Choosing the right melee weapon in Project Zomboid can make a huge difference in your survival. This guide breaks down each melee weapon type, where to find them, their strengths and weaknesses, and which occupations and perks work best with them. Let’s dive in!

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Blunt Weapons – High Durability, Moderate Damage

Blunt weapons are among the most durable in the game and don’t damage clothing, making them ideal for preserving loot.

Short Blunt Weapons

Best Options:

• Nightstick – Excellent durability and damage, found on police zombies and in police stations.
• Metal Pipes & Bars – Stronger than hammers, found near destroyed fences and metal doors.
• Hammers – Decent as a weapon but better suited as a tool.

Common Short Blunt Weapons:

• Frying Pans, Rolling Pins, Plungers, and Sauce Pans – Weaker but easily found in kitchens.

Long Blunt Weapons

Best Options:

• Baseball Bat – High crit chance (40%), found in wardrobes and closets.
• Nailed Baseball Bat – Deals 5x critical hit damage.
• Crowbar – Incredible durability, 6x crit damage, often found in warehouses.

Heavy Blunt Weapons (Avoid These)

• Sledgehammer, Keytar – Too slow, high stamina drain, better used for breaking walls.

Best Occupations & Traits for Blunt Weapons

• Carpenter (Short Blunt) – 75% XP gain.
• Mechanic, Repairman (Short Blunt) – 75% XP gain.
• Construction Worker (Best for Short Blunt) – Starts with 3 levels in Short Blunt and a 125% XP bonus.
• Baseball Player (Long Blunt) – 1 level in Long Blunt, 75% XP gain.
• Brawler (Long Blunt & Axes) – 1 level in each, 75% XP gain.

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Blade Weapons – High Damage, Low Durability

Short Blades (Knives & Cleavers)

Short blades have low durability but can instantly kill zombies under the right conditions.

Best Options:

• Hunting Knife – 50% crit chance, 3x crit damage, found in hunting stores and on zombies.
• Meat Cleaver – Decent durability, solid early-game choice.

Instant Kill Moves:

• Stealth Kill – Attack when the zombie hasn’t seen you.
• Critical Strike – Knives have a 5-50% crit chance, dealing 10x damage on a crit.

Long Blades (Best Damage, Rare Weapons)

Best Options:

• Katana – Highest damage in the game (8 base damage), 30% crit chance, 6x crit multiplier. Extremely rare.
• Machete – Slower but reliable, 20% crit chance, 5x crit multiplier.

Best Occupations & Traits for Blades:

• Cook, Doctor, Burger Flipper (Short Blade) – 1 level, 75% XP gain.
• Hunter (Short Blade) – 1 level, 75% XP gain, plus bonuses to foraging and aiming.
• No Long Blade Occupation Perks – Consider Fast Learner to speed up leveling.

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Spears – Fast, High Damage, Low Durability

Spears are powerful but break quickly. They can also perform instant kills and charge attacks.

Best Spears:

• Garden Fork – Best durability and damage, found in gardening stores and sheds.
• Crafted Spear (Knife/Machete Tip) – Good for early game but breaks quickly.

Special Spear Moves:

• Execution Move – Impales a zombie instantly.
• Charge Attack – Sprint and wait for the impale animation to trigger automatically.

Best Occupations & Traits for Spears:

• No direct spear perks.
• Fast Learner – Helps level up Spears faster.
• Repairman – 2 levels in Maintenance, 100% XP bonus (extends spear durability).

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Axes – High Durability, Great Damage

Axes are incredibly powerful but useful for tree cutting, so consider saving them for base-building.

Best Axes:

• Pickaxe – Best overall, 25% crit chance, 9x crit damage.
• Firefighter Axe – Common, 20% crit chance, 5x crit damage, found in fire stations.
• Hand Axe – Only one-handed axe, decent damage.

Best Occupations & Traits for Axes:

• Lumberjack (Best Choice) – 2 levels in Axes, 100% XP gain, faster swing speed.
• Firefighter – 1 level in Axes, 75% XP gain.
• Park Ranger – 1 level in Axes, 75% XP gain.
• Brawler – 1 level in Axes & Long Blunt, 75% XP gain.

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Final Thoughts: Best Weapons for Each Playstyle

• Best All-Around Weapon: Crowbar or Baseball Bat – High durability and strong damage.
• Best Stealth Weapon: Hunting Knife – 50% crit chance, instant kills.
• Best High-Damage Weapon: Katana – If you’re lucky enough to find one.
• Best Craftable Early-Game Weapon: Metal Pipe or Crafted Spear – Easy to obtain.
• Best Backup Weapon: Nightstick – Durable, fits in a belt slot.
• Best Base-Building Weapon: Firefighter Axe or Pickaxe – Also used for chopping trees.

Hopefully, this guide helps you find the best weapon for your build in Project Zomboid! If you have any favorite melee weapons, share them in the comments!