Hands

Hands as they appear in-game.

Hands were the primary weapon of the Runner class until update 1.4.9, where they were replaced by the Knife. They made a return in update 2.8.1, automatically appearing after you have thrown your Knife

Despite being unable to headshot opponents they deal 35 damage per hit, defeating most classes in three shots. While the Hands pack considerable power their abysmal range makes them only dubiously viable in regular matches, with their most common usage being in parkour maps where weapons are usually not necessary. Successful kills with the Hands awards an automatic 175 point *execution(Now beatdown)* bonus, somewhat balancing their inability to headshot opponents for more points.

Overview

Hands have some unique strengths. Despite a low rate of fire, they have an unlimited magazine that allows the player to use them holding down the left mouse button, or the fire weapon button indefinitely. This in turn makes the Hands something of a threat at close range, especially when used in conjunction with the Runners' high mobility to "cross-up" and encircle opponents within range. This is particularly true against long-ranged classes and/or classes with a heavy reliance on scoping like the Hunter.
However its biggest strengths are its high power and scoring, dealing with 35 damage on each strike, enough to three-shot all classes except the Rocketeer, Runner and the Spray N Pray, and racking up at least 175 points per kill. This makes the Hands highly rewarding to use if the player can somehow bypass the ranged defenses of every other weapon in the game.
An effective strategy to use with the Hands is similar to one of the Shotgun; waiting around corners for enemies then quickly defeating them with a three-shot combo, preferably while holding down the left mouse button to provide the highest chance of striking the opponent.
The Runner’s natural mobility somewhat compensates for the Hands’ poor range. Aside from hiding from and ambushing opponents, Slidehopping can be used as a surprise approach option, and zigzagging in a direct assault can make aiming harder for the opponent, allowing a Runner to get close enough to dispatch the enemy.
The Hands also have some utility in Game Modes such as Team Deathmatch where teammates can provide covering fire to get in range of the Hands’ deadly attack, although the Shotgun also arguably fills this niche while being a more versatile weapon overall.
However, the Hands are crippled by its abysmal range, to the point of losing to every other weapon in the game at every distance except at arm’s reach, where even then close-range weapons such as the Shotgun and the Akimbo Uzis are still likely to outgun them. This is compounded by a relatively large crosshair which means that even strikes within range may not connect. Their relatively slow rate of fire also makes it possible for opponents to dodge past the runner and out of range even after taking a hit. Many of its strengths, such as a wide surface area, explosive power, and effectiveness in close quarters are also covered by the Shotgun and its Vince class, who carries a secondary weapon as part of being a generally more versatile class than the Runner.

Overall the Hands are considered unviable in casual and competitive play; instead, they are recommended for use in custom games and parkour maps as an extension of its class's high mobility.

Patch History

Visit the Runner page for the history of the class itself.

**v2.8.1**
* Added ability to throw your Melee Weapon (Once per Life) (Using Fists Deals less Damage)

**v1.4.9**

* Replaced Hands with Default Knife

The **Hands** were introduced in **v1.2.1**

Trivia

* The Hands were the only melee weapon in the game until Update 1.4.9, when it was replaced by the Knife.
* The Hands are one of 4 Primary Weapons that cannot headshot opponents, the other being the Rocket Launcher, Crossbow, and Blaster.

Assets

All assets of the game can be downloaded here