Best melee weapons?

[Von Shadowsong]

I normally play a sneaky sniper build. But I wanted to try something different (and finish Nuka-World without using console commands), so I made a Raider-y character who uses melee weapons almost exclusively.

Right now, she's level 15 and has Grognak's Axe as her main weapon. For medium-to-long-range combat, I have Wastelander's Friend (legendary 10mm from Deb at Bunker Hill), though I'd rather not use guns at all, if I don't have to.

I currently have rank 1 Blacksmith, but I was disappointed to note that my axe can't be modded at the workbench. Other than random drops, are there any in-game melee weapons you guys would suggest for this sort of playthrough?

(I don't use mods or CC, as I don't want achievements disabled until I have them all.)

Thanks!

-von

[MortVent]

Baseball bats with nuka world have a lot of options. And are a good all arounder, especially the various unique ones (the one in diamond city especially is good early on)

Combat knives work well with a blitz build (especially pickman's)
Machetes will work well too when modded up, or with the unique one

Both are reasonably fast. Have reasonable Vats costs.

But if you want upfront damage output the heavier and slower weapons work there.

Modified sledgehammers or super sledges hit really hard, but are super slow and heavy ap costs in vats.

[Stardustfire]

Rocket driven aluminium baseball bats generate more dmg than a super sledge, what is very strange. but well, for me that makes them the best melee weapon.

[Von Shadowsong]

Originally posted by Pharnham:

Originally posted by Von Shadowsong:

though I'd rather not use guns at all, if I don't have to.

At the bottom of the well is a knife. That's all I'm saying.

You'll always have to use a gun, for turrets. Somebody should do a throwing knife/star melee mod so you could take out turrets with melee perk advantages.

I forgot all about that one! I've gotten it on my other characters, though I've never had a use for it before now. That area is a tall order for a lowbie character, guns or not, though I suppose I could always lower the difficulty if it proves to be too much for her (I'm on v.hard, because survival mode is boring AF).

So far, it's a lot of fun. I'm gaining a new respect for people who play melee builds consistently, and it's fun to play as a chem-addicted, perma-drunk, mind-numbingly stupid axe-wielding maniac!

I love your knife-throwing mod idea, too~ I'd definitely download that!

[Von Shadowsong]

Originally posted by Stardustfire:

Rocket driven aluminium baseball bats generate more dmg than a super sledge, what is very strange. but well, for me that makes them the best melee weapon.

That's a thing? I like it already!

I have the GOTY edition of the game, with all DLC, so this should be interesting.

[Von Shadowsong]

Originally posted by Pharnham:

Originally posted by Von Shadowsong:

I forgot all about that one! I've gotten it on my other characters, though I've never had a use for it before now.

I read somewhere that if you get that knife, you can take the mod out of it and put it into a Legendary Furious Machete for what they claim is the best possible melee weapon conceivable.

Will definitely need to test this. Thanks!

[[STD]Random Lead]

Originally posted by Pharnham:

Originally posted by Von Shadowsong:

though I'd rather not use guns at all, if I don't have to.

At the bottom of the well is a knife. That's all I'm saying.

You'll always have to use a gun, for turrets. Somebody should do a throwing knife/star melee mod so you could take out turrets with melee perk advantages.

Not necessarily true. Guns make turrets easier but turrets, with the right legendary effects, can be dealt with pure melee. As for not wanting to use guns, use grenades. A lot of fun and acceptable from a melee build standpoint. It is still person powered as opposed to tech or chemical powered. Best weapon is personal preferrence as well as vats playstyle. Manual non vats I recommend a knife or pipe wrench with bleeding and max upgrades. Vats play any maxed slow weapon. Sledgehammers are my preferred.

[Stardustfire]

yup Pharnham, i have all DLC and no mods (exept UFO4P but that dont "mod" anything, exept killing bugs)
was astonished when i seen what u can make from a baseball bat, half weight of a SS but equial or a tick better in dmg. recogniced it when i started to mod the bat from jamaica plains out of couriosity to see what can be done with it in my first melee playthrough.
Oh btw im a none Vats user if that matters.

[cheesus christ]

pickmans blade

[Von Shadowsong]

Originally posted by STDRandom Lead:

Originally posted by Pharnham:

At the bottom of the well is a knife. That's all I'm saying.

You'll always have to use a gun, for turrets. Somebody should do a throwing knife/star melee mod so you could take out turrets with melee perk advantages.

Not necessarily true. Guns make turrets easier but turrets, with the right legendary effects, can be dealt with pure melee. As for not wanting to use guns, use grenades. A lot of fun and acceptable from a melee build standpoint. It is still person powered as opposed to tech or chemical powered. Best weapon is personal preferrence as well as vats playstyle. Manual non vats I recommend a knife or pipe wrench with bleeding and max upgrades. Vats play any maxed slow weapon. Sledgehammers are my preferred.

It's interesting you mention VATS, as I find my melee character relying more on it than my sniper did.

I almost never use VATS with guns, since ranks in Sniper (PER)+ Killshot/Cloak & Dagger combo means I can snipe someone from across the map without using VATS. I wonder if the increase in VATS use is due to a heavier/slower weapon.

[[STD]Random Lead]

I use vats because I play 3rd person with my melee builds. Vats has more cinematic attacks so is much more fun imo. Btw blitz is a godsend and if you are ok with mods I recommend a blitz mod. Bethesda nerfed the original blitz to appease the survival crowd so it has a far shorter range now. I don't recommend a god mode blitz but it does need a longer range. Hope you enjoy melee. I find it more satisfying visceraly.

[Kynera]

I know its an outdated topic, but im currently useing a meele only, ninja build with a lot of vats useage. my weapons are the shishkebab with normal and fire dmg from finch farm quest and a legendary super sledge with extra 50 rad and 50 fire dmg. with ninja perk outmaxed u onehit anything anyways (playing on super hard and survival lol) game feels like easiest mode

[Minty]

I wander the wasteland crushing heads and souls with this:

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Atom%27s_Judgement

[DouglasGrave]

My most serious melee character is basically a cultist of Atom, who runs around in robes stabbing people with a Disciples blade. It has a nice combination of speed, damage, and an extra boost from one of the SCAV! magazines.

[Benno]

i love that knife with bleeding (forgot it's name) few stabs and watch how the HP drains :D

[ZarahNeander]

Originally posted by DouglasGrave:

My most serious melee character is basically a cultist of Atom, who runs around in robes stabbing people with a Disciples blade. It has a nice combination of speed, damage, and an extra boost from one of the SCAV! magazines.

This! Lightweight, fast, low AP cost, what else could you wish for. And 'Throatslicer'...let it bleed