In this short tip, I will try to summarize all hard-surface tools, which I know in ZBrush.
– ZModeler
– Clip/Trim/Slice brushes (Ctrl+Shift)
– Various hard-surface brushes like trim dynamic, pinch, chisel, dam standard, planar, etc.
– Duplicate -> Slice brush -> Select brush -> Delete hidden -> Optionally ZRemesher -> Panel Loops for paneling
– Masking -> Invert mask and Polygroup (Ctrl-W) -> Select brush (Ctrl-Shift) -> Group Loops -> Gizmo mask (Ctrl-Shift-Click) and move
– Masking -> Invert mask and Polygroup -> Polish by features -> Ctrl-Shift with transpose to mask polygroup and then hold ctrl and use scale middle ring to extrude inner loop and then move tool in the same manner to extrude a clean shape
– Similar to above, but use slice brush
– Creases and dynamic subdiv (good for imported meshes or modeled with ZModeler)
– Booleans
– Insert meshes and curves
– Alphas
– Spotlight
– Retopology of sculpted meshes (ZSpheres or topology brushes)
– Slice brush -> Dynamesh groups -> Auto Groups -> Move
– Array meshes and nanomeshes
– Radial symmetry masking and trimming for cylinders
– Gizmo deformers
– Shadowbox
– Deformation tools (like polish, twist, taper)
– Surface noise (optionally on duplicated mesh) -> Convert BPR to Geo (Geometry tab)