A compilation of my notes on game and FCS mechanics.
 
 

Introduction

This guide will cover a very wide range of topics, and is made up of my personal notes I kept over the years to remind myself how certain mechanics and systems work. I cannot guarantee they are 100% accurate, as I’ve often had to rewrite and scrap them after I discovered they weren’t correct, but I try and ensure they are as accurate as possible.
 
 
Some contain elaboration on details, others are simply a few numerical values I wanted to remember, and few are copies of comments I’ve made in the past. There is no consistent pattern to them, and they will be in no particular order, just alphabetically copied over from my notes. Anything marked with a “?” is something that I’m unsure of or need to test and never got around to it.
 
 
If you find anything you believe is incorrect, or have a question about some unusual mechanic or values, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll look into it. And please, excuse the mess in some of the notes, they were never intended for the public eye. 🙂
 
 
 

Animal Stats

Lifespan Value = Time to reach 1.00x age modifier from 0.
 
Pup = 0.00x to 0.40x
 
Teen = 0.40x to 0.60x
 
Adult = 0.60x to 1.10x
 
Elder is achieved at x1.10 age modifier, which is when the aging modifier stops increasing naturally.
 
 
Skills and attributes are simply the base generated levels, multiplied by the age modifier.
 
Animal Strength value has no effect.
 
 
Speed is altered by the age modifier, but its effects are roughly only half as strong. (e.g. A modifier of 0.50x will end up being only a 25% reduction in speed, and a 1.10x modifier will only be a 5% increase.) This is true even if the animal has identical min/max speeds. They can and will fall below their listed minimum speed if at a less than 1.00x age modifier.
 
 
Scale determines the physical size of the animal, and is directly affected by the age modifier. Min scale is the scale at 0.00x modifier, and max scale is the scale at 1.00x modifier. You can find your current scale by multiplying the difference between min and max scale by your age modifier, and then adding the min scale value. (e.g. If you have a min scale of 0.4 and a max scale of 1, and your age modifier is at 0.50x, your current scale would be 0.7) This means your current scale can surpass your max scale value, providing a slight boost to stats that use the scale to generate their stats. The highest scale attainable through normal growth can be found by simply taking the difference between the min/max scale, and multiplying it by 1.1, and then adding the min scale. So for the numbers given above, the maximum scale would be 1.06.
 
 
HP is based on the base HP set on the race, the current scale value, and the HP mult value. Simply multiply the base HP by the animal’s current scale, then apply the HP multiplier for the animal.
 
 
Blood is similarly based on scale (strength is not a factor). Min blood is the value at 0 scale, and max blood is the value at 1 scale. Though animals cannot ever be 0 scale, so they will always have more than than their min blood value. Multiply your current scale with the difference between min and max blood, multiply that by the HP multiplier, and then add the min blood value.
 
 
Age value in the FCS will set the age multiplier to 1% of the age value, after subtracting 10. (e.g. A value of 150 will set the animal’s age modifier to 1.40x). A value of 10 or lower will set it to 0.00x. This will also ignore normal aging caps, allowing animals to spawn with much higher age modifier and scale values than are normally allowed.
 
 
Age can also be randomized on the squad entry. Setting that value will allow animals age modifier to be randomized by +/- the value set. (e.g. If the animal would normally spawn with a modifier of 0.30x, and the randomization is set to 0.1, the animal could spawn anywhere in the range of 0.20x to 0.40x on its modifier.)
 
 
 

Armour Calculations Order

1. Weapon (this is both weapon slots, unclear which would come first if multiple were equipped, probably in the order it was equipped)
 
2. Back (this one is NOT the backpack slot)
 
3. Hair
 
4. Hat (this is the headgear slot)
 
5. Eyes
 
6. Body (this is the chest armour slot)
 
7. Legs (this is the pants slot)
 
8. None
 
9. Shirt (this the the shirt slot)
 
10. Boots (this is the boots slot)
 
11. Gloves
 
12. Neck
 
13. Backpack (this is the backpack slot)
 
14. Beard
 
15. Belt (this is the belt slot)
 
 
 

Armour Craft Costs

Summation of Coverage on the armour, multiplied by 0.01. Fabric cost multiplied again by “fabric amount” on armour in FCS.
 
 
Chest coverage is treated as 1.5x normal.
 
 
Armour with no coverage is treated as a single 100% coverage (not chest).
 
 
If the only material is fabric (e.g. Clothing Bench), it will only use the generated cost, not the fabric multiplier.
 
 
 

Assassin chances

15 levels below opponent assassination/toughness = 0% chance
 
Equal levels = 50% chance
 
30 levels above = 100% chance
 
 
Decrease of about 3.5 chance per level below.
 
Increase of about 1.75 for each level above.
 
 
Only one skill can act as a defensive skill against assassinations or kidnapping, the game will use the victim’s highest skill between assassination and toughness, ignoring the lower one.
 
 
 

Backpack Spawn Chance

Backpack spawn chance runs on an absolute chance, much like weapon spawning does. If the total chance across all added backpacks is less than 100, there will be a chance to spawn with no backpacks. If 100 or greater they will always have one.
 
 
If greater than 100 total chance, it only counts from the top of the list in the FCS. Any excess chance value that causes the total to go over 100 will be ignored.
 
 
Example:
 
 
Bag A: 1 75
 
Bag B: 1 100
 
Bag C: 1 50
 
 
Will mean a 75% chance to spawn Bag A, a 25% chance to spawn Bag B, and 0% chance to spawn Bag C.
 
 
A quantity (the first value) of 0 or a negative number means the bag is ignored in calculations.
 
 
 

Block Chance

Base Chance 70%
 
Increases by 1.2% for every level higher
 
Decreases by 1.5% for every level lower
 
 
21 levels higher for maximum block chance (95%)
 
45 levels lower for minimum block chance (5%)
 
 
 

Damage Calculation

Damage is based on a variety of factors. Mostly the skills (Dex, Str, and the Weapon Skill), and the weapon modifiers shown on the weapon itself. important to note, Strength has a significantly higher effect on Blunt damage than Dexterity does on Cut damage.
 
 
Cut:
 
((((((MaxDamage – MinDamage) * 0.5) * (Dexlevel * 0.01)) + (((MaxDamage – MinDamage) * 0.5) * (Weplevel * 0.01))) * WeaponMultiplier) + MinDamage) * FCSDamageMultiplier * RacialMultiplier * InGameDamageMultiplier * AttackPowerMultiplier
 
 
Blunt:
 
((((((MaxDamage – MinDamage) * 0.75) * (Strlevel * 0.01)) + (((MaxDamage – MinDamage) * 0.25) * (Weplevel * 0.01))) * WeaponMultiplier) + MinDamage) * FCSDamageMultiplier * RacialMultiplier * InGameDamageMultiplier * AttackPowerMultiplier
 
 
Secondary Damage
 
The game will use a slightly different formula for the lowest damage type on the weapon. If the weapon’s damage types match in value, cut damage will be considered the primary.
 
 
Cut:
 
((((((MaxDamage – (Maxdamage * 0.1)) * 0.5) * (Dexlevel * 0.01)) + (((MaxDamage – (Maxdamage * 0.1)) * 0.5) * (Weplevel * 0.01))) * WeaponMultiplier) + (Maxdamage * 0.1)) * FCSDamageMultiplier * RacialMultiplier * InGameDamageMultiplier * AttackPowerMultiplier
 
 
Blunt:
 
((((MaxDamage * 0.75) * (Strlevel * 0.01)) + ((MaxDamage * 0.25) * (Weplevel * 0.01))) * WeaponMultiplier) * FCSDamageMultiplier * RacialMultiplier * InGameDamageMultiplier * AttackPowerMultiplier
 
 
 

Disguise levels

40% from Head
 
40% from Chest
 
20% from Pants
 
0% from Shirt
 
0% from Boots
 
 
x0.1 if wearing no pants at all (even non-disguise pants will avoid this)
 
x0.1 if not wearing the disguise chest piece
 
Above penalties do not stack.
 
 
x0.6 if nearby member of faction who owns the disguise.
 
x0.1 If nearby someone who knows you (has interacted with you with no disguise recently).
 
 
 

Crossbow and Limb levels Randomization

50% For selected level
 
20% For one level down
 
15% For one level up
 
10% For two levels down
 
5% For two levels up
 
 
If you are close to the minimum or maximum quality level, the overflow chances will be applied to the selected level. (e.g. If set to specialist quality, the 5% chance for two levels up is applied to the 50% chance for selected level, making it 55%.)
 
 
 

Food Eating Order

1. Lower NU relative to max NU, if tie move to 2.
 
2. Highest NU value, if tie move to 3.
 
3. Lowest monetary value, if tie random.
 
 
If there is an eligible restricted food item, that will take priority over normal food. If there is more than one restricted item, it follows the same logic as above.
 
 
If there is no eligible food in main inventory, they will look at backpacks starting from their own, then checking the squadmate in the top left of the squad, and then each squadmate in order from left to right. When it finds an eligible backpack, it will use the logic above to select a food item.
 
 
 

Food Prices and Nutrition

Ancient Nutri-Rations – 125nu – Avg c.1,143 (c.800 – c.1,486) 0.11 nu per cat
 
Bread – 30nu – Avg c. 488 (c.342 – c.634) 0.06 nu per cat
 
Chewsticks – 20nu – Avg c.152 (c.106 – c.198) 0.13 nu per cat
 
Cooked Vegetables – 25nu – Avg c. 318 (c.223 – c.413) 0.08 nu per cat
 
Dried Fish – 20nu – Avg c.360 (c.252 – c.468) 0.05 nu per cat
 
Dried Gristle Flaps – 15nu – Avg c.1 (c.1 – c.1) 15 nu per cat
 
Dried Meat – 15nu – Avg c.78 (c.55 – c.101) 0.19 nu per cat
 
Dustwich – 70nu – Avg c.730 (c.511 – c.949) 0.10 nu per cat
 
Foodcube – 75nu – Avg c.874 (c.612 – c.1,136) 0.09 nu per cat
 
Foul Raw Meat – 10nu – Avg c.1 (c.1 – c.1) 10 nu per cat
 
Gohan – 75nu – Avg c.444 (c.311 – c.577) 0.17 nu per cat
 
Grandfish – 15nu – Avg c.360 (c.252 – c.468) 0.04 nu per cat
 
Human Teeth – 1nu – Avg c.0 (c. 0 – c.0) Wait! Don’t divide by ze-
 
Meatwrap – 50nu – Avg c.658 (c.461 – c.855) 0.08 nu per cat
 
Ration Pack – 125nu – Avg c.1,143 (c.800 – c.1,486) 0.11 nu per cat
 
Raw Meat – 15nu – Avg c.60 (c.42 – c.78) 0.25 nu per cat
 
Rice Bowl – 25nu – Avg c.186 (c.130 – c.242) 0.13 nu per cat
 
Thinfish – 10nu – Avg c.360 (c.252 – c.468) 0.03 nu per cat
 
 
 

Gambling

Buxom Red
 
Fish: 22% Loss / 78% Win (200 Cats)
 
Roll back: 91% Loss / 9% Jackpot (600 Cats)
 
 
Chubby Nine
 
Fish: 42% Loss / 58% Win (200 Cats)
 
Roll back: 74% Loss / 26% Win (200 Cats)
 
 
Stoneroller
 
Fish: 59% Loss / 41% win (200 Cats)
 
Roll Back: 59% Loss / 41% win (200 Cats)
 
 
Hungry Gutter
 
Fish: 74% Loss / 26% Win (200 Cats)
 
Roll Back: 42% Loss / 58% Win (200 Cats)
 
 
Arrow in the Neck
 
Fish: 91% Loss / 9% Jackpot (600 Cats)
 
Roll Back: 22% Loss / 78% Win (200 Cats)
 
 
 

Hunger Levels and Rates

180 hours to starve to death from full, 60 hours per 100 hunger
 
 
Eat from own inventory or food barrel at 250 or lower
 
Eat from allied backpack at 225 or lower
 
Eat ingredients at 150(?)
 
 
Malnourished spawn at 150
 
Slaves kept at 115(?)
 
 
Hunger rates
 
Bed: x0.33
 
Chair: x0.66
 
Floor Sit: x0.75
 
Mining: x1.2
 
Training: x1.2
 
 
Running?
 
Walking?
 
Jogging?
 
 
 

“Is Trader” Flag

The “Is Trader” Flag on the squad template controls a number of things.
 
 
If true a vendor will generate their prices based on the goods for sale. If false they will not.
 
 
If true they will restock goods in their inventory regularly. If false they will not.
 
 
 

Kenshi Time

Normal speed
 
2 seconds per minute
 
2 minutes per hour
 
48 minutes per day
 
 
x2 speed
 
1 second per minute
 
60 seconds per hour
 
24 minutes per day
 
 
x5 Speed
 
0.4 seconds per minute
 
24 seconds per hour
 
9 minutes 36 seconds per day
 
 
 

Movement Speed Settings

Walk speed = 15 Kenshi units per second, or 3.3554 mph.
 
Jog speed = 55 Kenshi units per second, or 12.3031 mph.
 
 
 

Personalities

0 – None
 
1 – **Honorable**
 
2 – **Traitorous**
 
3 – None
 
4 – None
 
5 – **Smart**
 
6 – **Dumb**
 
7 – None
 
8 – None
 
9 – **Brave**
 
10 – **Fearful**
 
11 – Warm/Kind
 
12 – Cold/Cruel
 
13 – Normal
 
14 – **Maniacal**
 
15 – End
 
 
 

Randomized Stats

**Combat Stats:**
 
All Weapon Skills
 
Assassination (At 1/2 the set value, unless Stealth Stats is set)
 
Athletics
 
Dexterity (Unless Unarmed Stats are set)
 
Dodge (At 1/10 the set value, unless Unarmed Stats is set)
 
Field Medic (Unless Stealth Stats is set)
 
Martial Arts (At 1/10 the set value, unless Unarmed Stats is set)
 
Melee Attack
 
Melee Defence
 
Precision Shooting
 
Strength (Unless Strength is set)
 
Swimming
 
Toughness
 
Turrets
 
 
**Ranged Stats**
 
Crossbows
 
Perception
 
Precision Shooting
 
Turrets
 
 
**Stealth Stats**
 
Assassination (Overrides Combat Stats)
 
Field Medic (Overrides Combat Stats)
 
Stealth
 
Thievery
 
 
**Unarmed Stats**
 
Dexterity (Overrides Combat Stats)
 
Dodge (Overrides Combat Stats)
 
Martial Arts (Overrides Combat Stats)
 
 
**Strength**
 
Strength (overrides Combat Stats)
 
 
**Randomise Stats**
 
Affects all stats, even ones not affected by the above values. Going into the negatives for unset stats, which default to 1 at base. Also affects stat entries added via dropdown.
 
 
 

Recruitable Tag

Not be a Diplomat, Law Enforcer, Military, or Trader class character.
 
 
And
 
 
Strength, Dexterity, Melee Attack, Melee Defence, Martial Arts, and Dodge must all be 25 or lower, OR the cumulative total of those stats must equal less than 75.
 
__________________________
 
 
If all tracked stats are 25 or lower, but the total equals 75 or higher, the character will still be recruitable.
 
 
If any tracked stats are above 25, but the cumulative total is below 75, the character will still be recruitable.
 
 
 

Relation levels

+50 is alliance
 
-30 is enemy
 
-10 is minimum for Pacifier usage
 
 
 

Strength Requirement

40x Blunt Damage value
 
If result is below minimum weight value, 1x minimum weight.
 
 
In practice, it usually equals 2x weight, but not always. And if the 40x blunt is less than the weight of the weapon, you can be pretty sure the requirement is equal to the weight.
 
 
Some manufacturers (ancient) change min weight, this does NOT affect when the 40x blunt damage switches to 1x minimum weight, nor does it change the new requirement away form the base minimum weight. (e.g. You have a weapon with 5 minimum weight, and you have the ancient manufacturer that reduces that to 3. It will still switch to 5 strength requirement if the 40x blunt is less than 5.)
 
 
For martial arts it is:
 
MA level divided by 50, that number multiplied by 40. Aka 80% of MA level.
 
 
 

Strength Training

Walking while overencumbered and carrying carrying a person is by far the best strength rate. Walking about 10 meters like that is functionally equivalent to one hit with fists with overloaded, or a weapon that’s too heavy.
 
 
Comparing the combat methods of training, using a weapon that is too heavy comes out on top, barely. About 25% more exp using a weapon compared to the overloaded while unarmed. But the rate at that level is so slow, you’re talking literally thousands of hits to gain one level, no matter which one you use.
 
 
I’d also like to clear up a slight misconception about the weapon method. The strength bonus is NOT based on the current weight of the weapon, but rather its efficient use strength value (due to modifiers present in the game). If you are 20 points below the useable level or more, and completely unencumbered, you get the best exp rate it can give. So for example, the Meitou Fragment Axe is a good training weapon no matter what level you are, as it would be able to train strength at the best rate it can all the way to the cap. Even though it’s only 72kg in-game.
 
 
But walking is still far superior imo. Easier to automate. And unless you can find an opponent you can constantly hit without stopping, and can hit faster than you can walk 10 meters, it’s faster too.
 
 
 

Stronger Opponent Logic

Exp rate multiplier scales from x0.1 at 25 levels above the opponent’s opposing skill, to x6.0 at 50 levels below the opponent’s opposing skill.
 
 
Opposing skills are based on what weapons are being used. When an attack is performed, the game will challenge the attacker’s offensive skill vs the defender’s defensive skill.
 
 
When wielding a weapon, your offensive skill is Melee Attack, and your defensive skill is Melee Defense.
 
 
When attacking an unarmed opponent, the game compares your offensive skill (MA or attack) to the opponent’s MA, rather than dodge like you would expect. (Note: this is only for the purpose of exp calculation, Dodge is still the skill used for dodging, it just oddly doesn’t affect the exp multiplier here). When you are attacked while using MA however, the game compares your Dodge to their offensive skill as you would normally expect.
 
 
Below is a list of all possibilities, and what skills it is comparing for the bonus. You on the left, the enemy on the right.
 
 
Offensively.
 
Weapon vs Weapon: Your Attack vs their Defense
 
Weapon vs MA: Your Attack vs their MA
 
MA vs Weapon: Your MA vs their Defense
 
MA vs MA: Your MA vs their MA
 
 
Defensively.
 
Weapon vs Weapon: Your Defense vs their Attack
 
Weapon vs MA: Your Defense vs their MA
 
MA vs Weapon: Your Dodge vs their Attack
 
MA vs MA: Your Dodge vs their MA
 
 
Blocks mode bonuses do not affect any skill, except dodge.
 
Backpack penalties affect all skills.
 
Weather penalties affect all skills.
 
Armour bonuses/penalties affect all skills.
 
Weapon modifiers affect all skills.
 
Indoor modifiers affect all skills.
 
Encumbrance affect all skills. (though the penalties are only applied to MA and Dodge)
 
Injury penalties. (though the penalties themselves are only applied to Dodge)
 
 
 

Stumbles

There are currently 6 stumbles in the game, designed for various scenarios and situations, including direction it comes from, damage amount, and body part hit. If multiple stumbles are applicable to a scenario, it will randomly pick between one.
 
 
Despite what the toughness skill says, you will always stumble in some way whenever you take damage. Toughness does however move the damage threshold at which some stumbles occur at. By default it appears to be at 0, so any damage will cause the “high damage” stumbles. This threshold seems to increase by 0.8 per level of toughness, capping out at 80 damage to trigger the “high damage” stumbles when you reach level 100. This is damage after toughness and armour apply their resistances, so those can drastically change your stumbling.
 
 
 

Toughness Exp Rates

Based on damage received vs your toughness. Scales based on level, and the skill diff FCS modifiers.
 
 
Damage equal to 25 levels lower or more compared than your toughness level will result in x0.01 exp.
 
 
(Needs Testing) Damage 10 levels than your toughness level will give x2 exp, 20 x3, 30 x4, and so on. Up to x6 at 50 levels higher.
 
 
 

Trade Goods

To be applicable for regional price variance, items must be added to the “all trade goods” vendor list in addition to any lists used to spawn the item.
 
 
To have the same buy/sell price the item must be flagged as “trade good = true” on its item entry in the FCS. It also must not be a food or restricted food type item.
 
 
 

Variable Word Swaps

/MYNAME/ – Displays current speaker’s name
 
/YOURNAME/ – Display’s current target’s name
 
/TARGETFACTION/ – Displays current target’s faction
 
/PLAYERFACTION/ – (Fallback for /TARGETFACTION/) Display’s player’s faction name
 
/COST/ – Displays value used in conditions for that dialogue line
 
 
 

Weapon Crafting Levels

1-9: Rusted Junk
 
10-14: Rusting Blade
 
15-19: Mid-Grade Salvage
 
20-24: Old Refitted Blade
 
25-29: Refitted Blade
 
30-34: Catun No. 1
 
35-39: Catun No. 2
 
40-49: Catun No. 3
 
50-54: MK I
 
55-59: MK II
 
60-69: MK III
 
70-74: Edge type 1
 
75-79: Edge Type 2
 
80+: Edge Type 3
 
 
 

Weapon Damage Generation

Cut Damage:
 
Weapon Multiplier * (0.3 + 0.017 * Level) * Manufacturer Multiplier
 
 
Blunt Damage:
 
Weapon Multiplier * Level / 50 * Manufacturer Multiplier
 
 
 

Weapon Spawning Randomization

If the total chance (the 3rd value) from all the weapons combined equals less than 100, there is a chance to spawn with no weapon in that slot (2nd value).
 
 
If it equals more than 100, it will only count down from the top of the list in the FCS till it hits 100. Then any chance that makes it go over 100 is ignored. (e.g. Five weapons all with a 30 chance, the top three in the list would each have a 30% chance to be selected, the fourth one would only have a 10% chance to be selected, and the fifth would have no chance.)
 
 
0 quantity or negative quantity makes the spawning calculations ignore that weapon entirely. It is not factored into the chances, nor does it allow a chance to spawn with no weapons.
 
 
On the chance value, this is a case of 0 = 100. So if something with a 0 chance and a greater than 0 quantity is at the top of the list, nothing else can spawn in that slot.
 
 
Crossbows are a flat % chance of spawn, independent of melee weapon chances. If character is selected to spawn with crossbow, it will attempt to move the back weapon of the character (if they had one) to the hip slot, if the hip slot is too small for the weapon or is already full, the back weapon will simply be removed and replaced by the crossbow.
 
 
 

World Measurements

294,910 kenshi units (decimeters) across
 
29,491 meters across
 
29.491 km across
 
18.3248578 miles across
 
 
869.719081 square km
 
335.80041339 square miles
 
 
Zones:
 
4607.96875 kenshi units (decimeters) across
 
460.796875 meters across
 
0.460796875 km across
 
0.286325903598 miles across
 
 
0.21233376001 square km
 
0.08198252307 square miles
 
 
Top left corner:
 
x -147455
 
z -147455
 
 
Top right corner:
 
x 147455
 
z -147455
 
 
Bottom left corner:
 
x -147455
 
z 147455
 
 
Bottom right: corner
 
x 147455
 
z 147455
 
 

 
 
Hope you enjoy the Guide about Kenshi – Tips and Tricks for new and old Players – Guide Notes, if you think we should add extra information or forget something, please let us know via comment below, and we will do our best to fix or update as soon as possible! also you can check the original post here.