Hiking Pole

MeleeSupportAbyssal TerrorsTiers I–IV

+1 Range for every 70/60/50/40 steps you take during a wave

Unlock: Available from the start
Starting weapon for: 8 characters

Community builds that use it

EntrepreneurThe -50% Damage modifier pushes most guides to an Engineering build with Wrench turrets, which ignore it; Support weapons such as Sickle and Pruner exploit the boosted Harvesting. Spend all materials every shop because they are lost at the start of the next wave.
HikerNever stop moving: steps generate materials and Max HP, so remove the Speed penalty early and use Jousting Lance or Hiking Pole, both rewarding Speed. Build Dodge, as fast movement means many hits.
HunterCrossbows with Crit Chance (boosted 25%) and Range, which also grants % Damage; Harvesting gains are cancelled, so drop it. Thief Dagger, Icicle, Shuriken and Hiking Pole are reported alternatives.
MultitaskerTwelve Sticks is the standard build because each Stick raises the others' base damage; get % Damage back to positive after filling the slots. Guns, elemental weapons with Snake and Scared Sausage, and 12-turret Engineering builds are reported alternatives.
SpeedyStack Speed, which also feeds Melee Damage; Jousting Lance scales with Speed, Shuriken with Crit Chance, and Hiking Pole builds stack Speed for Range. Expect to take hits and build Dodge.

Stats by tier

Tier I Common
Damage
12 (+50% Melee Damage, +10% Range)
Cooldown
1.42s
Crit
x1.5 (3% chance)
Range
175
Tier II Uncommon
Damage
18 (+50% Melee Damage, +12% Range)
Cooldown
1.34s
Crit
x1.5 (3% chance)
Range
175
Tier III Rare
Damage
24 (+50% Melee Damage, +15% Range)
Cooldown
1.25s
Crit
x1.5 (3% chance)
Range
175
Tier IV Legendary
Damage
30 (+50% Melee Damage, +20% Range)
Cooldown
1.17s
Crit
x1.5 (3% chance)
Range
175

Damage in brackets is added from your stats before %Damage multiplies the total; see the damage formula or the calculator.

DPS at tier IV

26 DPS with no stats, 34.7 at 20 Melee Damage and 47.7 at 50 (single target, every projectile hits, crits averaged): #51 of 58 weapons that scale with Melee Damage. Full ranking or your own stats.