Weapons & Durability

Melee weapons in God Save Birmingham: blunt tools, scythes, spears, swords, halberds, durability, and body-part targeting from alpha and beta builds.

Melee-First Arsenal

God Save Birmingham is a medieval survival sim, not a firearms power fantasy. Your arsenal is everyday tools and pole arms scavenged or crafted across Birmingham. Ocean Drive Studio added spears, one-handed swords, and halberds ahead of the June 2026 beta, joining earlier blunt implements and agricultural weapons like scythes shown in alpha footage.

Each weapon category trades reach, swing speed, stamina cost, and durability loss differently. There is no official tier list—comparison here reflects alpha and beta playtest observations, not unreleased endgame balance.

Blunt Tools and Improvised Weapons

Clubs, mallets, benches, and wagon wheels exemplify the physics sandbox: anything grabbable can become a weapon. Blunt strikes excel at staggering and leg sweeps—IGN preview highlights tripping zombies by swinging furniture at their legs. Improvised gear degrades quickly and lacks guard options, but availability is unmatched during your first days.

Use blunt tools when durability of your primary weapon is low or when you want non-lethal crowd control before fleeing indoors. Pair with Combat Tips for environmental kills.

Scythes and Agricultural Blades

Scythes offer wide horizontal arcs suited to groups in open market squares. They demand spacing—crowd you in a narrow shop and swings clip walls, slowing attacks. Alpha testers used scythes early for Bull Ring clears before upgrading to pole weapons.

Durability on long blades tends to drop faster per heavy swing. Keep a backup spear or short sword in inventory via Tab when committing to a long expedition.

Spears, Swords, and Halberds

Beta combat tuning made animations snappier but enemies tougher—reach weapons reward disciplined thrusts over spam clicking. Spears keep bites off you in alley fights; one-handed swords balance speed and parry windows in doorframe duels; halberds mix hooking and chopping for elite targets or armored ghouls if present in build.

Practice weapon-specific skills mentioned on Steam—repeated use improves efficiency. Compare handling in the Beta Features Walkthrough video against alpha footage in the Alpha Walkthrough.

Durability System

The February 2026 alpha introduced a formal durability system for gear. Weapons wear with use, especially on heavy attacks and blocking. Repair or replace before critical missions; mid-siege breakage is a common playtest failure mode.

Store spare weapons at base crafting stations—see Crafting—and avoid using your best halberd on single stragglers when a shovel suffices.

Body Part Targeting

Beta builds support aiming strikes at specific body regions to cripple locomotion or disarm grabs. Leg-focused attacks pair with shout lure kill boxes; head strikes may cost more stamina but end fights faster if hit windows align.

Detailed input notes live on Melee Combat. Targeting is skill-based—expect misses under fatigue debuffs from Sleep & Rest neglect.

Choosing a Loadout Without a Tier List

Instead of ranking “best weapon,” match gear to scenario: spear for street kiting, sword for indoor rooms, halberd for controlled doorway fights, blunt tools for durability emergencies. Shout lure from Controls sets up each scenario—never fight on unfavorable terrain if you can pull enemies to your barricade line.

Report weapon feel in Steam playtests; Ocean Drive Studio iterated attack responsiveness specifically from alpha feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there guns in God Save Birmingham?

No. Combat is medieval melee and physics improvisation—spears, swords, halberds, scythes, and everyday objects.

When were swords and halberds added?

Spears, one-handed swords, and halberds joined the arsenal ahead of the June 2026 closed beta, per Developer Update 3.

How does durability work?

Weapons wear with attacks and blocks. The system debuted in the February 2026 alpha—repair or rotate backups before long fights.

Can I target zombie legs or heads?

Beta builds support body-part targeting for crippling and faster kills. See Melee Combat for tactical use.

What weapon is best for beginners?

Spears and blunt tools are forgiving for keeping distance. Choice depends on location—narrow indoors favor swords over wide scythe swings.

Do skills improve weapon use?

Steam descriptions mention improving mastery through practice with specific weapon families over time.

Can I throw weapons?

Physics lets you throw objects, including some gear, but you lose the item temporarily and risk durability loss. Wagon wheels remain a fan-favorite throwable.