All 38 Weapons, Skills and How They Fight in Going Medieval

Going Medieval is a settlement-building survival game where you run a castle community and defend it from raiders and beasts. Your settlers fight with weapons, and each type suits a different job. The main Going Medieval weapon groups are one-handed melee, two-handed melee, and ranged, and a few weapons can be used in more than one of these ways.

Weapon Group

One-handed Melee

12 items

Bludgeon

Basic wooden club with the same numbers as the Cudgel, but it can't be crafted.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 12
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Cudgel

Simple club you can make from wood or bone; slower than the metal one-handers.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 12
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Wood or bone
Crafting: Craftable

Dagger

Fast metal blade with low damage, the weakest of the quick one-handed blades.

Class: Sword
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 12
Attack Duration: 3.15 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 70%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Falchion

Quick one-handed blade with the same numbers as the Short Sword; it can't be crafted.

Class: Sword
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 3.15 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 70%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Flail

Wooden flail with the lowest base damage of any weapon, but a quicker swing than a club.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 10
Attack Duration: 3.6 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Hatchet

Strongest one-handed melee weapon at 18 damage, and you can craft it from metal.

Class: Axe
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 18
Attack Duration: 3.6 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 60%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Knightly Sword

Quick one-handed sword with the best armour penetration among one-handers; it can't be crafted.

Class: Sword
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 3.15 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 75%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Mace

Quick craftable metal mace that hits for 16.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 3.15 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 60%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Military Pick

Slow metal pick with 16 damage; it can't be crafted.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 60%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Reinforced Flail

Slightly stronger version of the wooden Flail that can't be crafted.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 11
Attack Duration: 3.6 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Short Sword

Quick craftable metal sword, the standard one-handed blade.

Class: Sword
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 3.15 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 70%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Warhammer

One-handed hammer with 16 damage and a medium-speed swing; it can't be crafted.

Class: Mace
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 4.05 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Weapon Group

Two-handed Melee

15 items

Battering Ram

Slow, heavy wooden ram that hits for 40 but takes over 8 seconds per swing.

Class: Ram
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 40
Attack Duration: 8.1 s
Range: 0.1 m
Armour Penetration: 40%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Berdiche

Craftable metal polearm with 0.7 m reach and 90% armour penetration, one point stronger than the Spear.

Class: Spear
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 27
Attack Duration: 6.3 s
Range: 0.7 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Billhook

Metal polearm with the same reach and penetration as the Spear; it can't be crafted.

Class: Spear
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 26
Attack Duration: 6.3 s
Range: 0.7 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Greataxe

Hard-hitting craftable two-handed axe at 36 damage, paid for with a slow swing.

Class: Axe
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 36
Attack Duration: 6.75 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 60%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Greatsword

One of the hardest hitters at 40 damage with a fairly quick swing; it can't be crafted.

Class: Sword
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 40
Attack Duration: 4.05 s
Range: 0.3 m
Armour Penetration: 70%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Longsword

Fastest two-handed weapon, swinging as quickly as a short sword for 32 damage.

Class: Sword
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 32
Attack Duration: 3.15 s
Range: 0.3 m
Armour Penetration: 70%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Metal Battering Ram

The hardest-hitting weapon of all at 46 base damage, with the same slow swing as the wooden ram.

Class: Ram
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 46
Attack Duration: 8.1 s
Range: 0.1 m
Armour Penetration: 40%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Reinforced Spear

Longest melee reach of any weapon at 0.8 m, with a slightly quicker thrust than the Spear; it can't be crafted.

Class: Spear
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 27
Attack Duration: 5.85 s
Range: 0.8 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Spear

Craftable wood or bone spear with 0.7 m reach and 90% armour penetration.

Class: Spear
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 26
Attack Duration: 6.3 s
Range: 0.7 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Wood or bone
Crafting: Craftable

Staff

Wooden two-handed staff with 28 damage and a little reach; it can't be crafted.

Class: Staff
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 28
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 0.2 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Two Handed Flail

Craftable two-handed wooden flail with 26 damage.

Class: Mace
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 26
Attack Duration: 5.85 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Two Handed Flanged Mace

Same numbers as the Two Handed Mace, but it can't be crafted.

Class: Mace
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 30
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 60%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Two Handed Mace

Craftable two-handed metal mace with 30 damage.

Class: Mace
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 30
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 60%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Craftable

Two Handed Warhammer

Two-handed hammer with 30 damage and a slower swing than the two-handed maces; it can't be crafted.

Class: Mace
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 30
Attack Duration: 6.3 s
Range: 0 m
Armour Penetration: 50%
Materials: Iron, steel, gold or silver
Crafting: Uncraftable

Warfork

Wooden polearm with the same numbers as the Spear; it can't be crafted.

Class: Spear
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 26
Attack Duration: 6.3 s
Range: 0.7 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Weapon Group

Ranged

11 items

Crossbow

Craftable crossbow with 25 m range, the longest of any weapon, and a long reload.

Class: Crossbow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 26
Attack Duration: 12.6 s
Range: 25 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Curved Bow

Strongest bow at 24 damage with a quick draw; it can't be crafted.

Class: Bow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 24
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 18 m
Armour Penetration: 80%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Heavy Crossbow

The hardest-hitting ranged weapon, with the best armour penetration and the slowest reload.

Class: Crossbow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 36
Attack Duration: 13.5 s
Range: 25 m
Armour Penetration: 92%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Javelins

Thrown spears with 10 m range that only need one hand.

Class: Thrown
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 16
Attack Duration: 6.3 s
Range: 10 m
Armour Penetration: 35%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Light Crossbow

Fastest-firing crossbow, matching the standard Crossbow's damage; it can't be crafted.

Class: Crossbow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 26
Attack Duration: 11.25 s
Range: 25 m
Armour Penetration: 90%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Longbow

The strongest bow you can craft yourself, at 22 damage.

Class: Bow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 22
Attack Duration: 5.4 s
Range: 18 m
Armour Penetration: 80%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Short Bow

Entry-level bow made from wood or bone, with low damage but full bow range.

Class: Bow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 12
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 18 m
Armour Penetration: 80%
Materials: Wood or bone
Crafting: Craftable

Sling

Cloth or leather sling with 12 m range and the lowest armour penetration of any weapon.

Class: Sling
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 15
Attack Duration: 5.85 s
Range: 12 m
Armour Penetration: 30%
Materials: Linen, wool or any leather
Crafting: Craftable

Stave Sling

Two-handed sling with more range and damage than the regular Sling, at a slower pace.

Class: Sling
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 20
Attack Duration: 7.2 s
Range: 15 m
Armour Penetration: 35%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Craftable

Throwing Axes

Iron throwing axes with 10 m range and slightly more punch than javelins.

Class: Thrown
Grip: One-handed
Base Damage: 17
Attack Duration: 6.75 s
Range: 10 m
Armour Penetration: 40%
Materials: Iron
Crafting: Craftable

War Bow

Bow with 20 damage that shoots as fast as the Short Bow; it can't be crafted.

Class: Bow
Grip: Two-handed
Base Damage: 20
Attack Duration: 4.95 s
Range: 18 m
Armour Penetration: 80%
Materials: Wood
Crafting: Uncraftable

Going Medieval Weapon Types and How They Fight

Melee weapons are for close fighting, and they come in two groups. One-handed weapons leave a hand free for a shield, while two-handed weapons usually hit harder but need both hands. Ranged weapons hit from a distance, and they include bows, crossbows, javelins, throwing axes, and slings.

Throwing axes, javelins, slings, and stave slings are built to be used both ways, so a settler can use them as melee weapons too. Bows work differently. An archer who is attacked up close swings the bow like a staff instead of fighting bare-handed. When a ranged weapon is used up close, the fight is judged by the settler's melee skill.

Drafted settlers, the ones you've pulled into a fight, can follow one of two stances. Default is the usual setting, and they join in as soon as an enemy comes into sight. Hold Ground keeps them in place, so they only fight enemies that are close at hand or that attack them directly, and archers stop chasing targets beyond their range. The stance ends if the settler moves, which makes it useful for guarding a doorway or a set spot, where melee fighters can form a wall.

Which Going Medieval Weapons Matter Most

Bows are the backbone of ranged fighting, and archers are the settlers who handle them. Crossbows are the other main ranged pick. They shoot bolts instead of arrows, and bolts have the smallest arc of any projectile, which suits them to longer shots.

Throwing axes and javelins matter when enemies are protected. Throwing axes are short-ranged and lose accuracy with distance, but they're very strong against shields and armor. Javelins are especially good at taking down shields.

So the choice often comes down to the target. Bows and crossbows cover distance, and throwing weapons deal with shielded or armored enemies.

How to Get Weapons in Going Medieval

Many weapons are unlocked in the Research window before anyone can make them. Throwing axes come from the Axes research and are made at the Blacksmith's Forge, javelins come from Wooden Weaponry 2 and are made at the Woodwork Bench, and slings are made at the Bowyer's Table.

You can also recover weapons from bodies. The gear stays inside a corpse until a settler strips it, and a pyre or butcher strips it automatically. Hover over each item to see its quality and hitpoints, which helps you pick the best gear to use.

How to Equip Weapons on Your Settlers

The Manage Weapon panel is where you decide what each settler carries. If you turn on Force Un-equip, any weapon you uncheck drops right away.

Presets can be copied, and a paste-all option applies one preset to every settler at once. That's handy when a whole squad needs the same setup.

Weapon Skills and Training in Going Medieval

Every weapon needs a certain skill, and the Almanac lists the skill each one requires. Settlers build their Marksman skill at the Archery Range and their Melee skill at the Practice Dummy. Both stations need supplies brought to them first, such as a dummy for the Practice Dummy or practice targets for the Archery Range. Higher levels train more slowly, and no settlers get hurt during training.

Hunting is the other big route. Archers also level up by hunting animals.

Martial Training adds a group option. Hosted at a Sergeant's Podium, these events let you choose which settlers train which weapon skill, and attendees gain a boost in that skill. You'll need enough targets and dummies for everyone, and a sergeant-at-arms on hand gives the event an extra boost.

Shields, Blocking and Weapon Durability

Any weapon can block, and each one has its own cover values, but shields are built for it. A shield's cover is split into a ranged value and a melee value, so the buckler gives excellent melee protection but less against arrows. A shield also has a cover angle, so hitting a shielded enemy from behind counts as a direct hit. Settlers with shields turn toward whoever attacks them, even when the attack comes from range.

Blocking has a cost. Every hit a weapon deals or takes lowers its durability, so the material a weapon is made from matters a lot in battle. Using a bow to stop a heavy blow can damage it and even break it. Ranged weapons used up close wear out much faster than they do at range.

FAQ

Can weapons damage buildings in Going Medieval?

Some can. Throwing axes, javelins, slings, and stave slings can damage buildings, but arrows can't. Drafted settlers can also right-click enemy gates and doors that haven't been breached to attack them.

Can you craft a war bow in Going Medieval?

No. The war bow can't be made at any crafting station, so you'll need to find one through loot instead.

Which bows can shoot fire arrows in Going Medieval?

Only the short bow, longbow, war bow, and curved bow can. Any flame source, such as a brazier or torch, makes fire arrows available, and drafted archers get a Use Fire Arrows option next to the Attack command. Fire arrows are less precise and do less damage than regular arrows, and they wear the bow down much faster. When one lands on oil, the oil catches fire.