Mars War Logs Crafting Guide

I began putting this info together while planning for my extreme difficulty playthrough, when I discovered that a lot of the info I wanted was either inaccurate or missing in the guides that I found online. This guide is concerned only with identifying what gear you can acquire in the game, how you can upgrade it, and what character traits or skills are required to do so. It completely ignores combat, so if you need tips on that look elsewhere.

I begin the guide with the section on skills and traits, as that nicely summarizes what you get for your points if you know what you want and are just trying to plan a character. If you want to see the details of the gear that's referenced, or just find out what's possible, then check the equipment, items, and components sections for the full stats and material requirements.

Hope you find the info useful. Please note below if you notice anything inaccurate. This info is correct as of the current Steam version of the game on the date of posting. Enjoy!

**SPOILER ALERT**
If you haven't played through the full game yet, and you want to discover the various equipment for yourself as you play, then seriously, what are you doing looking in a guide? This contains a full list, so go finish your playthrough and come back to plan your next one.

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CHARACTER SKILLS AND FEATS
There are a few skills and several feats you can spend your points on that improve or expand your crafting abilities and efficiency. The most useful are generally the handiwork traits, but the others can be useful as well, if you plan to use what they affect.
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Skills
***************************************************

• Hotshot Rank 1 - reduces components required to craft Nailgun ammo by 1 Hardware per ammo
  
  
• Master Exploder Rank 1 - adds Handmade grenade and Explosive trap to craftable items
  
  
• Combat Injections Rank 1 - reduces components required to craft Health and Fluid injection
  packs by 10 Serum

***************************************************
Feats
***************************************************

• Snooper - Increases chance to find items or components on defeated enemies by 20%
  
  
• Searcher - Increases chance to find items or components on defeated enemies by 40%
  
  
• Apprentice handiwork - Adds the following to craftable items
  Weapon Upgrades: Double heavy hex nut, Bone extension, Dust mace, Nailed line, Nutcase,
  War axe, Pinhead, Electric club, Reinforced leather, Steel grip, Wild Dust, Steel guard,
  Conductor
  Armor Upgrades: Chitin on Torn Prison Uniform, Reinforced metal on Reinforced Prison
  Uniform, Technowarrior on Worker's Outfit, Wild Dust on Leather Uniform, Strong alloy on
  Technician's Outfit
  
  
• Expert handiwork - Adds the following to craftable items
  Weapon Upgrades: War hammer, Razorhead, Bone axe, Electric razor, Thick leather,
  Heavy grip, Bone guard, Superconductor
  Armor Upgrades: Reinforced metal on Torn Prison Uniform, Technowarrior on Reinforced
  Prison Uniform, Wild Dust on Worker's Outfit, Strong alloy on Leather Uniform, Improved
  composite on Technician's Outfit
  
  
• Recycler - Adds "Transform components" to crafting kit, and the following to craftable items:
  Cloth, Hardware, Scrap metal, Leather, Bone
  
  
• Transformer - Adds Alloy, Chemical components, and Electrical components to craftable items.
  
  
• Charismatic - Reduces merchant prices by 50%

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EQUIPMENT
You can buy any weapon or armor except the ones you start the game with from at least one merchant. However, thoroughly searching the game world will give you at least one of every upgradeable weapon or armor, generally not long after you first encounter a merchant who can sell it to you. So if you are willing to wait a little longer and search everywhere, and don't want multiples of a given type of weapon or armor, you can save the money you'd spend buying them from a merchant. If on the other hand you want the best gear available immediately, or want to try an alternate upgrade path on the same type of weapon or armor without recycling the upgrades in your original one, you can simply get it directly from the first merchant that offers. If you're interested in the non-upgradeable weapons and armor, though, they're almost exlusively available only from merchants.
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WEAPONS
Weapons are one-handed melee implements that allow you to deal various kinds of damage to your enemies, and sometimes apply additional effects to your enemies or give additional bonuses to your statistics. They can be obtained by looting crates or dead bodies you did not kill, by purchasing them from merchants, or by receiving them as a quest reward. When no longer needed, they can be recycled or sold to merchants.
***************************************************
*(Requires Apprentice handiwork)
**(Requires Expert handiwork)

• Improvised Weapon
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +9
  
  
• Handmade Machete
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +10
  Chance of Wounding +5%
  
  
• Old Rusted Pipe
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +12
  Chance of Critical Hit +3%
  
  
• Handmade Dagger
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +12
  Chance of Wounding +5%
  
  
• Handmade Saber
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +12
  Physical Damage Reduction +3%
  Chance of Wounding +5%
  
  
• Baton
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +15
  Chance of Critical Hit +5%
  
  
• Shock Baton
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +12
  Charged Weapon Damage +10
  
  
• Cracked Tube
  1 upgrade slot
  Physical Damage +10
  
  Upgrades: Handle

  Fabric

  Reinforced fabric

  Nail it

  Anti-skid

  Hand guard

  *Reinforced leather
  
  
• Broken Lighting
  2 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +10
  
  Upgrades: Tip

  Upgrades: Handle

  Heavy hex nut

  Fabric

  Old-fashioned

  Reinforced fabric

  Hammerhead

  Leather

  *Double heavy hex nut

  Nail it

  Leatherface

  Anti-skid

  Cutting

  *Bone extension

  Gears

  Hand guard

  *Dust mace

  *Reinforced leather

  Single nail

  Iron guard

  Nailbrush

  Mole bone

  *Nailed line
  
  
• Mole Bone
  2 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +12
  
  Upgrades: Tip

  Upgrades: Handle

  Heavy hex nut

  Fabric

  Old-fashioned

  Reinforced fabric

  Hammerhead

  Leather

  *Double heavy hex nut

  Nail it

  Leatherface

  Anti-skid

  Cutting

  *Bone extension

  Gears

  Hand guard

  *Dust mace

  *Reinforced leather

  Single nail

  Iron guard

  Nailbrush

  Mole bone

  *Nailed line
  
  
• Iron Bar
  2 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +14
  
  Upgrades: Tip

  Upgrades: Handle

  Hammerhead

  Leather

  *Double heavy hex nut

  Reinforced fabric

  Bone mace

  Anti-skid

  Gears

  *Bone extension

  *Dust mace

  Safety bolt

  Gears of war

  *Reinforced leather

  Mole bone

  Iron guard

  *Nailed line

  Dust

  Queen claws

  Capacitor

  Dynamo

  Electro-mace
  
  
• Copper Tube
  2 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +14
  Fluid Regeneration +0.05
  
  Upgrades: Tip

  Upgrades: Handle

  Bone mace

  Reinforced fabric

  *Nutcase

  *Steel grip

  **War hammer

  **Thick leather

  Gears of war

  Safety bolt

  *War axe

  *Wild Dust

  **Razorhead

  **Heavy grip

  Queen claws

  Dust

  *Pinhead

  *Steel guard

  **Bone axe

  **Bone guard

  Dynamo

  Capacitor

  Electro-mace

  *Conductor

  *Electric club

  **Superconductor

  **Electric razor
  
  
• Steel Bar
  2 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage +16
  
  Upgrades: Tip

  Upgrades: Handle

  Bone mace

  Reinforced fabric

  *Nutcase

  *Steel grip

  **War hammer

  **Thick leather

  Gears of war

  Safety bolt

  *War axe

  *Wild Dust

  **Razorhead

  **Heavy grip

  Queen claws

  Dust

  *Pinhead

  *Steel guard

  **Bone axe

  **Bone guard

  Dynamo

  Capacitor

  Electro-mace

  *Conductor

  *Electric club

  **Superconductor

  **Electric razor

***************************************************
WEAPON UPGRADES
Weapon upgrades are unique to the slot they occupy. You will not be able to craft a tip upgrade in a handle slot, or vice versa. The effects are also unique, even if they may have the same name as another upgrade.
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Tip Upgrades
***************************************************

• Heavy hex nut
  Physical Damage +2
  - 2 Scrap metal
  
  
• Old-fashioned
  Physical Damage +2
  - 2 Cloth
  
  
• Hammerhead
  Physical Damage +2
  Physical Damage Reduction +3%
  - 1 Cloth
  - 2 Hardware
  - 2 Scrap metal
  
  
• Double heavy hex nut (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +5
  Physical Damage Reduction +3%
  - 2 Hardware
  - 8 Scrap metal
  
  
• Leatherface
  Physical Damage +4
  - 1 Hardware
  - 2 Leather
  
  
• Cutting
  Physical Damage +4
  Chance of Critical Hit +3%
  - 6 Cloth
  - 3 Hardware
  - 12 Scrap metal
  
  
• Gears
  Physical Damage +5
  Chance of Critical Hit +5%
  - 4 Hardware
  - 3 Leather
  - 1 Alloy
  
  
• Dust mace (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +8
  Chance of Critical Hit +3%
  - 6 Cloth
  - 6 Hardware
  - 2 Bone
  
  
• Single nail
  Physical Damage +4
  - 2 Hardware
  - 4 Scrap metal
  
  
• Nailbrush
  Physical Damage +4
  Chance of Wounding +5%
  - 10 Hardware
  - 1 Leather
  
  
• Mole bone
  Physical Damage +6
  Chance of Wounding +10%
  - 2 Cloth
  - 2 Hardware
  - 1 Bone
  
  
• Nailed line (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +8
  Chance of Wounding +5%
  - 4 Cloth
  - 10 Hardware
  - 8 Scrap metal
  
  
• Bone mace
  Physical Damage +6
  Physical Damage Reduction +5%
  - 3 Cloth
  - 2 Bone
  
  
• Nutcase (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +8
  Physical Damage Reduction +4%
  - 3 Alloy
  
  
• War hammer (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Physical Damage +10
  Physical Damage Reduction +6%
  - 10 Hardware
  - 6 Alloy
  
  
• Gears of war
  Physical Damage +8
  Chance of Critical Hit +5%
  - 4 Hardware
  - 3 Leather
  - 2 Alloy
  
  
• War axe (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +10
  Chance of Critical Hit +6%
  - 3 Hardware
  - 4 Leather
  - 3 Bone
  
  
• Razorhead (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Physical Damage +10
  Chance of Critical Hit +10%
  - 6 Hardware
  - 6 Alloy
  
  
• Queen claws
  Physical Damage +8
  Chance of Wounding +10%
  - 3 Bone
  
  
• Pinhead (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +10
  Chance of Wounding +5%
  - 8 Hardware
  - 8 Scrap metal
  - 4 Alloy
  
  
• Bone axe (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Physical Damage +8
  Chance of Wounding +15%
  - 4 Leather
  - 5 Bone
  
  
• Dynamo
  Physical Damage +4
  Charged Weapon Damage +10
  - 6 Hardware
  - 1 Electrical components
  
  
• Electro-mace
  Physical Damage +8
  Charged Weapon Damage +5
  - 10 Hardware
  - 12 Scrap Metal
  - 1 Electrical components
  
  
• Electric club (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +6
  Charged Weapon Damage +10
  - 6 Hardware
  - 2 Alloy
  - 2 Electrical components
  
  
• Electric razor (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Physical Damage +10
  Charged Weapon Damage +5
  - 6 Hardware
  - 4 Alloy
  - 2 Electrical components

***************************************************
Handle Upgrades
***************************************************

• Fabric
  Chance of Critical Hit +1%
  - 1 Cloth
  - 4 Scrap metal
  
  
• Reinforced fabric
  Chance of Critical Hit +2%
  - 2 Cloth
  - 4 Scrap metal
  
  
• Leather
  Chance of Critical Hit +2%
  - 2 Cloth
  - 1 Leather
  
  
• Nail it
  Physical Damage +1
  - 4 Cloth
  - 4 Hardware
  
  
• Anti-skid
  Physical Damage +1
  Physical Damage Reduction +1%
  - 2 Cloth
  - 2 Leather
  
  
• Bone extension (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +2
  - 2 Cloth
  - 1 Bone
  
  
• Hand guard
  Physical Damage Reduction +3%
  - 2 Cloth
  - 6 Scrap metal
  
  
• Reinforced leather (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Chance of Critical Hit +2%
  Physical Damage Reduction +2%
  - 4 Hardware
  - 2 Leather
  
  
• Iron guard
  Physical Damage Reduction +4%
  - 4 Cloth
  - 12 Scrap metal
  
  
• Steel grip (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Chance of Critical Hit +5%
  - 10 Cloth
  - 2 Hardware
  - 1 Alloy
  
  
• Thick leather (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Chance of Critical Hit +6%
  - 8 Leather
  
  
• Safety bolt
  Physical Damage +3
  Physical Damage Reduction +2%
  - 2 Cloth
  - 2 Alloy
  
  
• Wild Dust (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage +5
  - 2 Leather
  - 4 Bone
  
  
• Heavy grip (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Physical Damage +3
  Physical Damage Reduction +3%
  - 3 Hardware
  - 6 Alloy
  
  
• Dust
  Chance of Critical Hit +3%
  Physical Damage Reduction +2%
  - 4 Cloth
  - 2 Bone
  
  
• Steel guard (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Physical Damage Reduction +5%
  - 6 Cloth
  - 4 Hardware
  - 3 Alloy
  
  
• Bone guard (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Chance of Critical Hit +3%
  Physical Damage Reduction +4%
  - 4 Leather
  - 2 Bone
  - 2 Alloy
  
  
• Capacitor
  Fluid Regeneration +0.10
  - 6 Hardware
  - 2 Scrap metal
  - 1 Electrical components
  
  
• Conductor (Requires Apprentice handiwork)
  Fluid Regeneration +0.15
  - 4 Hardware
  - 2 Electrical component
  
  
• Superconductor (Requires Expert handiwork)
  Fluid Regeneration +0.20
  - 3 Electrical component

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ARMORS
Armors are full-body outfits that protect you from various kinds of damage, and sometimes give additional bonuses to your statistics. They can be obtained by looting crates or dead bodies you did not kill, by purchasing them from merchants, or by receiving them as a quest reward. When no longer needed, they can be recycled, or sold to merchants.
***************************************************
*(Requires Apprentice handiwork)
**(Requires Expert handiwork)

• Worn Clothes
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +4%
  
  
• Casual Clothes
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +5%
  
  
• Leather Clothes
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +10%
  Electrical Damage Reduction +30%
  
  
• Solid Leather Clothes
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +10%
  Electrical Damage Reduction +40%
  
  
• Aurora Soldier Uniform
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +20%
  Electrical Damage Reduction +20%
  
  
• Aurora Elite Uniform
  0 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +25%
  Electrical Damage Reduction +20%
  
  
• Torn Prison Uniform
  2 upgrade slots (Shoulders and Forearms)
  Physical Damage Reduction +10%
  
  Upgrades:

  Leather

  Reinforced leather

  Metal

  *Chitin

  **Reinforced metal
  
  
• Reinforced Prison Uniform
  3 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +12%
  
  Upgrades:

  Leather

  Reinforced leather

  Metal

  Chitin

  *Reinforced metal

  **Technowarrior
  
  
• Worker's Outfit
  3 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +12%
  Maximum Health +25
  
  Upgrades:

  Leather

  Reinforced leather

  Metal

  Chitin

  Composite

  Reinforced metal

  *Technowarrior

  **Wild Dust
  
  
• Leather Uniform
  3 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +15%
  Electrical Damage Reduction +10%
  
  Upgrades:

  Leather

  Reinforced leather

  Metal

  Chitin

  Composite

  Reinforced metal

  Technowarrior

  *Wild Dust

  **Strong alloy
  
  
• Technician's Outfit
  3 upgrade slots
  Physical Damage Reduction +15%
  Maximum Health +25
  
  Upgrades:

  Leather

  Reinforced leather

  Metal

  Chitin

  Composite

  Reinforced metal

  Technowarrior

  Wild Dust

  *Strong alloy

  **Improved composite

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ARMOR UPGRADES
Unlike weapon upgrades, Shoulder, Forearm, and Knee slots always have the same options as the other slots on that particular piece of armor. Thus you can put any upgrade available for that armor in any or all of the slots on it, but the upgrade's effect is weaker the lower the slot is on the body. The available armor upgrades are as follows:
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• Leather
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +3%

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +2%

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +1%
  - 4 Cloth
  
  
• Reinforced leather
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +7%

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +6%

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +5%
  - 2 Hardware
  - 2 Leather
  
  
• Metal
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +5%

  Shoulder:

  Electrical Damage Reduction +12%

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +4%

  Forearms:

  Electrical Damage Reduction +10%

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +3%

  Knee:

  Electrical Damage Reduction +8%
  - 6 Cloth
  - 4 Hardware
  - 8 Scrap metal
  
  
• Chitin (May require Apprentice handiwork)
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +7%

  Shoulder:

  Health Regeneration +0.06

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +6%

  Forearms:

  Health Regeneration +0.05

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +5%

  Knee:

  Health Regeneration +0.04
  - 4 Cloth
  - 4 Leather
  
  
• Composite
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +7%

  Shoulder:

  Fluid Regeneration +0.12

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +6%

  Forearms:

  Fluid Regeneration +0.10

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +5%

  Knee:

  Fluid Regeneration +0.08
  - 8 Hardware
  - 1 Alloy
  
  
• Reinforced metal (May require Apprentice handiwork, may require Expert handiwork)
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +10%

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +8%

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +6%
  - 4 Hardware
  - 1 Leather
  - 1 Alloy
  
  
• Technowarrior (May require Apprentice handiwork, may require Expert handiwork)
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +10%

  Shoulder:

  Electrical Damage Reduction +18%

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +8%

  Forearms:

  Electrical Damage Reduction +15%

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +6%

  Knee:

  Electrical Damage Reduction +12%
  - 12 Hardware
  - 20 Scrap metal
  - 6 Leather
  
  
• Wild Dust (May require Apprentice handiwork, may require Expert handiwork)
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +11%

  Shoulder:

  Health Regeneration +0.12

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +9%

  Forearms:

  Health Regeneration +0.10

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +7%

  Knee:

  Health Regeneration +0.08
  - 6 Scrap metal
  - 5 Leather
  - 4 Bone
  
  
• Strong alloy (Requires Apprentice handiwork, may require Expert handiwork)
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +14%

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +12%

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +10%
  - 6 Hardware
  - 4 Leather
  - 6 Alloy
  
  
• Improved Composite (Requires Expert handiwork)
  
  Shoulder:

  Physical Damage Reduction +12%

  Shoulder:

  Fluid Regeneration +0.24

  Forearms:

  Physical Damage Reduction +10%

  Forearms:

  Fluid Regeneration +0.20

  Knee:

  Physical Damage Reduction +8%

  Knee:

  Fluid Regeneration +0.16
  - 10 Hardware
  - 2 Alloy
  - 4 Electrical components

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ITEMS
Items are consumable combat assist tools. They can be obtained by looting crates, scrap piles, dead bodies, or enemies you have defeated, by purchasing them from merchants, by receiving them as a quest reward, or by crafting them from components. They can be used directly, or they can be sold to merchants.
***************************************************

• Nailgun ammo
  Crafting requires advancing to 7th objective in Quest "First steps in prison"
  - 3 Hardware
  After Skill Hotshot Rank 1:
  - 2 Hardware
  
  
• Nailgun ammo x 5
  Crafting requires advancing to 7th objective in Quest "First steps in prison"
  - 15 Hardware
  After Skill Hotshot Rank 1:
  - 10 Hardware
  
  
• Health injection pack
  - 20 Serum
  After Skill Combat Injections Rank 1:
  - 10 Serum
  
  
• Fluid injection pack
  Crafting requires completion of Chapter 1
  - 15 Serum
  - 1 Chemical components
  After Skill Combat Injections Rank 1:
  - 5 Serum
  - 1 Chemical components
  
  
• Handmade grenade
  Crafting requires Quest "An explosive plan" or Skill Master Exploder Rank 1
  - 5 Hardware
  - 5 Scrap metal
  - 1 Chemical components
  
  
• Explosive trap
  Crafting requires Quest "An explosive plan" or Skill Master Exploder Rank 1
  - 2 Hardware
  - 2 Scrap metal
  - 1 Chemical components

***************************************************
COMPONENTS
Components are crafting materials. They can be obtained by looting crates, scrap piles, dead bodies, or enemies you have defeated, by purchasing them from merchants, or by crafting them from other components. They can be used to craft items, weapon upgrades, armor upgrades, or other components, or they can be sold to merchants.
***************************************************

• Cloth
  Crafting requires Recycler feat
  - 1 Leather
  
  
• Scrap metal
  Crafting requires Recycler feat
  - 4 Hardware
  
  
• Hardware
  Crafting requires Recycler feat
  - 4 Scrap metal
  
  
• Leather
  Crafting requires Recycler feat
  - 10 Cloth
  
  
• Bone
  Crafting requires Recycler feat
  - 3 Hardware
  - 2 Scrap metal
  - 3 Leather
  
  
• Alloy
  Crafting requires Transformer feat
  - 10 Hardware
  - 10 Scrap metal
  
  
• Chemical components
  Crafting requires Transformer feat
  - 1 Bone
  - 20 Serum
  
  
• Electrical components
  Crafting requires Transformer feat
  - 5 Hardware
  - 2 Alloy