Thinking of trying a melee build? Don't.

[Grantorino]

Don't, you will be used as target practice, you will use a lot of stimpaks and the build is one of those late game builds so you will get battered at the start of the game.

[Borg Cube]

can you not chain melee swings together? i tried melee but it seems way too slow

[Rogue]

This is not my experience at all. There are a few terrible spots like the Revere Sattelite Array but other than that no problems, I pretty much cruised through the game playing a VATS heavy build. Melee sneak attacks with Ninja + Blitz are pretty absurd.

Melee attacks feel pretty clunky when not using VATS though, granted.

[Gom]

Nah melee is actually broken. You just need either high AGI and Blitz or high END to go along with decent amount of STR.

[Rogue]

High Strength isn't even that useful, it's just additional overkill a lot of the time.
It's partially due to the massive sneak attack multiplier and partially because you can have very high damage armor piercing weapons.

[Kurchatov]

I think melee is the end-game matter, like when you did the story, overleveled as uck and bored.
Well, at least in fo4.

[Grantorino]

Originally posted by Lady Seeri Snugglebottoms:

High Strength isn't even that useful, it's just additional overkill a lot of the time.
It's partially due to the massive sneak attack multiplier and partially because you can have very high damage armor piercing weapons.

Does the game tell you how much strength effects your melee damage percentage wise?

[Cutlass Jack]

I have no problem at all with a melee build. And I dont even use stealth perks or power armor.

Which is not to say I don't sneak or use cover as needed, or take the occasional gunshot. But I've gone face to face with Super Mutants, deathclaws and godzilla sized crabs so far without issue.

[Damnboythisprivate]

i am currently going with a stealth/melee build, get the deliverer which is a silenced pistol that deals alot of dmg, and for knife i went with pickmans knife, since it has bleed, alot of damage+ additional stealth dmg
Edit:
The build is challenging and fun at the same time :)

[Rogue]

Originally posted by Mr|Josh:

Does the game tell you how much strength effects your melee damage percentage wise?

I don't think the game tells you but I can tell you that it is an additive +10% per point.

1.1x the damage at 1 strength.
2.0x the damage at 10 strength.

[ImHelping]

So, how does one go about a viable melee playthrough without stealth? (Or googling up where to find a named/legendary top tier weapon in the first 10 minutes)

Are you going to be okay with your upgraded baseball bat until you can buy the first super sledge handy in Diamond City, and continue to bash skulls barbarian style?

Or is it all "Well, with my legendary deathclaw gauntlet and sneak attack modifiers I-"

[MiloshKeat]

In FO4 i decided to play with melee weapons. At first it was really difficult (played on hard). I was eating all the time and tried not to die.
After i put some points in sneaking, ninja and blitz is way too easy. Even on survival.
I oneshot Behemoths and Mirelurkqueens.
Does anyone know what the strongest weapon is? Playing with the chinese sword (ofc maxed out), it has a decent attspeed, thats why i dont like the superhammer.

[Rodent King]

i made a melee build and i use the rockiville slugger if you want the build friend me (im on very hard) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMrU8eVSr78

[Kay]

Originally posted by I'm Helping!:

So, how does one go about a viable melee playthrough without stealth?

power armour, lots of endurance, lots of stimpacks etc.

It's really fun to do though, I'm doing a mostly unarmed playthrough at the moment, managed to get my melee weapons to do more damage per hit than my .50 cal on my rifleman character.

[Grantorino]

Originally posted by MiloshKeat:

In FO4 i decided to play with melee weapons. At first it was really difficult (played on hard). I was eating all the time and tried not to die.
After i put some points in sneaking, ninja and blitz is way too easy. Even on survival.
I oneshot Behemoths and Mirelurkqueens.
Does anyone know what the strongest weapon is? Playing with the chinese sword (ofc maxed out), it has a decent attspeed, thats why i dont like the superhammer.

Do you use power armor?

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by Ki'agh medic:

Originally posted by I'm Helping!:

So, how does one go about a viable melee playthrough without stealth?

power armour, lots of endurance, lots of stimpacks etc.

It's really fun to do though, I'm doing a mostly unarmed playthrough at the moment, managed to get my melee weapons to do more damage per hit than my .50 cal on my rifleman character.

Welp. With power armor you can literally use your bare hands unless it's like, a mirelurk queen or something.

It's not very encouraging that 90% of "Is melee/unarmed viable?" Gets some combination of "Oh sure, it's super EZ with my legendray-my stealth build-my power armor" as the response, which would all make a .38 pipe gun build viable too.