Overview
A guide to weaponry in the Escapists, and what weaponry is ideal.
Introduction
In the Escapists, you have the ability to engage in combat with your fellow inmates, using the Strength stat to deal damage and increase it. However, there is a second way to increase damage output: weaponry.
The game has many weapons you can use, from shivs to batons to stun batons. This guide will walk you through how each one fares and how strong they are.
In order to equip weapons, you must first craft it and open your profile. Once you’ve done that, click on the weapon you wish to equip and it will go to your weapon slot.
Weak Weapons
This list will cover some of the weaker weapons you can find, but as a plus they’re often easily found and easily crafted. Most weaker weapons don’t even need to be crafted, and can be found pretty much anywhere
Pillow
Contraband: No
Power: 1 / 5
How to obtain: Right-click a bed to loot the pillow off it, or steal one off fallen inmates.
Pillows are not effective weapons, but they’re legal and easy to find. If push comes to shove, just have a pillow fight with friends and foes alike.
Plastic Knives and Plastic Forks
Contraband: No
Power: 1 / 5
How to obtain: In any eating area in any prison, there will be knives, forks and spoons available in the cutlery section.
Plastic Knives and Forks are extremely common, and have a multitude of uses – this includes being a weak but legal weapon. However, you’re better off using them for their other uses (chipping, cutting, etc.)
Comb Shiv, Comb Blade and Toothbrush Shiv
Contraband: Yes
Power: 2 / 5
How to obtain: Locate a Comb or Toothbrush, respectively, and use it on a wall. Comb Blades can be found in desks or on prisoners.
Shivs are fairly weak, but they’re downright easy to find. Every desk will start with some basics, among these is a Comb which you can turn into a Shiv. Even if you lose yours, other desks will have them. A Comb Blade has no upside to a Comb or Toothbrush Shiv, so don’t go out of your way to get one.
Hoe
Contraband: No
Power: 2 / 5
How to obtain: Have the Gardening job and confiscate a Hoe from the tool box. Alternatively, you can find them on other prisoners.
Hoes are one of the few non-contraband weapons in the game. They’re still weaker than most weapons, but easy to locate with the right job and plentiful.
Moderate Weapons
These next weapons are pretty powerful without asking too much of you, so they may be the ones you’ll have most of the time. They can compensate for a lot of Strength but don’t rely too much on them.
Sock Mace / Super Sock Mace
Contraband: Yes/Yes
Power: 3/5 and 4/5 respectively
How to obtain: Craft using a sock + soap for a normal Mace, or a sock + battery for a better Mace.
Sock Maces are very easy to craft, and can sometimes be found on the bodies of unconscious inmates. They require just 30 Intelligence, so long as you find the ingredients (soap will be a breeze to locate, all desks have soap in them by default).
Super Sock Maces require a battery and 50 Intelligence, so they demand a bit more from you since batteries are rarer. They, too, can be found on prisoners occasionally.
Wooden Bat + Spiked Bat
Contraband: Yes/Yes
Power: 3/5 and 4/5 respectively
How to obtain: Craft using a Timber + Roll of Duct Tape. For a Spiked Bat, include Nails in the recipe.
Wooden Bats use common but useful items, so it’s not the best weapon. It’s not found anywhere other than crafting, as prisoners don’t tend to carry these around. Spiked Bats are better since Nails aren’t quite as valuable, but Duct Tape and Timber both have better uses.
Crowbar Contributed by DearestGecko!
Contraband: Yes
Power: 3 / 5
How to obtain: Buy it off inmates.
The Crowbar has moderate attack power, but it’s not recommended for a weapon – Crowbars are used in pickaxes and grappling hooks, not to mention they cost quite a bit to buy. Nonetheless, they still deal decent damage if you need a good weapon. Also, they have 2 / 5 Chipping, making them a good substitute File.
Baton
Contraband: Yes
Power: 3 / 5
How to obtain: Buy it off inmates, or loot it off unconscious guards.
Guards always carry batons around (with the exception of later prisons like HMP Irongate, as Guards use Stun Batons there) so they’re easy to obtain if you’re tough enough. They can also be purchased from inmates sometimes, but they’re not cheap. However, they are one of the few weapons with durability, so they do break after some usage.
Hammer
Contraband: Yes
Power: 3 / 5
How to obtain: Buy it off inmates.
Hammers are bulky weapons sold by inmates at times. They’re not cheap, but they’re pretty good weapons and don’t require you to smarten up to obtain one.
Powerful Weapons
These weapons are the strongest ones available, but some work is needed to obtain them – they require plenty of useful items to craft them, and a hell of a lot of intelligence.
Note that all these high-tier weapons are contraband.
Knuckle Duster
Power: 4 / 5
How to obtain: Craft using a Roll of Duct Tape and a Razor Blade
The Knuckle Duster is cheap – Razor Blades are common, as is Duct Tape, so you’re not giving up too much to craft one. It requires 60 Intelligence to craft one, though, so hit the books!
Glass Shank
Power: 4 / 5
How to obtain: Craft using a Roll of Duct Tape and a Glass Shard
As long as you loot a Glass Shard from another inmate, you can combine it with Duct Tape to make a formidable weapon. Duct Tape is common (even if it is every escapist’s God) so Glass Shanks are easy enough to make. Despite its power, you don’t need any level of Intelligence to craft it!
Whip
Power: 5 / 5
How to obtain: Craft using Timber, Wire and a Razor Blade at 80 Intel
Despite requiring a huge 80 Intelligence to craft a Whip, it’ll be worth it. A Whip is powerful and requires just common items. In fact, all these items can be found in other inmates’ desks and can be purchased off inmates, so soon enough you’ll probably be able to craft one with high Intelligence!
Nunchuks
Power: 5 / 5
How to obtain: Craft using 2 x Timber and Wire at 70 Intel
Arguably the best standard weapon in the game, Nunchuks aren’t too different to the Whip. They require another piece of Timber instead of a Razor Blade, but you don’t need as much Intelligence to craft it. Timber is common enough, but consider using a Whip if you need it for other things.
Special Weapons
Now for the special weapons – these don’t act in the same way as most do. Read on to find out how each one works.
Cup of Molten Chocolate
Contraband: Yes
Power: One-hit knockdown
How to obtain: Craft it using a Cup, a Lighter and a Bar of Chocolate.
The Molten Chocolate is one of my favourite items – you get to knock somebody in close proximity down in one hit with chocolate!
This item can only be obtained by combining a Cup, Lighter, and Chocolate together with at least 40 Intelligence. Be aware of the consequences, though – whoever you use it on will instantly have 0 Opinion of you, so if you’re using this on Guards don’t have sheets up to hide your activity in your cell – they’ll rip it straight down!
To use it, left-click it in your inventory and then left-click somebody within about a block of your character. They’ll go down soundlessly!
Stun Batons
Contraband: Yes
Power: One-hit knockdown
How to obtain: Annoy the guards so much they stick one up your-
The Stun Baton is a special weapon used by the guards at HMP Irongate and Camp Epsilon. It will deal 50 damage to you, regardless of your defense, so it’ll always knock you down instantly. You currently can’t obtain them, not even by looting knocked out guards, so just don’t be on the receiving end!