Difference between revisions of "Mace"

Revision as of 18:27, 5 March 2023

The mace is a melee weapon that does a moderate amount of blunt damage, and has a moderate cooldown. As a blunt weapon, mace attacks don't cause bleeding (unless a body part gets destroyed), and generally fares better against armor when compared to sharp weapons.

Acquisition

Maces can be crafted at a Fueled smithy or Electric smithy once the Smithing research project has been completed. They require 50 Stuff (Metallic/Woody, 500 for SMVs), 6,000 ticks (1.67 mins) of work, and a Crafting skill of 3.

Maces can also be purchased from outlander and orbital combat suppliers, or from outlander and pirate raiders drops.

Analysis

Maces are the strongest blunt weapon that can be crafted by your colony without the Royalty DLC.

The mace is best when made with uranium, due to the metal's blunt damage multiplier.

Blunt weapons are often seen as "anti-armor" weapons, due to the tiny amounts of Blunt armor that most enemies have. In this role, the mace faces heavy competition with the spear. This is because enemies with especially strong armor are quite rare in practice.

Comparisons

Compared to spear

Before considering armor, spears deal more raw damage. A steel spear deals +12.4% more DPS than a steel mace of equal quality. A plasteel spear does +10.4% of a uranium mace.

While spears aren't innately better against armor, they have high AP. A plasteel spear has 55% AP on its only "Sharp" attack, meaning it ignores all Sharp armor below 55%. At normal quality, a plasteel spear deals more damage than a uranium mace until fighting enemies with 68% Sharp armor. This is before considering quality; at higher quality, the spear only gets better. For example, if both weapons are excellent, then the mace only starts to become better at 78% armor. For reference, centipedes have 72% armor.

Maces would remain better against flak vests and power armor. Of these, the flak vest only matters if you actually hit the vest, which only covers the torso and neck. Power armor, as mentioned above, are rare enemies in practice. Spears are noticeably better against unarmored & lightly armored targets. They are roughly equal to the mace against centipedes. Since spears are more useful against more targets, without compromising performance against armor, they are often a better weapon in practice. (If you happened to fight a lot of power armor enemies, maces would come on top).

The big advantage of the mace is that it's cheaper. It costs 25 material less. They are unlocked with Smithing rather than Long Blades. Uranium is cheaper than plasteel, and much less useful in the early- and mid-game.

This comparison falls off at Masterwork quality or higher, but it's not due to armor. Instead, it's due to the overkill mechanics of both weapons.

The spear, as Stab damage, can only ever hit a single body part. If a 42 damage spear hits a 25 damage arm, the arm is destroyed. Overkill damage, i.e. 17 damage ( 60% of the attack), is completely wasted.
The mace, as Blunt damage, will spread damage if it causes overkill. If a mace destroys the arm, it will damage the shoulder, too.

This results in the mace better against humans, and the spear being better against centipedes.

Compared to longswords

The longsword is nominally stronger. Steel longswords are about 13.6% stronger than steel maces. Plasteel longswords are 12% stronger than uranium maces. However, blunt weapons have multiple advantages.

Most pawns carry much lower Blunt armor than they do Sharp. Armor pieces like flak vests and marine armor reduce the longsword to the point of being worse than the mace. The exact breakpoints for mace vs. longsword depend on quality and material. In general, a normal plasteel longsword can beat a normal uranium mace against targets wearing just flak jackets or flak pants, as well as unarmored pawns.

Blunt weapons also have other small advantages.

They have a chance to stun enemies on hit, regardless of organic status. (This chance is fairly small)
If a blunt weapon destroys a body part, it is likely for the damage to spread to its parent part. A sword would cleanly cut off a finger; a mace would crush the finger and likely hurt the arm in the process. This becomes very relevant at masterwork and legendary, but almost nonexistent at any lower quality.
However, blunt wounds won't cause bleeding unless a body part is destroyed. Note that bleeding is very minor in most melee combat situations. Not having a target bleed can be an advantage for capturing them.

Ultimately, the biggest advantage of the mace is that it's blunt damage, it's cheaper, and it uses uranium, which is less useful than plasteel in the early-mid game. The other points are so small that they don't make a significant impact until masterwork quality or so.

Compared to other blunt weapons

Compared to its neolithic 'ancestor', the club, the mace is 10 units more expensive, has a greater damage per hit, and swings just as fast. Maces are also impacted by quality, while clubs aren't. A poor or awful mace will be worse than a club of the same material.

The warhammer costs 3x the materials and requires Long blades researched, but is not strictly stronger. In fact, the mace has a stronger average DPS against unarmored targets, or targets where the mace's AP completely ignore armor. The warhammer has slightly more AP. But at any reasonable armor level, the differences in raw DPS are quite small. Most expected enemies have a very low Blunt protection, even against power armor enemies.

However, the warhammer has a key advantage which cannot be derived from raw DPS. It has a stronger swing, but longer cooldown. This makes it more likely to destroy body parts. 1 hit from a high quality, uranium warhammer could destroy a human's torso, whereas the equivalent mace would need multiple hits in different areas to kill. The true practical extent of this effect is undocumented.

The mace has the advantage of being much cheaper. But if resources are not a concern, then a warhammer would be better than the mace against humanlikes. While the same argument could be extended to using zeushammers or persona zeushammers, it is extremely rare to obtain a Masterwork or Legendary version of either ultratech weapon, and qualities of these high levels have a massive influence on damage. You can farm legendary uranium warhammers if you have a source of inspired creativity, such as a crafter tortured artist or word of inspiration (especially when combined with Production Specialist role).

Attack table

Feature	Toggle
Attacks
Quality

Mace				Handle (Poke)					Head (Blunt)					Human: Left & right fist (Blunt)					HP	Value
Quality	Material	DPS^[1]	AP^[1]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	HP	Value
Awful	Bioferrite	5.19	15.74%	6.48	2s	9.36%	3.24	8.33%	11.3	2s	17.28%	5.65	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	46
Awful	Gold	5.69	17.27%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	12.56	2s	19.2%	6.28	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	2510
Awful	Plasteel	6.23	15.74%	6.48	1.6s	9.36%	4.05	8.33%	11.3	1.6s	17.28%	7.07	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	280	250
Awful	Silver	5.69	17.27%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	12.56	2s	19.2%	6.28	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	260
Awful	Steel	5.69	17.27%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	12.56	2s	19.2%	6.28	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	58
Awful	Uranium	7.57	24.9%	10.8	2.2s	15.6%	4.91	8.33%	18.84	2.2s	28.8%	8.56	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	250	171
Awful	Wood	5.19	15.74%	6.48	2s	9.36%	3.24	8.33%	11.3	2s	17.28%	5.65	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	38
Poor	Bioferrite	5.76	17.46%	7.29	2s	10.53%	3.65	8.33%	12.72	2s	19.44%	6.36	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	69
Poor	Gold	6.32	19.18%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	8.33%	14.13	2s	21.6%	7.07	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	3765
Poor	Plasteel	6.91	17.46%	7.29	1.6s	10.53%	4.56	8.33%	12.72	1.6s	19.44%	7.95	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	280	375
Poor	Silver	6.32	19.18%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	8.33%	14.13	2s	21.6%	7.07	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	390
Poor	Steel	6.32	19.18%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	8.33%	14.13	2s	21.6%	7.07	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	87
Poor	Uranium	8.43	27.76%	12.15	2.2s	17.55%	5.52	8.33%	21.2	2.2s	32.4%	9.63	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	250	255
Poor	Wood	5.76	17.46%	7.29	2s	10.53%	3.65	8.33%	12.72	2s	19.44%	6.36	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	56
Normal	Bioferrite	6.32	19.18%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	8.33%	14.13	2s	21.6%	7.07	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	92
Normal	Gold	6.95	21.08%	9	2s	13%	4.5	8.33%	15.7	2s	24%	7.85	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	5020
Normal	Plasteel	7.58	19.18%	8.1	1.6s	11.7%	5.06	8.33%	14.13	1.6s	21.6%	8.83	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	280	495
Normal	Silver	6.95	21.08%	9	2s	13%	4.5	8.33%	15.7	2s	24%	7.85	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	520
Normal	Steel	6.95	21.08%	9	2s	13%	4.5	8.33%	15.7	2s	24%	7.85	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	117
Normal	Uranium	9.3	30.63%	13.5	2.2s	19.5%	6.14	8.33%	23.55	2.2s	36%	10.7	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	250	340
Normal	Wood	6.32	19.18%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	8.33%	14.13	2s	21.6%	7.07	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	75
Good	Bioferrite	6.88	20.89%	8.91	2s	12.87%	4.46	8.33%	15.54	2s	23.76%	7.77	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	114
Good	Gold	7.57	22.99%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	8.33%	17.27	2s	26.4%	8.64	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	5520
Good	Plasteel	8.26	20.89%	8.91	1.6s	12.87%	5.57	8.33%	15.54	1.6s	23.76%	9.71	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	280	620
Good	Silver	7.57	22.99%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	8.33%	17.27	2s	26.4%	8.64	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	650
Good	Steel	7.57	22.99%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	8.33%	17.27	2s	26.4%	8.64	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	146
Good	Uranium	10.17	33.49%	14.85	2.2s	21.45%	6.75	8.33%	25.91	2.2s	39.6%	11.78	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	250	425
Good	Wood	6.88	20.89%	8.91	2s	12.87%	4.46	8.33%	15.54	2s	23.76%	7.77	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	94
Excellent	Bioferrite	7.45	22.61%	9.72	2s	14.04%	4.86	8.33%	16.96	2s	25.92%	8.48	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	137
Excellent	Gold	8.2	24.9%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	8.33%	18.84	2s	28.8%	9.42	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	6020
Excellent	Plasteel	8.94	22.61%	9.72	1.6s	14.04%	6.08	8.33%	16.96	1.6s	25.92%	10.6	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	280	745
Excellent	Silver	8.2	24.9%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	8.33%	18.84	2s	28.8%	9.42	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	780
Excellent	Steel	8.2	24.9%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	8.33%	18.84	2s	28.8%	9.42	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	175
Excellent	Uranium	11.04	36.35%	16.2	2.2s	23.4%	7.36	8.33%	28.26	2.2s	43.2%	12.85	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	250	510
Excellent	Wood	7.45	22.61%	9.72	2s	14.04%	4.86	8.33%	16.96	2s	25.92%	8.48	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	113
Masterwork	Bioferrite	8.86	26.9%	11.75	2s	16.97%	5.87	8.33%	20.49	2s	31.32%	10.24	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	230
Masterwork	Gold	9.76	29.67%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	8.33%	22.77	2s	34.8%	11.38	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	7020
Masterwork	Plasteel	10.63	26.9%	11.75	1.6s	16.97%	7.34	8.33%	20.49	1.6s	31.32%	12.81	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	280	1245
Masterwork	Silver	9.76	29.67%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	8.33%	22.77	2s	34.8%	11.38	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	1305
Masterwork	Steel	9.76	29.67%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	8.33%	22.77	2s	34.8%	11.38	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	290
Masterwork	Uranium	13.87	46.22%	19.58	2.2s	28.28%	8.9	25%	34.15	2.2s	52.2%	15.52	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 0%	250	850
Masterwork	Wood	8.86	26.9%	11.75	2s	16.97%	5.87	8.33%	20.49	2s	31.32%	10.24	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	188
Legendary	Bioferrite	9.98	30.34%	13.37	2s	19.31%	6.68	8.33%	23.31	2s	35.64%	11.66	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	200	455
Legendary	Gold	11.02	33.49%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	8.33%	25.91	2s	39.6%	12.95	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	60	8020
Legendary	Plasteel	13.02	31.56%	13.37	1.6s	19.31%	8.35	25%	23.31	1.6s	35.64%	14.57	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 0%	280	2485
Legendary	Silver	11.02	33.49%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	8.33%	25.91	2s	39.6%	12.95	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	70	2610
Legendary	Steel	11.02	33.49%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	8.33%	25.91	2s	39.6%	12.95	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	100	585
Legendary	Uranium	15.78	52.59%	22.28	2.2s	32.18%	10.13	25%	38.86	2.2s	59.4%	17.66	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 0%	250	1705
Legendary	Wood	9.98	30.34%	13.37	2s	19.31%	6.68	8.33%	23.31	2s	35.64%	11.66	75%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 8.33%	65	375

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality.}

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.
↑ Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

Version history

Beta 19/1.0 - Damage buffed.

Weapons

Melee | Neolithic: Breach axe • Club • Ikwa • Knife (Jade) • Spear

Medieval: Gladius • Longsword • Mace • Axe • Warhammer

Ultra: Eltex staff • Monosword (Persona) • Plasmasword (Persona) • Zeushammer (Persona)

Improvised: Beer • Elephant tusk • Thrumbo horn • Wood

Ranged | Neolithic: Greatbow • Pila • Recurve bow • Short bow • Flamebow

Medieval: Nerve spiker

Industrial: Assault rifle • Autopistol • Bolt-action rifle • Chain shotgun • Heavy SMG • Launcher (EMP, Incendiary, Smoke, Toxbomb ) • LMG • Machine pistol • Minigun • Pump shotgun • Revolver • Sniper rifle • Hellcat rifle • Incinerator

Spacer: Charge lance • Charge rifle

Consumables: Doomsday rocket launcher • Triple rocket launcher

Throwables: EMP grenades • Frag grenades • Molotov cocktails • Tox grenades

Mechanoid: Heavy charge blaster • Inferno cannon • Needle gun • Thump cannon • Beam graser • Charge blaster turret • Hellsphere cannon • Mini-flameblaster • Mini-shotgun • Slugthrower • Spiner • Toxic needle gun

Structures: Autocannon • Mini-turret gun • Mortar (Weapon) • Uranium slug cannon • Auto-mortar • Inferno cannon (Turret) • Light charge blaster • Mini-slugger • Tactical turret gun

Related | Body part weapons: Prosthetic arm • Bionic arm • Archotech arm • Power claw • Field hand • Drill arm • Venom talon • Venom fangs • Knee spike • Elbow blade • Hand talon • Flesh whip

Integrated weapons: Grenadier armor • Phoenix armor

[Actual-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.

[Chance-2] Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 The mace is best when made with [[uranium]], due to the metal's blunt damage multiplier.
-===Compared to sharp weapons===
+Blunt weapons are often seen as "anti-armor" weapons, due to the tiny amounts of Blunt armor that most enemies have. In this role, the mace faces heavy competition with the [[spear]]. This is because enemies with especially strong armor are quite rare in practice.
-A mace costs half as much as a [[longsword]], and are unlocked with [[Research#Smithing|Smithing]] rather than [[Research#Long blades|Long Blades]].
+== Comparisons ==
+===Compared to spear===
+Before considering armor, spears deal more raw damage.  A steel spear deals {{+|{{%| 7.88/7.01 -1 round 3}}}} more {{DPS}} than a steel mace of equal quality. A [[plasteel]] spear does {{+|{{%| 10.55/9.56 -1 round 3}}}} of a uranium mace.
+While spears aren't innately better against armor, they have high {{AP}}. A plasteel spear has 55% AP on its only "Sharp" attack, meaning it ignores all Sharp armor below 55%. At normal quality, a plasteel spear deals more damage than a [[uranium]] mace until fighting enemies with {{%| (9.56/10.55 -1)/(-0.75) + 0.55 round 2}} <!--
+We are solving for 1 / (Spear DPS Improvement%) = (Armor Reduction%). We can get DPS Improvement using (DPS Spear / DPS Mace). For armor, we know that 1% AP reduces 1% of armor, and 1% of armor equals -0.75% damage, which is subtracted from 100% damage. Since spear's only Sharp attack has 55% AP, we use that instead of spear's avg AP.
+Sub variables in and you get (9.56 / 10.55) = (100 - 0.75(x - 55))%. Solve for x and we get (9.56 / 10.55 - 1) / -0.75 = (x - 0.55), after converting percents into decimals. ---> Sharp armor. This is before considering quality; at higher quality, the spear only gets better. For example, if both weapons are excellent, then the mace only starts to become better at {{%| (11.48/12.63 -1)/(-0.75) + 0.66 round 2}} armor. For reference, [[centipede]]s have 72% armor.
+Maces would remain better against [[flak vest]]s and [[power armor]]. Of these, the flak vest only matters if you actually ''hit'' the vest, which only covers the torso and neck. Power armor, as mentioned above, are rare enemies in practice. Spears are noticeably better against unarmored & lightly armored targets. They are roughly equal to the mace against centipedes. Since spears are ''more useful against more targets'', without compromising performance against armor, they are often a better weapon ''in practice''. (If you happened to fight a lot of power armor enemies, maces would come on top).
+The big advantage of the mace is that it's cheaper. It costs {{icon small|stuff}} 25 material less. They are unlocked with [[Research#Smithing|Smithing]] rather than [[Research#Long blades|Long Blades]]. [[Uranium]] is cheaper than [[plasteel]], and much less useful in the early- and mid-game.
+----
+'''This comparison falls off at Masterwork quality or higher,''' but it's not due to armor. Instead, it's due to the overkill mechanics of both weapons.
+* The spear, as ''[[Damage Types#Stab|Stab]]'' damage, can only ever hit a single body part. If a 42 damage spear hits a 25 damage arm, the arm is destroyed. Overkill damage, i.e. 17 damage ( {{%|1-(17/42) round 2}} of the attack), is completely wasted.
+* The mace, as ''[[Damage Types#Blunt|Blunt]]'' damage, will spread damage if it causes overkill. If a mace destroys the arm, it will damage the shoulder, too.
+This results in the mace better against humans, and the spear being better against centipedes.
+===Compared to longswords===
 The longsword is nominally stronger. Steel longswords are about {{%| 7.96/7.01 -1 round 3}} stronger than steel maces. Plasteel longswords are {{%| 10.71/9.56 -1 round 3}} stronger than uranium maces. However, blunt weapons have multiple advantages.