Melee weapons are your close-quarters combat options, useful for stealth takedowns or when you're out of ammo. While not as powerful as firearms, they can be surprisingly effective, especially with high Muscle and a learned fighting style from the gyms. Common melee weapons include:
- Fist: CJ's default weapon. Damage increases with Muscle.
- Brass Knuckles: Increases fist damage.
- Baseball Bat: Good range and damage.
- Golf Club: Similar to the baseball bat.
- Pool Cue: Found in bars, decent range.
- Knife: Allows for stealth kills from behind.
- Katana: High damage, fast swings.
- Chainsaw: Extremely powerful, but slow.
Melee weapons are generally found scattered around the map, in weapon stores (Ammu-Nation), or dropped by enemies. The Katana and Chainsaw are particularly effective for clearing groups of enemies in close quarters. Remember to learn the different fighting styles from the gyms to maximize your melee combat potential, as they unlock new combos and more powerful attacks.