Going Toe-to-Toe in the Mojave: Is Melee Actually Viable in Fallout: New Vegas?
So, you want to drop the guns. You want to get close in Fallout: New Vegas? That’s smart, wastelander. Some may call this crazy. However, we know melee is not only viable; it’s fantastic. Forget cover. We mean a brawl, up close. Let’s explore how to realize your melee potential. You’ll carve a bloody path through the Mojave.
Melee Dominance Across the Fallout Universe
Believe it or not, smashing heads is not new in Fallout. This strategy has been fun across many games, each with unique face-smashing action.
New Vegas: Invincible Melee Machine
Forget ‘viable’ – in New Vegas, melee builds can become practically invincible. I’m serious. With the right perks, bullets feel like mosquito bites. Picture this: 56 Damage Threshold (DT), +8 HP per second regeneration, and over 225 DPS. Yes, you’ll be a tank with a sledgehammer.
Fallout 4: Chem-Fueled Fury
Fallout 4 raises melee chaos levels even higher. It’s arguably more viable than ever. It relies on synergy: specific stats, the right perks, and plenty of chems. You need Buffout, Psycho, and Med-X for sure when late-game foes show their strength. Guns are cool, but melee weapons shine as some of the best in your arsenal. Trust me, nothing beats that satisfying sound when you smash a super mutant skull with your favorite baseball bat.
Fallout 2: Spear-Starting Supremacy
Remember Fallout 2? You start with a spear. That’s a statement, not just a weapon. Melee is not just an option; it’s a necessity at the start. Learning melee early sets you up for survival. Who needs lasers when you have sharp sticks?
Fallout 3: Shishkebab Shenanigans
Fallout 3 gives us the mighty Shishkebab. This flaming sword is both cool and effective. It swings fast like knives but hits hard, coming close to Super Sledge damage per hit. Grab the Pyromaniac perk? You’ll set the wasteland ablaze with every swing.
The General Fallout Vibe: Resist and Destroy
In the Fallout series, a smart melee build integrating damage resistance turns you into a force of nature. Think Wolverine but with scrap metal instead of adamantium. You’ll be mutilating enemies and grinning as you walk away from battle, ready for the next.
Stats and Skills: Your Melee Foundation
Enough about how great melee is. Let’s discuss stats and skills needed to be a melee master in New Vegas.
Strength: The Backbone of Brutality
Strength matters; it’s the foundation of your melee skills. It boosts Melee Weapons skill, increases melee damage, and lets you carry more loot. Each two points in Strength gives you one damage point. At 10 Strength, that’s a solid +5 damage per swing. Plus, every point adds 10 lbs to your carrying capacity. Strength is vital for melee success.
Agility: Surprisingly Not About Speed (Exactly)
A fun fact: Agility does NOT affect your run speed in New Vegas. Yes, this is true! Test it yourself. Agility helps with Action Points and handling weapons, but raw speed? Not so much. That’s your wasteland trivia for the day.
Luck: Lady Luck on Your Side
While not focused on melee, Luck is always your friend in Fallout. Guess what? Apparel boosts it! Lucky shades, naughty nightwear, Ranger battle armor are more than style choices—they enhance your Luck stat significantly. This is good for critical hits that we’ll cover later.
Speech: Surprisingly Powerful (But Not For Melee Directly)
Speech won’t help you hammer harder. Still, in New Vegas, Speech is king. It might be the most powerful skill in the game. Talk your way into or out of situations easily. A maxed Speech skill is nearly game-breaking. You’ll ace checks with just a Charisma of one! Not directly melee-related, but a silver tongue can open doors that may help even a bruising fighter.
Skills: Max ‘Em All (If You Can)
Want to be a jack of all trades? Good news! With all the DLCs for New Vegas, you can max out every skill. Become a melee god while also being a smooth-talking lock-picker or science whiz. Why settle for less?
Traits and Perks: Sharpening Your Melee Edge
Traits and perks let you customize your melee character fully. Let’s check some key options that elevate your build from ‘tough’ to ‘unstoppable’.
Heavy Handed: Damage Now, Crits Later (Maybe Never)
Heavy Handed is an essential melee trait with trade-offs. You gain a nice 20% bonus to melee and unarmed damage. Sounds good? There’s a drawback: you take a 60% hit to critical hit damage. Ouch! However, if crits aren’t your focus, Heavy Handed shines. More damage per swing is appealing.
Built to Destroy: Crit Chance Fun (Even With Fists)
Built to Destroy gives you a +3% critical hit chance but weapons degrade 15% faster. Still, that crit chance is tempting. A bonus? It applies even when you’re brawling bare-fisted. So, you can score critical hits weaponless as well.
Jury Rigging: Keep Your Toys in Tip-Top Shape
Jury Rigging is vital for serious melee players because it allows you to repair melee weapons with any other two-handed melee weapon. Got ‘Oh, Baby!’? Keep it swinging by patching it with a normal Super Sledge or similar gear lying around. Essential for keeping everything functional.
Pyromaniac: Flame On!
The Shishkebab is great, but the Pyromaniac perk improves flame-based weapons further. It enhances damage for our favorite flaming sword too. More fire equals more crispy enemies. That’s quite enough reason!
Melee Arsenal: Wielding the Wasteland’s Wonders
Let’s talk about toys! New Vegas offers some highly satisfying melee weapons. Here are some highlights:
Oh, Baby!: The Super Sledge Supreme
Oh, Baby! isn’t just another Super Sledge; it’s an enhancement. It delivers more damage per swing and swings faster, resulting in higher DPS than standard Super Sledge. Plus, it offers higher crit damage, consumes less AP, and shares durability and weight. Overall, it’s an improvement in every aspect! Easily one of the best melee weapons in New Vegas, found in Charleston Cave.
Super Sledge: The Classic Crusher
The Super Sledge serves as the dependable workhorse of melee weapons. It’s powerful and impactful while being easy to obtain. Although ‘Oh, Baby!’ surpasses it in stats, the traditional Super Sledge remains formidable and can be maintained using Jury Rigging.
Pushy: The Robotic Rocket Punch
If you want to send robots flying, Pushy should be your weapon of choice. This unique power fist resides in the Ruby Hill Mine.
on a dead Jackal gang member by the underground lake area. It is fast and powerful. Ideal for delivering quick series of bone-crushing blows.
Thermic Lance: Burning Blade of Badassery
The Thermic Lance is a heated choice for melee combat. This energy weapon causes fire damage. It can be discovered on Legionary assassins, Crimson Caravan Company, Great Khan armory, Gun Runners, and Hidden Valley bunker. If you seek extra flair in your swings, the Thermic Lance is your weapon.
Spear: Back to Basics (But Still Effective)
Do not dismiss the simple spear. It is a classic for good reason. In Fallout 2, it serves as your initial weapon, illustrating that basic melee options can be highly effective. Sometimes, simplicity wins.
Axes: Protonic Inversal Axe – Axe-cellent Choice
For axe lovers, the protonic inversal axe stands out. It boasts the highest average damage and DPS among axes, particularly with a good crit chance. It is quicker than Knock-Knock and delivers more crit damage. It is the top choice.
Swords: A Slice of History
Swords have long been a feature in the Fallout world, appearing in Fallout 2, Fallout 3, New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and even Fallout Shelter. From katanas to officer swords, these blades provide a refined yet lethal style in melee combat.
Armor Up: Protecting Your Pretty Face
You will be in danger, so armor is vital. Here are several top-tier options for melee characters in New Vegas:
Remnants Power Armor: The Melee Powerhouse
Clearly, the Remnants Power Armor is the best armor for a melee build in New Vegas. It is highly durable and provides significant protection while looking fantastic. If opting for power armor, go with Remnants.
Gannon Family Tesla Armor: Shockingly Good Medium Armor
For medium armor fans, the Gannon family Tesla armor is a great pick. It grants solid 32 DT, a +10 boost to Energy Weapons, and +25 Radiation Resistance. It is the strongest medium armor set available. Beware, however, as the helmet imposes a -1 Charisma penalty. But who needs Charisma when you can cause chaos?
Vault 34 Security Armor: Readily Available Protection
Want decent armor early in the game? Look to Vault 34 security armor. There are seven sets (armor and helmets) found throughout Vault 34’s armory. Search tables, desks, and even rooms near the second flooded staircase. Good protection that’s easy to snag.
Companions: Bringing Backup (and Bruisers)
Companions can prove vital during melee combat. For a melee build, Lily Bowen is your perfect ally.
Lily Bowen: Super Mutant Melee Mate
Lily is a super mutant with an affinity for melee weapons. Makes sense, huh? Her high Strength attribute and love for close combat make her an ideal partner for a melee-focused Courier. Send her in first, and chaos ensues.
Enemy Encounters: Navigating the Wasteland’s Nasties
The Mojave hosts many threats aimed at reducing you to paste. Here’s a quick overview of nasty foes and how to confront them as a melee master:
Deathclaws: Sneak Attacks or Face-Tanking?
Deathclaws. A nightmare for many Couriers. Against melee, they present a formidable danger, particularly the Mother Deathclaw, benefitting from the “Revenge” buff when companions die. Also beware the Legendary Deathclaw, who brings reinforcements and attacks hard. Plus, the Irradiated Deathclaws in Lonesome Road match your level and cause radiation damage. Ouch. For handling Deathclaws, use a powerful rifle or Gauss rifle for sneak attacks. However, if feeling brave (and equipped with that 56 DT and +8 HP/s), you might try face-tanking them.
Cazadores: Annoying and Venomous
Cazadores. Nobody likes Cazadores. They are quick, hit hard, and can poison you. Annoying doesn’t fully convey it. For melee combat, these guys are tricky. Try to close the gap quickly and take them out before their stingers ruin your day.
Ghost People: Sierra Madre Spookiness
Ghost People in the Sierra Madre DLC are relentless. Almost immortal and bearing nasty melee weapons themselves, these enemies test both endurance and resourcefulness, even for melee-focused characters.
Robo-scorpions and Nightstalkers: Big MT Mechanical Menaces
Robo-scorpions and Nightstalkers at Big MT are tough and pack a punch. These mechanical foes absorb damage while delivering it. Prepare for a lengthy fight.
Marked Men: The Divide’s Tough Guys
Marked Men from The Divide feature high health and damage. They are tough opponents. Come prepared with your A-game (and perhaps some chems).
Lakelurks: Watery Warriors
Lakelurks are strong, possess high health, and have disorienting ranged attacks. Their ranged spit can be problematic for melee fighters. Close the gap and eliminate them swiftly.
Ghouls: Shotguns and Power Fists
For Ghouls, a riot shotgun works well. But if Lily accompanies you, give her a gatling laser; it’s entertaining to watch her demolish targets. Or bring out the classic with a power fist for close encounters.
Other Fallout Fun Facts
Enemy Scaling: They Adapt, You Adapt
Indeed, enemies scale in New Vegas. Those weak NCR rangers you scoffed at early on become Veteran Rangers by level 20 (more or less). The wasteland changes, so your melee techniques must evolve.
Factions: NCR – Order in the Mojave
The NCR emphasizes order and stability. If you desire a relatively secure and organized Mojave, join the NCR. They maintain law and order in the wasteland.
Melee Beyond the Mojave: Other Games Embrace the Blade
Melee excellence is not limited to Fallout. Many other games permit thrilling slice-and-dice action:
The Outer Worlds: Spacers and Spacers… Meet My Sword
The Outer Worlds, crafted by some behind New Vegas, also supports melee builds as a valid choice. If you enjoy corporate satire mixed with skull-crushing violence, this game is for you.
Cyberpunk 2077: Cybernetic Combat Chaos
Cyberpunk 2077? Absolutely, melee isn’t just possible; it’s downright deadly. Choose to wield blunt objects or bladed weapons and become a whirlwind of destruction in Night City.
Terraria: Melee Might Makes Right
In Terraria, the Melee build is arguably the most powerful class. Strong damage and defense capabilities make it a true powerhouse. Who needs magic with a gigantic sword?
Warframe: Speed and Shields
Warframe provides melee ninjas aplenty. When it comes to speed, Volt generally beats Gauss over distances due to his capacity to amplify speed with ability strength. And those shields from Volt? They significantly enhance damage. Combine that passive bonus with Shock, and faces melt.
Games That Get Melee Right: A Hall of Fame
Searching for more melee action? Investigate these games with outstanding melee systems:
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition
- God of War: Ragnarök
- Bloodborne
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- God of War III
- Black Myth: Wukong
Miscellaneous Melee Musings: Swords, Scythes, and Flare Guns (Wait, What?)
A few more melee insights for your wasteland journeys:
Katana: The Samurai’s Razor Edge
The katana. Iconic, lethal, and exceptionally sharp. This blade is about precise strikes and devastating slashes. Respect the blade.
Scythe: Farm Tools of Fury
If you need a weapon but have only farm tools, grab a scythe. Historically, agricultural tools like scythes and pitchforks served as weapons for those without access to swords or guns. Wasteland ingenuity shines.
Melee Damage: Defined
Simple but critical: Melee Damage is physical damage caused by a melee attack. Groundbreaking information.
Pickman’s Blade: Bleeding Edge Brutality
Pickman’s Blade in Fallout 4 does not just inflict an initial 22 damage; it also causes 25 points of bleeding damage. Slice and dice to watch your enemies bleed out.
Grognak’s Axe: Stagger and Bleed
Grognak’s Axe in Fallout 4 focuses on stagger and bleeding. It has a medium swing speed but delivers hard hits. The staggering and bleeding effects make it impressive.
Flare Gun: Surprisingly Useless (For Damage)
The Flare Gun. In a game stacked with odd weaponry, it disappoints.
This one is useless for combat. It deals 10 damage. There are no perks or upgrades. It’s just a flare gun. For flares. Not for fighting.
Satori Blade, Muramasa Blade, Propeller Axe, Termite Axe: Weapons with Cool Names
Satori Blade, Muramasa Blade, Propeller Axe, Termite Axe. They are cool names for blades and axes in various games. Enjoy these names for your weapon appreciation.
General Game Knowledge: Sometimes, You Don’t Want to Kill
Pacifist Runs: Yes, It Can Happen (Often)
You can finish Fallout 2 with few kills. Just two deaths are necessary: President Dick Richardson and Frank Horrigan. Richardson can be dealt with non-violently using explosives through pickpocketing. In Fallout 4, a true “Pacifist” run can achieve the “war never changes” ending with zero kills.
Wild Wasteland: Embrace the Strange
The Wild Wasteland trait in New Vegas? Yes, do it. It adds many bizarre encounters, new places, and unique gear. It makes the Mojave much more interesting. Embrace that strangeness.
So, is melee effective in Fallout: New Vegas? Definitely. With the right build, gear, and wasteland determination, you will dominate Mojave with an iron fist or a Super Sledge. Now go out and smash some skulls!
