Cyberpunk 2077 isn't a hack-and-slash game, but you can always turn it into one. With the way Night City throws everything into your face, players who stick to their guns might be at a significant disadvantage when a netrunner starts slicing them up at point-blank range. Equipping a unique melee weapon is just one simple way of dealing with these in-your-face threats.
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Furthermore, you should never fear the limited range of these melee weapons, since several perks allow you to descend on an unsuspecting target before they have any idea what's going on. The real trick is making the most of your blows, so finding a unique weapon should be a priority. If you are curious about which of the unique melee weapons found in Night City will best complement your play style, then look no further.
Updated by John Wildermuth on May 25, 2022: As Cyberpunk: 2077 has continually improved the performance of the game, there have also been a plethora of content updates that have added fresh melee weapons, while also reworking the base game weapons. We have decided to update this list to bring you the latest and best information on all of the unique melee weapons found across Night City.
15 Cocktail Stick
Weapon Type
Katana
Iconic Effect
None
Location
Found inside Evelyn's dressing room at Clouds
We can only assume that a mistake was made when they coded in the Cocktail Stick. It's labeled as an iconic weapon, but there is no iconic statistic or advantage. Maybe it was only supposed to be a regular weapon? There is some flavor text that claims it, "looks like a toy, cuts like a laser," but even this is misleading.
It's the worst iconic melee weapon in the game by DPS numbers alone. It's pretty funny to be slicing enemies up left and right with a sword intended to decorate a drink, but once the hilarity has worn off, you'll actually find out that a common knife does about five times as much damage as this.
14 Sir John Phallustiff
Weapon Type
One-Handed Club
Iconic Effect
- Deals increased headshot damage
- Increased crit chance on headshots
- Small chance to stun on headshots
Location
Left on a bed by Meredith Stout after completing the Venus in Furs mission
This is a weapon based on an adult toy, and it's good for a few laughs. If you use a controller, you can actually feel it vibrate as you use it. Swinging it around sounds like a lightsaber and there is an admittedly satisfying feeling that comes from clubbing an enemy upside the head with something so crass.
This lewd weapon is also incredibly unique, as it was patched and updated several times, changing the weapon's iconic status effect. Currently, this adult toy specializes in dealing increased damage with headshots, but there are simply better options to choose from.
13 Cottonmouth
Weapon Type
One-Handed Club
Iconic Effect
- Deals electrical and chemical damage.
- 25 percent chance to poison
- 10 percent chance to shock
Location
Sitting on a coffee table inside Fingers' clinic
The Cottonmouth is the perfect choice if you enjoy dealing high amounts of status effect damage. Since this electrical cane has a slight chance to poison and shock enemies with every attack, there's a good chance that one or the other is going to go off, giving you an edge against both robotic and organic targets.
The DPS is decent as well, but the biggest problem with the Cottonmouth is that it only allows you to do two swings per second. To get the odds in your favor on the status effects, you really need to be swinging faster than that, but if you build around it and heal yourself often, there is potentially a place in your inventory for the Cottonmouth.
12 Tinker Bell
Weapon Type
One-Handed Club
Iconic Effect
- 30 percent reduced base damage
- 20 percent chance to stun
- 10 percent chance to shock
Location
Found in the control room of Edgewood Farm
The reduced base damage on this weapon is not appreciated, but with the chance to knock out an opponent with a strong attack, it's particularly hard to resist, especially against cyberpsychos and bosses that have a large amount of health. Knocking them out gives you free hits and that beats out any amount of DPS any day.
The shock effect stacks with the stun, so enemies that go up against this weapon will have a very difficult time moving or getting a shot off. This is ideal for when you're already exposed by being in melee range, so the lockdown effects are nice and compensate for the reduction in raw damage.
11 Tsumetogi
Weapon Type
Katana
Iconic Effect
- Attacks deal electrical damage
- 20 percent chance to shock
- 10 percent electrical damage resistance
Location
Dropped by Hiromi Sato during the Pices mission, or can be stolen from a display stand
If you aren't keen on using active abilities, then the Tsumetogi is the best katana in the game for your play style. This sword has some of the highest DPS in its class, while also attacking with five swings per second, but it only really excels at locking a single enemy down.
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This weapon provides some decent electrical resistance, which may help you win difficult fights against cybernetic opponents. Sadly, the other katanas on this list have more unique effects, while also synergizing with cyberware and operating systems that make them more versatile than this simplistic blade.
10 Butcher's Cleaver
Weapon Type
Knife
Iconic Effect
- Increased bleed chance
- When attacking bleeding targets, gain increased attack speed and consume less stamina
Location
Found on a table inside Rolland's Butcher Shop
Unlike the other smaller knives found throughout Night City, the Butcher's Cleaver is significantly larger, and thus swings much slower while dealing more damage. However, this weapon features increased bleed chance and further upgrades your attack speed whenever you attack an enemy that is already bleeding.
While these stats are certainly nothing to scoff at, there are many robotic enemies in the game that are completely immune to the bleed effect, rendering this cleaver completely useless. However, if you do find yourself facing off against multiple human enemies, then you can always quickly cleave through them with this knife.
9 Scalpel
Weapon Type
Katana
Iconic Effect
- Deals electrical damage
- 10 percent chance to shock
- Activating the Sandevistian operating system, increase crit chance by 50 percent and attacks always cause bleed
Location
Complete the Big In Japan side job
This sword gives players a boost when they are using an operating system, but it offers you a bit more flexibility. When any Sandevistian operating system is active, the Scalpel gains a 50 percent increased crit chance and 100 percent of your hits will make the target bleed. If you have any other boosts to crit chance, this effect might bring it all the way to the top.
Additionally, the shock, stun, and bleed effects will keep enemies drained and stunned. The bleed is effective against organics, the shock will destroy robots, and the DPS on this katana destroys everything in between. If you find an operating system with an active ability that lasts a long time, make sure to give this a shot.
8 Gold-Plated Baseball Bat
Weapon Type
Two-Handed Club
Iconic Effect
- 80 percent chance to apply bleeding
- 20-25 percent chance to stun
Location
Can be looted from Denny's pool after she tosses it away
Don't get too scared, even though the weapon is a club, it swings just as quickly as a katana, so you'll be getting plenty of hits off. In terms of raw DPS this baseball bat delivers some significant damage, outperforming many of the other weapons in the game.
Coming in at five swings per second, the bleed chance on this weapon is higher than normal bleed effects, so you can be positive that after one second of engagement, any target you have will be bleeding. The stun effect isn't as high, but again, because of the number of swings, the chance is still leaning in your favor, especially against cyberpsychos and bosses.
7 Headhunter
Weapon Type
Knife
Iconic Effect
- Marks enemies on hit
- Attacking enemies with any weapon in the head after you apply the mark will deal 250 percent increased damage and automatically return the knife to your inventory
Location
Bought from the melee weapon vender in the West Wind Estate
The Headhunter knife is an extremely unique melee weapon, because it actually functions more like a ranged execute. Specifically, this weapon marks enemies that are struck by the blade, and marked enemies take 250 percent increased headshot damage from any other weapon, but the mark is removed after you land the headshot.
Furthermore, detonating this mark with another weapon immediately returns the Headhunter to your inventory. The best way to use this blade is by opening a fight by throwing this blade at an enemy, then landing a headshot with a gun that deals massive amounts of damage. The blade will instantly return to your inventory, so you can continually use this method to increase your headshot damage against opponents.
6 Caretaker's Spade
Weapon Type
Two-Handed Club
Iconic Effect
- Increases health regeneration by 100 percent after hitting an enemy
Location
Leaning against a group of rocks on the Arasaka Tower Jungle floor during the Knockin' on Heaven's Door quest
You'll notice right away that this is the one weapon on the list not based on another common variety. There are no other shovels in the game, making this one of a kind. You might suspect that this is a reskinned club or bat, but the number of swings and statistics reveal that this item was designed in a class all on its own.
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The extra mod slots enable you to increase its damage through the roof, which is really just overkill because it's already the highest DPS weapon in the game, just barely edging out the top spot on the list. It doesn't have many frills, like electrical or bleed effects, but the name of the game is damage and that's where this weapon shines.
Overall, while this shovel does not bring many flashy effects to the table, the large amount of customization available, and the healing status effect allows you to slot this shovel into almost any melee build.
