Best melee build in Starfield

Starfield player walking around sandy planet with rock in background
Credit: Bethesda

Starfield player walking around sandy planet with rock in background
Credit: Bethesda
November 3, 2023: We've gathered the best items and skills to use for melee in Starfield.

Looking for intel on the best melee build in Starfield? We've got you covered. Getting up close and personal with an enemy on your journey through Starfield can be an extremely effective technique to deal huge amounts of damage.

While the best melee build may not have the same flair as the best sniper build or the best demolition build, there's nothing more satisfying than hacking and slashing your way through the various planets and the enemies inhabiting them. Since we haven't been able to play Starfield yet, our melee build guide is based on our own speculation.

Before we take a closer look at the best Starfield melee build, check out our guides showcasing how to choose dialogue options and how to defeat pirates. These articles plus all of the content we have put together for you can be found in one convenient location - the Starfield hub!

What is the best Starfield melee build?

With a variety of weaponry to choose from and numerous traits to utilise, we've broken down the best Starfield melee build below.

We already know plenty of information on the character creation tools that could prove advantageous when looking to create the best melee build.

The first place to start is when selecting the backgrounds and traits for your character. Based on what we know so far, we recommend the Bouncer trait which features enhanced boxing abilities.

Alongside Bouncer, we also recommend Chef and Ronin backgrounds for their duelling abilities perfect for having the most impact when using melee weapons.

Starfield player standing with ship in the background
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Credit: Bethesda

What are the best Starfield melee weapons?

We expect a wealth of weapons to feature in Starfield, giving you plenty of choice when it comes to creating the best melee build. We expect everyone will begin the game with the ability to use their fists before unlocking other weaponry capable of dealing plenty of damage.

The Wakizashi and the Combat Knife are the strongest melee weapons thanks to their high damage output.

As we continue to uncover new weaponry on our journey through space, we'll update the guide with all there is to know about the best Starfield melee build. In the meantime, check out our guides revealing the PC system requirements and how to heal.