Kenshi Weapons
Every one of Kenshi's 32 melee weapon types, compared on cut & blunt damage, reach, attack/defence bonuses, armour penetration and price. Sort any column, filter by class, and open any weapon for all of its grades, crafting and the shops that sell it. All values are the Mk I grade from each weapon's own grade table — grades from Rusted Junk to Meitou scale them.
Top damage per class
- Cut
- 1.38
- Blunt
- 1
- Reach
- 25
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A ridiculously unwieldy weapon sometimes used by Skeletons. Requiring both dexterity and strength to use properly, they are widely known as "Suicide Blades", because they often get their users killed.
All grades, crafting & shops →- Cut
- 1.38
- Blunt
- 0
- Reach
- 25
- Atk / Def
- +4 / -4
An extended katana variant with increased reach and damage.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.38
- Blunt
- 0.15
- Reach
- 20
- Atk / Def
- -4 / +8
A pretty exotic weapon, thought to have originated from the Black Desert. Not very popular for some reason and people will probably laugh at you in bars, but is actually a defensive masterpiece and shouldn't be underestimated.
All grades, crafting & shops →- Cut
- 1.38
- Blunt
- 0.25
- Reach
- 20
- Atk / Def
- -2 / +4
A classic hard-hitting blade used by many legendary swordsmen, including Arc himself. The rings are pretty noisy and mainly designed to distract and annoy the hell out of your opponent. Beak Things hate it, but it tends to just make them more vicious.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.27
- Blunt
- 0.1
- Reach
- 25
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A hybrid between katana and sabre, it has a top-heavy balance that feels odd to a katana user, hence the name. It's fast and has a similar reach to a Nodachi. A mostly forgotten weapon in modern times, it was once popular among mercenaries of the old empire.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.27
- Blunt
- 0.25
- Reach
- 22
- Atk / Def
- 0 / +2
An unusual weapon design that supposedly came from the deserts. Usually hard to find, but they have a distinct ability to gut spiders really well, making them popular with certain specialists.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.15
- Blunt
- 0
- Reach
- 21
- Atk / Def
- +6 / -6
An uncommon katana modification sacrificing defence by removing the guard. It's more a psychological advantage than a physical one, knowing subconsciously that attack is your best defence promotes a more aggressive combat style. Gang bosses and Jonin tend to use them to equip their underlings because it makes trouble-makers on both sides more reluctant.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.15
- Blunt
- 0
- Reach
- 21
- Atk / Def
- +4 / -4
A standard katana, one of the fastest, lightest weapons around. They rely on skill and dexterity rather than brute strength. Quality is more important than it is with other types of blade, so they tend to be more expensive.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.15
- Blunt
- 0.25
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- -4 / +6
A portion of metal cut out of the far end of the blade makes it slightly faster and more manoeuvrable. Most swordsmen can't notice the difference, others swear by it.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.15
- Blunt
- 0.25
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- -4 / +4
The classic sabre. Does more damage than a regular katana, at the cost of extra weight. The heavier blade is better for defending, but still curved for cutting damage. They're very common, so can usually be found cheaper than other weapons of similar quality.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.15
- Blunt
- 0.15
- Reach
- 20
- Atk / Def
- -2 / +2
Very light for a sabre, but too straight and heavy to classify as a katana. They are popular among nobles as a status symbol in the empire.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 1.04
- Blunt
- 0
- Reach
- 16
- Atk / Def
- +2 / -2
Smaller and lighter, usually used as a sidearm for backup. It's worth noting that although short, it has a major advantage when fighting indoors against longer weapons.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.98
- Blunt
- 0.2
- Reach
- 26
- Atk / Def
- +4 / 0
A katana-polearm hybrid that mitigates the disadvantages of using a naginata, but still too long to be comfortable indoors.
All grades, crafting & shops →- Cut
- 0.92
- Blunt
- 0.8
- Reach
- 25
- Atk / Def
- 0 / -2
Close to being classed as a heavy weapon, it's the heaviest cleaver you will find.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.92
- Blunt
- 0.8
- Reach
- 23
- Atk / Def
- 0 / +2
The Cross is the revered holy weapon and symbol of the Paladins. With it they have been slaying skeletons and people they think might be skeletons for centuries.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.92
- Blunt
- 1.2
- Reach
- 30
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A hefty hacking weapon, with a good reach. A nice balance for those who find fragment axes too clumsy and blunt, the plank retains some of the extra deadly traits of a regular sword, while still remaining ridiculously crude.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.92
- Blunt
- 0
- Reach
- 21
- Atk / Def
- +2 / -4
A smaller, lighter katana with a straight blade that is easier to produce. Popular with ninjas because they're better for stabbing people in the back with, but not the best for toe-to-toe combat.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.92
- Blunt
- 0.2
- Reach
- 28
- Atk / Def
- +6 / 0
A samurai hunter's weapon that can be deceptively fast and hard to defend against. Too long to use effectively in cramped environments, but good against animals.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.86
- Blunt
- 0.7
- Reach
- 19
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A sword-cleaver hybrid, it's lighter and more suited to normal combat.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.81
- Blunt
- 0.8
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- 0 / -2
Most blades, like katanas and sabres, use their curvature to "slide" off the target, increasing the amount of cut damage. The reverse curvature of a Moon Cleaver does the opposite, catching limbs and necks, keeping the force of the blow driving inwards.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.81
- Blunt
- 0.7
- Reach
- 17
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A lightweight version of the combat cleaver that can be worn on the hip.
All grades, crafting & shops →- Cut
- 0.81
- Blunt
- 0.4
- Reach
- 26
- Atk / Def
- +4 / 0
An unusual sabre-polearm hybrid that mitigates the disadvantages of using a polearm.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.69
- Blunt
- 0.6
- Reach
- 16
- Atk / Def
- 0 / -2
A nasty weapon, designed for hacking through meat. The crude bluntness of the weapon means victims don't bleed to death so often, they just get hacked and maimed.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.58
- Blunt
- 0.5
- Reach
- 28
- Atk / Def
- +6 / 0
Unusual weapons that are sometimes used by hunters as their reach makes them good for taking down animals. Due to their cumbersome length however they are at a serious disadvantage when used indoors.
All grades, crafting & shops →- Cut
- 0.35
- Blunt
- 1
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- -2 / 0
A nasty weapon that causes bleeding in addition to crushing damage.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.35
- Blunt
- 1.8
- Reach
- 32
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A huge axe built to work like a sword. Stupidly heavy, but it impresses the ladies. Shek ladies mostly.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.23
- Blunt
- 1
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- -2 / 0
A hefty club used by wealthier bandit types.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.12
- Blunt
- 0.85
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- 0 / 0
A basic iron stick with a wrapped handle.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.12
- Blunt
- 0.7
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- -2 / -2
An iron stick, used to hit things.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0.06
- Blunt
- 0.8
- Reach
- 23
- Atk / Def
- +8 / 0
Popular with poor farmers, pacifists and drifters. It's usually seen as a weapon for those who can't afford a blade, but sometimes can make a fool of a good swordsman.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0
- Blunt
- 1.3
- Reach
- 21
- Atk / Def
- 0 / +8
A professional law-enforcement weapon. Designed for non-lethal takedowns, it has a sword-catcher guard that gives an advantage when defending.
All grades, crafting & shops →
- Cut
- 0
- Blunt
- 0.9
- Reach
- 18
- Atk / Def
- 0 / +8
A professional law-enforcement weapon. Designed for non-lethal takedowns, it has a sword-catcher guard that gives an advantage when defending. The smaller 1-handed version makes a good sidearm and has an advantage in tight indoor situations.
All grades, crafting & shops →Cut (red) is lethal damage + bleed; Blunt (grey) knocks targets out alive. Bars are relative to the highest in each stat; all values are the Mk I grade from each weapon's own grade table — other grades scale them. Sort columns in Table view, or switch to Grid.
Crossbows
All 7 crossbows at their best grade. Damage and reload are ranges as the wiki lists them; spread is the accuracy deviation in degrees, lower is more accurate.
| Crossbow | Damage | Spread | Range | Reload | Bolts | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Junkbow | 19.07–30.74 | 6.3° | 39.5 | 2.05–3.05 | [Toothpicks] · 40/stack | 2 kg |
 Tooth Pick | 19.07–31.98 | 6.25° | 49.4 | 1.29–3 | [Toothpicks] · 40/stack | 2 kg |
 Ranger | 38.15–57.23 | 3.1° | 79 | 2.05–4.03 | [Regulars] · 30/stack | 3.5 kg |
 Spring Bat | 63.4–101 | 4.2° | 54.3 | 3.55–7.9 | [Heavies] · 20/stack | 6 kg |
 Oldworld Bow MkI | 44.35–63.67 | 2.58° | 108.5 | 2.55–4.03 | [Regulars] · 30/stack | 6.5 kg |
 Oldworld Bow MkII | 57.5–76.58 | 2.29° | 118 | 2.29–6.57 | [Regulars] · 30/stack | 7.5 kg |
 Eagle's Cross | 76.85–127.35 | 1.55° | 188 | 4.05–8.1 | [Longs] · 10/stack | 9 kg |
Unique weapons
Named one-offs carried by a single character. They cannot be crafted, so they sit outside the comparison table above.
