Having a melee weapon in your inventory is a necessity in Fallout 4 (unless you really need to save weight), they can always be called upon when you run out of ammo or need some close range reliability. They provide good short range damage, can be relatively light and have bonus effects (such as blunt weapons staggering opponents, or blade weapons cutting off limbs). We’ve all started a new character with the aim of sticking to one weapon type but it’s best to include melee as a backup. Combining your main play-style with a melee weapon can really help to improve your overall effectiveness, here’s 10 of the best melee weapons for you to choose from!

10. Chinese Officer Sword

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Found in a dresser in the Yangtze submarine or sold by Arturo Rodriguez of Diamond City.

Base Damage: 22

Attack Speed: Medium

Damage per second: 18.7

This sword looks like it came straight from Skyrim but it’s a leftover from the war with China. The DPS is a bit on the low side but it does attack quickly, it is a bit more difficult to obtain which is why I think it’s not worth searching for but is definitely something to pick up if you see it. It can be upgraded to deal electrical damage and make the target bleed.

9. Shem Drowne Sword

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Quest reward for completing The Gilded Grasshopper, you get that quest from a file in Nick Valentine’s office.

Base Damage: 24

Attack Speed: 20.4

Damage per second: Medium

This weapon has average damage but also deals bonus radiation damage. Unfortunately radiation damage is not that useful but this can be obtained very early on and you can get a lot of use out of it before you move on to a better melee weapon!

8. Zao’s Sword

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Reward for completing Here There Be Monsters and persuading Zao three times.

Base Damage: 32

Attack Speed: Medium

Damage per second: 22

This sword is identical to the Chinese Officer Sword except that it is much more difficult to obtain and has higher damage. It has the same upgrades and can be an effective weapon in the early levels.

7. Furious Power Fist

How to obtain (SPOILERS): After reaching a high level, a non-furious version can be found at the top of Hubris Comics. Besides that, Swan drops it at Swan’s Pond, which is right at the start of the Freedom Trail.

Base Damage: 28

Attack Speed: 23.8

Damage per second: Medium

This epic looking melee weapon deals a lot of damage and is pretty awesome to use. It deals increasing damage the more you attack the same enemy and can be devastating against large HP opponents. The method of obtaining it can be quite difficult but it is well worth it.

6. Deathclaw Gauntlet

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Sold by merchants after level 20 and can be dropped by Deathclaws. Has a low chance for a human enemy (such as a raider) to spawn with one, you can then kill them and loot it.

Base Damage: 35

Attack Speed: Medium

Damage per second: 29.8

Deathclaws are the most feared enemy in Fallout 4 and perhaps up there with the most in gaming history. The claws they use can rip almost anything apart, thankfully Bethesda saw fit to allow players to wield such power. You can even upgrade it to have a third claw which increases damage further and gives you a chance to disarm your opponent!

5. Super Sledge

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Can be bought from K-L-E-0 in Goodneighbour or the Commonwealth Weaponry in Diamond City. Can also be found in the Wilson Atomatoys Factory and Hubris Comics.

Base Damage: 56

Attack Speed: Slow

Damage per second: 30.8

This rocket propelled sledgehammer has the 2nd highest base damage and the 4th highest damage per second in the game. The reason it is 5th is not because it has any downsides, but because the melee weapons that are higher are better overall, as you will find out. The Sledge deals tons of damage and has really good range, but is slow and takes up a lot of weight. Overall it’s a brilliant melee weapon that can be upgraded to have electrical/energy damage and a chance to stun.

4. Grognak’s Axe

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Found inside Hubris Comics, must bypass an Advanced lock to obtain.

Base Damage: 35

Attack Speed: Medium

Damage per second: 29.8

The famous Grognak has another item that makes an appearance in a top 10 list. It is based on the weapon that Grognak himself uses in the comics and is a very powerful melee weapon. Besides having a high damage/dps, it also causes your opponent to stagger and bleed. What people don’t know is that it also has reduced AP usage in VATS, meaning it can have up to twice as many swings compared to other melee weapons. This is why it is so high on the list!

3. General Chao’s Revenge

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Can only be obtained by buying it for a high price from Trudy after the side quest with Wolfgang has been resolved and Trudy is a merchant.

Base Damage: 40

Attack Speed: Medium

Damage per second: 40

This sword is a very high damage and easily obtainable melee weapon. It looks very much like the 8th and 10th entries but they are nowhere near the level of damage this sword has. It also deals 50% more damage to robots which, when you have trouble facing Assaultrons, is very useful.

2. Kremvh’s Tooth

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Found in an underwater shaft at Dunwich Borers.

Base Damage: 59

Attack Speed: Medium

Damage per second: 50.2

This unique machete variant is an arcane item by lore, one of the last remaining in the Fallout universe. It has the highest base damage in the game and amazingly, it can be transferred to a different machete. So if you have a machete with a really good Legendary enchantment, you can remove the mod from the Tooth and attach it to the Legendary machete. This would create an exceptionally powerful melee weapon. The Tooth deals bleed AND poison damage upon hit, perhaps making it the strongest melee weapon in the entire game!

1. Pickman’s Blade

How to obtain (SPOILERS): Located inside a safe which is hidden behind a painting in Pickman Gallery, it is a reward for completing the quest Pickman’s Gift.

Base Damage: 30

Attack Speed: Fast

Damage per second: 59.9

This knife dwarfs all other melee weapons for damage, having a very high attack speed makes the biggest difference. Unfortunately it does have a lower range but is incredibly light and after obtaining it, should never leave your inventory unless you want a follower to use it. Attacks from this blade cause the target to bleed for an additional 25 damage. It has another effect whereby it grants an extra sneak attack bonus and another 25 points of bleed damage for a combined 50 total. You can see why it is number 1!