Melee weapons are a fundamental part of the gaming experience. Imagine a first-person shooter where you are not able to smack the opponent with any type of weapon. Hard to imagine. In this article, you will find some information about melees in PUBG.

Introduction

Throughout history, humans have used a variety of tools to defend themselves, hunt for food, and battle vegetation. They are a reliable tool, as they don't require complex mechanics, electricity, or any exhaustible propellants except the operator’s stamina – just bare, sharpened steel.

In PUBG, melee weapons play a significant role, especially in the Twitch Rivals Tournament where squads are sometimes only allowed to use melee weapons. This allows for a hilarious, chaotic, and wild end-circle.

In ordinary PUBG matches, melee weapons play a minor role. Nevertheless, it is useful to check out what the different weapons are capable of. They are ranked according to utility and damage. 

Ranking

4. Sickle

Sickle stats

• Base damage: 60

The sickle has been in service for gardeners and farmers dating back to around 18,000 BC. The Stone Age instrument experienced mass adoption during the Iron Age in the 12th century. It is still adopted to this day.

Sickles are useful for close-quarters combat only, as you can silently attack nearby enemies. It requires no ammunition, and due to its lightweight design, fast movements and attacks are possible.

What do you call a boomerang who doesn't come back? Right, a stick. Even though the curved blade of the sickle resembles the shape of a boomerang, it won't return to the sender once thrown at an opponent.

Bottom line:

• Agile silent weapon, especially in the early-game when no one is armed yet.
• Kills a player wearing a level 1 helmet with one blow to the head.

How to get the Sickle:

• Spawns everywhere.

3. Machete

Machete stats

• Base damage: 60

Jason, from the movie Friday the 13th, Sideshow Bob and Isador "Machete" Cortez share the same trait: they are all machete-wielding lunatics. Here and then you also meet such personalities in PUBG, but luckily very rarely. You better teach them not to bring a knife to a gunfight.

No one really knows when the machete was invented, but it has been in service ever since the 17th century. In PUBG, the machete doesn’t help to chop down jungle vegetation, yet it can be a useful tool right in the early game. Well, if your opponent has a gun you become the machete-wielding lunatic.

Bottom line:

• Kills a player wearing a level 1 helmet with one blow to the head.

How to get the machete:

• It also spawns everywhere.

2. Crowbar

Crowbar stats

• Base damage: 60

The crowbar, also called a pry bar, jemmy, jimmy, gooseneck, or pig foot, dates back to the 14th century. William Shakespeare and Daniel Defoe, two literary heavyweights, described the tool in their world-renowned books Romeo and Juliet and Robinson Crusoe.

In PUBG, there is no real love story, except for each player's long-term dedication to the game. There is also no solitude on the island with 99 players, who shoot you on sight. Nope, there is only a locked door on Vikendi, which you will have to pry open. This is the best use case for the crowbar, and the only one in the game, really. 

Due to the low base damage, it cannot even kill an opponent with a well-placed strike on the head. But it opens doors for you, and this is why it's ranked #2.

Bottom line:

• The crowbar opens locked doors on Vikendi; find some better loot.

How to get the crowbar:

• Find it everywhere on the map. Only pick it up on Vikendi.

1. Frying pan

Frying pan stats

• Base damage: 80

Meet the most iconic weapon in PUBG: the frying pan. Featured in countless YouTube videos, the frying pan has actually been put to the test.

Not for the whacking part, fortunately, but for its protection from bullets. In the game, the frying pan dangles in front of your butt, and each time you hear the pling sound, it literally saves your ass.

This is why it's also called the Level 4 West, because in the early days of PUBG, it could deflect an AWM bullet. If the pan is used to whack other players, it is capable of killing a player with a blow to the head even when he wears a level 2 helmet. Please don't expect to manage it with your first strike.

Among honorable players, the final 1:1 standoff in the end has been decided with the pan only. Yes, you might need a pan to make that chicken dinner really tasty. Makes sense. Bon Appetit!

Bottom line:

• Strongest of all melee weapons; with the highest base damage.
• Capable of killing a player with a level 2 helmet instantly.
• The pan deflects bullets, so it is advisable to use it all the time.

How to get the frying pan:

• Find it anywhere across all maps.

Tips and tricks for using melee weapons

Here are some general tips and tricks on how to use melee weapons:

• Always aim at the head of the opponent.
• You can also throw melee weapons.
• Use melee weapons to destroy vehicle tires silently.
• There are also your fists. If you use them, always do the jump-and-smack move. This means you hit your opponent while you are in the air. This deals more damage.

Conclusion

In the face of a vast firearm arsenal, melees are less likely to be used at all. The only real option would be to use the pan to keep your back safe. On Vikendi, the crowbar is useful to open the locked doors.

Nevertheless, it can be fun to have a melee fight at the beginning of the round, whether your opponents have one themselves or not. However, it’s no fun to bring it to a gunfight. Good luck!

Further reading on weapons in PUBG:

PUBG Best Handguns (From Worst To Best)

PUBG Best SMGs (From Worst To Best)

PUBG Best Assault Rifles (From Worst To Best)

PUBG Best DMRs (From Worst to Best)

PUBG Best Snipers (From Worst To Best)

PUBG Best Explosives (From Worst To Best)