Top 20 Fallout 76 Best Melee Weapons & Locations

A long-distance combat situation is a preferable option among players. These players opt for ranged weapons that no longer amuse the hardcore players in a post-apocalyptic game like Fallout 76. But those who want more close and personal combat consider melee weapons to satisfy their combat needs.

My guide will include all kinds of the latest and old melee weapons that you can acquire and utilize efficiently for your character build.

My Melee Weapons Comparison

Here is a comparison table of my Top 20 Best Melee Weapons. Each stat can be sorted to view the highest and lowest values, which has been done for your convenience:

No.	Weapon	Best for	Level	Damage	Speed	AP Cost	Weight
1	Death Tambo	Best Early-Game Melee Weapon.	11/25/35/45	30/35/40/45	Medium	25	0.5
2	Pole Hook	Best High-Damage Melee Weapon.	10/20/30/40/50	43/50/57/65/71	Slow	40	7.0
3	Shishkebab	Best Stealth Melee Weapon.	35/45	22/27	Medium	35	3.0
4	Baseball Bat	Best Beginner Melee Weapon.	1/5/15/25/35/45	28/35/40/45/50/55	Slow	35	3.0
5	Boxing Glove	Best Close-Range Melee Weapon.	5/15/25/35/45	13/18/23/28/34	Medium	25	1.0
6	Combat Knife	Best One-Handed Melee Weapon.	1/5/10/20/30/40/50	9/13/17/21/25/29/33	Fast	1.0	20
7	Meat Hook	Best Medium-Swing Melee Weapon.	5/15/25/35/45	14/19/24/29/34	Medium	30	2.0
8	Fire Axe	Best Melee Weapon for Low to Mid-Level Enemies.	5/15/25/35/45	35/45/55/65/72	Slow	30	3.0
9	Electro Enforcer	Best Blunt Melee Weapon.	20/30/40/50	20/25/30/35	Slow	40	8.0
10	Ski Sword	Rare Melee Weapon.	15/25/35/45	35/40/45/50	Medium	30	3.0
11	War Glaive	Best Heavy Melee Weapon.	30/40/50	62/72/82	Slow	40	9.0
12	Meteoriotic Sword	Unique Melee Weapon.	20/25/30/35/40/45/50	21/26/26/31/31/36/36	Medium	35	3.0
13	Deathclaw Gauntlet	Best Overall Melee Weapon.	30/40/50	45/50/55	Medium	40	10.0
14	Guitar Sword	Most Unconventional Melee Weapon.	15/25/35/45	35/40/45/50	Medium	35	3.0
15	War Drum	Best Musical Melee Weapon.	15/25/35/45	48/58/68/78	Slow	45	20.0
16	Blade of Bastet	Best Sword Melee Weapon.	25/35/45	42/46/52	Medium	35	3.0
17	Sheepsquatch Club	Best for Higher-Level Players.	10/20/30/40/50	20/30/40/50/60	Medium	30	3.0
18	Power Fist	Best Fist Melee Weapon.	30/40/50	48/53/58	Medium	35	4.0
19	Grognak’s Axe	Best Two-Handed Melee Weapon.	30/40/50	65/75/85	Slow	20	10.0
20	Super Sledge	Powerful Melee Weapon.	30/40/50	65/75/85	Slow	45	20.0

20. Death Tambo

Best Early-Game Melee Weapon.

Death Tambo is an early, high-damage melee weapon, available at Level 15. It’s unique and doesn’t require high-level grinding.

Attribute	Value
Level	11/25/35/45
Damage	30/35/40/45
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	25
Weight	0.5

Death Tambo Stats Table. 

1. Obtaining the Death Tambo is easy; you can acquire it through Rose’s questline at the Top of the World or purchase the crafting plans from vendors.
2. There’s also a free spawn location near Harper’s Ferry.
3. There is no guarantee that you will find Death Tambo here.
4. This is because some other player might have already taken it, and you will have to wait for at least 24 hours to allow the game mechanics to respawn the melee weapon.
5. In this case, you might have to do a little server hopping to obtain your own Death Tambo melee weapon.

19. Pole Hook

Best High-Damage Melee Weapon.

Pole Hook is a powerful melee weapon originating from Fallout 4’s Far Harbor DLC. It features a large iron fish hook on a wooden pole, dealing significant damage to enemies. 

You can upgrade the Pole Hook to higher levels to enhance both its swing speed and damage.

Attribute	Value
Level	10/20/30/40/50
Damage	43/50/57/65/71
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	40
Weight	7.0

Pole Hook Stats Table. 

The Pole Hook boasts an extended swinging reach compared to other melee weapons, allowing you to maintain distance while dealing damage.

1. To obtain a Pole Hook, you can craft one on your workbench.
2. As you progress and level up your character, consider upgrading the weapon to maximize its armor-piercing capabilities.

18. Shishkebab

Best Stealth Melee Weapon.

Shishkebab is a highly effective melee weapon that caters to ninja and stealth-oriented gameplay styles. I loved the flame caster sword that not only deals massive pool of damage, but also looks incredible on swings.

Attribute	Value
Level	35/45
Damage	22/27
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	35
Weight	3.0

Shishkebab Stats Table. 

1. To acquire the Shishkebab, reach level 35, and it will start spawning in various locations.
2. This may require server hopping significantly, so a word of warning.
3. One guaranteed spawn location is Abandoned Bog Town. Inside a building marked as “Warning The Property is Condemned,” find it across an office table near a broken elevator.
4. If unavailable, head below the Palace of the Winding Path to discover a secret Mole Miner camp; defeat them to find a Shishkebab on one of the tables

17. Baseball Bat

Best Beginner Melee Weapon.

When in a hurry, Baseball bats can become more than an arsenal for survival. One quick swing and you will see the blood splattered ghoul on the ground. What I am trying to explain here is that, Baseball Bat can easily fit in your beginner melee weapon choice. 

Attribute	Value
Level	1/5/15/25/35/45
Damage	28/35/40/45/50/55
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	35
Weight	3.0

Baseball Bat Stats Table. 

1. To obtain a Baseball Bat, visit the Green Country Lodge just above Flatwoods.
2. Search near a swing to find a corpse holding a Baseball Bat that you can claim.

16. Boxing Glove

Best Close-Range Melee Weapon.

Being a simple Boxing Glove, the great thing about it is that it’s available early in the game, requiring only a minimum character level of 5. This initial variant deals 13 damage to enemies, making it a handy choice for new players.

Attribute	Value
Level	5/15/25/35/45
Damage	13/18/23/28/34
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	25
Weight	1.0

Boxing Glove Stats Table. 

1. Acquiring Boxing Glove is easy.
2. Visit Green Country Lodge, and inside the building, you can find a Gym section that is pretty much destroyed.
3. You can find Boxing Gloves on the shelves right next to the towels and radio.

15. Combat Knife

Best One-Handed Melee Weapon.

Fast Swing and decent damage output, that is all Combat Knife is about. Unfortunately, not many players pay attention to this sweet melee weapon choice as it can be a worthy part of a melee-focused build. If you are interested, you can check out some of our best builds in Fallout 76. 

Attribute	Value
Level	1/5/10/20/30/40/50
Damage	9/13/17/21/25/29/33
Speed	Fast
AP Cost	1.0
Weight	20

Combat Knife Stats Table. 

Even if you primarily focus on ranged combat, the Combat Knife can serve as a reliable secondary melee weapon, allowing for stealthy takedowns due to its fast swing speed.

1. To get a Combat Knife, check Shadowbreeze Apartments west of Morgantown High School.
2. On the second floor in a bedroom, find one on top of the dresser.
3. Some Scorched enemies may also carry Combat Knives, so loot their bodies for a chance to get one.

14. Meat Hook

Best Medium-Swing Melee Weapon.

The Meat Hook aligns well with the survival-themed aspects of Fallout 76 and is a valuable choice for players focusing on bloodied character builds.

Attribute	Value
Level	5/15/25/35/45
Damage	14/19/24/29/34
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	30
Weight	2.0

Meat Hook Stats Table. 

The Meat Hook had its mechanics adjusted but still delivers decent damage at higher levels. It previously scaled with the Iron Fist Perk, resulting in excessive damage, which Bethesda addressed in the Wastelanders update.

One notable limitation of the Meat Hook is that it cannot be used while wearing Power Armor. You may need to exit Power Armor to wield it effectively. Some melee-scorched enemies carry Meat Hooks, so hunting them can yield this weapon. Alternatively, you can purchase it from the Responder vendor at Whitespring Resort.

13. Fire Axe

Best Melee Weapon for Low to Mid-Level Enemies.

Like Boxing Glove, Fire Axe is a simple melee weapon that has proven deadly for low-to-mid-level enemies. Once upgraded, this emergency utility can become a mass-murdering weapon in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout. 

Attribute	Value
Level	5/15/25/35/45
Damage	35/45/55/65/72
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	30
Weight	3.0

Fire Axe Stats Table. 

1. Visit the Charleston Fire Department to find the Fire Axe.
2. It typically spawns on the pool table in the Diner Area or in the weight room in the department’s building.
3. If you’re unlucky, purchase the plans from the Bot Vendor at Lewisburg Station—an investment worth considering.

12. Electro Enforcer

Best Blunt Melee Weapon.

Electro Enforcer is a blunt melee weapon available at character level 20. It deals with electric damage and delivers both standard damage (20) and energy damage (35), making it a potent and electrifying choice.

Attribute	Value
Level	20/30/40/50
Damage	20/25/30/35
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	40
Weight	8.0

Electro Enforcer Stats Table. 

1. The Electro Enforcer is a legendary drop found on the corpses of legendary monsters.
2. You must Farm legendary enemies, and participating in the Invader from Beyond Event is an effective method to obtain it.
3. If that seems challenging, I suggest purchasing plans from in-game vendors as an alternative.

11. Ski Sword

Rare Melee Weapon.

This one-handed weapon boasts a medium swing speed and delivers a substantial damage. It’s a unique addition to the game’s post-apocalyptic setting, where players creatively repurpose everyday items as deadly weapons.

Attribute	Value
Level	15/25/35/45
Damage	35/40/45/50
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	30
Weight	3.0

Ski Sword Stats Table. 

It is a good entry-level melee weapon that can reward players till the endgame, only if you are really investing into a character build. That is because you can upgrade it to maximize its potential. Apart from that, you can consider our extensive guide explaining how to obtain the Ski Sword easily. 

10. War Glaive

Best Heavy Melee Weapon.

The War Glaive is a heavy melee weapon, featuring a sharp double-edged metal sword attached to a long metal shaft. This design provides extended reach and excellent armor-piercing capabilities, resulting in high damage output.

Attribute	Value
Level	30/40/50
Damage	62/72/82
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	40
Weight	9.0

War Glaive Stats Table. 

Acquiring the plans for the War Glaive can be challenging, as they are only available through Daily Ops missions, requiring some grinding to increase your chances of getting this rare weapon.

9. Meteoritic Sword

Unique Melee Weapon.

The Meteoritic Sword is a unique melee weapon, offering considerable damage along with valuable legendary effects. At level 20, it deals 21 damage and provides additional benefits, including +10% damage vs. Human enemies, 90% reduced weight, and 50% increased durability. 

Attribute	Value
Level	20/25/30/35/40/45/50
Damage	21/26/26/31/31/36/36
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	35
Weight	3.0

Meteoritic Sword Stats Table. 

On the other side, the modification capabilities of the weapon will enable players to take the damage output to the next level and achieve 36 damage at level 50. You can add numerous mods like electrification of the sword. This will cause the sword to register double damage to enemies with both slicing and energy damage, thus killing an enemy with a single swing.

1. The Meteoritic Sword is a rare reward obtainable with a small chance in the Breach and Clear event.
2. The event occurs randomly during the day and requires players to visit Ash Heap or Hornwright Air Purifier.
3. Completing the event may reward players with the powerful Meteoritic Sword.

8. Deathclaw Gauntlet

Best Overall Melee Weapon.

Death Claw’s appearance makes up for a unique melee weapon, plus excellent combat performance. Apparently, it is ripped from claws of a Deathclaw creature, which was definitely satisfying for my lore cravings. 

Attribute	Value
Level	30/40/50
Damage	45/50/55
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	40
Weight	10.0

Deathclaw Gauntlet.

Deathclaw Gauntlet boasts excellent performance of damage output and swing speed, thus making it a prominent choice for a monster-theme build. I personally love to go hand-to-hand combat with a melee weapon that fits the nuclear-battered world and dishes out max damage. 

1. You can easily get the Deathclaw Gauntlet by visiting the Heistenmerc mining location.
2. Here you will have a wooden shack with a window.
3. You might want to bring bobby pins as you will have to lockpick the door.
4. After entering the shack, you will be able to see a Deathclaw Gauntlet near a corpse.

7. Guitar Sword

Most Unconventional Melee Weapon.

You can use anything, anytime for combat in Fallout 76 and it brings us to this Guitar looking Sword. Speaking of damage output for this weapon, then I must tell you it is MASSIVE! If you are going for a Stealth Playstyle, this weapon is a strong recommendation from my side. 

Attribute	Value
Level	15/25/35/45
Damage	35/40/45/50
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	35
Weight	3.0

Guitar Sword Stats Table. 

1. You can find a guaranteed spawn location for the Guitar Sword at Pleasant Valley Ski Resort.
2. It’s located near the musical stage, where you’ll discover the Guitar Sword resting on a microphone stand.
3. This makes acquiring the weapon a straightforward task for players looking to add it to their collection.

Since other players are playing in the world with you, someone might have already acquired the weapon. You can wait 24 hours or try server hopping to obtain your weapon at the same place. Or if you are impatient, you might want to consider grinding the “One Violent Night” event to get Guitar Sword as a reward.

6. War Drum

Best Musical Melee Weapon.

War Drum is heavy as compared to the Guitar Sword, thus making it the slow-swinging weapon. On the other side, it is a two-handed weapon, with unique characteristics.

Attribute	Value
Level	15/25/35/45
Damage	48/58/68/78
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	45
Weight	20.0

War Drum Stats Table. 

War Drum is obtainable as a reward through the “One Violent Night” event, alongside the Guitar Sword. Alternatively, you can embark on a hunting expedition to acquire the War Drum.

1. Simply visit the Sons of Dane Compound, situated to the east of Vault 76.
2. Be cautious, as the area is infested with Bloated Glowing Ones, formidable enemies you’ll need to contend with.
3. Get inside the first shed you see in the compound.
4. You will see another music platform and behind the microphone, there will be a mighty War Drum.
5. You can also find this melee weapon at the mezzanine in Top of the World.

5. Blade of Bastet

Best Sword Melee Weapon.

Another notable sword is the Blade of Bastet, making it one of the best melee weapons under the one-handed class. As a unique sword, it pierces and slices through armored enemies.

Similar to the Meteoritic Sword, the Blade of Bastet is a lightweight sword with medium speed, allowing players to unleash medieval-style action against both human and beast enemies.

Attribute	Value
Level	25/35/45
Damage	42/46/52
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	35
Weight	3.0

Blade of Bastet Stats Table. 

The only downside of the weapon is that it is extremely rare and can be only acquired by completing the storyline quest Forging a Legend. This quest starts by using the Fabricator in the Riverside Manor. If you are a completionist player, I might not reveal the objectives of the quest just for the sake of storyline reveal.

Apart from that, in the end, you will receive Blade of Bastet from the quest that you can claim for yourself. There is no other approach to obtain the Blade of Bastet unless you purchase it from the in-game player vendor.

4. Sheepsquatch Club

Best for Higher-Level Players.

The Sheepsquatch Club stands out as a unique and fearsome weapon, crafted from the skull of the Sheepsquatch monster.

Opinions among players regarding the club’s appearance may vary, but there’s unanimous agreement on its exceptional damage output. With just a few swings, this weapon is capable of dispatching virtually any foe.

Attribute	Value
Level	10/20/30/40/50
Damage	20/30/40/50/60
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	30
Weight	3.0

Sheepsquatch Club Stats Table. 

1. This weapon is quite rare and can only be obtained through the Free Range Event.
2. It may not be worth the effort for low-level players, but higher-level players with a strong team can aim to obtain the Sheepsquatch Club plans through this event.

3. Power Fist

Best Fist Melee Weapon.

If punching is never enough for you, then I bring you the Power Fist, a mighty unarmed weapon that packs a punch for all types of enemies. Now you will not have to worry about running for ammo, as you can always throw a massive damaging punch at opponents without any trouble of losing performance. 

Attribute	Value
Level	30/40/50
Damage	48/53/58
Speed	Medium
AP Cost	35
Weight	4.0

Power Fist Stats Table. 

The reason I am always into weapons like Power Fist is because of the medium swing speed. It benefits your character to make a quick strike while keeping a safe side. 

1. To get this mighty weapon, simply visit Tanagra Town and ascend the colossal vine tree.
2. Follow the branches and path to the cave and various rooms at the top.
3. You’ll find the Power Fist resting on a table.
4. If it’s not there, switch to another server and try again at the same spot.

2. Grognak’s Axe

Best Two-Handed Melee Weapon.

Go absolute Barbarian with Grognak’s Axe, the finest melee weapon, that also comes with Legendary effects for rewarding gameplay. If you are into blood-spilling, throat-slicing gameplay in Fallout 76, Grognak’s Axe is the perfect choice to go for. 

Attribute	Value
Level	30/40/50
Damage	65/75/85
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	20
Weight	10.0

Grognak’s Axe Stats Table. 

1. While Grognak’s Axe is a rare find in the game, you can obtain it by farming legendary enemies.
2. Participating in the Holiday Scorched event during December or teaming up with others to farm legendary enemies are effective methods to secure this powerful melee weapon.

1. Super Sledge

Powerful Melee Weapon.

Super Sledge comes with a propulsion system that increases its impact on strike. Wielding this mighty weapon might not be easy as it is extremely slow and heavy. What it lacks in speed, makes up for the immense damage on swings.

Attribute	Value
Level	30/40/50
Damage	65/75/85
Speed	Slow
AP Cost	45
Weight	20.0

Super Sledge Stats Table. 

1. To acquire the Super Sledge, you can obtain plans from various vendors in West Virginia or explore locations near Drop Site C2.
2. You may also find it while defeating Supermutants.
3. These melee weapons offer diverse options for enhancing your combat abilities in the wasteland of Virginia.
4. Your choice should align with your character build and preferred playstyle.

Why Others Were Not Chosen

• Sledgehammer: Quite common throughout the game, but less effective than others.
• Sheepsquatch Staff: Quite similar to the Sheepsquatch Club, but is a two-handed weapon.
• Mr. Handy Buzz Blade: Very fast attack speed, but very low max damage.
• Assaultron Blade: Only available after level 25.
• Baton: Pretty low damage output even after leveling up.
• Bowie Knife: Unimpressive stats as compared to other melee weapons.
• Cattleprod: Only available after the Wastelanders quest.
• Chinese Officer Sword: Available from level 1, but doesn’t do much damage.
• Gulper Smacker: Available from level 20, and doesn’t have any legendary effects.
• Shepherd’s Crook: Comes with +50% reach, but has a slow attack speed.

My Pick For Melee Weapon?

My favorite melee weapon from the list has to be the Power Fist, as it is highly effective against enemies of all levels and it also looks pretty awesome with different character builds. I’d love to hear your favorite melee weapon and thoughts in the comments below.