Blunt weapons in Kenshi may leave a lot to be desired. Most players spawn with a simple iron club or stick when they start a game. Quickly ditching it for the first thing with a cutting edge that they can get their hands on.
Blunt weapons do actually have their uses. Namely, their lack of cutting damage means that your enemies aren’t likely to bleed out and die when you defeat them.
Why is this a good thing? Well, Kenshi has a bounty system. If you find someone with a rather large bounty on their head, you can turn them in for it and make bank. However, if they die while you drag them in, then you can only get half the bounty worth.
In this article, we’ll go through the blunt weapons of Kenshi and how you can get your hands on the best ones in the game. Taking you from the lump or iron you started the game with to a terrifying club of steel.
5. The Iron Club
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Basically an iron stick with a wrapped handle.
Not to be confused with the iron stick. The iron club is a slightly upgraded version because someone thought to wrap one end with a bit of rag to make a handle. Other than the little increase in stat boosts, it is essentially the same. A rod of metal that’s used for hitting things.
These are especially popular with cannibals and fogmen. They use them to subdue their targets with the aim of keeping them alive long enough to be dinner. Starving bandits also carry these, but thankfully, they only want to eat your food, not you.
When you first start the game, you will likely spawn with a rusted junk-quality iron club. It gives you at least something to defend yourself with, but that's about all the good it will do for you in the early game.
Higher quality ones can be found in shops but rarely as they aren’t exactly hot sales. You can manufacture them relatively easily with only a few levels of research for higher quality ones.
Understandably, the game doesn’t have a Meitou-level version of the Iron Club. Cross, whoever they were, seemed to have better things to do than make a simple iron pole for hitting things with.
Iron Club Stats
All stats are listed at Meitou level. The highest quality in the game unless otherwise stated.
The highest quality iron club that can be purchased is Edge Level 3.
Cutting Damage - 0.1826
Blunt Damage - 1.36
Blood Loss - 0.30x
Indoor Bonus - +2
Damage Vs Animals - -10%
Required Strength - 54.40
4. The Mercenary Club
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A much more purpose-built club than its Iron Stick cousin.
A weapon for wealthier and more professional fighters, this club is often used by slavers and manhunters as they prefer their quarry to be alive when they deliver them. A mean and hefty thing, the mercenary club is a much more purpose-built weapon.
You can loot these from slavers and manhunters alike in varying levels of quality and can purchase these from shops. As with the iron club, not much research is required to knock these together if you want better-quality ones for hunting bounties.
Mercenary Club Stats
There is no Meitou version of the mercenary club in the game. Thus, stats are listed at Edge Type 3.
Cutting Damage - 0.3652
Blunt Damage - 1.6
Blood Loss - 0.30x
Attack Bonus - -2
Damage Vs Animals - -10%
Damage Vs Robots - +20%
Required Strength - 64
3. The Spiked Club
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Now we’re talking.
Unlike most blunt weapons, the spiked club has an exceptionally high blood loss multiplier. While its cutting damage is still relatively low, be careful using this one if you actually want to keep your targets alive. It does, however, come with a bonus to armour penetration.
Besides that, this weapon is exactly what it says on the tin. A big spikey club used for brutalising opponents. It’ll cause a lot of bleeding and crushing damage when you ram it up a Holy Paladins arse.
Spiked Club Stats
There is no Meitou version of the spiked club in the game. Thus, stats are listed at Edge Type 3.
Cutting Damage - 0.5478
Blunt Damage - 1.6
Blood Loss - 2.00x
Armour Penetration - +30%
Attack Bonus - -2
Damage Vs Animals - -10%
Required Strength - 64
2. The Jitte
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The Jitte. Like a blunted sword.
The Jitte is a much more professional weapon law enforcement and peacekeepers use. It is designed specifically to be non-lethal and to be used in smaller, confined spaces like city streets and building interiors.
They have an exceptional defensive bonus and deal stun damage to your opponents. If you want to bring someone in alive, this is the weapon you want.
The Meitou version of this weapon is held by The Vault Warden in Tengu’s Vault. A prison in the middle of The Great Desert on the border of the United Cities' northern territory. It’s a place where the UC tosses its undesirables and anyone that Tengu doesn’t happen to like.
Liberate the prisoners and the Jitte from its master, and you can use it to bring Tengu himself down. Have him stand trial for the crimes he has committed.
Jitte Stats
Cutting Damage - 0.00
Blunt Damage - 1.8
Blood Loss - 0.10x
Defence Bonus - +8
Indoors Bonus - +4
Required Strength - 72
1. The Heavy Jitte
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The Heavy Jitte.
The bigger, badder brother of the Jitte. This one can only be carried as a primary and used in both hands. It is predominantly carried by Samuria police in the United Cities as a badge of office.
Like with the Jitte, the Heavy Jitte will cause stun damage with little to no cutting or blood loss at all. Primarily used to take down criminals non-lethally. You can loot these from the samurai police or buy one yourself.
If you want the Meitou version of this, you must venture into the Ashlands and bring down General Hat-12. They were the chief of police for the forgotten Second Empire and can be found in Ashdome 4. Be warned, it will be a hell of a fight.
Heavy Jitte Stats
Cutting Damage - 0.00
Blunt Damage - 2.6
Blood Loss - 0.10x
Armour Penetration - +10%
Defence Bonus - +8
Indoors Bonus - -2
Required Strength - 104
Conclusion
While some shy away from blunt weapons in the game, they are essential for anyone looking to do a bounty-hunting run in the game. As bounties can get into the six figures, you don’t want to cut that in half due to your bounty bleeding out while you carry them. Blunt weapons will save you the trouble and the bandages.
As there are only two Meitou blunt weapons in the game, and they are exceedingly difficult to get without an endgame-level crew, it's probably easier to manufacture your own blunt weapons. The bar for entry is extremely low, recipes require little research, and you can boost your weapon-smithing skill along the way. Making money on the side selling them, of course.
