There are many Races in Kenshi, including races for animal characters. Animal races are not listed on this page.
Playable Races
These races can be selected during the start of the game. Some Game Starts have further restrictions on which races can be chosen, but many allow players to choose from all seven options on this list.
Players cannot choose these races at the start of a game, but members of these races can become Playable Characters in certain circumstances.
Unplayable Races
These races are used for characters which cannot be recruited. As such, they require Modding to be used as a player character.
| Species | Human | Shek | Hive | Skeleton | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Scorch | Shek | Prince | Worker | Soldier | Skeleton | P4 Unit | Soldierbot | |
| Health Stats | |||||||||
| Combat Move Speed | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Bleed Rate | 1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Heal Rate | 1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Hunger Rate | 1 | 0.9 | 1.25 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | Do not require food | Do not require food | Do not require food |
| Max Speed | 120 | 120 | 110 | 140 | 140 | 130 | 110 | ||
| Blood | 75 - 150 | 75 - 150 | 75 - 150 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Limb HP | 100 | 100 | 125 | 80 | 75 | 100 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Armour Slots | |||||||||
| Hats | YES | YES | MOST[1] | MOST | MOST | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Shirt | YES | YES | YES | LIMITED | LIMITED | LIMITED | NO | NO | NO |
| Shoes | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Attributes | |||||||||
| Strength | 1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dexterity | 1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1 |
| Perception | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | .8 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 |
| Skills | |||||||||
| - Weapons - | |||||||||
| Katanas | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1 |
| Sabres | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Hackers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Heavy Weapons | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 |
| Blunt | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Polearms | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| - Combat - | |||||||||
| Melee Attack | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Melee Defence | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dodge | 1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Martial Arts | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| - Ranged - | |||||||||
| Turrets | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 |
| Crossbows | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Precision Shooting | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| - Thievery - | |||||||||
| Stealth | 1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Lockpicking | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Thievery | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Assassination | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| - Athletics - | |||||||||
| Athletics | 1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Swimming | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| - Sciences - | |||||||||
| Field Medic | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
| Engineer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 |
| Robotics | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 |
| Science | 1.2 | 1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 |
| - Trades - | |||||||||
| Weapon Smith | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 |
| Armour Smith | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 |
| Crossbow Smith | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Labouring | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Farming | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooking | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Trivia
- ↑ Shek characters can equip all headgears with the exception of the Cap, Hachigane, Side-Angle Hachigane, and Wool Hat.