Welcome to the second episode of Lethal Company Masterclass! In this guide, we will break down everything you need to know about shotguns, shovels, and knives, including hitboxes, damage mechanics, and best practices for using them effectively.

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1. Understanding Hitboxes

Every enemy in Lethal Company has a hitbox that determines where you need to aim to land a hit. Most enemies have hitboxes that match their models, but some have counterintuitive hitboxes:

• Thumpers and Snare Fleas: Hitboxes are on the front, making rear attacks ineffective.
• Knowing enemy hitboxes improves accuracy and survival chances.

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2. Melee Weapons: Shovels, Stop Signs, and Yield Signs

Weapon Comparison

Weapon	Weight (lb)	Damage to Enemies	Damage to Players	Sell Value
Shovel	14 lb	1 HP	10 HP	0 credits
Stop Sign	24 lb	1 HP	10 HP	20-52 credits
Yield Sign	42 lb	1 HP	10 HP	18-36 credits

Key Points About Melee Weapons

• Shovels can only be obtained from the store.
• Stop signs are most commonly found on Assurance.
• Yield signs are most commonly found on Offense.
• All three make different sounds:
  • Whoosh: No hit.
  • Ding: Solid object hit.
  • Crunch: Successful enemy hit.
• The shovel’s hitbox is a capsule slightly to the left of the screen center—always aim straight for maximum reach.

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3. Knives: Lightweight but Deadly

Knife Mechanics

• Weight: 0 lb (fast movement speed).
• Sell Value: 35 credits.
• Damage: Same as a shovel.
• Instantly kills Butlers.
• Can only be obtained from killing a Butler.
• Swing speed: One attack per 0.43 seconds.
• Hit Registration:
  • If blood appears, the hit registered.
  • If no blood, the hit missed.

Key Notes on Knives

• A past exploit allowed non-host players to attack faster, but this has been patched.
• The knife hitbox is smaller than the shovel’s, so precise aiming is required.

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4. Shotguns: The Ultimate Power Weapon

How to Obtain a Shotgun

• Shotguns are only dropped by Nutcrackers.
• Weigh 16 lb (affects stamina drain).
• Sell for 60 credits.
• Non-conductive, meaning they don’t attract lightning.
• When a Nutcracker is killed, it drops:
  • Its shotgun (with remaining ammo).
  • Two additional shells.

Maximizing Shotgun Ammo

• To get a fully loaded shotgun, kill a Nutcracker right after it reloads its second bullet.
• If unsure about ammo, test using the Safety Toggle trick:
  • Shooting and reloading with safety ON makes a clicking sound.
  • If the clicking sound is the same, the shotgun is empty.
  • If different, there’s one bullet.
  • If no sound, it’s fully loaded.

Shotgun Misfire Mechanics

• If safety is OFF, misfires can occur.
• Dropping a shotgun without safety has a 5% chance of misfiring.
• There is an internal misfire timer (28-50 seconds) that resets when safety is turned on.
• Pausing in orbit also stops the misfire timer, but dropping the gun can still trigger it.

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5. Shotgun Hitboxes & Damage Output

Against Players

Distance	Damage
0-15 units	Instant Kill
15-23 units	40 HP
23-30 units	20 HP

• Shotgun fire forms a cone shape, meaning multiple players can be hit at once.

Against Enemies

Distance	Damage
0-3.7 units	5 HP
3.7-6 units	3 HP
6-15 units	2 HP

• The shotgun has a capsule-shaped hitbox for enemies, meaning the distance matters significantly.
• Nutcrackers are harder to hit because their own shotgun has a wider player hitbox.

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6. Advanced Shotgun Strategies

• Kill Nutcrackers ASAP to obtain more shotguns and extra ammo.
• Use shotguns against Brackens, as they only spawn once per moon.
• Friendly fire is a real danger! Always check positioning before shooting.
• Use terrain to your advantage:
  • Shotgun shots can pass through rails and thin flooring.
  • They cannot pass through solid objects or server room shelves.
• Be mindful of team positioning when engaging multiple enemies.

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7. Shotgun Exploit (Glitch Warning)

There is currently an exploit that allows you to kill enemies without looking at them. For more details, join our Discord community, where we cover Lethal Company mechanics, moon strategies, and AI behaviors.

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Final Thoughts

Mastering shovels, knives, and shotguns is crucial for survival in Lethal Company. By understanding hitboxes, damage output, and best usage practices, you’ll become a more efficient fighter against the many threats lurking in the game.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Aim carefully—knowing hitboxes matters. ✅ Always turn safety ON when carrying a shotgun. ✅ Use melee weapons efficiently—stop signs and yield signs can be sold. ✅ Kill Nutcrackers for ammo—they are the key to sustained firepower. ✅ Friendly fire is possible—positioning matters!

Now that you know how to wield your weapons like a pro, it’s time to jump in and take down some monsters! If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out our AI Nodes Masterclass and other expert guides for Lethal Company!