Kenshi Weapon Tier List [Best Weapons, Types, And Picks]

You know what’s funny about Kenshi? Everyone asks “what’s the best weapon?” like there’s some magical sword that’ll carry you through the wasteland. Spoiler alert: there isn’t 😅 This game’s combat system is way too complex for that kind of thinking.

See, Kenshi’s weapon balance is actually pretty brilliant (once you stop getting your face kicked in by bandits). Your choice depends on your playstyle, what you’re fighting, and whether your character can actually swing the damn thing without falling over. A katana might slice through hungry bandits like butter, but good luck scratching a Security Spider with it.

This guide breaks down the Kenshi weapon meta analysis with a proper tier list, stat mechanics that actually matter, and situational picks for different scenarios. And if you’re just starting your wasteland journey, check out my Kenshi tips for beginners guide for the fundamentals that’ll save you from early-game disasters. So, let’s get started?

Kenshi Weapon Tier List: Best Weapon Types Ranked

S-Tier: Top Performing Weapons for Most Builds

Sabres – The Most Balanced Weapon Class

Sabres are like that reliable friend who never lets you down. No major penalties indoors or outdoors, which means you’re not suddenly useless when a fight moves into a building (looking at you, polearm users). They’re effective against light armor, decent against medium armor, and won’t completely embarrass you against heavy armor either.

A Desert Sabre's stats displayed in Kenshi's vendor interface, showing its damage and bonuses. — The stats for a Catun No.3 Desert Sabre, a versatile weapon praised for its lack of penalties and bonuses against common wasteland creatures.

⭐ Best Sabres:

Desert Sabre: Great range and that sweet spider bonus
Foreign Sabre: Superior defense stats that can save your life when things go sideways

The Desert Sabre vs other options debate is real – this thing has become my go-to recommendation for new players because it just works. You can find them relatively easily, they don’t require insane stats, and they won’t let you down when it matters.

Heavy Weapons – Highest DPS Potential

Want to delete enemies from existence? Heavy weapons are your answer. Excellent for strength-heavy late-game builds when you’ve got characters who can actually lift these massive chunks of metal. The trade-off? Slower attack speed and you need serious strength to swing them properly, don’t forget that you should have a good armor in order to not get injured and make your strength drop below the requirements for the heavy weapons – you are going to swing really slow after this.

A Fragment Axe in a Kenshi shop, showing its stats as a powerful heavy weapon. — The Fragment Axe is a fearsome heavy weapon known for its immense area-of-effect blunt damage, ideal for crowd control if you have enough strength (Tip: use skeleton arms).

A Falling Sun heavy weapon in a Kenshi weapon cabinet, displaying its top-tier damage stats. — The legendary Falling Sun, a heavy weapon that holds the title for the highest potential damage in Kenshi, if your character is strong enough.

⭐Top Picks:

Falling Sun: Best raw damage in the game, period
Fragment Axe, Plank: Best AoE damage for when you’re surrounded

The Falling Sun vs Plank vs Fragment Axe debate isn’t even close in terms of raw damage output. But here’s the thing – if your character can’t meet the strength requirements, you’re better off with a stick.

Hackers – Anti-Armor and Robot Hunters

Hackers are where it gets interesting. Strong blunt/cut mix and armor penetration make them fantastic against everything that thinks armor will save them. They’re heavier than sabres and slower than katanas, but when you need something dead that’s wearing heavy gear, nothing beats a good hacker.

A Paladin's Cross and its stats in a Kenshi inventory, highlighting its anti-robot capabilities. — The Paladin’s Cross is the ultimate robot-slaying Hacker

⭐ Best Hacker:

Paladin’s Cross: Absolute best against robots and heavy armor

A Meitou quality Combat Cleaver equipped by a character in Kenshi, showing its powerful stats. — My favorite – meitou-grade Combat Cleaver

Honestly? Hackers are my personal favorite weapon type, especially the Combat Cleaver. It’s well-balanced with relatively low strength requirements compared to other anti-armor options, and it doesn’t have that annoying indoor penalty that makes polearms and heavy weapons perform worse indoors.

A-Tier: Effective with Specific Stats or Situations

Katanas – Speed, Bleed, and Dexterity Scaling

Katanas are the speed demons of Kenshi. High attack frequency with low strength requirements makes them perfect for dexterity builds and characters who want to attack fast and often. The Meitou Katana gives you a ridiculous 2.20x cut multiplier that can shred unarmored enemies.

A Nodachi's weapon stats shown in the Kenshi vendor menu, detailing its pros and cons. — The Nodachi is a Katana-class weapon that excels against unarmored targets but struggles against armor and robots.

But here’s the catch – they’re weak against robots (-40%) and armor (-30%). Try taking a katana against a Security Spider and you’ll understand why people call them “toothpicks against tin cans.”

Polearms – Best for Crowd Control & Reach

Polearms shine when you’re fighting multiple enemies in open areas. Excellent reach and crowd control with a +30% armor penetration bonus that makes them surprisingly effective against armored opponents.

A Heavy Polearm's stats in a Kenshi character's inventory, detailing its reach and penalties. — The Heavy Polearm offers superior reach and armor penetration, but its indoor penalty makes it a situational choice.

The problem? They’re weak indoors and have relatively low damage numbers. Nothing’s more frustrating than watching your polearm master struggle in a narrow hallway while bandits close in.

Blunt Weapons – Best Non-Lethal Option

A Mercenary Club and its detailed stats in a Kenshi character's inventory screen. — The Mercenary Club is a powerful blunt weapon with surprising effectiveness against both armor and robots.

A Heavy Jitte's stats in Kenshi, highlighting its high blunt damage and defensive bonus. — The Heavy Jitte is a prime example of a non-lethal blunt weapon, perfect for bounty hunters aiming to capture targets alive.

Want to capture bounties alive? Blunt weapons are your only real option. Ideal for bounty hunting and non-lethal takedowns with strength-based scaling that you can optimize early. The Heavy Jitte is a solid example that won’t disappoint.

Kenshi Weapon Mechanics: Damage Types, Stats, and skill Requirements

Weapon Damage Formula Explained

Here’s where things get technical (but stay with me, this stuff actually matters):

Cutting Damage = Dexterity × 0.3 + Weapon Skill × 0.3
Blunt Damage = Strength × 0.45 + Weapon Skill × 0.15
Weapon Skill bonus = 0.3 (cut) / 0.15 (blunt) per level

Understanding the Kenshi weapon damage calculation formula helps you build characters that actually hit hard instead of just swinging expensive paperweights. Always meet Strength requirements to avoid crippling speed penalties.

Strength & Dexterity Requirements for Weapons

Minimum Strength = Higher of (Weight × 1) or (Blunt damage × 40)

This is crucial – insufficient strength means slower attack and block speeds. Don’t be like those players grabbing heavy weapons without checking requirements and wondering why their character fights like they’re underwater.

Weapon scaling impacts both performance and training priorities, so plan your stat progression accordingly.

Character Name Generator For Kenshi

Looking for the perfect Kenshi name? Pick a race, choose a gender, or use your own nickname to create a custom, lore-friendly name that fits right into the world. Great for roleplay or just starting your next adventure.

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Situational Weapon Recommendations in Kenshi

Best Early Game Weapons

Polearms are fantastic early on due to low strength requirements and good reach. You can find them easily and start training without needing massive stats.
Katanas are common, fast, and easy to train with. Plus, most early enemies aren’t heavily armored, so you won’t run into the armor penalty issues yet.

Best Mid Game Weapons

Desert Sabre becomes available and reliable at this point. It’s the perfect middle ground when you’re facing varied enemies.
Hackers are worth introducing now as you start encountering more armored opponents. The Combat Cleaver is my personal recommendation here.

Best Late Game Weapons

Falling Sun for strength builds and maximum DPS. When you need something absolutely destroyed, this is your tool.
Paladin’s Cross for the best anti-robot and heavy armor performance. Mandatory if you’re planning to fight the major factions.
Foreign Sabre for top-tier defense in survival builds. Sometimes staying alive is more important than maximum damage.

Weapon Choice by Enemy Type

Against Robots: Paladin’s Cross, Fragment Axe (trust me on this), Combat Cleaver
Against Animals: Desert Sabre works great
Indoor Combat: One-handed katanas and wakizashi. Avoid polearms and heavy weapons unless you enjoy frustration or your stats arer maxed out.

Martial Arts vs Melee Weapons in Kenshi

Is Martial Arts Viable in Late Game?

Martial arts scales incredibly well with no need for weapons, but it’s weak with heavy armor and requires extensive training. High ceiling but poor early performance makes it a commitment build. Use it for duels.

It basically comes down to: do you want to invest heavily in training for long-term power, or do you want consistent performance from day one?

Kenshi Weapon Comparison Table

Type	Tier	Str Req	Indoor	vs Armor	vs Robots	Best For	Top Pick
Sabres	S	Medium	✅ Great	❌ Very Poor	❌ Very Poor	All-around	Desert Sabre
Heavy Weapons	S	High	❌ Poor	✅ Great	✅ Great	Max DPS	Falling Sun
Hackers	S	Medium	❌ Poor	✅ Excellent	✅ Excellent	Anti-armor	Paladin’s Cross
Katanas	A	Low	✅ Great	❌ Poor	❌ Very Poor	Speed/Bleed	Meitou Katana
Polearms	A	Low	❌ Very Poor	✅ Good	✅ Good	Crowd Control	Heavy Polearm
Blunt	A	Medium	✅ Good	✅ Good	✅ Good	Bounty Hunting	Heavy Jitte
Martial Arts	A	None	✅ Great	❌ Poor	❌ Poor	Late Game, Duels	N/A

What’s the Best Weapon in Kenshi?

Desert Sabre and Foreign Sabre are the most flexible choices for most players. They handle various situations without major weaknesses.

Falling Sun offers the highest damage output but demands serious strength investment.

Paladin’s Cross is mandatory for anti-robot and heavy armor tasks.

An entire squad of Shek warriors armed with Combat Cleavers, demonstrating the effectiveness of uniform squad loadouts. — My Shek squad in Kenshi armed with Combat Cleavers

But here’s the real answer: there is no universal “best” weapon. The right choice depends on your stats, what you’re fighting, and your overall strategy. A katana master will destroy unarmored enemies while a heavy weapon user struggles with speed. A hacker specialist will laugh at armored opponents while others chip away uselessly.

Samurai armor stats for a masterwork piece in Kenshi, showing its high defensive values and penalties. — I use samurai armor to protect my Shek squad armed with combat cleavers in order to keep them from injuries and deal heavy damage as long as they can.

The beauty of Kenshi is that every weapon type has its place. Learn the mechanics, understand your enemies, and choose accordingly. Your survival depends on it.Speaking of survival, once you’ve mastered your weapon choice, you’ll want to build a solid team around you. Combat is rarely a solo affair in Kenshi’s harsh world. That’s where unique recruits come in handy – because having the right companions with complementary weapon skills can make the difference between victory and becoming another skeleton in the wasteland. The synergy between different weapon types in your squad is what separates successful survivors from bandit fodder.

What is the highest weapon quality in Kenshi?

Meitou is the highest quality tier, offering the best stats and often unique properties. These are rare and usually require significant effort to obtain.

Is Falling Sun the best weapon in Kenshi?

For raw damage output, yes. But “best” depends on your build and situation. High strength requirements make it unsuitable for many characters.

What is the strongest unit in Kenshi?

This varies by context, but units like Security Spiders, Thrall Masters, and certain unique NPCs are among the toughest encounters.

Are hackers good in Kenshi?

Absolutely. They’re excellent against armor and robots, with good versatility. The Combat Cleaver is particularly well-balanced.

Are heavy weapons good in Kenshi?

Yes, for characters with high strength. They offer the highest damage potential but require significant stat investment.

Is Martial Arts worth it in Kenshi?

Yes, but it’s a long-term investment. Scales excellently but requires extensive training and works best with light armor.

What is the longest reaching weapon in Kenshi?

Polearms have the longest reach, making them excellent for crowd control and keeping enemies at distance in open areas.