Short Blunt

Short Blunt weapons are one-handed clubs, hammers and wrenches. The group holds the Nightstick, the Mace, the Claw Hammer and the Short Bat. Bone clubs, broken guitar necks and kitchen tools fight here too. Every one of them trains the Short Blunt skill. These weapons leave the other hand free. The Construction Worker is the best occupation for short blunt. It starts with the most Short Blunt skill. The Blacksmith and the Carpenter also start with some Short Blunt skill.

All Weapons Categories

Best Short Blunt

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

For	Name	Image	Stats	Spawn ID
Hardest hitter	Bone Club with Spikes		1.4 damage	/additem Base.BoneClub_Spiked
Longest reach	Stone Mace		1.3 range	/additem Base.Mace_Stone
Best crit chance	Mace		40 crit chance	/additem Base.Mace
Most durable	Mace		15 condition	/additem Base.Mace
Lightest to carry	Violin		0.7 weight	/additem Base.Violin

Skill and Leveling

The Short Blunt 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 helps the character push off a zombie that grabs from the front.

Short Blunt experience comes from hitting enemies with these weapons. 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 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.

Several occupations start with the skill. The Construction Worker begins with Short Blunt 2. The Blacksmith, the Carpenter, the DIY Expert and the Security Guard each begin with Short Blunt 1.

Some improvised weapons also train Short Blunt. The Lead Pipe, the Iron Pipe, the Frying Pan and the Tire Iron all count. They are listed under Improvised Weapons.

Damage and Reach

Short blunt weapons hit softer than two-handed weapons. In return, they leave a hand free for a light or a bag. The Mace is among the strongest. It deals 0.8 to 1.4 damage with a 40 percent critical chance. The Stone Mace deals 0.8 to 1.3 and reaches a little further, at 1.3.

The Nightstick is the classic police weapon. It deals 0.6 to 1.1 damage. It has 15 condition and weighs 1.5. The Short Bat deals 0.5 to 1 damage, and its spiked versions hit harder. The Short Bat with Rake Spikes deals 0.7 to 1.4.

Bone weapons are made from animal bones. The Bone Club with Spikes deals 0.6 to 1.4 damage. The Jawbone Club deals 0.6 to 1.1. A plain Large Animal Bone deals 0.5 to 1.1.

Tools fill out the rest of the group. The Claw Hammer, the Ball-peen Hammer and the Club Hammer each deal 0.5 to 1. The Wrench and the Pipe Wrench deal 0.5 to 1 as well. The Rolling Pin deals only 0.2 to 0.5, and the Violin deals 0.2 to 0.4.

Tools and Other Uses

Many short blunt weapons are workshop tools. The Claw Hammer counts as a hammer for building and barricading. It can also remove barricades. The Ball-peen Hammer and the Smithing Hammer both serve as smithing hammers at a forge. The Club Hammer drives chisels in masonry recipes.

The Wrench and the Ratchet Wrench both count as wrenches in crafting. Most bolted weapon recipes need one. The Pipe Wrench is the tool for connecting a sink to a rain collector barrel. The Wooden Mallet and the Short Bat both count as mallets in crafting.

The Stone Hammer is the first hammer in a wild start. Make Stone Hammer needs a Tree Branch, a Stone, two bindings and a sharp knife. It needs Maintenance 1. The Stone Hammer also works as a hammerstone for knapping flint.

Durability and Repair

Short blunt weapons last a fair while. The Claw Hammer and the Ball-peen Hammer each have 10 condition. Each hit has a base 1 in 30 chance to cost a point. The Mace and the Nightstick each have 15 condition and a 1 in 20 chance. The Violin has just 1 condition and breaks almost at once.

The Maintenance skill lowers the chance of losing condition. Most wooden and bone clubs take tape and glue repairs. Fix With Duct Tape uses 2 Duct Tape. Fix With Glue uses 2 Glue. Fix With Zipties uses one pack of Zip Ties and needs Maintenance 1.

The Broken Baseball Bat still fights as a short blunt weapon. It deals 0.5 to 0.9 damage. Make Nail-Spiked Small Weapon turns it into a Broken Baseball Bat with Nails.

Crafting

The Short Bat is easy to make. Saw Down Baseball Bat cuts any Baseball Bat into a Short Bat with a saw. Carve Short Bat shapes one from a Plank or a branch and needs Carving 7.

The Short Bat takes many upgrades. Make Nail-Spiked Small Weapon adds 3 Nails with a hammer. Make Railspike Weapon adds a Railroad Spike and needs Maintenance 3. Can-Reinforce Weapon wraps a Short Bat in tin cans, which gives the Short Bat - Can-Reinforced.

Blacksmithing makes the best short blunt weapons. Forge Mace Head needs Blacksmithing 7 and an Advanced Forge. Assemble Mace then fits the head onto a Short Bat. Make Spiked Club adds metal spikes to a bone club or a Short Bat at Blacksmithing 5. Forge Claw Hammer Head and Forge Ball-peen Hammer Head both need Blacksmithing 4.

Bone and stone weapons need no forge. Make Bone Club wraps an Animal Bone in Leather Strips at Maintenance 1. Make Jawbone Club needs a Jawbone and a Medium Handle at Maintenance 2. Make Stone Mace Head needs Masonry 8, and Assemble Stone Mace finishes the job.

Locations

Nightsticks fill prison riot storage, security desks and police stations. Claw Hammers are common in garages, carpenter workshops and construction sites. Club Hammers stack up in masonry crates. Ball-peen Hammers sit in metal shops, welding workshops and tool factories.

Wrenches spawn with mechanics, at gas stations and in army hangars. Pipe Wrenches come from plumbing supplies and janitor closets. Rolling Pins fill kitchen baking drawers in restaurants and bakeries. The Mace and the Smithing Hammer turn up mostly in medieval displays.

Notes

• Make Bone Club needs no tools at all.
• The Dumbbell deals 0.5 to 1 damage but weighs 5.
• Brass Nameplate is a memento that also works as a weak club.

All Short Blunt