Katana
| Katana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Long Blade |
| Skill | Long Blade |
| Damage | 8 |
| Range | 0.61-1.4 |
| Crit | 35% x6 |
| Condition | 10 |
| Weight | 2 |
| Hands | Two-handed |
| Location | Containers |
| Spawn ID | /additem Base.Katana
|
Katana is the best long blade in the game. The Katana is a two-handed sword and one of the strongest melee weapons in the game. It trains the Long Blade skill. Every hit deals a flat 8 damage, far above the 1.3 to 3 of a Wood Axe. That is enough to kill most zombies in a single swing, even with no Long Blade levels.
The catch is rarity and wear. The Katana is among the rarest melee weapons, and its edge wears down fast. It is light at a weight of 2. It is found only as loot, and only in survivor safehouses.
Combat
The Katana swings at base speed and reaches 1.4 tiles, which is a long reach for a melee weapon. One swing can hit up to three zombies at once. The damage never rolls low, so each hit lands the full 8 points. The crit chance starts at 35 percent, and a crit deals six times the damage.
The weapon is two-handed. It can be held in one hand, but the hits then land with less impact. Its endurance cost per swing is low for its power. That makes it fit for long fights where heavier weapons would tire a survivor out.
The Long Blade skill raises its speed and crit chance and lowers the endurance cost. A found Katana is a strong way to level Long Blade, since kills come easily at any level. It is best kept for dangerous moments, such as breaking out of a crowd, to save its condition.
Uses
The Katana is also forge stock. Its steel can replace a Steel Bar in several blacksmithing recipes. These include the Scrap Metal Shortsword, the Simple Shortsword Blade, the Simple Sword Blade, the Shortsword Blade, the Sword Blade and the Machete Blade. A worn Katana therefore keeps value after its fighting days end. It also attaches to the back slot, which lightens the load and keeps it close at hand.
Used in Crafting
These recipes take the Katana as an ingredient or a part.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Station | Skill | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forge Crude Sword Blade | Simple Sword Blade | 
|
Simple Forge | Blacksmithing: 8 | /additem Base.CrudeSwordBlade
|
| Forge Machete Blade | Machete Blade | 
|
Advanced Forge | Blacksmithing: 9 | /additem Base.MacheteBlade
|
| Forge Scrap Metal Shortsword | Scrap Metal Shortsword | 
|
Primitive Forge | Blacksmithing: 5 | /additem Base.ShortSword_Scrap
|
| Forge Shortsword Blade | Shortsword Blade | 
|
Advanced Forge | Blacksmithing: 7 | /additem Base.ShortSwordBlade
|
| Forge Simple Shortsword Blade | Simple Shortsword Blade |
|
Simple Forge | Blacksmithing: 6 | /additem Base.CrudeShortSwordBlade
|
| Forge Sword Blade | Sword Blade | 
|
Advanced Forge | Blacksmithing: 9 | /additem Base.SwordBlade
|
Repair
The Katana has 10 condition. Each hit has a 1 in 15 chance of taking a point off. The Long Blade and Maintenance skills both lower that chance. A trained survivor keeps the edge far longer than a novice does. A survivor with a forge can turn the worn blade into a new sword or machete blade.
Locations
The Katana is an extremely rare find. It spawns only in survivor safehouses, in boxes, counters, crates, metal shelves and wardrobes. The odds are tiny in mid game safehouses and slightly better in late game ones. Most survivors never see one.
The places where it spawns, with the rough chance per container. Each tab shows one kind of place.
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Cardboard box | 0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Counter | 0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Crate | 0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Metal shelves | 0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Small box | 0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Wardrobe | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Cardboard box | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Counter | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Crate | <0.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Metal shelves | <0.1% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Pawn shop office | Locker | 0.1% |
| Pawn shop | Display case | <0.1% |
Notes
- The flat 8 damage means every hit is a likely kill, with or without a crit.
- Researching the Katana can teach the recipes for several sword blades and the Straight Razor.
- Save the Katana for emergencies and use a cheaper weapon for routine kills.
- Breaking down a Katana at a forge also returns a Katana Blade Shard alongside some blades.
Template:ProjectZomboidWeaponTiles
All Long Blades