Weapon Types

Melee weapons have multiple branches consisting of Sidearms, Heavy Weapons and Formation Weapons, each having at least one sub-branch with multiple weapon choices.

## Sidearms

These include sub-branches of Swords and Knives. While Swords are close to the center of the balancing, Knives focus entirely on speed, thus a damage nerf balanced out for better debuffs. With damage ranging from low to average, they rely on high attack speed to take down opponents.

### Swords

As mentioned, these are the decent-damage, average-speed weapons that effectively is the center of melee balance. Amplify your damage by approximately 50-100% as you progress through the weapons tree, with a full attack cooldown of around 1 (+0.2)s, the standard for Hybrid Animals combat. There's also a 20% chance for parries.

Swords feature a Bind mechanic which returns one attack's damage. However, it's bypassed by heavy weapons, as there is no redirecting that. Recharges every 3 seconds.

#### Variants:

Longswords: Double-edged swords that have a decent length to them, used as standard measurement for Sword stats.

Rapiers: A faster variant with 20% more frequent regular attacks. However, their construction bring less durability and thus require more care.

Sabers: More weight, more damage, more critical hit chance. still sword. Let's move on.

### Knives

Massively trade off the attack damage for ferocious speed that can be used to bumrush the enemy. The damage gain is only 15-30% but with an attack cooldown of 0.3 (+0.1)s, they prove to be very dangerous weapons in the hands of hybrids that can utilize their movement speed. They also make for good improvised shovels.

Due to the decreased damage, Knives receive a 50% debuff power increase if it lands.

Deconstructed into 1 Grip and 1 Spike. Switch conversion are Daggers with more damage but even less range, and Grappling Knives (Add 2 Ropes into the conversion) which can act as a weak version of the Harpoon perk.

## Heavy Weapons

These are made to be more destructive than their neighboring branch counterparts, designed to break equipment and/or structures. Some however are simply brought from utility purposes into war since like real history, they're simply effective. Include Ravagers and Bludgeoners.

### Ravagers

Include designs that have shown capabilities of getting through armor with their heavy business end, before causing brutal wounds to the opposition.

Axes have a damage boost of 100-150%, a cooldown of 1.2 (+0.3)s and a durability damage multiplier of x2, allowing them to chop trees, shred through equipment and deal extreme quantities of damage. They can be deconstructed into 1 Shaft, 1 Grip, 1 Weight and 2 Blades.

Picks have a 180-240% damage boost and an identical cooldown to Axes', causing horrible bleeding wounds on it, but they also get stuck on default overpenetration, costing an additional half-second of recovery time. Deconstructed into 1 Shaft, 1 Grip, 1 Weight and 1 Spike.

Scythes are more frequently used to harvest Short Plants with higher efficiency, but with a large area of attack, they can also be used as effective melee weapons. Stats include a 75-125% damage multiplier, a 1.5 (+0.2)s cooldown and a x1.2 range boost. Deconstructed into 1 Shaft, 2 Grips and 2 Blades.

### Bludgeoners

Include designs that focus more on blunt force trauma, stunning their opponents with a good concussion while ignoring the armor they're wearing.

Maces function as the bludgeoning variant of Axes, causing minor (0.5s) stuns on critical hits while forcing opponents to attack more slowly. To counteract this effect, they only have a 80-120% damage bonus. Deconstructed into 1 Shaft, 1 Grip and 2 Weights.

Hammers are the de facto heaviest melee weapon to be a thing here, forcing a 2.5 (+0.5)s cooldown, with a 1s recovery time on almost every single variant while dragging you down, which forces extreme caution in usage. However, this also means that they're the only weapons to have a damage bonus of up to 300-450%, a guaranteed stun every hit with possession of demolition capabilities. This is due to their usage as handheld demolition equipment. Deconstructed into 2 Grips, 2 Shafts and 1 Hammerhead.

## Formation Weapons

As the name suggests, these weapons are used mostly in formations. Now which melee weapons are used in formation? That's right, spears and shields.

### Spears

With an attack range of approx 3 tiles, Spears deal about as much damage as a sword does, albeit with the risk of getting closed in on due to the slightly reduced movement speed. To use one properly, the range must be what's hinged on. As a bonus, they can be thrown for ranged damage, and can be retrieved.

Deconstructed into 2 Shafts, 2 Grips and 1 Blade, with conversions being Throwing Spears (Worse melee, better ranged for less parts), and Halberds (Move versatile melee attacks for more complex construction)

### Shields

Function as separate, durable hitboxes which protect you from incoming damage, able to be mounted on the side or brought forward for full defense. Are typically relatively heavy to compensate for their defensive bonus. The larger the shield, the more protective it is, although this is very much not the case for their durability. Cannot be deconstructed or converted, though all three recipes for each material will be available at once.

Light Shields are the exception to the weight rule due to not inhibiting player movement, but they cannot block projectiles either, thanks to the tiny, melee-oriented design.