Hello everyone! First up on our review of the various types of weaponry obtainable in VoltAge:Genesis is the TOOLS category...in a world of swords and shotguns, it’s easy to forget just how deadly (and useful) simple, everyday tools can be. Keep in mind that we will only be discussing the combat applications of these weapons, as their other uses will be covered in a future “Scavvers’ Stories” post.

Tools are broken down into two subcategories: 1-Handed Tools, and 2-Handed Tools. While Nolan is able to effectively utilize every tool in the game, Bridget is limited to 1-Handed Tools only; no other playable character is currently capable of using any tools in combat. The vast majority of tools in the game are made by either Freeman Tools (FT), or Consolidated Agriculturalists (ConAg); the only outliers at this time are the Deadhander Bat (Deadhanders [DH]) and the Scrap Cutter (Trailblazers [TrB]). Because the manufacturers for tools are so limited, you will note that they tend to increase in quality at a fairly steady pace (since the main boosts are coming purely from the gear's "tier" rating).

Personally, I feel that there are several good options for Nolan to choose from here in terms of early to mid-game...for Bridget, less so. Because the tools tend to rely on straightforward power and critical hits to finish a fight, it can be somewhat counterintuitive for a character with her skill set / stat distribution to rely on them in combat. That being said, here are a few interesting things to note about specific tools:

1) The Machete - While the Machete is one of the few tools which does not unlock a skill when used, it does have a semi-secret feature...it qualifies as a "blade" weapon for the purpose of equipping the various blade mods which can be used to unlock elemental blade skills. As this is the only tool which offers some sort of access to elemental damage options, it bears mentioning.

2) The Deadhander Bat - While it can be somewhat hard to track down, the Deadhander Bat is a compelling mid to late-game option for Nolan for two reasons: First, standard attacks and physical contact skills made with this weapon have a 15% chance to inflict the "Bleed" status, which can quickly wear down larger enemies not immune to its effects. Second, it has the highest Luck bonus of any weapon in the "tools" category. The MEN bonus may seem nice, but unless you are trying to use Nolan as a M. Attacker (using Charms or the like) the bonus doesn't really do him much good.

3) The Scrap Cutter - As a Trailblazer weapon, the Scrap Cutter suffers from having an unusually low ATK bonus for its tier, however it is available fairly early in the game and offers a 2% bonus to all three hidden stats associated with tools (HIT, EVA, and CNT...it's the only one which boosts this last stat). Early on in the game, it's not a bad option, and when you're done using it you can swap it to an NPC as part of a "Tools of the Trade" quest...nice!

4) The Chainsaw - Now we're talking! The Chainsaw is the heaviest and most powerful tool weapon in the game by a LONG shot...it's nearly 50% stronger than the Sledgehammer and offers a very nice 25 point Luck bonus to boot...the downside (if you want to call it that) is that it changes your standard attack option to "Chainsaw", a powerful physical attack that uses a small amount of AP every time you attack. If you're willing to build Nolan prioritizing AP Regen over other stats, this won't be an issue. Otherwise, keep plenty of Water, Sweet Tea, and the like on hand to restore his AP between longer battles.

AAAaaannnddd that about does it! Thanks for reading, and keep an eye out for more breakdowns like this one in the future!