Best Melee Weapons in Dune Awakening

Best melee weapons in Dune Awakening: which sword, rapier or dagger to take for PvE and for PvP, what to avoid, and the stats of every type.

6 November 20265 min read Share

Contents

What to pick What to avoid Tips Ranking Swords Rapiers Knives and daggers Dual blades

A Holtzman shield stops fast bullets but not a slow blade, which is why melee decides fights in Dune Awakening. The highest damage says little here: blocking, parrying and the blade's special effect matter. Here is what to take for PvE and for PvP.

What to pick

For PvE: 6Replica Pulse-sword — Sword sweeps and parries knock down several enemies at once, and this sword also gives back stamina on every successful parry. It is the easiest way to hold off a crowd in camps and stations for a long time.
For PvP: 6Spike Hilt Sword — Blocks and parries cost less stamina, and every successful block wounds the attacker’s hand and makes them bleed. In a duel with another player that damage keeps ticking even while you only defend.
All-round pick: 6Prescient Edge — A rapier that makes the opponent bleed on every successful parry. Good against tough NPCs and players alike, if you can time your parries.
For PvE: 6Replica Pulse-knife — A dagger that gives back a little stamina on every hit, not just on parries: you can strike, dodge and strike again without running dry.
For PvP: 6Cauterizer — A dirk that sets the target on fire on hit, and fire gets past the shield. It shines against shielded players; against NPCs the Replica Pulse-knife is more comfortable.
For PvE: 6Leech’s Maw — Dual blades that drain the target’s power with every hit. Their fast light attacks work best on bosses and groups of unshielded enemies.
Early game: 5Jolt-sword — An early-game sword with the same effect as the Replica Pulse-sword (stamina on parry), one tier lower. The best sword until you reach tier 6 gear.
Early game: 4Poison Mist — An early-game rapier: it releases poison gas on a hard hit, and the gas passes through a shield. A cheap way to beat shields before better rapiers; its upgrade is the Kharet Viper.
Early game: 5Jolt-knife — An early-game dagger: it gives back stamina on every hit, like the Replica Pulse-knife, and you get it earlier.
For water: 6Feyd's Drinker — A dagger for water: no better than other knives in a fight, but it collects blood from the enemies you hit. Carry it instead of a blood extractor to free a slot and gather water while you fight.

What to avoid

Unfixed Crysknife — It tops the damage chart, but it is very brittle: it breaks on the very first block, and you can’t trade it or put it in storage. It is a story knife, not an everyday weapon.
Zantara's Crysknife — A story keepsake. You can’t craft another, so there is nothing to replace it with if it breaks or is lost.
Asterion’s End — A keepsake: tier 5 sword damage (110 per hit) and no way to craft a replacement. Better on the wall than in a fight.
Aramsham’s Caress — A keepsake with tier 5 sword damage (110 per hit). Any tier 6 unique sword hits harder and can be crafted again.
Feyd’s Spare Blades — A keepsake: weaker than the Regis Dual Blades and with no effect. For fighting, take Leech’s Maw.
Feyd's Take-Down Blade — Poisons quickly but only hits like a tier 5 dagger, and it can’t be replaced. A story keepsake.
The Glutton's Hook — Adds bleed, but it hits like a tier 5 dagger and you can’t make another. For bleed, the Spike Hilt Sword or Prescient Edge is better.
Ceremonial Damasteel Sword — A quest item, not a weapon: you can’t fight with it.

Tips

A Holtzman shield stops fast hits. Hold attack for a slow strike: a slow blade passes through the shield. It lands most reliably right after the enemy staggers from a parry or a few quick hits.
Blocking holds off hits at a stamina cost, while a well-timed parry staggers the enemy and opens them up. With no stamina you are helpless against a slow strike, so never drain it to zero.
Swords hit several enemies with sweeping attacks and can penetrate shields. Rapiers reach further and hit harder than daggers: the attack button opens with a parry and a step forward, the aim button with a parry and a step back.
Dual blades: hold attack for a frenzied combo that partly bypasses shields. Their short reach makes them harder to use against mobile players.
Bleed (Spike Hilt Sword, Prescient Edge) keeps ticking even while you defend. Poison from the Poison Mist, Kharet Viper and Halleck's Pick rapiers passes through shields.
Burn (the Branding Blade builds it up with every hit; the Cauterizer and Burning Blades set targets on fire) also gets past shields and works best against players.
Power drain (Static Needle, Leech's Maw) empties the target's power pack, which feeds their shield. On its own it won't drop the shield; it is an edge in a long fight. Eel's Tooth does the opposite and restores 5 of your power with every attack.
Shock-, Spark-, Jolt-swords and the Replica Pulse-sword restore stamina on parry, while the matching knives do it on every hit. The Drinker kindjals collect blood for water in place of a blood extractor.

Ranking

Each group lists the best options from best to worst: what each one is for and its in-game numbers. If something isn’t listed, it isn’t worth taking.

Swords

1
6Replica Pulse-sword ★PvE
DPS
269
Hit damage
152.4
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique blade gives a small jolt of electrical energy to the palms when parrying an enemy - offering a small stamina boost. A far cry from the legendary swords of the Butlerian Jihad.
Blueprints →
2
6Spike Hilt Sword ★PvP
DPS
269
Hit damage
152.4
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique sword is fashioned from shock-absorbing materials that reduce the strain of blocks and parries. It also includes a cluster of integrated plasteel shards near the hilt that can wound the blade hand of an attacker upon a successful block.
Blueprints →
3
6Branding Blade ★Alternative
DPS
269
Hit damage
152.4
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique sword causes burn buildup with every hit.
Blueprints →
4
5Jolt-sword ★Early game
DPS
194
Hit damage
110.2
Vs. shield
12.4
This Unique blade gives a small jolt of electrical energy to the palms when parrying an enemy — offering a small stamina boost. A far cry from the legendary swords of the Butlerian Jihad.
Blueprints →
5
5Bite Back Blade ★Early game
DPS
194
Hit damage
110.2
Vs. shield
12.4
This Unique sword is fashioned from shock-absorbing materials that reduce the strain of blocks and parries. It also includes a cluster of integrated plasteel shards near the hilt that can wound the blade hand of an attacker upon a successful block.
Blueprints →
6
4Spark-sword ★Early game
DPS
135
Hit damage
76.5
Vs. shield
9.6
This Unique blade gives a small jolt of electrical energy to the palms when parrying an enemy — offering a small stamina boost. A far cry from the legendary swords of the Butlerian Jihad.
Blueprints →

Rapiers

1
6Prescient Edge ★All-round
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique rapier causes bleed on an opponent with every successful parry.
Blueprints →
2
6Static Needle ★PvE
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique rapier is utilized by House forces to shock and disrupt the power supplies of their opponents.
Blueprints →
3
6Halleck's Pick ★Break shields
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique sword contains a series of toxin releasing nodules along the length of the blade. Gurney Halleck, renowned troubadour and mercenary, kept a similar blade by his side when performing for noble audiences.
Blueprints →
4
5Kharet Viper ★Early game
DPS
233
Hit damage
100.1
Vs. shield
12.4
This Unique sword contains a series of toxin releasing nodules along the length of the blade. When struck with enough force, these nodules release a burst of poisonous gas — capable of passing through a shield.
Blueprints →
5
4Poison Mist ★Early game
DPS
162
Hit damage
69.6
Vs. shield
9.6
A lethally modified version of a slaver weapon, this Unique sword contains a series of toxin releasing nodules along the length of the blade. When struck with enough force, these nodules release a burst of poisonous gas — capable of passing through a shield.
Blueprints →

Knives and daggers

1
6Replica Pulse-knife ★PvE
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique blade gives a small jolt of electrical energy to the palms when hitting an enemy — offering a small stamina boost. A far cry from the legendary weapons of the Butlerian Jihad.
Blueprints →
2
6Cauterizer ★PvP
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
This Unique knife is a modified surgical tool that was developed for treating field injuries. It seals injuries as it cuts using a small cutteray to superheat the blade.
Blueprints →
3
6Eel’s Tooth ★Power
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
Every attack from this Unique blade restores one’s power pack by 5.
Blueprints →
4
6Feyd's Drinker ★Water
DPS
322
Hit damage
138.5
Vs. shield
14.6
Though most never knew of his treachery, this Unique kindjal became popular on Arrakis for the opposite reason, it was capable of stealing blood from enemies and storing it in the compartment.
Blueprints →
5
5Jolt-knife ★Early game
DPS
233
Hit damage
100.1
Vs. shield
12.4
This Unique blade gives a small jolt of electrical energy to the palms when hitting an enemy — offering a small stamina boost. A far cry from the legendary weapons of the Butlerian Jihad.
Blueprints →
6
4Spark-Knife ★Early game
DPS
162
Hit damage
69.6
Vs. shield
9.6
This Unique blade gives a small jolt of electrical energy to the palms when hitting an enemy — offering a small stamina boost. A far cry from the legendary weapons of the Butlerian Jihad.
Blueprints →

Dual blades

1
6Leech’s Maw ★PvE
DPS
319
Hit damage
137.2
Vs. shield
14.6
Every hit from these Unique dual blades drains a target of power.
Blueprints →
2
6Burning Blades ★Alternative
DPS
319
Hit damage
137.2
Vs. shield
12.1
Designed by Masano of the Sandflies, these unique, heated blades both tear and scorch flesh, leaving a screaming impression.
Blueprints →

Damage per second is the damage of one shot or hit multiplied by the fire rate. Reloading isn't counted here, so for a long fight watch the magazine too.

★ marks a unique item. Unique blueprints often turn up in the Deep Desert — see what's where this week on the Deep Desert this week page.

The calculator will work out how many resources a craft needs.

What is the best melee weapon in Dune Awakening?

For PvE the best sword is the Replica Pulse-sword, the best dagger the Replica Pulse-knife and the best dual blades Leech's Maw; for PvP take the Spike Hilt Sword or the Cauterizer dirk, and the Prescient Edge rapier works everywhere. Early on, use the Jolt-sword, the Jolt-knife and the Poison Mist rapier.