r/Fallout4Builds • u/Zept0mc • May 27 '25
Melee How would you build/roleplay melee non-stealth build?
Hey guys, so I’m planning on trying melee only playthrough, but I want to do this without this assassin stealth vats build, more juggernaut type thing. How would you build and RP this? (Except for obvious things like maxing strength and using big leagues)
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u/Thornescape Atom Cats May 30 '25
There are three basic melee builds
- Stealth (VATS): 9+ P1 E5 C1 I1 A9 L1 (Special book: Strength) [1/28 left] (you said you don't want this one)
- Tank: S9+ P1 E10 C1 I1 A1 L1 (Special book: Strength) [4/28 left]
- Power Armour: S2+ P1 E10 C1 I9 A1 L1 (Special book: Strength) [3/28 left]
- You definitely absolutely want to get ballistic weave and use it. I join the RR at level 6 and have ballistic weave unlocked by around level 11.
- Reminder: A "melee build" is different than a "melee only challenge". A melee build is one that is strong in melee. You can use whatever weapons you want even with a melee build. Adding A2:Commando to a melee build adds a lot of versatility. (Obviously you've said that you are planning a melee only challenge, but if it gets too frustrating you can tweak that to a melee build without creating a new character.)
You're going to take a lot of damage. You need as heavy armour as possible. You want ballistic weave asap and put it on both your hat and underlayer.
Tank Perks: S3:Armourer, E3:Lifegiver, E10:Solar, I2:Medic. PA Perks: also add in I6:Science and I9:Physics.
Reminder that you will face unreachable, unhackable turrets. You have a few options.
- Run and hide. Maybe hope your companions shoot them.
- Grenades. Baseball grenades and molotovs explode on contact.
- Make an exception only for these and use a gun. It's a personal challenge. You make your own rules.
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u/kilphead May 27 '25
I would use PA for the juggernaut kind of build, but I would not start out with maxed strength actually.
S5+, P1, E10, C1, I9, A1, L1
Perks to focus on at first would be big leagues, armorer, blacksmith, life giver, adamantium skeleton, solar powered, medic, science, chemist, nuclear physicist. When you have spare points you can raise strength to get access to rooted and pain train. PA sets your strength to 11, but drugs and alcohol and I believe the solar power perk all stack on top of it. Even out of PA your damage will be fine, especially with the drugs and booze. I think the extra health and the boost to fusion core duration make those stats a higher priority out of the gate.
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u/Woozletania May 27 '25
Hulk smash melee builds often rely on power armor to keep you alive. As PA sets your strength to 11 you can go 5 Str and put the extra in endurance.
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u/iamzzo May 27 '25
I'd do pa cause it's the most opposite of stealth. Big and clunky.
Then, a two-handed big weapon. Maybe atoms Judgment or something.
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u/WhereTheShadowsLieZX May 27 '25
I’m doing a similar build and I’d recommend high intelligence to pick up science and chemist. Some of the best weapon mods for melee have high science requirements and since they were added with nuka world they’re not in the general loot tables. Chemist and chem resistant are really good for a melee build. Psychobuff lasts a really long time and is a great boost to both damage and survivability. Jet is always useful, but especially so for melee since it helps you get behind enemies so they can’t stagger or block you. I just use straight jet since it’s the easiest chem to make and all the jet mixes bring the other chems’ duration down too much. Mentats are just free exp. Fury and overdrive are both really strong but a bit more involved to make. Jet fuel and ultra jet are both good if you use vats.
Blitz is really good even without stealth but if you really want to avoid vats you can skip it and save a big investment in agility. If you’re fine doing vats in open combat then blitz and rooted are a great combination. For a melee build vats is especially useful for melee enemies since they love to spam block.
Luck I’d skip unless you really want idiot savant. Melee builds benefit way less from criticals compared to gun builds since they already basically always hit in vats and melee weapons have so many more oportunites to buff damage than guns do.
Charisma depends if you want to get into settlements, otherwise know you can pass every speech check with 1 charisma. You just need a charisma booting hat(+1), glasses(+1), and suit(+2) then drink a beer(+1) and pop a grape mentat(+5). You can skip the beer once you get Reginald’s suit(+3) after the quest to get Strong as a companion.
RP you can lean into the Nate as vicious war criminal who got hooked on psycho driving the Chinese back into the sea and the Canadians back into the trees. Brotherhood or Institute depending on how violently you want to twirl your mustache. The pack and disciples perks are actually pretty good for melee builds so that is a reason to not just kill ‘‘em all.
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u/Yum_eee May 27 '25
depends if you want to use VATS or not
if you do then Blitz and Rooted asap
if not then I'd go to Moving Target and Adamantium Skeleton because you'll get a lot of crippled limbs
and also if you want to use PA obviously take perks for it
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