Axes

Axes are heavy chopping weapons that also work as tools. The group runs from the small Hatchet to the Wood Axe and the Firefighter Axe. Many axes cut down trees, and some butcher animals or break barricades. Every axe trains the Axe skill, which raises attack speed and damage. Axes are among the hardest-hitting melee weapons in the game. The Lumberjack is the best occupation for axes. It starts with the most Axe skill. The Firefighter also starts with some Axe skill.

All Weapons Categories

Best Axes

The top pick for each role, by the game's own figures.

For	Name	Image	Stats	Spawn ID
Hardest hitter	Cudgel with Brake Disc		3 damage	/additem Base.Cudgel_Brake
Longest reach	Pickaxe		1.6 range	/additem Base.PickAxe
Best crit chance	Cudgel with Brake Disc		50 crit chance	/additem Base.Cudgel_Brake
Most durable	Short Bat with Railspike		15 condition	/additem Base.ShortBat_RailSpike
Lightest to carry	Hand Scythe		1 weight	/additem Base.HandScythe

Skill and Leveling

The Axe skill covers every weapon in this group. Its in-game text says it increases attack speed and damage and reduces muscle strain. A higher level also raises the critical chance. It also helps the character push off a zombie that grabs from the front.

Axe experience comes from hitting enemies with an axe. Level 1 needs 75 XP. Level 10 needs 9,000 XP. Fast Learner raises the XP rate to 130 percent. Slow Learner lowers it to 70 percent, and Reluctant Fighter lowers it to 75 percent.

The skill also adds flat bonuses at set levels. Level 3 adds 10 percent damage. Level 7 raises the damage bonus to 20 percent and adds 20 percent range. From level 8, each swing costs 10 percent less endurance.

Some starts give the skill a head start. The Firefighter occupation gives Axe 1. The Lumberjack occupation gives Axe 2 and the Ax-pert trait. Ax-pert gives a faster axe swing and makes the character better at chopping trees. The Brawler trait adds Axe 1 as well.

Damage and Reach

Axes hit hard but swing slowly. The Wood Axe deals 1.3 to 3 damage. It has a 50 percent critical chance and a critical multiplier of 12. That multiplier is the highest of any axe. The Axe and the Firefighter Axe each deal 0.8 to 2 damage.

One-handed axes trade damage for speed and a free hand. The Hatchet and the Hand Axe each deal 0.7 to 1.5 damage. The Ice Axe deals the same 0.7 to 1.5. These light axes leave room for a flashlight or a bag in the other hand.

Crafted axes reach the top of the damage list. The Cudgel with Brake Disc deals 2 to 3 damage. The Cudgel with Sawblade deals 1.9 to 3. These cudgels weigh 6 each, double the weight of a Wood Axe.

Reach matters when a group closes in. The Pickaxe has the longest reach of the group at 1.6. The Wood Axe and the Large Stone Axe reach 1.35. Most hatchets reach only 1.1.

Chopping and Other Uses

Most axes are tools first. The Wood Axe, the Axe, the Firefighter Axe, the Hatchet and the Hand Axe can all chop trees. Felled trees give Logs. The stone axes and the sawblade weapons can chop trees too.

Some axes have extra jobs. The Firefighter Axe can remove barricades from doors and windows. The Hatchet, the Hand Axe and the Meat Cleaver can butcher animals. The Pickaxe can dig, plow and remove tree stumps. The Entrenching Tool can dig graves, dig furrows and take dirt.

The Hand Scythe and the Stone-Blade Scythe cut plants. The Flint Saw works as a crude saw in crafting recipes. These small blades still train the Axe skill in a fight.

Durability and Repair

Every axe has a condition bar. Each hit has a small chance to cost one point of condition. The Wood Axe has 15 condition and a base 1 in 40 chance to lose a point. The Axe and the Firefighter Axe have 13 condition and a 1 in 35 chance. The Crude Stone Axe has 5 condition and a 1 in 5 chance, so it wears out fast.

The Maintenance skill lowers the chance of losing condition. A higher Axe skill helps a little as well. Maintenance XP comes from hitting things with melee weapons.

Many axes can be sharpened. Sharpen Blade uses a Whetstone. Sharpen Blade Poorly with File uses a File instead. Sharpen Blade with Grindstone needs the Grindstone workstation.

Most axes take tape and glue repairs. Fix With Duct Tape uses 2 Duct Tape. Fix With Glue uses 2 Glue. Fix With Epoxy needs Epoxy and Fiberglass Tape and Maintenance 3.

Crafting

The simplest axe is the Crude Stone Axe. Make Crude Stone Axe needs a Tree Branch, a Sharp Flint Flake and two bindings. It needs Maintenance 1. The Large Stone Axe uses a Large Handle and a Large Stone Axe Head. Knap Large Stone Axe Head needs Knapping 4. Chisel Large Stone Axe Head needs Masonry 6.

Bone axes come from animal parts. Make Jawbone Axe turns a Jawbone, a Tree Branch and Leather Strips into a Jawbone War Axe. The Bone War Hatchet needs a carved Bone War Hatchet Head. Carve Bone War Hatchet Head needs Carving 3.

Metal axes come from smithing. Forge Hatchet Head needs Blacksmithing 4. Forge Axe Head needs Blacksmithing 6. Forge Wood Axe Head needs Blacksmithing 8 and an Advanced Forge. Assemble Long Implement fits a head onto a Large Handle. It makes the Axe, the Firefighter Axe, the Pickaxe and the Wood Axe. Dismantle Long Implement takes the head back off.

Sawblade weapons use a Circular Sawblade. Make Sawblade Cudgel needs Carpentry 6. Make Sawblade Hatchet needs Welding 3 and a Welding Torch. Make Brake Disc Weapon needs Carpentry 5 and a brake from a car. The Carpenter and DIY Expert occupations know most of these recipes from the start. The Handy trait teaches them too.

Locations

The Firefighter Axe fills the tool storage of fire stations. The Wood Axe turns up at logging factories, and more rarely in pawn shops. The Hatchet is common in camping stores, army surplus stores and police evidence rooms. Hunting lockers and trapper cabins hold Hatchets too.

The Entrenching Tool spawns mostly in army surplus stores and camping stores. The Pickaxe shows up with farm and garden tools. The Meat Cleaver fills kitchens, butcher shops and knife stores. Old axes and hatchets sit in antique shops and pawn shops.

Notes

• The Wood Axe has the highest condition of the classic axes, at 15.
• Make Crude Stone Axe needs no tools, so it suits a start in the wild.

All Axes