The base version of Kenshi has no console commands, and that is a deliberate choice by the developers to preserve its famously unforgiving sandbox experience. If you want to experiment, fix a game-breaking bug, or bend the rules a little after taking enough punishment in the wasteland, you will need external tools.
In this guide, I explain in detail how to enable and use cheats and console commands to change your Kenshi playthrough.
How to Enable Console Commands in Kenshi
Tools You Need
Since Kenshi has no built-in command console, you will have to rely on external programs or its own development tools. The most common approach is a trainer, essentially a mod that runs alongside the game.
- Main method: MrAntiFun's trainer is a very popular program for this purpose. It now comes bundled with WeMod, so install it if you are comfortable using WeMod.
- Alternatives: The Forgotten Construction Set (FCS) is the official modding tool and lets you edit saves in detail. If you need to manipulate the world while playing, the In-Game Editor (IGE) lets you place buildings and other objects.
Installation Steps
- Download the trainer: First, get MrAntiFun's trainer. Make sure its version matches your current version of Kenshi, or expect crashes and strange behavior.
- Simply install the downloaded file.
- Activate the trainers: Once you are in the WeMod interface, you can enable the trainers you need.
Forgotten Construction Set (FCS)
FCS is Kenshi's own modding toolkit, which you can launch from the game's folder in your Steam library. Instead of entering commands on the fly, it lets you edit save files directly.
You can make precise changes to character stats, alter faction relations, add money, and put items into inventories.
You make these changes by opening your specific save file in FCS and editing character or world data directly.
- Adjusting faction relations: Find the faction data in your save. If you locate the relationSID for the faction you want, you can change your reputation with it from -100 to 100, turning enemies into allies and vice versa.
- Changing life and death states: In a character's MEDICAL_STATE section, you can resurrect a corpse by setting death to false and restoring the flesh value. Conversely, you can instantly kill any NPC by setting death to true and flesh to 0.
- Editing stats and skills directly: You can edit any character attribute by finding that character's entry in the save file. This lets you become a master instantly by setting skill levels, preferably no higher than 100 to avoid breaking anything, or gain godlike regeneration by raising health stats to absurd values.
- Editing the player's wealth: Your money is stored in an odd place. Open the Camera entry in your save's Changes List to enter the number of Cats your faction has directly.
- Changing hunger values: You can adjust character hunger in MEDICAL_STATE. The main hunger value ranges from 0 to 3, corresponding to 0 to 300 in the game, while NU controls the recovery rate.
- Creating custom game starts: FCS lets you build a new start from scratch. You can define your squad, give it specific equipment and starting money, and set initial faction relations for a unique beginning.
- Creating custom items: You can create a new mod to change existing items. For example, if you want a backpack with enormous capacity, raise the Stackable Bonus values. You will then need to obtain the new item in the game itself.
- Changing global experience multipliers: In FCS's global game settings, you can adjust experience multipliers for any race. This affects how quickly skills improve, but remember that it applies to every character of that race, including enemies.
- Duplicating unique items: You can duplicate rare weapons, such as Meitou-grade equipment. Obtain the unique item, put it in a chest at your base, and then import your save. The weapon stays in the chest, while the boss who originally carried it resets with another copy.
This approach is usually more stable than trainers and gives finer control to players who want to customize the game world without enabling cheats in real time. For more details, see Shidan's guide to save editing.
In-Game Editor (IGE)
IGE shares some functions with FCS, but it is mainly used for building and changing the world from inside the game. It lets you place buildings and objects without resources and bypass many construction restrictions.
Main IGE features:
- Moving objects: Click an object, whether a building, rock, or even a person, and use the movement or rotation arrows to change its position.
- Placing buildings: Click Buildings to open a list of all structures. Select one, such as Stationhouse, and click the ground to place it. No resources required.
- Fixing problems: If your characters get stuck, open the editor and click Fix Stuff. This often resolves common bugs.
- Navmesh tool: If you build a new town, NPCs will not know how to navigate it. Click Navmesh, then Regenerate Sector so the AI can understand your new layout.
Press Shift + F12 while playing to open Kenshi's in-game editor.
This is more of a creative tool for planning towns than a cheating tool.
How Do You Spawn Items?
Kenshi has no simple command such as spawnitem. Instead, you use the built-in editor to create items through containers.
This is the quickest way to get any item in the game.
- Open the editor: Press Shift + F12 in the game. The world pauses and the editing panel appears.
- Select the building tool: Click the «Buildings» button on the left panel.
- Choose a container: Select a chest from the drop-down list. «Storage Chest» works best, since it can hold anything.
- Place the container: Click the ground near your character to place the chest.
- Exit the editor: Press Shift + F12 again to close it and return to the game.
- Add your items: You can now open the chest like any other. Its inventory will have a button or menu that lets you add any item in the game. Just choose what you need and take it.
Cheat Engine Integration
The cheat table from Fearless Revolution lets you adjust stats, such as Strength or Dexterity, by editing memory addresses. You can find more detailed instructions on the Cheat Engine website.
How to use it:
- Install Cheat Engine and load the .CT file.
- Attach it to the kenshi_x64.exe process.
- Change values for the effects you want, such as health or currency.
Tips for Using Kenshi Console Commands
Safety and Compatibility
Always back up your saves before you start. Test new commands on an expendable character or in a separate save to see what they actually do without risking your main playthrough. Make sure your trainer matches your game version, especially after a new patch, and remember that it may conflict with other mods. If something goes wrong, read the mod description or visit the community forums for support.
Console commands can get you out of impossible situations, but it is worth trying to play normally and understand the mechanics first.
Preserving Game Balance
These tools can fundamentally change the experience Kenshi was designed to offer. Cheats are useful for testing character builds, dealing with particularly annoying bugs, or creating your own scenario, but overusing them quickly destroys any sense of achievement.
Kenshi's appeal often lies in its challenge and the stories that emerge from struggle. Try using commands to solve specific problems instead of removing all difficulty, because a world without consequences quickly becomes boring.
Troubleshooting Console Commands
If you run into problems, here are a few tips.
- Game crashes: A crash is a clear sign of instability. Immediately return to the backup you made before using commands. A mod conflict or outdated trainer is the most likely culprit.
- Mod conflicts: To find the source of the problem, try temporarily disabling all other mods. If the commands start working, enable your mods one at a time to identify the culprit.
- Game version: Double-check your game and trainer versions. They need to be compatible.
These tools let you reshape the sands of Kenshi to your liking. You can create new stories, bypass tedious mechanics, or simply explore how the world works. Whether you make precise adjustments through FCS or take the brute-force approach with a trainer, remember that overcoming hardship is the soul of Kenshi, so change that experience thoughtfully.
Frequently Asked Questions About Console Commands
How do I open the console in Kenshi?
Press Shift + F12 to access the in-game editor. Remember that this is a development tool for editing the world, rather than a traditional cheat console.
Why are console commands not working?
If the buttons in the Shift + F12 menu do nothing, that is because this is a development tool that requires specific knowledge. Most cheats require external trainers or direct file editing through FCS.
How do I give a character items or money?
You can use the Shift + F12 editor to place a chest containing items, but you need to do this inside your own building to prevent them from being marked as stolen. An easier option is to use a trainer such as WeMod or edit your save in FCS.
How do I teleport a character somewhere else?
To teleport, open the editor with Shift + F12. Move the camera to your destination, save the game, then load that save with reset squad positions checked. Remember that this moves your entire squad to the camera's former position.
Can I edit character stats directly?
The main method is the Forgotten Construction Set (FCS). Open your save file in FCS, find your character's data, and manually change the skill values. I do not recommend setting stats above 100, since that can cause stability problems.
How do I use FCS to cheat?
FCS is the main tool for modding and save editing. To cheat, go to the save folder, usually Users/[Username]/AppData/Local/Kenshi/save, open your save, and find your character's data. Always make a backup so you do not wreck your save.
Why do trainers such as WeMod crash?
If you have trouble with trainers, try launching the game itself through Steam first. Once it is running, launch and activate the trainer. This often resolves activation problems.
How do I get god mode or unlimited health?
There is no single simple command, but you can install mods such as Zatoichi, the last samurai for extreme regeneration, or use trainers with an unlimited-health option.
