You can put a bit more force into a punch from a standing position because you can use your legs, but using a weapon that adds mass to your hands can very easily cause permanent damage if you punch. Using strikes takes advantage of the weapon itself to take the majority of the recoil. The combination of the added mass usually makes the weaponed strike hit harder than an unassisted punch either way.

If you go this route then hammer, don’t punch. I hear that those small steel flashlights with the castellated heads are perfect for exactly that kind of swing.

Because the player base makes League’s look well-mannered and downright pleasant in comparison.