With the Among the Ancients update, Barotrauma has significantly expanded the melee weapon mechanics. New talents, item qualities, and damage types have turned once-simple tools into deadly close-combat options. This guide focuses on melee weapons and tools—how to use them, boost their power, and take advantage of new synergies across character roles.

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Tool-Based Melee Weapons

Tools aren’t traditional weapons, but with the right build, they can dish out serious punishment.

Talents That Enhance Tools:

• Mechanical Engineer
  • Aggressive Engineering: 30% chance to deal up to 200% wrench damage
  • Elbow Grease: +40% melee power based on Mechanical Engineering skill
• Electrical Engineer
  • PhD in Nuclear Physics: Crowbar attacks deal +100% damage
• Weapons Engineer
  • Castle Doctrine: +35% damage to monsters inside the sub
• Physicist
  • Melodic Respite: +15% damage for you and nearby allies when playing guitar (480s buff)
• Security Officer
  • Buccaneer: +100% melee damage when aiming first
  • Warlord: 20% chance to double melee damage

Tool Damage Summary

Tool Variant	Damage Type(s)	Speed	Notables
Screwdriver	5 Laceration, 2 Bleeding, 0.2s Stun	1.0s	Basic tool weapon
Hardened Screwdriver	10 Laceration, Radiation, Stun, 0.25 Pen	1.3s	Armor-piercing variant
Dementonite Screwdriver	7.5 Laceration, 5 Psychosis, 0.2s Stun	0.7s	Fast attack with mind-affliction

Dual-Wield Note: You can dual wield screwdrivers and wrenches, but crowbars are single-handed.

High-Damage Potential Example:

A Mechanical Engineer with:

• Masterwork Hardened Wrenches
• Max skill buffs (up to 170 skill = +68%)
• Aggressive Engineering, Melodic Respite, and captain’s 30% attack speed buff

= 76.6 damage every 0.91 seconds

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Crowbars: The Physicist’s Weapon

Crowbars get a major boost from:

• PhD in Nuclear Physics: +100% damage
• Castle Doctrine: +35% vs monsters in sub

When combined with Melodic Respite, Captain’s Buff, and a Masterwork Hardened Crowbar (+30% inherent damage), this build can reach:

= 88 damage per 0.91 seconds

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Flamers and Stream Cannons

Technically tools, these weapons deal low but scaling burn damage and serve unique utility roles.

Standard Flamer

• Base Damage: 1.25 burn/sec
• Fire can spread and stack AOE damage
• Drains oxygen in dry spaces → can cause low oxygen affliction

Pyromaniac Talent (Mechanical Engineer): +25% burn damage → 1.56/sec

Prototype Stream Cannon

• Same base burn (1.25/sec)
• Doesn’t consume oxygen
• Works underwater (no fire spread)
• Ideal for caves, Thalamus wrecks, and eye spike clusters

Important: Wear protective gear and carry oxygen—these weapons can hurt you, too.

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Knives and Variants

Knife Type	Damage	Effects
Standard Knife	10 Laceration, 10 Bleeding	0.2s Stun
Dementonite Knife	Same as above + Psychosis (5)	Higher-quality increases all values
Europan Handshake	Same as above + Morbizine Poison	Damage over time, can be lethal
Hardened Knife (Crafted)	20.8 Laceration, 6.5 Bleeding, Radiation (1.3), 0.35s Stun	Highest damage potential

Masterwork versions add 30% base damage, scaling everything including affliction effects.

Max Buffed Knife Build:

With talents from Security Officer (Buccaneer, Warlord, Beat Cop, Physical Conditioning), plus team buffs from an Electrical Engineer and Captain:

= 173 Laceration, 41 Bleeding, Radiation 8.2, 0.84s Stun at 0.6s speed

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Boarding Axe (Security Officer Exclusive)

Unlocked via the Buccaneer skill, this is the strongest melee weapon in the game.

Masterwork Damage:

• 46.8 Laceration
• 13 Bleeding
• 0.65s Stun

With full buffs (same as above), potential damage output: = 154 Laceration, 41 Bleeding, 0.84s Stun every 0.63 seconds

“And my axe.” —Gimli, probably.

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Clown Hammer (Assistant Only)

• Only usable with True Potential under the Clown talent tree
• 0.75% chance to instantly kill the target
• Causes instant implosion on success
• Comedy gold in multiplayer, but not a reliable melee weapon

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Final Thoughts

Melee weapons in Barotrauma have grown into a formidable class of tools. With the right talents, equipment, and teamwork, even simple tools like wrenches or crowbars can outpace firearms in close quarters.

From dual-wielding wrench engineers to crowbar-wielding physicists and axe-swinging warlords, Barotrauma rewards creativity and specialization.