution to the world. The game will then allow you to restart the game with some or all of your current survivors.

8. Does the leader type affect the maximum community size?

No, the chosen leader type (Builder, Sheriff, Warlord, or Trader) doesn’t influence the maximum number of survivors you can have.

9. Are there specific missions that are more likely to offer recruitment opportunities?

While the game uses an element of RNG (Random Number Generation), focusing on completing missions for other enclaves is the most reliable way to trigger recruitment opportunities.

10. What is the best way to manage morale in a larger community?

Ensure sufficient resources like food, beds, and facilities. Keep your community safe from threats. Also having survivors with morale-boosting traits and skills is important.

11. Can I get more than eight outposts in State of Decay 2?

Yes, but only by playing the Heartland DLC. One of the characters has a unique ability that will allow the player to access and use an additional slot for an outpost.

12. Can Dr. Hoffman be recruited into my community?

No, Dr. Ursula Hoffmann, a character from the Heartland DLC, cannot be recruited into your community in the main game.

13. Does the game limit community size based on base size?

No, the game does not limit community size based on base size. However, larger bases can accommodate and support the needs of a larger community.

14. Is it possible to recruit people after a game completion?

Yes, you can continue playing after completing a legacy mission and recruit new survivors if you have not reached the maximum size.

15. Are there any traits that hinder community growth?

Some traits can negatively impact community dynamics. For instance, survivors with low morale traits or those who are constantly getting into conflicts can be problematic and hinder growth.

Conclusion

Reaching the maximum community size of 12 in State of Decay 2 is a challenging but rewarding goal. It requires strategic decision-making, careful survivor selection, and an understanding of the game’s mechanics. This hard cap on the number of survivors encourages players to invest in their communities and makes each member feel valuable. This limitation enhances the survival experience, turning it into more than just a game about killing zombies. It’s about building and managing a diverse and functional community against all odds.