A Runner is on you, a Bomber is lighting its fuse, and a Cuirassier Zombie is about to charge. Which one do you shoot first, and which weapon kills it fastest?
This page covers every zombie in Guts & Blackpowder with its real health and the wave it shows up in Endless. It also shows how many hits each weapon needs to drop it. Everything was checked on September 26, 2026.
Quick answer. There are 8 zombies you fight. Bombers have the least health (20) and Cuirassier Zombies the most (200). Shambler and Sapper Zombie health grows every Endless wave. For melee, the Pickaxe and Axe kill the most in one hit. For guns, the Rifle is the only one that can kill a Cuirassier Zombie in one shot.
Every Guts & Blackpowder zombie
| Zombie |
Health |
Shows up in Endless |
What it does |
| Shambler |
60 / 90 / 120 (Endless waves 10 / 20 / 30) |
Every wave |
Slow and common. Dangerous in groups: 4 grabbing you at once is a kill. |
| Runner |
30 |
Wave 4 |
Sprints and tackles you. A teammate has to hit it off you fast. |
| Bomber |
20 |
Wave 7 |
Carries a powder barrel that explodes near you. Shoot it from far away. |
| Sapper Zombie |
120 / 180 / 240 (Endless waves 10 / 20 / 30) |
Wave 13 |
Slow, tough, and hits for 65 with an axe. |
| Cuirassier Zombie |
200 |
Wave 16 |
Armored cavalry with a sabre. Charges and skewers you. |
| Igniter |
30 |
Wave 20 |
A burned lamplighter that sets you on fire. |
| Viral Runner |
60 |
When a player turns |
A Runner made from a turned player. Twice the health. |
| Viral Sapper |
120 |
When a player turns |
A turned Sapper. Faster than a normal Sapper Zombie. |
Viral Runners and Viral Sappers don’t spawn on their own. They are players who got infected and turned. There are also a few special zombies. The Headless Zombie only appears on the Sleepy Hollow map, and Knight Zombies show up on a couple of event maps. The Crawler isn’t used in normal games.
In story maps, Shambler health changes from map to map, so the numbers above are for Endless. Shamblers get 30 more health every 10 waves, and Sapper Zombies get 60 more.
How many hits each melee weapon needs
These are body hits at each weapon’s normal damage. Melee weapons always hit for the same amount, so these numbers are exact. Headshots with some weapons, like the Heavy Sabre and Sledgehammer, do more.
| Weapon |
Damage |
Who gets it |
Bomber |
Runner |
Igniter |
Shambler (wave 10) |
Viral Runner |
Shambler (wave 20) |
Sapper Zombie (wave 10) |
Viral Sapper |
| Stake |
25 |
Chaplain |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
| Sabre |
30 |
Most classes (default) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Spontoon |
30 |
Officer (Shop) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Crowbar |
30 |
Moss Ironworks map |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Spade |
35 |
Sapper (Shop) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Heavy Sabre |
38 |
Infantry (Shop) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Shovel |
40 |
Vardøhus Fortress map |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Pike |
50 |
Infantry (Shop) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
| Sledgehammer |
75 |
Catacombes de Paris map |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Axe |
85 |
Sapper (default) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Pickaxe |
100 |
Sapper (Shop) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
The big jump is at wave 20. The Sabre kills a wave 10 Shambler in 2 hits but needs 3 at wave 20. The Pickaxe still kills it in 1. The Chaplain’s Stake is weak, but it kills a Runner in a single hit.
Which guns kill in one shot
Guns hit hardest up close. Most of them lose damage over distance, so these one-shot kills are at full damage. The Rifle is the one gun that keeps its full damage at any range. The 6 targets are the same as in the melee table, minus the two Sapper types.
| Gun |
Damage |
Who gets it |
One-shots at full damage |
| Rifle |
215 |
Infantry (Shop) |
All 6 targets |
| Nock Gun |
150 per pellet |
Seaman (Shop) |
All 6 targets |
| Musket |
120 |
Infantry (default) |
All 6 targets |
| Carbine |
95 |
Infantry (Shop) |
All 6 targets |
| Pistol |
85 |
Officer (default) |
Bomber, Runner, Igniter, Shambler (wave 10), Viral Runner |
| Horse Artillery Pistol |
85 |
Infantry (Shop) |
Bomber, Runner, Igniter, Shambler (wave 10), Viral Runner |
| Double Barrel Pistol |
75 |
Officer (Shop) |
Bomber, Runner, Igniter, Shambler (wave 10), Viral Runner |
| Navy Pistol |
35 per pellet |
Seaman (Shop) |
Bomber, Runner, Igniter |
| Brass Pistol |
35 per pellet |
Officer (Shop) |
Bomber, Runner, Igniter |
Sapper Zombies are left out on purpose. A headshot on one from any gun except the Rifle always takes exactly half its health, so it takes two headshots. The Rifle ignores that rule.
How to kill a Cuirassier Zombie
Cuirassier Zombies have 200 health and wear a metal chest plate. Most guns and melee weapons do nothing to the chest or helmet. Melee hits to the arms and legs only do 30% of their damage.
- Rifle: the only gun that kills one in a single shot, anywhere on its body.
- Any other gun: aim for the head. Each headshot takes half its health, so two headshots kill it.
- Axe or Pickaxe: these still hurt it through the chest plate. Hit it while it recovers from a charge.
- Explosions and fire: grenades, the Hand Mortar, Tar Bottles and even a nearby Bomber all work.
- Stay safe: a Cuirass or Siege Engineer Armour knocks back its charge instead of letting it skewer you.
Tips for surviving the horde
- Shoot Bombers from far away. They only have 20 health, and every gun here kills one in one shot.
- Never let 4 Shamblers grab you at once. That kills you.
- Save your Rifle shots for Cuirassier and Sapper Zombies.
- In Endless, swap to a heavier melee weapon after wave 20. The Pike, Axe or Pickaxe keep up much better than the Sabre.
Questions players ask
How many zombie types are in Guts & Blackpowder? 8 you fight in normal games: Shambler, Runner, Bomber, Sapper Zombie, Cuirassier Zombie, Igniter, Viral Runner and Viral Sapper.
What zombie has the most health? The Cuirassier Zombie, with 200. In late Endless waves a Sapper Zombie can pass it.
What is the best weapon against zombies? The Rifle for guns. It is the only gun that one-shots a Cuirassier Zombie. For melee, the Pickaxe and Axe.
How much health does a Shambler have? In Endless it has 60 at wave 10, 90 at wave 20 and 120 at wave 30.