Melee weapon stats

78 melee weapons with their real numbers, sorted by maximum damage. Filter by skill; every name links to the item page. Tier picks are on weapons. Updated for Build 42.21, November 2026.

A dark warehouse — Know what your weapon can take

01Part

Every melee weapon, by damage

Damage is min–max per hit. Max condition is durability before repairs; higher lasts longer. Reach is in tiles.

Weapon	Skill	Damage	Max condition	Crit	Reach	Hands	Weight	Also used for
Katana	Long Blade	8 (flat)	10	35%	1.4	Two	2
Wood Axe	Axe	1.3–3	15	50%	1.35	Two	3	Chops trees fastest
Cudgel with Brake Disc	Axe	2–3	10	50%	1.35	Two	6
Sledgehammer	Long Blunt	2–3	10	–	1.35	Two	6	Demolishes walls and stairs
Jawbone Morningstar	Long Blunt	1.3–3	15	50%	1.35	Two	4
Sword	Long Blade	2–3	13	20%	1.4	Two	2
Machete	Long Blade	2–3	13	20%	1.23	One	2
Cudgel with Spikes	Long Blunt	1.8–2.9	10	50%	1.35	Two	6
Barbell	Long Blunt	1.8–2.8	15	–	1.35	Two	6
Scrap Metal Sword	Long Blade	1.5–2.5	10	20%	1.4	Two	3
Pickaxe	Axe	1–2.2	13	25%	1.6	Two	3	Breaks stone
Firefighter Axe	Axe	0.8–2	13	20%	1.2	Two	3	Chops trees, removes barricades
Axe	Axe	0.8–2	13	20%	1.2	Two	3	Chops trees
Stone Maul	Long Blunt	1.5–2	10	–	1.35	Two	6
Long Mace	Long Blunt	1–2	15	40%	1.25	Two	2.5
Shortsword	Long Blade	1.5–2	13	20%	1.23	One	1.5
Baseball Bat with Spikes	Long Blunt	1.2–1.9	10	40%	1.28	Two	2.5
Spade	Long Blunt	0.8–1.9	10	40%	1.6	Two	2	Digs, plows, graves
Shovel	Long Blunt	0.8–1.9	10	40%	1.6	Two	2
Large Stone Axe	Axe	0.7–1.8	10	15%	1.35	Two	3
Sawblade Axe	Axe	0.7–1.8	10	15%	1.4	Two	3
Scrap Metal Shortsword	Long Blade	0.9–1.8	10	20%	1.23	One	2
Scrap Metal Cleaver-Axe	Axe	0.6–1.7	10	10%	1.35	Two	3
Garden Hoe	Long Blunt	0.6–1.7	10	35%	1.6	Two	2
Spear with Hunting Knife	Spear	1.2–1.7	9	20%	1.48	Two	3
Spear with Long Metal Head	Spear	1.2–1.7	10	20%	1.48	Two	2.7
Scrap Metal Morningstar	Long Blunt	0.8–1.6	10	30%	1.28	Two	3
Spear with Kitchen Knife	Spear	1–1.6	7	20%	1.45	Two	2.7
Spear with Stone Head	Spear	1–1.6	6	20%	1.45	Two	2.4
Spear	Spear	1–1.6	7	20%	1.45	Two	2.7
Hatchet	Axe	0.7–1.5	10	15%	1.1	One	1.5	Chops trees, butchers animals
Hand Axe	Axe	0.7–1.5	10	15%	1.1	One	2
Ice Axe	Axe	0.7–1.5	10	15%	1.2	One	2
Crude Stone Axe	Axe	0.5–1.5	5	15%	1.2	Two	2	Chops trees
Baseball Bat with Nails	Long Blunt	1–1.5	15	30%	1.28	Two	2
Fire Hardened Spear	Spear	1–1.5	7	30%	1.4	Two	2	Fishing spear
Garden Fork	Spear	1–1.5	10	30%	1.37	Two	2
Electric Bass	Long Blunt	0.9–1.4	10	70%	1.35	Two	2.8
Mace	Short Blunt	0.8–1.4	15	40%	1.2	One	1.5
Bone Club with Spikes	Short Blunt	0.6–1.4	10	25%	1.1	One	2
Wooden Spear	Spear	1–1.4	5	20%	1.4	Two	2
Entrenching Tool	Axe	0.5–1.3	10	10%	1.1	One	2
Sheet Metal Reinforced Bat	Long Blunt	1–1.3	25	40%	1.25	Two	2.5
Stone Mace	Short Blunt	0.8–1.3	15	40%	1.3	One	1.5
Hunting Knife	Short Blade	0.6–1.2	10	50%	0.9	One	1
Fighting Knife	Short Blade	0.6–1.2	10	50%	0.9	One	1
Lead Pipe	Short Blunt	0.7–1.2	15	30%	1.15	One	1.5
Electric Guitar	Long Blunt	0.8–1.2	10	55%	1.35	Two	2.8
Crowbar	Long Blunt	0.6–1.15	15	20%	1.25	Two	2
Bolt Cutters	Long Blunt	0.6–1.15	15	20%	1.25	Two	4
Jawbone War Axe	Axe	0.6–1.1	10	35%	1.2	Two	2
Metal Baseball Bat	Long Blunt	0.8–1.1	20	40%	1.25	Two	2
Plank with Nails	Long Blunt	0.6–1.1	10	25%	1.32	Two	3
Baseball Bat	Long Blunt	0.8–1.1	15	40%	1.25	Two	2
Nightstick	Short Blunt	0.6–1.1	15	25%	1.2	One	1.5
Claw Hammer	Short Blunt	0.5–1	10	20%	1.1	One	1.5	Building, removes barricades
Ball-peen Hammer	Short Blunt	0.5–1	10	20%	1	One	1.5	Building; counts as a smithing hammer
Club Hammer	Short Blunt	0.5–1	10	20%	1	One	2	Masonry
Iron Pipe	Short Blunt	0.6–1	8	30%	1.2	One	1.5	Pipe bombs, welding
Pipe Wrench	Short Blunt	0.5–1	10	25%	1.1	One	1.5	Plumbing
Tire Iron	Short Blunt	0.5–1	10	30%	1.2	One	1.5	Lug wrench, pry bar
Hammer	Short Blunt	0.5–1	10	20%	1.1	One	1.5
Golf Club	Long Blunt	0.5–1	5	25%	1.42	Two	2
Wrench (weapon)	Short Blunt	0.5–1	9	20%	1.1	One	1
Meat Cleaver	Axe	0.4–0.8	10	15%	1	One	1
Acoustic Guitar	Long Blunt	0.3–0.8	2	20%	1.3	Two	2.6
Field Hockey Stick	Long Blunt	0.3–0.7	7	30%	1.6	Two	1.5
Ice Hockey Stick	Long Blunt	0.3–0.7	7	30%	1.6	Two	1.5	Carve into a spear
Saucepan	Short Blunt	0.2–0.7	5	30%	1	One	0.7	Cooking pot
Kitchen Knife	Short Blade	0.3–0.7	10	25%	0.9	One	0.7
Plank	Long Blunt	0.4–0.6	10	30%	1.3	Two	3	Building material
Pocket Knife	Short Blade	0.3–0.6	10	20%	0.9	One	0.3
Stone Knife	Short Blade	0.4–0.6	6	20%	0.69	One	0.75
Rake	Long Blunt	0.2–0.5	4	5%	1.6	Two	2	Collects dung; carve into a spear
Frying Pan	Short Blunt	0.3–0.5	10	30%	1.1	One	1.5
Rolling Pin	Short Blunt	0.2–0.5	8	15%	1.1	One	1.5
Butter Knife	Short Blade	0.1–0.4	3	7%	0.8	One	0.25	Makes an improvised screwdriver
Pool Cue	Long Blunt	0.2–0.4	10	0%	1.6	Two	1

The katana’s flat 8 damage is what the game data shows; it is far above everything else and fragile.

02Part

Reading the numbers

Damage

Higher damage means fewer hits per kill, and fewer hits means less endurance spent and less wear. Zombie toughness in the sandbox settings changes how many hits each takes.

Condition

Each hit has a chance to lower condition. The crowbar and sheet-metal bat last longest; kitchen knives and brooms break fast.

Two hands

Two-handed weapons hit harder but tire you faster and leave no hand free.

Reach

Spears and long blunts (1.4 to 1.6) let you hit before a zombie reaches you.

03Part

Quick answers

What melee weapon does the most damage in Project Zomboid?

The katana (8 per hit in the game data), then the sledgehammer, brake-disc cudgel, spiked cudgel, machete and sword, all reaching 3.

What is the most durable melee weapon?

The crowbar and the sheet-metal reinforced baseball bat.

Do two-handed weapons do more damage?

Generally, yes, but they tire you faster.

Stats from the Build 42.21 item scripts as published by pindrop.gg and pzfans.com, which agree where both list a weapon.