Who's the best leader in State of Decay 2?
In State of Decay 2, one of the most important decisions you can make is electing a strong leader to lead your people to prosperity. But what kind of ruler will you be? Will you be a master of engineering, keeping your people safe behind impermeable walls? Or will you be a ruthless warlord, tearing through the countryside, ripping any potential threat apart, be they zombie or fellow human?
As your survivors gain experience and eventually earn a reputation as a hero among your outfit, you can promote them to being your party's leader. What kind of leader they will be depends on their personality. Here are the best leaders to pick in State of Decay 2 for your playstyle.
4: Builder
You might be staring at this screen a lot if you're a builder.
The Builder leader is for that little hermit in all of us. Choosing the builder allows you to build a Sniper Tower or Luxury Barracks in the large build slots in your base. The Sniper Tower will act as a normal watchtower would and provides double the cover fire.
That same large build plot can produce a luxury barracks that houses 5 survivors and provides a morale bonus. Finally, the builder can upgrade the generator to its top tier. The generator mark 3 requires one fuel a day, provides your entire base with power, and generates no noise.
Completing a playthrough with a builder leader will allow you to settle your next map with the builder legacy, granting you base-wide power and water without costing you any resources or generating any noise. If you don't care for the outside world at all, the builder hero/legacy path is the one for you.
Here's a full walk-through of the builder hero missions just so you know what you're getting yourself into:
Builder hero missions walkthrough
3: Trader
Being a trader could be where the money's at.
Want to be a pillar of the community? Friend to all and host to a hub of activity? If so, you're going to want to make a trader your leader. A trader leader unlocks the trade depot as a unique facility you can build on a large build space. The trade depot will churn out 200 influence points for you every day at the cost of 1 crate of materials. In addition to its influence generating powers, the trade depot can be used to summon a trader of your choosing over the radio.
Need some materials? Call the trader. Some weapons? Call the trader. Skill books? Call the trader. All this is sweetened by the fact that the trade depot automatically generates the very influence you need to buy those products. Easy money.
The trader legacy on additional playthroughs will endow you with 4000 influence points and a visit from a trader once you settle into a base on a new map.
Check out the Trader's final hero mission to see if you've got the stomach for it:
Final trader hero mission
2: Sheriff
Get ready to go on patrol... for zombies.
The sheriff is a friend... to some. Cross his path and there'll be a reckoning coming through town. Naming a sheriff as your leader will unlock the field hospital, which is essentially a beefed-up infirmary. A field hospital will allow you to heal all injuries and trauma from your survivors for 8 meds.
The sheriff legacy is where this hero really shines. Gritting your way through the sheriff mission tree will provide your later enclaves with a delivery of high-quality goods from your old pals once a day, every day. This makes the sheriff a great leader to choose because you can reap the rewards every day and you can always use more goods, whether it’s for trade or for use. If you think you're ready to slap on the gold star and bring law to town, then pay attention to this....
Guide to sheriff hero legacy
1: Warlord
Get ready to fight for your life.
The warlord is for the merciless ruler who cares for his own people above all else. The strong survive and the weak are just in the way. The warlord is a good choice for those who are looking out for their own and don't mind stepping on a few toes... or throats along the way.
Having a warlord as your leader will allow you to build an upgraded barracks which can sleep 8 survivors but will damage your morale. You can stash an army away, but they will be grumpy. You can also upgrade your armory to its ultimate tier, which will allow you to produce any type of munition or explosive.
The warlord legacy will leave your later followers with a massive cache of firearms once you settle into your first home. While it leaves no lasting benefit, the warlord legacy can give your people the crucial head start they need to go forth and conquer rather than draw into themselves like those other feeble groups. If you've got the stomach to rule without mercy, take a look at what it takes to be a warlord.
Warlord hero legacy guide
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