diff --git a/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm b/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
index d06b59689ab..894e0d63f5b 100644
--- a/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
+++ b/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 	M.lastattackerckey = user.ckey
 
 	user.do_attack_animation(M)
-	. = M.attacked_by(src, user, def_zone)
+	. = !M.attacked_by(src, user, def_zone)
 
 	add_fingerprint(user)
 
diff --git a/code/game/gamemodes/cult/blood_magic.dm b/code/game/gamemodes/cult/blood_magic.dm
index aada8ca02f5..86624155772 100644
--- a/code/game/gamemodes/cult/blood_magic.dm
+++ b/code/game/gamemodes/cult/blood_magic.dm
@@ -438,6 +438,11 @@
 		uses = 0
 		qdel(src)
 		return
+	if(ishuman(M))
+		var/mob/living/carbon/human/H = M
+		if(H.check_shields(src, 0, "[user]'s [name]", MELEE_ATTACK))
+			playsound(M, 'sound/weapons/genhit.ogg', 50, TRUE)
+			return TRUE
 	add_attack_logs(user, M, "used a cult spell ([src]) on")
 	M.lastattacker = user.real_name
 
diff --git a/code/game/gamemodes/cult/cult_items.dm b/code/game/gamemodes/cult/cult_items.dm
index 7c78039342c..1695c212abc 100644
--- a/code/game/gamemodes/cult/cult_items.dm
+++ b/code/game/gamemodes/cult/cult_items.dm
@@ -45,11 +45,17 @@
 		else
 			user.adjustBruteLoss(rand(force/2, force))
 		return
-	if(!IS_CULTIST(target))
-		var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = target.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
-		if(S)
-			S.trigger()
-	..()
+	. = ..()
+
+/obj/item/melee/cultblade/afterattack(atom/target, mob/user, proximity_flag, click_parameters)
+	. = ..()
+	if(!proximity_flag)
+		return
+	if(!isliving(target))
+		return
+	var/mob/living/living_target = target
+	var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = living_target.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
+	S?.trigger()
 
 /obj/item/melee/cultblade/pickup(mob/living/user)
 	. = ..()
@@ -580,35 +586,40 @@
 
 /obj/item/cult_spear/throw_impact(atom/hit_atom, datum/thrownthing/throwingdatum)
 	var/turf/T = get_turf(hit_atom)
-	if(isliving(hit_atom))
-		var/mob/living/L = hit_atom
-		if(IS_CULTIST(L))
-			playsound(src, 'sound/weapons/throwtap.ogg', 50)
-			if(!L.restrained() && L.put_in_active_hand(src))
-				L.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[L] catches [src] out of the air!</span>")
-			else
-				L.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[src] bounces off of [L], as if repelled by an unseen force!</span>")
-		else if(!..())
-			if(L.null_rod_check())
-				return
-			var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = L.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
-			if(S)
-				S.trigger()
-			else
-				L.KnockDown(10 SECONDS)
-				L.apply_damage(60, STAMINA)
-				L.apply_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
-				L.flash_eyes(1, TRUE)
-				if(issilicon(L))
-					L.emp_act(EMP_HEAVY)
-				else if(iscarbon(L))
-					L.Silence(6 SECONDS)
-					L.Stuttering(16 SECONDS)
-					L.CultSlur(20 SECONDS)
-					L.Jitter(16 SECONDS)
-			break_spear(T)
-	else
+	if(!isliving(hit_atom))
 		..()
+		return
+
+	var/mob/living/L = hit_atom
+	if(IS_CULTIST(L))
+		playsound(src, 'sound/weapons/throwtap.ogg', 50)
+		if(!L.restrained() && L.put_in_active_hand(src))
+			L.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[L] catches [src] out of the air!</span>")
+		else
+			L.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[src] bounces off of [L], as if repelled by an unseen force!</span>")
+		return
+
+	if(..())
+		return
+
+	if(L.null_rod_check())
+		return
+	var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = L.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
+	if(S)
+		S.trigger()
+	else
+		L.KnockDown(10 SECONDS)
+		L.apply_damage(60, STAMINA)
+		L.apply_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
+		L.flash_eyes(1, TRUE)
+		if(issilicon(L))
+			L.emp_act(EMP_HEAVY)
+		else if(iscarbon(L))
+			L.Silence(6 SECONDS)
+			L.Stuttering(16 SECONDS)
+			L.CultSlur(20 SECONDS)
+			L.Jitter(16 SECONDS)
+	break_spear(T)
 
 /obj/item/cult_spear/proc/break_spear(turf/T)
 	if(!T)
@@ -620,9 +631,14 @@
 		playsound(T, 'sound/effects/glassbr3.ogg', 100)
 	qdel(src)
 
-/obj/item/cult_spear/attack(mob/living/M, mob/living/user, def_zone)
+/obj/item/cult_spear/afterattack(atom/target, mob/user, proximity_flag, click_parameters)
 	. = ..()
-	var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = M.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
+	if(!proximity_flag)
+		return
+	if(!isliving(target))
+		return
+	var/mob/living/living_target = target
+	var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = living_target.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
 	if(S && HAS_TRAIT(src, TRAIT_WIELDED))
 		S.trigger()
 
diff --git a/code/game/gamemodes/cult/ritual.dm b/code/game/gamemodes/cult/ritual.dm
index 03647190c90..6523c846ea0 100644
--- a/code/game/gamemodes/cult/ritual.dm
+++ b/code/game/gamemodes/cult/ritual.dm
@@ -43,10 +43,6 @@
 				M.reagents.del_reagent("holywater")
 				add_attack_logs(user, M, "Hit with [src], removing the holy water from them")
 		return FALSE
-	else
-		var/datum/status_effect/cult_stun_mark/S = M.has_status_effect(STATUS_EFFECT_CULT_STUN)
-		if(S)
-			S.trigger()
 	. = ..()
 
 /obj/item/melee/cultblade/dagger/attack_self(mob/user)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm
index ee1b197b72c..9c8cfd9577a 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm
@@ -570,6 +570,7 @@ emp_act
 							update_inv_w_uniform()
 
 	dna.species.spec_attacked_by(I, user, affecting, user.a_intent, src)
+	return TRUE
 
 //this proc handles being hit by a thrown atom
 /mob/living/carbon/human/hitby(atom/movable/AM, skipcatch = FALSE, hitpush = TRUE, blocked = FALSE, datum/thrownthing/throwingdatum)