Fallout 4 Melee Weapons Guide

Melee weapons in Fallout 4 offer a unique and visceral combat experience in the wasteland. From brutal bladed weapons to powerful blunt instruments, each melee weapon has its strengths and playstyle. In this guide, we’ll explore the different types of melee weapons, the best playstyles for each, and some valuable tips to help you become a formidable melee warrior.

Types of Melee Weapons

Bladed Weapons

Playstyle: Bladed weapons are well-suited for stealthy characters and quick melee attacks, typically lower in base damage but faster, and with more common status effects. Sneak up on enemies and perform sneak attacks for maximum damage. Agility perks and critical hits are your allies.
Tips: Use V.A.T.S. to ensure hits or close gaps, aim for the head to maximize damage, and upgrade blades to improve damaging effects.

Melee Weapon	Damage	Weight	Value	Special Effects
Combat Knife	10	1.0	8	None
Revolutionary Sword	26	2.0	21	Targets bleed
Chinese Officer Sword	25	3.0	26	None
Switchblade	10	1.0	5	None
Shishkebab	46	3.0	133	Sets targets on fire
Machete	22	1.0	15	None
Disciples Blade (Nuka-World DLC)	33	1.0	50	Targets bleed and deals extra limb damage
Kremvh’s Tooth (Far Harbor DLC)	33	2.0	155	Targets bleed and has a chance to frenzy enemies
Throatslicer (Far Harbor DLC)	54	2.0	100	Targets bleed and deals increased damage
Atom’s Judgement (Far Harbor DLC)	100	6.0	500	Small area of effect explosion on impact
General Chao’s Revenge (Automatron DLC)	44	4.0	49	Ignores 30% of the target’s damage and energy resistance

Blunt Weapons

Playstyle: Blunt weapons excel at staggering enemies and dealing heavy damage. These weapons are ideal for a tanky, brawler playstyle, but can be used in stealth well due to their massive damage taking advantage of sneak attacks. Invest in high Strength and defensive perks.
Tips: Power attacks can be devastating; use them wisely. Blitz is practically essential in order to reach distant enemies.

Melee Weapon	Damage	Weight	Value	Special Effects
Baseball Bat	16	3.0	15	None
Super Sledge	40	20.0	90	Chance to send targets flying
Ripper	19	8.0	25	High attack speed
Power Fist	18	4.0	53	None
Pipe Wrench	21	3.0	13	None
Rolling Pin	4	1.0	4	None
Walking Cane	18	2.0	25	None
Baton	12	1.0	12	None
Board	18	3.0	10	None
Lead Pipe	18	3.0	10	None

Unarmed Weapons

Playstyle:
- Unarmed weapons are for those who want to punch their way through the wasteland. They are particularly effective with VATS and critical hit builds.
- Unique melee weapons often come with special effects or bonuses. Adapt your playstyle based on the weapon’s characteristics.
Tips:
- Invest in Strength and Agility perks to increase your damage and accuracy. The Blitz perk (Agility) is invaluable for closing the gap quickly.
- Utilize the unique effects of these weapons to your advantage. For instance, Kremvh’s Tooth can frenzy enemies, creating chaos in battle.

Gauntlet Melee Weapons

Melee Weapon	Damage	Weight	Value	Special Effects
Deathclaw Gauntlet	40	5.0	113	Ignores damage resistance
Cito’s Shiny Slugger (Nuka-World DLC)	44	4.0	49	Targets bleed and deals extra limb damage
Paddle Ball (Nuka-World DLC)	4	2.0	3	None
Fish Catcher (Far Harbor DLC)	28	3.0	38	Targets bleed

Fist Melee Weapons

Melee Weapon	Damage	Weight	Value	Special Effects
Power Fist	18	4.0	53	None
Knuckles	6	1.0	5	None
Boxing Glove	15	0.5	4	None
Furious Power Fist (Far Harbor DLC)	30	4.0	53	Increased damage with each consecutive hit
Throatslicer (Far Harbor DLC)	54	2.0	100	Targets bleed and deals increased damage

Best Playstyles for Melee Weapons

Stealth Assassin: Focus on stealth perks like Ninja and Sneak. Approach enemies silently and perform sneak attacks for massive damage.
Brutal Brawler: Focus on making a tanky character. Invest in high Strength, Endurance, and melee-related perks. Use power attacks to stagger and pummel foes.
Punching Powerhouse: Unarmed weapons are most effective with high Strength and Agility. Consider Luck perks to maximize critical hits in V.A.T.S.
Exotic Expert: Unique weapons require adaptability. Tailor your playstyle to the weapon’s unique effects.

Tips for Melee Combat

Use V.A.T.S.: The Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.) can help you target distant foes (especially with Blitz), execute critical attacks, and protect you from damage.
Upgrade Your Weapons: Visit a weapon workbench to modify and upgrade your melee weapons. Attach serrated blades or other enhancements to increase damage or add unique effects.
Invest in Perks: Allocate perk points to Strength, Agility, and Luck for a melee build. Perks like Blitz (Agility), Big Leagues (Strength), Ninja (Agility), and Better Criticals (Luck) can significantly enhance your melee capabilities.
Maintain Stealth: Stealthy melee characters can benefit from the Ninja and Mister Sandman perks. Sneak up on enemies for devastating sneak attacks.
Carry Backup: Melee weapons excel in close combat, but it’s wise to carry a ranged weapon for situations that require distance or enemies with ranged attacks. This is not always necessary with the Blitz perk, but still worth considering.
Block and Parry: Learn when to block enemy attacks or use power attacks to break blocks. Some enemies even telegraph their attacks, giving you a chance to mitigate damage and counterattack.
Use Consumables: In addition to keeping plenty of healing items like stimpaks and food in your inventory to recover health during and after battles, it can be very useful to keep a healthy concoction of chems like Psycho, Jet, and Buffout (or mixed chems) on you in order to boost you various stats.

Remember that Fallout 4’s melee combat can be challenging, especially against powerful foes. Adapt your playstyle, invest in the right perks, and choose the melee weapon that suits your character’s strengths to become a formidable force in the Commonwealth.