Learn How to Craft and Use the Iron Knuckles
If you’re the type of player who solves problems by punching them until they aren’t a problem, then the Iron Knuckles are exactly what you need. Though they aren’t made of Brass, the Iron Knuckles in 7 Days to Die are designed and colored like standard Brass Knuckles and can add some serious punch to your…punches.
This guide will walk you through crafting Iron Knuckles in 7 Days to Die and offer advice on utilizing them best.
How to craft Iron Knuckles in 7 Days to Die
They might just seem like hunks of iron, but crafting these knuckle dusters will require some advanced components and mid-level skills. You’ll need to have reached the second tier in the Knuckles crafting skill before you can successfully assemble this weapon. The amount of materials required will depend on the quality of the knuckles being constructed:
| Material | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forged Iron | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 |
| Mechanical Parts | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| Leather | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Duct Tape | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Knuckles Crafting Skill | 11 | 17 | 24 | 31 | 38 |
- Forged Iron can be crafted at a Forge or salvaged from machines like construction equipment and rusted cars.
- Mechanical Parts cannot be crafted but can be purchased from traders or salvaged from various devices and machinery.
- Duct Tape may be crafted by combining Glue and Cloth Fragments or scavenged from household or parts containers.
- The Knuckles crafting skill can only be improved by finding and reading issues of the Furious Fists skill magazine.
Iron Knuckles Overview
Base Stats
| Property | Quality 1 | Quality 2 | Quality 3 | Quality 4 | Quality 5 | Quality 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melee Damage | 11.6 | 12.9 | 14.1 | 14.5 | 15.8 | 17.1 |
| Power Attack Damage | 23.1 | 24.4 | 25.6 | 26 | 27.3 | 28.6 |
| Block Damage | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.2 |
| Stamina Cost | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 |
| Attacks / Minute | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Max Durability | 300 | 380 | 460 | 540 | 620 | 700 |
| Mod Slots | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Mods
The Iron Knuckles accept the following mods. Note that only one mod of any category may be attached at a time except accessory mods.
- Accessory: Structural Brace, Wood Splitter, Bunker Buster, Grave Digger, Iron Breaker
- Tech: The Hunter, Rad Remover
- Grip: Fortifying Grip, Ergonomic Grip
Tips and tricks for using the Iron Knuckles
As a member of the Knuckles weapon class, the Iron Knuckles scale in power with the player’s Fortitude attribute and The Brawler perk. The attack speed of this weapon can also be increased by investing in the Lightning Hands perk.
Knuckle weapons specialize in dealing rapid damage up close and personal. Knuckles attack very quickly and can stack up damage against a single target with repeated attacks.
Iron Knuckles are designed to increase the survivability of face-to-face fighting with zombies by applying debilitating effects that keep the wielder out of trouble. After investing in The Brawler perk, headshots against zombies can begin to negate their ability to infect the player, stagger enemies, knock them to the ground, stun them, and even blow up their heads with a single punch.
The main disadvantage of fist weapons is their short range of attacks. Players must be right in front of a target for their punches to connect, which risks retaliatory attacks. Striking with a power attack as soon as an enemy is within range can help stagger them and open them up for follow-up attacks. Additionally, we recommend wearing heavy armor if you intend to use knuckles as your main weapon.
When choosing mods and perks to compliment your Iron Knuckles, we suggest choosing anything that will increase your attack speed, reduce stamina consumption, and improve the chances to proc status effects such as stagger and knockdown. The Weighted Head and Ergonomic Grip mods are two great choices for improving your weapon.
Final thoughts on the Iron Knuckles
It’s admittedly pretty scary to stand toe-to-toe with zombies and fight with your own reinforced fists, but the supreme satisfaction that comes with punching an enemy’s head clean off makes it all worth it in the end. Plus, the bouquet of status effects The Fun Pimps added in are pretty nice too.
Looking for some more pointers to help you survive 7D2D? Check out our 10 Tips for Getting Started or our in-depth Beginner’s Guide.
