All melee weapons benefit from the Big Leagues perk, but each one offers its own balance of power, speed, and weight. More importantly, two seemingly similar melee weapons can be modified to offer vastly different effects. Some melee weapons can be modified to increase the chances of stunning or disarming a target. Other melee weapons support attachments that can pierce armor or inflict bleeding damage. There are, of course, a few standout offerings, but the best melee weapon is the one you’re most comfortable using.
2076 World Series Baseball Bat
Damage: 22 (ballistic)
Speed: Slow
Weight: 3
Value: 25
This unique baseball bat features a small chance to send your target flying with each attack. The 2076 World Series baseball bat is located with various other treasures hidden in Jamaica Plain.
Baseball Bat
Standard Model: Baseball Bat
Damage: 22 (ballistic)
Speed: Slow
Weight: 3
Value: 25
Baseball bats are relatively slow, but they offer fair damage and plenty of customization options. Like most blunt weapons, baseball bats can be modified to pierce armor or cause bleeding, but they also accommodate a wide variety of cosmetic mods.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Natural
Bladed Aluminum Baseball Bat
Damage:43 (ballistic)
Speed:Slow
Weight: 3.9
Value: 44
Why settle for an everyday baseball bat when you can wield this bladed beast? The attached saw blades add power to every swing, and their razor-sharp teeth will leave your opponents bleeding. Aluminum construction increases power while decreasing weapon weight, giving it a clear edge over wooden baseball bats.
Attached Mods
Bladed
Aluminum
Baton
Standard Model: Security Baton
Damage: 15 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 2
Value: 15
Security batons offer moderate damage and speed, but they can be modified to deliver bonus energy damage and a chance to stun your target.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Board
Standard Model: Board
Damage: 19 (ballistic)
Speed: Slow
Weight: 3
Value: 20
Boards are slow and heavy with moderate damage. They’re often found on low-level enemies, but they’re very easy to come by. Basic upgrades can add armor piercing or bleed effects, but even the best board falls short of a similarly modified baseball bat.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Chinese Officer Sword
Standard Model: Chinese Officer Sword
Damage: 22 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 3
Value: 50
The Chinese officer sword offers a good balance of speed and damage, and a fully upgraded model inflicts bonus bleeding and energy damage.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Grognak’s Axe
Damage: 35 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 10
Value: 100
This unique weapon is located within Hubris Comics. Grognak’s Axe can’t be modified, but it does boast high damage, an improved stagger effect, and the ability to inflict targets with additional bleed damage.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Knife
Standard Model: Combat Knife
Damage: 12 (ballistic)
Speed: Fast
Weight: 1
Value: 25
These weapons are slightly more powerful than similarly modified switchblades, but the knife’s most intriguing feature is its Stealth Blade mod. This customized blade increases damage from sneak attacks and causes targets to bleed.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Stealth Blade Combat Knife
Damage:21 (ballistic)
Speed:Fast
Weight:1
Value:43
The perfect melee weapon for covert operatives, the stealth blade combat knife increases the damage you deal from sneak attacks. Fast, efficient, and very light, this weapon is a great addition to any arsenal.
Attached Mods
Stealth blade
Lead Pipe
Standard Model: Lead Pipe
Damage: 15 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 3
Value: 15
Lead pipes offer moderate damage and speed, but a fully upgraded lead pipe deals extra limb damage with a chance to cripple targets.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Machete
Standard Model: Machete
Damage: 19 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 2
Value: 25
The machete features moderate speed and damage, and it’s a bit lighter than comparable melee weapons. Its only upgrade increases damage and causes targets to bleed.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Pipe Wrench
Standard Model: Pipe Wrench
Damage: 18 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 2
Value: 30
The pipe wrench offers moderate speed and damage, but it also accommodates some interesting modifications. Along with basic damage upgrades, this weapon can be customized to pierce armor, increase limb damage, or grant a chance to disarm targets.
Attached Mods
Standard
Pool Cue
Standard Model: Pool Cue
Damage: 18 (ballistic)
Speed: Slow
Weight: 1
Value: 10
Pool cues are slow, but they deal decent damage and they’re extremely light. They’re also quite common and easily modified.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Revolutionary Sword
Standard Model: Revolutionary Sword
Damage: 22 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 3
Value: 50
A fully upgraded revolutionary sword features a chance to stun with slightly less damage than a fully upgraded Chinese officer sword. Without modifications, however, the two weapons are very similar.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Ripper
Standard Model: Ripper
Damage: 5 (ballistic)
Speed: Very Fast
Weight: 6
Value: 50
The ripper is essentially a miniature chainsaw. While other melee weapons deal damage with each strike, the ripper deals low damage at a very high rate when you press it against your target. In addition to basic damage upgrades, a ripper can be modified for a chance to disarm targets or inflict bleeding.
Attached Mods
Standard
Rolling Pin
Standard Model: Rolling Pin
Damage: 15 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 1
Value: 10
Rolling pins deal less damage than most blunt weapons, but they’re very light and easily modified.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Wood
Shishkebab
Standard Model: Shishkebab
Damage: 18 (ballistic), 13 (energy)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 3
Value: 200
The standard Shishkebab’s combination of ballistic damage and energy damage make it a powerful bladed weapon, and it can be outfitted with additional flame jets for a significant boost in damage.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Sledgehammer
Standard Model: Sledgehammer
Damage: 32 (ballistic)
Speed: Slow
Weight: 12
Value: 40
The sledgehammer is big, heavy, and slow—but it’s also powerful and fairly common. They can be modified to penetrate armor or deal extra limb damage.
Attached Mods
Standard
Super Sledge
Standard Model: Super Sledge
Damage: 56 (ballistic)
Speed: Slow
Weight: 20
Value: 180
This rocket-assisted melee weapon is slow, heavy, and very powerful. A fully upgraded Super Sledge features added energy damage and a chance to stun your target. The Super Sledge is often carried by high-level Super Mutants and other formidable enemies.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Stunning Super Sledge
Damage:56 (ballistic), 25 (energy)
Speed:Slow
Weight:20
Value:540
Make each swing count with the Stunning Super Sledge. With this rocket-assisted hammer, ballistic damage is only the beginning. Each high-powered swing also delivers a jolt of energy damage with a chance to stun your target.
Attached Mods
Stun Pack
Switchblade
Standard Model: Switchblade
Damage: 11 (ballistic)
Speed: Fast
Weight: 1
Value: 20
The switchblade is light and fast, but it’s less powerful than a standard combat knife.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Tire Iron
Standard Model: Tire Iron
Damage: 16 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 2
Value: 25
The tire iron offers a fair balance of speed and power, and it can be upgraded for a significant damage boost and the ability to inflict bleeding.
Attached Mods
No upgrade
Walking Cane
Standard Model: Walking Cane
Damage: 14 (ballistic)
Speed: Medium
Weight: 2
Value: 10
The walking cane isn’t particularly powerful, but this medium-speed weapon can be upgraded to pierce armor with a slight boost in damage.
Attached Mods
No upgrade