Improvised hatchet in interloper

[Dobbler]

For years, when I first head to a forge to make tools, I've make an improvised knife, and improvised hatchet, and 10-20 arrowheads (depending on available scrap). For years, I've found I barely use the hatchet. Do you bother with it? The knife/hacksaw combo seems to do almost everything a hatchet does, and managing carry weight is always a big challenge.

I'm on my way to the Spence homestead now, and I think I'm going to forgo the hatchet and see how it goes. Thoughts?

[AcmeAdict]

Need the hatchet to get through scrub brush on certain maps. Besides that, don’t carry it much. When I do carry it, it’s nice to be able to break down furniture for firewood, but not worth carrying all the time IMO.

[darkscaryforest]

Is there anything more quintessential than the "should I make an improvised hatchet?" discussion? Everyone already posted the best thoughts.

I'll add that when comparing the use of a hacksaw to a hatchet, recall that hacksaws are repairable via simple tools with the abundant scrap metal- which happens to be primarily acquired from the hacksaw. Hatchets are repairable via whetstones which likely have less uses (seeing as you can repair simple tools via quality tools) and will also be needed for your knife.

[Lt. Heinz Becker]

I just use hacksaw because once you find simple tools you can repair it to 100% with one scrap metal. I only use the knife for crafting. Hacksaw or bare hands for everything else. Heavy hammer to break down furniture.

[Ridan Krad]

The critical question is what tool works best for wolf struggles. There is some debate regarding hammer versus hammer. As I understand it, the hammer can end the struggle quicker than most (or all) tools, but won't kill the wolf. The hatchet can end the struggle quicker than most tools (with the exception of maybe the hammer). It also can potentially kill the wolf during the struggle and, if not, causes bleeding on the wolf which guarantees a kill sometime after the struggle ends. The hammer is easier to repair than the hatchet, requiring just fir wood; the hatchet requires either whetstones or the milling machine. Finally, the hatchet is lighter than the hammer.

Personally, for interloper, if my understanding of the hatchet's defensive capabilities is correct, then I think the hatchet is worth carrying for that purpose only.

[Dobbler]

Originally posted by Ridan Krad:

The critical question is what tool works best for wolf struggles. There is some debate regarding hammer versus hammer. As I understand it, the hammer can end the struggle quicker than most (or all) tools, but won't kill the wolf. The hatchet can end the struggle quicker than most tools (with the exception of maybe the hammer). It also can potentially kill the wolf during the struggle and, if not, causes bleeding on the wolf which guarantees a kill sometime after the struggle ends. The hammer is easier to repair than the hatchet, requiring just fir wood; the hatchet requires either whetstones or the milling machine. Finally, the hatchet is lighter than the hammer.

Personally, for interloper, if my understanding of the hatchet's defensive capabilities is correct, then I think the hatchet is worth carrying for that purpose only.

I don't prioritize that as high as you do. I tend to be pretty good at avoiding wolf struggles, and on the off chance I do have them, I can usually win them with a knife, which makes finding/harvesting the corpse easier. I find that if you keep good clothing in good repair, plan your routes well, and be patient, you can avoid wolves or stealth past them without too much problem. I'm always shocked at how close you can come to a wolf when crouched and they don't see you.

[Ridan Krad]

Originally posted by Dobbler:

Originally posted by Ridan Krad:

The critical question is what tool works best for wolf struggles. There is some debate regarding hammer versus hammer. As I understand it, the hammer can end the struggle quicker than most (or all) tools, but won't kill the wolf. The hatchet can end the struggle quicker than most tools (with the exception of maybe the hammer). It also can potentially kill the wolf during the struggle and, if not, causes bleeding on the wolf which guarantees a kill sometime after the struggle ends. The hammer is easier to repair than the hatchet, requiring just fir wood; the hatchet requires either whetstones or the milling machine. Finally, the hatchet is lighter than the hammer.

Personally, for interloper, if my understanding of the hatchet's defensive capabilities is correct, then I think the hatchet is worth carrying for that purpose only.

I don't prioritize that as high as you do. I tend to be pretty good at avoiding wolf struggles, and on the off chance I do have them, I can usually win them with a knife, which makes finding/harvesting the corpse easier. I find that if you keep good clothing in good repair, plan your routes well, and be patient, you can avoid wolves or stealth past them without too much problem. I'm always shocked at how close you can come to a wolf when crouched and they don't see you.

Certainly, you can do a lot of things to avoid wolf encounters. Having a lit torch is also a great defense. Still though, mistakes happen. Because wolves do a lot more damage on interloper, in the event that something goes wrong, I would rather have another line of defense. Plus, between well fed, the moose satchel and the backpack upgrade, carrying capacity isn't quite the premium that it used to be either.

Of course, this is all subject to the disclaimer that everyone should do what works for them. But since you asked, IMO that's the best reason to carry the hatchet on interloper.

[Foxen]

Originally posted by darkscaryforest:

...(seeing as you can repair simple tools via quality tools)...

Just to clear that up for you: You don't need special tools to repair any other item...everything is repairable with just simple tools.
The only difference is the time needed for the rapiar.
And to repair tools (doesn't matter wich ones!) you just have to have tools and scrap metal.
No need for a second set of tools. ;-)
Your thought might be based on the false claim made by someone on the fandom-page who obviously didn't try it but went with that claim without verifying because the game stated 'quality tools required'...but that wasn't and still isn't the case...

[alexUnder]

idonno, i use hatchet. It's faster than saw or hammer

[darkscaryforest]

Originally posted by Ridan Krad:

Certainly, you can do a lot of things to avoid wolf encounters. Having a lit torch is also a great defense. Still though, mistakes happen. Because wolves do a lot more damage on interloper, in the event that something goes wrong, I would rather have another line of defense.

I concur with this point 1000%. I can successfully avoid a wolf encounter/struggle 1000 times in a row, over the course of a hundred days.

But I cannot avoid them 100,000 times, for that rare case when I failed to realize a specific wolf's patrol route went out a little farther than I thought OR some ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ bear displaced him a bit.

You can't be perfect forever.. and it only takes 1 struggle

Originally posted by Ridan Krad:

But since you asked, IMO that's the best reason to carry the hatchet on interloper.

So for the aforementioned reasons, I favor the hammer since it supposedly ends the fight soonest.

[Kvakosavrus]

I don't understand hatchet animosity. I usually carry only hatchet with me. It works as a knife, as a hammer, as a hacksaw (exluding sawing metal). In addition you can chop scrubs in HRV. And it good for fighting furry friends. The best tool!

[Fink]

Originally posted by JayXL:

I used to be 100% team hammer when I was newer to Loper, then I started going with the hatchet since it's a bit lighter and can cut down saplings, and finally now, after 1000's of hours in Loper, I go with the knife like you.

Keep your clothing repaired, use good routes and crouch when needed, redirect wolves with rocks, and use torches or flares as needed. I always keen an emergency flare and noisemaker on me. If my armor is high and I'm not freezing or tired, I can fend of a wolf attack pretty easily. It's only the situations where you're tired and cold or when you face a tag team of two attacking wolves that there's rick to your run. Keep that knife sharp!

Did they change something the last couple of years? I've had my run ended by a single wolf despite looking in good shape with good gear a couple of times atleast. I've also survived a few multiple wolf attacks from wolves at bad times, simply because I carried the hammer.
A hacksaw can do the same things as a hatchet as well and can actually be maintained in the long run, and is the only way to get scrap metal. Need my wetstones for my knifes, so it would just be sitting in my inventory and not be used for anything else than a wolf struggle, for which again, the hammer is better.

I can certainly understand that the imp hatchet would be a better solution when playing dead man, but we're talking about interloper here. Weight is not really that much of an issue anymore either. Saving 0.25 kg in weight was valuable back when we didn't have the ability to carry the extra 15 kg. But now it is a very small price to pay to have the extra insurance.
A wolf struggle is very rare for me also these days, so I could probably do without the hammer now, but I still carry it a lot of the time because from my experiences when push comes to show it could be the only thing that saves my character from fading into the long dark. An imp hatchet certainly don't have that same insurance.

[Dobbler]

Originally posted by Fink:

Did they change something the last couple of years? I've had my run ended by a single wolf despite looking in good shape with good gear a couple of times atleast. I've also survived a few multiple wolf attacks from wolves at bad times, simply because I carried the hammer.

Since they introduced the alternative to speed clicking in wolf struggles, I have found them much less frequently fatal, but that was many years ago. Don't think they've been nerfed since then, but I have played less over the past few years, so I could be wrong.

[pickle]

NOGOA / NOGOA+ player, hammer all the way.

I swap to the hatchet only if I'm doing outside-only runs like OuterNOGOA / NOPE, as you actually need to chop tree limbs for fuel on those modes and the hatchet is so much faster than the hacksaw for that.

[GiovanniLeSheek]

Hatchet. I think I carry it more out of habit though than it being the best asset for wolf struggles.

I normally only carry the hammer when I'm going to forge.

I too keep flares around in the unfortunate scenarios when I'm surprised by a wolf (the worst encounters are when the wolf charges so quickly that I don't even have time to equip a flare...stuff of nightmares there!)