Best Melee Weapons In Starfield (& How To Get Them)

The futuristic setting of Starfield gives you an arsenal of sci-fi guns and starships to use, but some of the best weapons available are ones designed for melee combat. Only a few of these knives, swords, and other tools exist among the stars, but they all have a unique purpose. Melee weapons deal extremely high damage at close-range to complement a build that wants to bring the fight to enemies.

You’ll immediately notice that melee weapons are simple but effective tools that complement an aggressive or stealth-driven playstyle. These tools never use ammo, have to be reloaded, or need to be repaired in any way. The most powerful weapons in Starfield are the ones that offer a great amount of lethal force for little to no risk in battles against the many different enemies you might face in your travels.

Related Changing This Starfield Weapon Feature Would Make The Game A Lot More Fun While Starfield lets players access a wide variety of weapons, a change to the weapons of one particular play style could make it more fun to use.

10 Ripshank

Starting Stab

The Ripshank is an easy starting melee weapon to get a hold of since it can be bought for a relatively cheap price from most weapon vendors. Head to any Trade Authority location in Starfield to purchase this knife, whose small Mass shouldn’t take up too much space in your inventory. While this may not be the most impressive weapon, it could help you out in a pinch while fighting.

9 Combat Knife

Simple and Reliable

Another common but reliable melee weapon is the Combat Knife, an item you can get either from defeated enemies or almost any shop in the game. The Centaurion Arsenal, Frankie’s Grab and Go, and the UC Exchange are just a few of the places in Starfield where you can spend Credits for this knife. Similar to the Ripshank, the Combat Knife works well as a backup tool in combat if you ever run out of ammo.

8 Rescue Axe

Chop Down Enemies

The Rescue Axe is a melee weapon that stands out from the sharp sticks present in Starfield. You can buy this weapon from almost any shop, or pick it up from Spacer or Ecliptic enemies you face during your journey. This tool does higher physical damage than basic daggers, but it can be a little heavy to carry based on your starting inventory with a slightly larger Mass than some items.

7 UC Naval Cutlass

Military Efficiency

The primary weapon used by Spacer pirates to strike fear into innocent travelers is the UC Naval Cutlass, a cutlass sword used mainly by military officers in the far reaches of space. Almost looking like a massive machete, this blade pierces through armor like butter with an above-average Base Damage. Weighing only 1.4 Mass, this weapon is barely heavier than the best pistols in Starfield.

You can collect a UC Naval Cutlass from loot dropped by Spacer enemies after you defeat them at various Outposts or in dangerous spots of Settled Systems. Spacers are the most common enemy you’ll encounter in your interstellar travels, so you are bound to find this knife eventually in Starfield.

6 Barrow Knife

That’s Not a Knife, THIS is a Knife

If you were disappointed that the UC Naval Cutlass wasn’t a true machete, your wish will come true with the Barrow Knife. This melee weapon is a wide butchering blade with slightly more damage but a huge reduction in Mass. You can get this weapon by buying it from General Shops and UC buildings, such as UC Surplus, UC Exchange, and the Paradiso General Store for a slightly larger amount of Credits in Starfield.

5 Osmium Dagger

Rare Alien Exterminator

The Osmium Dagger is one of the first melee weapons you might find that has a Rare Effect, a special trait that gives the tool a passive ability. This dagger is found as loot from Va’ruun ships, or vessels that fly around the Serpentis system full of enemies you can encounter. By invading these ships in Starfield and taking out the crew of these enemy starcraft, you should be able to find this knife in at least one raid.

The notable Effect on the Osmium Dagger is Exterminator, which gives you a +30% damage bonus against alien enemies. This extra buff to the already high physical damage of this weapon can make it perfect for dealing with hostile life forms on strange new worlds. It may be a bit heavier than most melee weapons in Starfield, but you shouldn’t underestimate its potential.

4 Wakizashi

Katana in Space

The melee weapon Wakizashi is the first sword on this list, boasting a Base Damage that nearly doubles the lethal potential of tools that were mentioned before. A sleek blade reminiscent of samurai warriors, you can buy this weapon from the vendor at Rowland Arms in Akila City. The light Mass only puts a small strain on your inventory, making it very easy to carry with other gear.

3 Tanto

Starbound Value

Those who pick up the Tanto weapon from different Arms shops around the galaxy may notice that it has way less Base Damage than the Wakizashi. However, keep in mind that buying the Tanto at Rowland Arms costs half as much as the Wakizashi, allowing you to save a bunch of Credits in Starfield. The shorter reach and lower damage don’t make that much of a difference in the heat of battle.

2 Va’Ruun Painblade

Bring the Pain

Almost resembling a Bat’leth weapon wielded by the Klingon people from the Star Trek series, the Va’Ruun Painblade does exactly what its name implies. According to YouTube creator iSeraph, you have to talk to members of the House of Va’Ruun to obtain this weapon. One of the three major religions in Starfield, the House of Va’Ruun’s shop vendors will only sell to those who are on good terms with their group.

The Base Damage of this melee weapon is staggering, dealing more pain than some of the other tools on this list combined. The Painblade hardly weighs anything in your inventory either, barely taking up more room than a sword like the Wakizashi. Unfortunately, there are no Rare Effects to complement the already powerful potential of this weapon in Starfield.

1 The Last Priest

Final Rite

The strongest melee weapon in Starfield is undoubtedly The Last Priest, a variant of the Va’Ruun Painblade that improves upon the original version in nearly every way. Unlike how the Syndicate Enforcer is a copy of Wakizashi with only a Rare effect added to it, The Last Priest changes the base stats of its previous design. The Base Damage becomes a ridiculous 85 instead of 71 from the Painblade.

You have to side with The Hunter NPC during the “Unearthed” story quest before you can get The Last Priest. By killing The Emissary or convincing The Hunter that The Emissary is dead, you receive this weapon during the “Infinity’s End” quest, one of the last moments of the main story in Starfield.

This endgame weapon has an Effect called Elemental, which randomly deals Corrosive, Radiation, Poison, or Incendiary damage when you hit enemies. This extreme trait boosts your damage even more, proving once again why The Last Priest is one of the best melee weapons in Starfield.

Source: YouTube/iSeraph

Starfield

Platform(s): Array

Released: 2023-09-06

Developer(s): Array

Publisher(s): Array

Genre(s): Array

ESRB: M

Summary: Bethesda Game Studios presents Starfield – the first original IP from the studio in twenty-five-plus years. Set in the year 2310, the United Colonies and Freestar Collective are observing a shaky truce after a war set 20 years prior. The player will customize their character as a member of a space exploration team called Constellation while navigating The Settled Systems and the conflicts between the warring factions. According to Bethesda, players can explore over 100 systems and 1000 planets to find resources and build their ships, living out their own sci-fi journeys.