Best Melee Weapons in 7 Days to Die — Ranked by DPS
Steel Knuckles lead on both counts: 47.5 damage per second at quality 6 and 2.79 damage per point of stamina. The hardest single hit is the Steel Sledgehammer's: 82.5.
- Most damage per second47.5Steel Knuckles
- Most per stamina2.79Steel Knuckles
- Hardest single hit82.5Steel Sledgehammer
- Weapons ranked19in 6 families
The weapons database lists every weapon beside the others in its family. This guide ranks all 19 melee weapons on one scale and shows what each costs in stamina.
On this page
All 19 melee weapons, ranked
Sorted by damage per second at quality 6; click a header to sort on stamina, damage per stamina or anything else, and pick a family to narrow the list. Each name opens the weapon's page.
19 weapons
| # | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Steel Knuckles | T3 | 28.5 | 100 | 47.5 | 10.2 | 2.79 | +100% | 2 m | Knuckles 36 |
| 2 |  Steel Sledgehammer | T3 | 82.5 | 34 | 46.8 | 40.5 | 2.04 | +125% | 2.6 m | Sledgehammers 36 |
| 3 |  Steel Spear | T3 | 49.5 | 55 | 45.4 | 22.4 | 2.21 | +100% | — | Spears 36 |
| 4 |  Steel Club | T3 | 48.8 | 52 | 42.3 | 23.7 | 2.06 | +100% | 2.4 m | Clubs 36 |
| 5 |  Machete | T3 | 37.5 | 65 | 40.6 | 16 | 2.34 | +100% | 2.3 m | Blades 36 |
| 6 |  Hunting Knife | T1 | 18 | 120 | 36 | 10.5 | 1.71 | +100% | 2 m | Blades 11 |
| 7 |  Candy Cane Knife | T1 | 18 | 120 | 36 | 10.5 | 1.71 | +100% | 2 m | — |
| 8 |  Stun Baton | T2 | 30 | 70 | 35 | 15.5 | 1.94 | +100% | 2.4 m | Robotics 26 |
| 9 |  Iron Knuckles | T1 | 17.3 | 100 | 28.8 | 9.6 | 1.8 | +100% | 2 m | Knuckles 11 |
| 10 |  Iron Spear | T1 | 30 | 55 | 27.5 | 20.3 | 1.48 | +100% | — | Spears 11 |
| 11 |  Iron Sledgehammer | T1 | 48 | 34 | 27.2 | 36.7 | 1.31 | +125% | 2.6 m | Sledgehammers 11 |
| 12 |  Baseball Bat | T1 | 30 | 52 | 26 | 20.9 | 1.44 | +100% | 2.4 m | Clubs 11 |
| 13 |  Candy Cane Club | T1 | 30 | 52 | 26 | 20.9 | 1.44 | +100% | 2.4 m | — |
| 14 |  Stone Sledgehammer | T0 | 27 | 50 | 22.5 | 22.3 | 1.21 | +125% | 2.6 m | Sledgehammers 1 |
| 15 |  Pipe Baton | T0 | 18 | 60 | 18 | 14.8 | 1.22 | +100% | 2.4 m | Robotics 1 |
| 16 |  Knuckle Wraps | T0 | 10.5 | 100 | 17.5 | 9.1 | 1.15 | +100% | 2 m | Knuckles 1 |
| 17 |  Wooden Club | T0 | 18 | 55 | 16.5 | 17.4 | 1.03 | +100% | 2.4 m | Clubs 1 |
| 18 |  Stone Spear | T0 | 18 | 55 | 16.5 | 18.5 | 0.97 | +100% | — | Spears 1 |
| 19 |  Bone Knife | T0 | 7.5 | 120 | 15 | 7.3 | 1.03 | +100% | 2 m | Blades 1 |
The best weapon of each family
6 families, one winner each on damage per second at quality 6. Pick the family by the perk you plan to level; the damage perks are per family.
| Family | Best weapon | Damage / s | Damage / hit | Hits / min | Stamina / hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blades | Machete | 40.6 | 37.5 | 65 | 16 |
| Clubs | Steel Club | 42.3 | 48.8 | 52 | 23.7 |
| Robotics | Stun Baton | 35 | 30 | 70 | 15.5 |
| Spears | Steel Spear | 45.4 | 49.5 | 55 | 22.4 |
| Sledgehammers | Steel Sledgehammer | 46.8 | 82.5 | 34 | 40.5 |
| Knuckles | Steel Knuckles | 47.5 | 28.5 | 100 | 10.2 |
How the ranking is worked out
Every figure comes from the weapon's own entry in the V3.3 item files: base damage, attacks per minute, stamina per hit, the power-attack bonus and the quality damage bonus. The table multiplies them; it adds nothing the files do not hold.
| Column | Worked out as |
|---|---|
| Damage / hit | base damage × (1 + quality bonus). Bonus: 0% at quality 1, +10% at 2, +50% at 6. |
| Damage / s | damage per hit × hits per minute ÷ 60 |
| Damage per stamina | damage per hit ÷ stamina per hit |
| Power attack | extra damage the file gives a power attack, as a share of the normal hit |
What this ranking cannot tell you
The files hold no swing time for a power attack, no stamina refill rate and no reach in blocks, so a weapon's real pace in a fight can differ from its per-second figure. Treat the order as a guide to damage and stamina, not a duel result.
FAQ
What is the best melee weapon in 7 Days to Die?
Steel Knuckles: 47.5 damage per second at quality 6 and 2.79 damage per point of stamina, first on both.
Which melee weapon hits hardest?
Steel Sledgehammer: 82.5 damage per hit at quality 6 (55 at the base).
Does quality change the order?
It adds the same share to every melee weapon (+50% at quality 6), so the order by damage per second stays; it changes how far a weapon is ahead of an unupgraded one.
Where do I get these weapons?
Each weapon's page lists its recipe, the magazine series that unlocks it, the containers it drops from and whether traders sell it.
Pages to keep open
Related pages
Sources
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