KCD2 Best Mace Tier List — Top Maces & War Hammers Ranked
Why blunt weapon tier matters in late-game KCD2
Once Henry reaches chapter 4 (Kuttenberg full access), nearly every important fight involves plate-armored opponents — city guards, tournament finalists, faction knights, the Forging the Future boss. Longswords deal 8-12 damage to plate; maces deal 35-45 + stagger. The tier of your mace decides whether plate fights end in 4 swings or 10.
Mace damage scales sharply across tiers: a tier 1 Talmberg Mace (65 blunt) vs a tier 3 Cuman Mace (90 blunt) is a 38% damage increase per swing. Add the War Hammer of the Forge-Master's 30 AP component and damage on plate jumps from 45 (Talmberg) to 75+ (Forge-Master) per swing. That's the difference between 'this fight is winnable' and 'this fight is trivial'.
Durability matters more than longsword tier choice because blunt weapons take more impacts per fight (stagger-locking knights enables 2-3 follow-up swings per opening). A Talmberg Mace with 80 durability lasts ~12 fights; a Cuman Mace with 140 durability lasts ~22 fights. Replacement frequency compounds the per-mace investment when you're scaling up to Kuttenberg combat density.
Top maces full stat comparison
| Mace | Blunt damage | AP damage | Durability | Tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| War Hammer of the Forge-Master | War Hammer of the Forge-Master | 105 | 30 | 180 | S+ |
| Cuman Mace | Cuman Mace | 90 | 0 | 140 | S |
| Mace of Sigismund | Mace of Sigismund | 85 | 0 (bleed proc) | 130 | A |
| Footman's Hammer | Footman's Hammer | 80 | 20 | 120 | A |
| Trosky Heavy Mace | Trosky Heavy Mace | 75 | 0 | 110 | B |
| Talmberg Mace | Talmberg Mace | 65 | 0 | 80 | B |
| Studded Mace | Studded Mace | 60 | 0 | 60 | C (degrades fast) |
S-tier — War Hammer of the Forge-Master + Cuman Mace
War Hammer of the Forge-Master is the best blunt weapon in KCD2 and you get it for free from completing the Forging the Future quest. 105 blunt + 30 AP damage means it pierces helmet armor for guaranteed headshot bonuses and ignores plate's damage reduction better than any other mace. The 180 durability is also the highest in the category — lasts ~28 Kuttenberg fights before requiring repair.
Cuman Mace is the best craftable mace (tier 3 forge — Smithing 10 + 4 ingots + 1 emerald). 90 blunt damage at 140 durability puts it just below the War Hammer in absolute terms but ahead of every other purchasable option. Cuman Mace is also lighter than the War Hammer (1.8 vs 2.4 weight), making it a better choice if encumbrance is tight.
Why both: War Hammer for anti-plate scenarios (Royal Cup, Kuttenberg city guard); Cuman Mace as backup for non-plate encounters (forest bandits, tavern brawls). The 1.8-weight cost of the second mace is trivial. Smithing the Cuman Mace takes a single forge session at the Trosky blacksmith once you have the ingredients.
A-tier — Mace of Sigismund + Footman's Hammer
Mace of Sigismund is the Kuttenberg monthly joust reward (compete with Riding 12+ to win it). 85 blunt damage plus a 15% chance to proc bleed on critical hits — bleed deals 5 damage per second for 8 seconds, often killing weakened opponents over time. The bleed proc is unique to Sigismund in the mace category; no other mace has a status component.
Footman's Hammer is the most accessible A-tier mace — looted from Kuttenberg city guards (5% drop rate per kill, 20% from named captain guards). 80 blunt + 20 AP damage is roughly equivalent to a tier 2 forge mace but free if you're willing to fight city guards. Durability is 120 — middle of the pack but enough for sustained Kuttenberg combat.
Both A-tier options are viable replacements for the S-tier picks if you haven't completed Forging the Future yet. Sigismund offers status variety; Footman's Hammer offers AP damage on a free-loot pipeline. Don't smithing-craft Cuman Mace if you can loot Footman's Hammer in the same time window.
Mace vs War Hammer — when to pick which
Maces (no AP component) and War Hammers (with AP component) overlap in damage profile but have different best uses. Plain maces win against gambeson and chain armor — the AP component is wasted on light armor (AP damage applies only to plate/helmet protection). War hammers win against plate — AP damage adds 20-30 damage per swing to plate fights.
Practical rule: equip a mace for chapter 1-3 (bandit-heavy content); equip a war hammer for chapter 4+ (Kuttenberg plate-heavy content). The War Hammer of the Forge-Master covers both scenarios decently but is slightly worse than a plain mace against unarmored peasants (where the 30 AP component does nothing).
Tournament-specific: Kuttenberg joust rounds alternate light-armor (Trosky tier opponents, no plate) and full plate (Kuttenberg finals). War hammer wins round 4 by a wide margin; plain mace wins rounds 1-2. Carry both for tournament weeks; switch between rounds during the 30-second equip window.
Recommended Mace build (Stagger Knight)
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skill priority 1 | Warfare 8 (Crushing Blow perk) | +25% stagger duration — chain swings on plate |
| Skill priority 2 | Warfare 12 (Heavy Strike perk) | Mace power attacks deal +20% damage |
| Skill priority 3 | Strength 12 (heavy mace access) | Required for War Hammer + Cuman Mace |
| Primary mace | War Hammer of the Forge-Master | S+ tier — anti-plate cornerstone |
| Backup mace | Cuman Mace (tier 3 forge) | S tier — non-plate scenarios |
| Armor | Brigandine + mail underlayer | Doesn't slow Henry like full plate — better stamina economy |
| Consumable | Bardo Brew × 3 | Stamina restore — mace power swings drain fast |
| Outfit alt | Light noble for tournaments | Charisma 8 helps tournament negotiation rewards |
Mace effectiveness by armor target
| Armor target | Best mace pick | Why | Damage / swing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unarmored peasant | Unarmored peasant | Cuman Mace | Highest plain blunt damage | 55-70 |
| Gambeson bandit | Gambeson bandit | Cuman Mace | AP wasted on light armor | 40-55 |
| Chain-armored guard | Chain-armored guard | War Hammer of Forge-Master | AP component starts mattering | 55-70 |
| Plate knight (city guard) | Plate knight (city guard) | War Hammer of Forge-Master | AP devastates plate + stagger | 75-95 |
| Plate boss (Forging the Future) | Plate boss (Forging the Future) | War Hammer of Forge-Master | Only weapon designed for the fight | 85-105 |
Verdict: Cuman Mace is best against unarmored and lightly-armored opponents. War Hammer of the Forge-Master is best against plate. Carry both — switch per encounter. The 1.8-weight cost of a backup blunt is trivial; the situational advantage on plate fights is decisive.
How to get each S/A-tier mace
- War Hammer of the Forge-Master — Complete Forging the Future quest. Smithing 6+ required for the final test; the war hammer drops automatically on completion.
- Cuman Mace — Forge at Trosky blacksmith. Requires Smithing 10 + 4 ingots + 1 emerald. Recipe scroll: 300 groschen at Kuttenberg armory.
- Mace of Sigismund — Win Kuttenberg monthly joust (Riding 12+ required). Tournament prize, no other source.
- Footman's Hammer — Loot from Kuttenberg city guards (5% drop) or named captain guards (20% drop). Equip after farming 4-5 guard kills.
- Trosky Heavy Mace — Forge at Trosky blacksmith. Requires Smithing 6 + 2 ingots. Recipe scroll: 100 groschen at Trosky vendor.
- Talmberg Mace — Forge at any blacksmith. Smithing 4 + 1 ingot. Recipe is default-known. Tier 1 early-game pick.
Common mace selection mistakes
- Skipping the Forging the Future war hammer. The free S+ tier reward beats every craftable mace; complete the quest before Kuttenberg combat intensives.
- Buying Spiked Mace modifiers. 40% faster durability decay isn't worth 5-10 extra damage per swing.
- Carrying only one mace. The 1.8-weight cost of a backup is trivial; situational use cases differ significantly.
- Using mace against unarmored peasants. The 35-50 damage works but leaves 25-30 damage per swing on the table — use longsword instead.
- Forgetting the Warfare 8 Crushing Blow perk. +25% stagger duration enables 2-3 follow-up swings per opening — single biggest mace skill upgrade.
- Trying to use light maces against plate. Talmberg Mace deals 25-35 damage to plate; Cuman or War Hammer deal 60+. Upgrade before Kuttenberg.
- Repairing damaged maces at field anvils instead of blacksmiths. Field anvils restore 50% durability max; blacksmith repairs restore 100% for the same groschen cost.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best mace in KCD2?
War Hammer of the Forge-Master — 105 blunt + 30 AP damage, 180 durability. Free reward from completing the Forging the Future quest. The 30 AP component pierces plate armor and helmet protection, making it the only mace that consistently one-shots-headshot armored knights. No craftable mace matches its damage ceiling.
Should I forge Cuman Mace or wait for War Hammer?
Forge Cuman Mace if you're in chapter 2-3 (pre-Forging the Future). Cuman Mace is the best craftable blunt weapon and bridges you to the War Hammer reward. If you're already in chapter 4 with the War Hammer accessible, skip the Cuman Mace forge — the materials are better spent elsewhere.
Is mace or war hammer better?
War hammer wins against plate (30 AP component devastates armor); plain mace wins against light armor (AP wasted on gambeson/chain). Carry both — equip per encounter. The War Hammer of the Forge-Master covers both decently if you only carry one, but a Cuman Mace backup is worth the 1.8 weight cost.
What's the durability problem with spiked maces?
Spiked / Studded modifier maces degrade durability 40% faster than smooth maces — a 60-durability spiked mace lasts ~10 fights vs ~17 for a smooth equivalent. The 5-10 damage bonus doesn't compensate for the replacement frequency. Always pick smooth-headed variants from blacksmith offers.
Which Warfare perks help maces?
Crushing Blow (Warfare 8) — +25% stagger duration, enables chain-swings on plate. Heavy Strike (Warfare 12) — mace power attacks deal +20% damage. Mace Specialist (Warfare 15) — passive +10% damage with maces. These three compound for serious damage output; prioritize Crushing Blow first.
How do I get Mace of Sigismund?
Win the Kuttenberg monthly joust. Requires Riding 12+ to compete and Riding 14+ realistic chance to win the final round. Tournament prize, no other source. Sigismund's 85 blunt damage + 15% bleed proc on crits is unique in the mace category — only mace with a status component.
Is mace good for tournaments?
Yes for melee tournament rounds (separate from jousting). Mace stagger trivializes plate-armored opponents in the Kuttenberg arena melee bracket. Switch from longsword (rounds 1-2 light-armor opponents) to mace (rounds 3-4 plate opponents) during the 30-second equip windows between rounds.
Sources & verification
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Continue this guide path
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