I hate the fact how underappreciated the Pitchfork is...

[Singularity's Marauder]

It feels like the game, and the wiki, and the people on the wiki, and the overall atmosphere wants me to use either the Shovel or the Axe, but the reality is, that in my opinion, the Pitchfork is SOOOOOOOOOOOO much better.

No. 1 Don't worry about durability. The number one reason you could say the Pitchfork sucks is because it does not have the Sturdy Blade upgrade. Who cares? it still does enough damage to be powerful for the most of your journey outside and you're not going to use it as your main weapon in the late game, the Pistol, the Shotgun, the Hunting Rifle are much stronger. And the Pitchfork is just going to situationally serve you against singular enemies like Huge Dogs or... Sometimes a few Savages if the engagement situation is attractive for hit n' run melee tactics.

No. 2 It has a huge range and enemies won't backstep it. The Shovel and Axe are weapons that the game expected you to use, so the A.I. has ways of countering them both. Red Chompers, Savages and possibly Huge Dogs will dodge them, if your attacks aren't perfectly timed at a perfect range. This is extremely frustrating and will cause you a lot of pain. I died a few times, because my enemies kept dodging the attack and punishing me, but guess what! Why would I learn this game Dark Souls strategies (devs confirmed they were inspired by Dark Souls), when I can just equip the Pitchfork and enemies will simply... Get stabbed... Every ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ TIME.

No. 3 The high stamina consumption isn't a problem. It's just not. The high range allows you to play safely and retreat, if the situation gets hot, because you are at a big range. And you can simply install Light Materials to prevent high stamina drain. Of course, the stamina drain will only get slightly lessened, not removed. But seriously, spending 40% per attack isn't a big deal. If you keep range and leave yourself a path to escape, you should be able to manage it easily. And as an exchange for high range, enemies being unable to backstep, decent damage and decent wind-up ratio... I'm not complaining.

No. 4 I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ hate the Shovel and the Axe. The fact that the Shovel takes ages to wind-up and has minimal range, because enemies know how to dodge it, if you are not doing precision perfect attacks with it, is hyperannoying. Then, there is the Axe. Which has the range of a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Nailboard (board with nails) and I get it that it one-shots Huge Dogs and does a lot of damage, but... Unless you are fighting a singular dog and it allows you to wind-up your attack, which is basically... Fat chance, and you get a perfect Axe shot at it...
Then... Good ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ luck.

[Null Winter]

We got another crazy! Someone call the crew!

[Singularity's Marauder]

Originally posted by Null Winter:

We got another crazy! Someone call the crew!

you didn't even read the post, did ya

[Null Winter]

Originally posted by Desert Praetor:

Originally posted by Null Winter:

We got another crazy! Someone call the crew!

you didn't even read the post, did ya

I did, and I opted for a joke in line with the opening comment.

[Singularity's Marauder]

Originally posted by Null Winter:

Originally posted by Desert Praetor:

you didn't even read the post, did ya

I did, and I opted for a joke in line with the opening commemt.

oOOOOOOOhhhhh......
Clever.
Sorry. My bad.
I haven't noted that, but...
In case you disagree with me, or anyone in that matter, it's fine.
I respect ur opinion.
I'm just a noob in this game, and I think the Axe and the Shovel are too complicated for me.
Also, I wrote this at 2 a.m. and I was... Kinda angry.
So, sorry if this comes off as...
Malicious.

[Meoman8]

I didn't read the post
shovel best weapon
lov me shovel

[Unseen]

Axe is fast, powerful and accurate. Don't need long reach if it hits like a truck.

Melee sucks in DW, I said it. Try to hit a centipede or banshee with melee, you'll be outclassed everytime. Best to always keep a loaded pistol, shotgun, and rifle. I do not like melee in DW it always gets me killed. Blast em in the face I say, and if not, axe.

Shovels good for digging, pitchfork was blah I don't wanna stab straight, I'm not fencing with a pitchfork. Axe was the best I tried, puts people down and is fast as hell. but its your opinion praetor I'd rather not leave it up to melee unless its something stupid like a spider.

[Jon Fehru]

Aren't centipedes an endgame enemy? Melee worked really well for me because it was tactical and you have to take a slow approach towards the start to mid game. The way i played is using only melee at the start and saving ammo and weapons towards the end, for the endgame enemies. If anything, the centipedes and the crocodile guys in the swamp are probably the only enemies where i exclusively never used melee on, and used ranged, while any other enemy is manageable with melee, even chompers (to a degree, i sometimes used ranged on them too).

Banshee should also never even be hit with any melee, i just avoid them and if i happen to meet one, using the quick melee attack while trying not to be cornered worked pretty well.

I used a shovel instead of an axe, because i could dodge around enemies easier due to its longer range, chompers for me were specially easier with shovels. Damage wasn't as high but i took less damage overall myself because it was safer. Haven't used the pitchfork that much, so i can't say how good it is.

[Unseen]

What about the lil peckers as I call them for lack of a known title? The ones that the banshee spawns? I find you can't touch them with any melee.

But you're right it takes a build up to get range. Which is why I use melee initially. But I don't like it. To each his own I guess, but I just thought the firearms were very well done and really fun in DW so I don't mind the lil time devoted to farming. Pistol is pretty plentiful. I didn't have many problems finding pistol ammo. Saving shotgun shells can be costly tho, and rifle is just kinda 3rd wheel as I don't find rifles as good as the other 2.

I prefer the axe myself as I'm not good at timing with the shovel.

[MazyRun]

I think the 3 main two-handed melee weapons (axe/shovel/pitchfork) are fairly equal and balanced in terms of their overall ability. I like how sometimes one can outperform the others in certain situations.. this keeps the 3 of them interchangeable throughout the game.

Some of the single-handed melee weapons in the game have good situational uses to, the nail board for ease of use (good early game makeshift weapon)..

The knife hits hard when used as a throwable (but I usually trade it because its worth 100 rep). I think it would be quite interesting if knives were a common early game item (like a tier 1/introductory melee weapon.. useful for hunting rabbits) because often by the time knives start appearing in the game you usually have an upgraded two-handed melee weapon & a firearm.

I have to admit I haven't used the sickle enough to know if I rate it or not, obviously it is very effective (if you can master it) against banshee babies in enclosed spaces (but it's easier to avoid situations like that and/or use something equally effective). Crafting them would eat into metal (thus sacrificing things like traps) and their found value (100 rep) makes them good sellables.

But regarding the pitchfork specifically, I agree it is underrated. Players won't generally attribute an in game death (during a fight) to their choice of weapon, it's not always obvious when a different weapon choice for a given situation could have been more effective..

I'll post this excerpt (from a guide of sorts) which contains some examples which may help illustrate where the pitchfork's strengths lie.. https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1649972386606093905/D7BFB2FDD554B6323CC77B9673F8C8617D81C52C/

[AFFIRMATIVE]

Originally posted by MazyRun:

Melee be gud.

I gotta say i am pretty sure you're the same person responding to my thread i made 2 years ago in here, and i'm quite sure i've seen some 2017 posts of yours when the game came out in like august. I'm always glad seeing someone being passionate to stuff like this, and talk about its intricacies of the game even to this day.

[MazyRun]

Originally posted by AFFIRMATIVE:

I'm always glad seeing someone being passionate to stuff like this, and talk about its intricacies of the game even to this day.

Cheers dude, I think it's one of those games that new people will keep discovering.

[Unseen]

People can't discover something without knowledge of it, I always try to tell people its a great game. Hell I tell people its my favorite horror game. But without proper advertising or promotion its..

People ignoring a game like this in favor of the popular crime extortion trash that's saturated the market now is part of why I hate gaming. People say, oh this looks creepy, oh I can't play a horror game to much... Then turn around and kill random strangers in gta or some other kill soap box as if that's not disturbing.

I will give pitchfork props for being the best early melee and pretty easy to get early on, and one of the best till you get shovel or axe.

[Havearrow]

Never used anything besides board with nails.

[Singularity's Marauder]

wtf has happened...
The Darkwood forums have been always dead with the minimum of 1 person responding. Very rarely 2.
And now, I get 7, 7 and 7 responses to the posts I've made.
Wth?

[Unseen]

Originally posted by Desert Praetor:

wtf has happened...
The Darkwood forums have been always dead with the minimum of 1 person responding. Very rarely 2.
And now, I get 7, 7 and 7 responses to the posts I've made.
Wth?

I don't think the DW forums are dead, just like the rest of steam tho.. Some games, even popular games, don't get any posts. You might find tho that games, like DW, have a loyal fan base and people who will respond eventually. Maybe not right away. I sometimes feel like I post to much on this forum but I just really love the game and talking to people about it.

And what I find most appealing about this forum, the posters here generally share everyones love of the game. We don't see a lot of troll bashing, or this game sucks, just people discussing the game who are fans which is very nice.

I happen to think this forum has one of the best communities on steam.