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And while GTA 5has a plethora of firearms and weapons to use, it’s perhaps its range of melee weapons that can challenge players to do their best in fights. After all, players need to use melee weapons up close to enemies that can hit them with a wide variety of guns. With the right melee weapon, however, players can definitely secure the advantage.

10 Stone Hatchet

The Stone Hatchet is one of the most iconic-looking weapons in the game primarily for its appearance. After all, it’s quite odd to see a weapon straight out of a fantasy game be brought to the modern and crazy world of Grand Theft Auto. But considering the wacky nature of the game, the Stone Hatchet gets an exception. Players get the Stone Hatchet as a reward for completing five bounties.

It’s also easily one of the most unique weapons in the game, primarily for its special ability. To activate this in Online, players need to attack an NPC with the axe. This gives them 12 seconds of Rampage that is renewed after every kill.

9 Crowbar

Players who want something fast and loose in combat might rely on the good ol’ Crowbar to get the job done. Looking like a standard crowbar, this weapon packs exactly the kind of pain anyone expects this to be capable of in real life. And the Crowbar in Grand Theft Auto is certainly living up to its name. Players find the Crowbar on the eastern edge of the Los Santos, inside a cul-de-sac.

In terms of stats, the Crowbar boasts not necessarily high attack damage but rather speed. Players can use the Crowbar to dish out mean combos much faster, similar to the Knife. However, the game does impose a disadvantage in the form of lower damage. Regardless, the Crowbar is a good weapon to choose for hit-and-run encounters, especially when getting out of a fast-paced vehicle.

8 Broken Bottle

Things always get serious in a fight when someone smashes a bottle and uses its sharpened edge to engage someone in combat. And it’s this frightening fact that makes the Broken Bottle quite a dreadful weapon to use in Grand Theft Auto. It’s easily accessible, and it deals a lot of hurt without being too expensive. Players get the Broken Bottle after the “Repossession” mission in Story Mode.

Stats-wise, it gets the job done just as easily as a Knife. It has the same speed component as the Knife but deals more damage than the latter, being more in league with the Antique Cavalry Dagger in terms of combat prowess. However, it can’t be used underwater, which immediately reduces its efficiency as a weapon.

7 Machete

Sometimes, weapons stay in the hearts of GTA fans for their remarkable design, and the Machete easily fits the list because of this. Its sleek and straightforward design makes it appear extremely clean, like straight out of a modern armaments shop. However, the Machete is just as fun to use as a melee weapon as it is a decorative piece of equipment. Players get the Machete through Ammu-Nation for $8,900, and it is available after the “Nervous Ron” mission.

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The Machete stands out in combat as players can use this while riding vehicles, whacking enemies while they speed up as soon as they cause mayhem. On the ground, the Machete can easily 1-hit NPCs and deal massive damage to players, making it a deadly close-encounters combat weapon.

6 Antique Cavalry Dagger

Although more ceremonial than practical, the Antique Cavalry Dagger is certainly one of the prettier-looking weapons in the game. What’s more impressive with the Antique Cavalry Dagger is its damage properties as it’s more suitable in underwater combat compared to other melee weapons. Players get this through Ammu-Nation after the “Mr. Philips” mission for $2,000.

That being said, the Antique Cavalry Dagger is certainly worth carrying more compared to Knives when it comes to melee weapon choice. Its ornate-looking nature also gives players a more regal feel, perfect for those who have high statuses in their criminal enterprises.

5 Pool Cue

Players who miss the katana from the previous game can rely on the sleekness of a thin Pool Cue to get the job done. Despite its size, its shape is long enough to be a real weapon used in combat. However, the Pool Cue actually packs a punch when used in Grand Theft Auto, especially in Online. Players can get the Pool Cue in Online, through Ammu-Nation for $6,250.

In terms of stats, the Pool Cue has the highest damage numbers for melee, meaning it’s a tie between the Pool Cue, the Baseball Bat, and the Golf Club. However, the sleeker nature of the Pool Cue certainly makes it a more unimposing weapon to use compared to other more violent-looking melee weapons in the game.

4 Baseball Bat

There’s a reason some people advise others to get a Baseball Bat to protect themselves at home or while out driving their favorite vehicles, and Grand Theft Auto drives this point home with this melee weapon. While acting essentially the same as its counterparts in other games, the Baseball Bat is still frightening as it can kill NPCs simply with a smack to the head. Players can get the weapon in the store beside Ammunation located on Route 68, or in the Altrusit Cult camp.

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However, the Baseball Bat also holds the distinction of being one of the strongest melee weapons in the game. It boasts the same damage numbers as both the Golf Club and the Pool Cue, making it one of the meanest-looking weapons that have the stats to back it up.

3 Golf Club

The Golf Club is easily one of the oldest melee weapons to exist in the Grand Theft Auto universe, making it a classic among players. After all, despite its mundane appearance, the fact that players will be using a Golf Club to whack others, among all things, gives it all levels of crazy. Players get one Golf Club after playing a round of golf, or after scaring a golfer.

What’s more interesting is how it works in terms of combat. While the Knife is certainly much faster than the Golf Club, the latter reigns supreme when moving. It’s observed that the Golf Club hits faster compared to the Knife when used at the same time while running, meaning the Golf Club user has the advantage when taking enemies by surprise or even in a melee duel.

2 Knife

While other more sophisticated weapon options exist, the Knife is still an ever-reliable melee weapon when fighting anyone. Despite its mundane appearance, the Knife offers a lot of versatility with the right usage. For instance, it can perform stealth kills via stabbing but lacks the evident “oomph” compared to the Nightstick or the Crowbar. Players can purchase the Knife for $100 or find them lying around the game map.

However, the Knife holds the distinction of being able to be used underwater, aside from the Antique Cavalry Dagger and the Knuckle Dusters. Considering the relative ease of access to a Knife, it’s a much better melee weapon compared to other options that players need to scour the game map to find.

1 Fist

Why even rely on a weapon when players can simply rely on good ol’ fashioned Fists? Perhaps the most basic melee weapon out there, there’s something raw and intense with the natural “whack” of a punch or a kick, and there’s a lot of versatility available when opting for the Fist instead of other melee weapons. Players have the Fists by default.

For starters, players get more combat options when using the first. Aside from punches and kicks, players can do headbutts, sucker punches, and even slaps to the face. Players can even sneak up on opponents and knock them out immediately through a karate chop. The sheer versatility of the Fist makes this the best weapon for both pros and newcomers alike.

The next-gen remaster of Grand Theft Auto 5 was released on March 15, 2022, to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

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