📚 Beginner's Manual
Complete guide to start on the right foot in Last Z Survival Shooter. Proven strategies, perfect timing and mistakes to avoid.
🎮 Initial Tutorial (First Hours)
What to Expect When Starting?
When starting Last Z, the game will guide you through a basic tutorial where you'll learn the fundamental mechanics:
- Basic building construction - You'll learn to build and upgrade
- Growth Tasks - Missions that give you resources and rewards
- Combat against zombies - Swipe left/right to move heroes in battle
- Resource management - Food, Wood, Z-Coin, Electricity
Your First Heroes
When you start the game, you automatically receive two heroes:
Angelina RANK B
Quality: Basic starting hero
Recommended use: Complete initial missions and zombie combat in early stages. Not a high-level hero, but functional to start.
William RANK B
Quality: Basic starting hero
Recommended use: Similar to Angelina, useful for early stages but not a long-term investment. Use it temporarily until you get better heroes.
⚠️ Important - Don't invest too much in these heroes
Angelina and William are rank B heroes (the lowest quality). The game has rank A and S heroes that are much better. Don't spend valuable resources upgrading Angelina or William - just use them to complete the tutorial and early stages.
Stage System
The game has a stage system you unlock by advancing on the map killing zombies. Some key stages:
- Stage 5: Special offer appears for Sophia for $1 (BUY IT!)
- Stage 7: You unlock the Club (hero recruitment)
- Stage 14: You receive Katrina for free (rank A hero)
💎 Must-Have Offer: Sophia for $1 (Stage 45)
✅ BEST INVESTMENT IN THE GAME
Upon reaching Stage 5, a special offer will appear to buy Sophia for $1. This is THE BEST PURCHASE you can make in the entire game if you're going to spend money.
Sophia RANK S ⭐
Cost: $1 USD (unique special offer)
Special Skill: Construction Bonus
Skill benefits:
- Free construction time: +90 minutes base
- Construction speed: +33% base
- ⭐ +15 min free construction
- ⭐⭐ +10% construction speed
- ⭐⭐⭐ +60 min free construction
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -5% resource consumption
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -10% resource consumption
Package rewards:
- Sophia (S hero) + construction skill
- Profile customization
- 100 Diamonds
- Basic resources
- Day 2: 5 Sophia S fragments
- Day 3: 5 Sophia S fragments + Armor B Box
Why it's essential: Sophia speeds up ALL your constructions, literally saving you days of waiting time. Plus, she's a rank S hero that normally costs much more to obtain.
💡 Important note about VIP
If you reach VIP level 5, you can get Sophia for FREE by completing Laura's missions. However, this is very difficult to achieve without spending, so the $1 offer is extremely good value.
🏗️ Second Best Investment: Second Builder ($2)
After Sophia, the next most valuable purchase is the Second Builder for approximately $2 USD.
✅ Second Builder Benefit
You can build/upgrade 2 buildings simultaneously instead of just one. This doubles your progression speed in the game.
Unlocks: From HQ level 5
Why it's worth it:
- You save DAYS of game time
- You can upgrade resource buildings while upgrading HQ
- You progress twice as fast as players without it
- It's a one-time investment (you keep it forever)
💰 Recommended Investment Summary
Total: $3 USD
- $1 - Sophia (S hero + construction)
- $2 - Second Builder (2x progression)
With just $3, you get MASSIVE advantages that would normally cost $50+ in similar games.
🏰 Key Buildings & Priority Order
Main Building: HQ
The Main Headquarters (also called simply "HQ") is the most important building in the game. Your HQ level determines the maximum level all other buildings can reach.
💡 Golden Rule
Always prioritize upgrading your HQ to the highest possible level. All other buildings are limited by your HQ level.
Resource Production Buildings
These buildings generate resources automatically:
- Farm: Produces Food (MOST important resource - troops consume it)
- Lumber Mill: Produces Wood (essential for construction)
- Residence: Produces Z-Coin (also from events/missions)
- Generator: Produces Electricity (less critical - usually surplus)
Military Buildings
To recruit and manage troops:
Recruitment Camps
- Shooting Range: Recruits sniper-type soldiers
- Bikers Camp: Recruits motorized units
- Raiders Camp: Recruits assault units
Important: The higher the camp level, the better quality troops you can recruit.
Military Center
Function: Manages your troops and determines the maximum soldier capacity you can have.
Military Center level = total troop capacity. Upgrade it constantly.
Other Important Buildings
- Alliance Center: Unlocks at HQ level 5. Lets you join alliances, get help with construction/research, and receive reinforcements when attacked.
- Laboratory: Unlocks at HQ level 7. Here you research technologies that grant permanent buffs.
- Club: Unlocks at Stage 7. Recruit new heroes with tickets.
- Hospital: Heals wounded troops (costs resources but avoids losing them)
⚠️ About the Warehouse
Don't prioritize upgrading the Warehouse unless it's a requirement to upgrade your HQ. Reason: although it protects resources from looting, if attacked you'll still have wounded troops in the Hospital that cost resources to heal. It's better to spend your resources on productive upgrades than to stockpile them.
Recommended Priority Order
- Main HQ - Always at maximum possible
- Troop Camps - To have a strong army
- Military Center - Increases troop capacity
- Farm and Lumber Mill - Critical resource production
- Laboratory - Technologies give permanent advantage
- Alliance Center - Help and reinforcements
- Required buildings - Whatever HQ needs to upgrade
⚔️ Formation & Combat System
What Are Formations?
Formations are your combat teams. Each formation can have:
- 5 heroes (leaders that provide special skills)
- Troops (soldiers that fight under the heroes' command)
Progressive Unlock
Formations are unlocked as you level up:
- Formation 1: Available from the start
- Formation 2: Unlocks at mid levels
- Formation 3: Unlocks at approximately HQ level 14
💡 Formation Strategy
Formation 1: Your strongest team. Use it for PvP combat and hard zombies.
Formations 2 and 3: Secondary teams for resource farming, easier missions, or as reinforcement.
Invest primarily in Formation 1 heroes - don't spread resources upgrading 15 heroes at once.
🦸 Hero Guide for Beginners
Rank System
Heroes are classified into 3 quality ranks:
- RANK S - Best heroes in the game (very hard to get)
- RANK A - Good heroes (accessible and viable)
- RANK B - Basic heroes (for starting only)
Heroes You Get for Free
Katrina RANK A
How to get her: Free upon reaching Stage 14
Quality: Good hero for beginners
S Version: Later you can unlock her S version by killing zombies in special missions
Recommendation: Worth investing in - she's a solid hero that will serve you long-term
Fiona RANK A
How to get her: Club recruitment (Stage 7+) with tickets
Quality: Excellent for beginners
Recommendation: If you get her, she's a great option for Formation 1. Invest in her.
Club - Hero Recruitment
Upon reaching Stage 7, you unlock the Club where you can recruit heroes using special tickets.
💡 Smart Ticket Usage
Save the recruitment tickets you get in early stages. When you unlock the Club, use them all at once for a chance at good heroes.
EXP investment priority:
- Rank S heroes (if you have any)
- Rank A heroes (Katrina, Fiona, etc.)
- DO NOT spend EXP on rank B heroes
🤝 Alliances - Why They Are Crucial
From HQ level 5, you can build the Alliance Center and join an alliance.
✅ Join a STRONG Alliance as soon as possible
One of the most important decisions in Last Z is choosing a good alliance. Don't stay in weak or inactive alliances - look for top alliances on your server.
Benefits of Being in an Alliance
- Construction/Research Help: Members can help you reduce wait times
- Reinforcements: If someone attacks you, your alliance can defend you
- Alliance Technologies: Shared permanent buffs (researched in the Laboratory)
- Alliance Events: Group rewards much better than solo
- Donations: Resource exchange with other members
- Alliance Versus: Weekly event with great rewards (see dedicated section below)
How to Choose a Good Alliance
- Minimum 20-30 ACTIVE daily members
- High alliance technology level
- Active participation in events
- Chat communication (Discord recommended)
- Controlled territories on the map
⚠️ Common Mistake
Don't stay in weak alliances out of loyalty. If your alliance isn't active or doesn't participate in events, find a better one. Changing alliances is normal and necessary to progress.
🎯 Key Events: Full Preparation
Full Preparation is one of the most important events in the game. It runs in 4-hour cycles with different phases.
How Does It Work?
Every 4 hours, the event changes phase. In each phase, certain actions give multiplied points:
🦸 Heroes Phase
Spend hero EXP
Upgrade skills
Level up heroes
🧟 Zombies Phase
Kill zombies on map
Complete rallies
Clear stages
🏗️ Construction Phase
Upgrade buildings
Use speed-ups
Complete constructions
⚔️ Troops Phase
Recruit soldiers
Train army
Upgrade camps
🔬 Research Phase
Research technologies
Use speed-ups
Complete studies
💡 Full Preparation Strategy
DON'T do everything immediately - wait for the right phase:
- Accumulate hero EXP → Spend it in Heroes Phase
- Save construction speed-ups → Use them in Construction Phase
- Plan researches → Start them in Research Phase
- Recruit troops in bulk → Troops Phase
This way you multiply your points and get better event rewards.
⏰ Timing Optimization
Before logging off at night:
- Start long constructions/researches (6-8 hours)
- Activate resource production buffs
- Leave troops gathering on the map
- If Construction Phase is active, use speed-ups before sleeping
Take advantage of the hours you're NOT playing for passive progress.
🏆 Alliance Versus (Weekly Event)
After 14 days of playing, every Monday the Alliance Versus begins, a competitive event lasting a full week.
Weekly Calendar
Monday: Vehicles 🚗
Objective: Upgrade vehicles using blueprints and keys
Bonus points: Each vehicle upgrade adds points for your alliance
Tip: Save blueprints and keys from the previous week to use on this day
Tuesday: Refugees 🏕️
Objective: Build shelters and recruit refugees
Bonus points: Building and recruiting refugees
Tip: The "Butler" and "Diplomat" refugees are the most valuable
Wednesday: Research 🔬
Objective: Research technologies in the Laboratory
Bonus points: Starting and completing researches
Tip: Save pending researches for this day
Thursday: Heroes 🦸
Objective: Upgrade heroes, skills and armor
Bonus points: Level up, upgrade skills, equip armor
Tip: Combine with Full Preparation if Heroes Phase is active
Friday: Troops ⚔️
Objective: Recruit soldiers in bulk
Bonus points: Amount of troops trained
Tip: Save resources all week to recruit heavily on this day
Saturday: Combat 💥
Objective: Kill enemy soldiers
Bonus points: Attacking rival alliance = more points
Tip: This day is all-out war - coordinate with your alliance
✅ Resource Management Strategy
Plan ahead:
- Save resources days before the Versus
- Don't spend everything on Monday - spread it across the week
- If you can align Versus with Full Preparation = double benefit
- Communicate with your alliance about weekly strategy
💪 Important Goal: 8 Million Power
One of the first important goals is reaching 8 million overall power.
🏆 Reward: Combat Fortress Skin
Upon reaching 8M power, you receive a premium skin for your HQ with excellent buffs:
- Troop ATK +8.0%
- Hero EXP Buff +10.0%
- Z-Coin Bonus +10.0%
How to Increase Power Quickly?
- Recruit troops - Gives the most power (thousands per recruitment)
- Upgrade buildings - Each level adds significant power
- Level up heroes - Invest EXP in your best heroes
- Research technologies - Permanent power
- Complete missions - Give resources for all of the above
💡 Efficient Focus
To reach 8M quickly:
- Upgrade your Troop Camps to recruit higher-level soldiers
- Upgrade the Military Center for more capacity
- Recruit constantly - troops are massive power
- Don't waste resources on decorative buildings
🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ The Biggest Beginner Mistakes
1. Attacking HQs stronger than you
ALWAYS scout before attacking. If the HQ has more power than you, you'll lose troops without gaining anything. Only attack weaker HQs to loot resources efficiently.
2. Staying in weak alliances too long
Loyalty is fine, but if your alliance isn't active, it's holding you back. Look for top alliances to grow faster.
3. Getting frustrated because others spend money
There will be stronger P2W (pay to win) players. Don't compare yourself - focus on your own progress. The game is fully playable without spending (or spending little).
4. Spending diamonds on the wrong things
DON'T spend diamonds on:
- Time speed-ups (use the free ones from events)
- Basic resources (farm on the map)
- Random chests (bad investment)
DO spend diamonds on:
- VIP level (best buffs in the game)
- Second builder (if you didn't buy it with $)
- Events with guaranteed rewards
5. Investing in rank B heroes
Don't waste resources upgrading Angelina, William or other B heroes. Wait to get A or S heroes before investing heavily.
6. Not using free speed-ups
Event speed-ups MUST be used, especially in Full Preparation. Don't stockpile them indefinitely - use them strategically.
7. Over-upgrading the Warehouse
Unless it's required to upgrade HQ, don't prioritize the Warehouse. It's better to spend resources on productive upgrades.
8. Not participating in events
Events like Full Preparation and Alliance Versus give enormous rewards. Active participation = progressing 2-3x faster.
⚡ Optimization & Timing Tips
Maximize Your Time (Even When Not Playing)
🌙 Before Sleeping (Night Routine)
- Start long constructions (6-8 hours) so they finish while you sleep
- Activate production buffs (+25% or +50%) - maximize while offline
- Send formations to gather on 6-8 hour resource tiles
- Start researches that take all night
- Recruit troops in bulk if you have resources
- If there's an active event, plan what to do when you wake up
☀️ When Waking Up (Morning Routine)
- Collect resource production from all buildings
- Check troops that returned from farming - send again
- Complete daily missions for rewards
- Check active events (Full Preparation, Alliance Versus)
- Help alliance members with constructions
Smart Resource Management
💰 When to Spend vs When to Save
SPEND resources when:
- There's a phase/event that multiplies points (Full Preparation)
- It's a specific Alliance Versus day
- You need to meet requirements to upgrade HQ
- You have an active shield and are near the storage limit
SAVE resources when:
- Alliance Versus is coming up (especially troop Friday)
- You want to make a big HQ upgrade
- There's an upcoming event with spending rewards
- You don't have a shield and are stockpiling too much (you'll get attacked)
PvP & Looting
⚔️ Attack Strategy
When to start attacking: Day 3-4, or when you reach HQ level 10+
Correct process:
- Scout: ALWAYS scout first (costs nothing)
- Check resources: Make sure they have good Food and/or Wood
- Check power: Only attack HQs WEAKER than you
- Attack: Send your Formation 1 (the strongest)
- Return: Enable "Auto-return" so troops come back automatically
Resources you can loot:
- ✅ Food (main resource to farm)
- ✅ Wood (also very useful)
- ❌ Z-Coin (requires special license - ignore at start)
- ⚡ Electricity (usually surplus, don't prioritize)
📊 Progression Timeline (What to Expect)
First Week
- Goal: Reach HQ level 15
- Unlock Club (Stage 7) and recruit first good heroes
- Get Katrina (Stage 14)
- Join an active alliance (HQ level 5+)
- If you reach Stage 45, buy Sophia for $1
- Buy 2nd builder if you plan to invest
Weeks 2-3
- Work towards 8M power (Fortress skin)
- Participate in first Alliance Versus (after day 14)
- Upgrade Troop Camps for higher-level soldiers
- Start farming weaker HQs for resources
First Month
- HQ level 18-20 (depends on activity and $)
- Solid Formation 1 with A/S heroes
- Active participation in all events
- Important contribution in your alliance
⏰ Real Playtime
Playing 2-3 hours daily + night routines:
- HQ 15: First week ✅
- 8M power: 2-3 weeks
- HQ 20: 3-4 weeks
With Sophia + 2nd Builder, these times are reduced ~30%.
💎 The Most Important Advice
🏆 If you could only follow ONE piece of advice...
Join a top alliance as soon as possible and invest in VIP.
Reasons:
- A good alliance makes you progress 2-3x faster
- VIP gives permanent buffs that accumulate forever
- Participating in alliance events gives massive resources
- Support from veterans teaches you advanced strategies
- Fun: playing alone is boring, with an active alliance it's epic
💭 Long-Term Game Philosophy
Last Z is a marathon, not a sprint:
- Don't get frustrated by stronger P2W players
- Progress at your own pace - the game is enjoyable F2P
- Invest in permanent upgrades (VIP, technologies)
- Participate in events - that's where the real progress is
- Community > Individual power - strong alliance = success