favorite type of melee weapon?

[Xan Krieger]

Nothing quite as personal and brutal as melee combat. The biggest question going into close combat is what to bring so I ask you which do you prefer? Turning bones to powder with a warhammer? Splitting someone in half with an axe? Are you the subtle kind who prefers a dagger? Or do you just like beating the stupid out of people with your fists? Are you a noble swordsman or do you just like cracking skulls with a mace? Add to this all the various exotic weapons like the katar or naginata and you have a seemingly endless variety of weapons. You can even add a little technology with a chainsaw or chainsword.

I'm an axe fan, gives you plenty of power and I'm all about ending combat with one decisive blow. Sure it lacks in defense but that's why you strive to strike first and power through an opponent's shield or block and into their flesh. Got armor? I have a can opener. Oh nice helmet, let me give you a splitting headache. While I enjoy most weapons this is just the one I turn to given the choice.

 

[madwarper]

Melee? I prefer more of a "fisticuffs" weapons, like a bladed gauntlet or a hand dagger, like an uluk.
I prefer to be more dexterous, because the larger the weapon, the more unwieldy it is, the more opportunities your opponent gives you to strike their vitals.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I like axes, but not the giant foam larp weapons most games give you. Stuff like Connor's tomahawk in AC3, or a simple fire axe are what I dig.

 

[VoidOfOne]

The katana.

I love the look, the feel, and the story around its creation and purpose for its design. Where viable, I try to give my game character a katana to use.

-As a Rogue in WoW, if I could I would use the swords that looked the most like katana.
-Zer0 from Borderlands 2 looked like he used a katana, so I chose to play as him.
-My character in Dark Souls used a uchigatana, a variation of the katana.
-One of my favorite characters in Dynasty Warriors was Zhou Tai, the first (and I think only) character with a katana.
-I got Torchlight 2 because people made a series of mods that made Eastern Fantasy-style warriors, like ninja, warrior monks, and samurai, as well as weapons of the same theme, like kunai, hook swords, and katana.
-In Shadowrun Returns the characters I first made was a melee Street Samurai, because he could use a katana.
-In Fables 2 I preferred melee because I could use a katana.
-In Freedom Wars I chose one of m mains to be the Heavy Melee Aftershadow, simply because it resembles a katana.

There are many more examples, but I think the idea comes across.

Runner Up: A chainsaw sword. Both are in Warhammer 40k and Freedom Wars. Because, why not?

 

[Xan Krieger]

Gotta say, can't disagree with your love of the axe, though I'd go with a much smaller tomahawk if I went with an axe, or a halberd. If you're going to use an axe, no point not going to an extreme with it. Though I'd go with knives as my first choice, as they're a real-world favourite of mine. Extremely portable and pinpoint thrusts. A pair of cestus' would be nice too, in regards to my pugilistic tendencies.

Though, you know what I always liked, even though they're not real? The Ulaks from Chronicles of Riddick.

Spoiler

Those things could really mess up somebody's day.

I've used a pair of those, they're awkward as hell because there's a large chance I wasn't using them right. Then again they're from a movie series so there's not a lot to go on in terms of how to use them.

The katana.

I love the look, the feel, and the story around its creation and purpose for its design. Where viable, I try to give my game character a katana to use.

-As a Rogue in WoW, if I could I would use the swords that looked the most like katana.
-Zer0 from Borderlands 2 looked like he used a katana, so I chose to play as him.
-My character in Dark Souls used a uchigatana, a variation of the katana.
-One of my favorite characters in Dynasty Warriors was Zhou Tai, the first (and I think only) character with a katana.
-I got Torchlight 2 because people made a series of mods that made Eastern Fantasy-style warriors, like ninja, warrior monks, and samurai, as well as weapons of the same theme, like kunai, hook swords, and katana.
-In Shadowrun Returns the characters I first made was a melee Street Samurai, because he could use a katana.
-In Fables 2 I preferred melee because I could use a katana.
-In Freedom Wars I chose one of m mains to be the Heavy Melee Aftershadow, simply because it resembles a katana.

There are many more examples, but I think the idea comes across.

Runner Up: A chainsaw sword. Both are in Warhammer 40k and Freedom Wars. Because, why not?

In Shogun 2 Total War it's probably the best anti-infantry weapon. It's one of the main reason early on the shimazu have a big advantage, their samurai with katanas cut through everything and they're far enough from the takeda that a lack of power against cavalry isn't a big problem.

 

[MHR]

I generally choose whatever has the coolest effect, whether that be the sound it makes on a skull or some special property.

For example, in the game I'm playing now, Fallout NV, I'm using Gehenna which is a shishkebab which is a sharpened lawnmower blade on fire with a gasoline drip from the hilt. I use it because it sets people on fire and benefits from the pyromaniac perk, though I'm keeping a tire iron in my back pocket for the DLC challenges involving killing robots and petty gang members with it. The sound it makes on both of those is entertaining.

In skyrim, I'm using the Dawnbreaker sword 'cuz Meridia said so. Its got this holy-light shortsword thing going for it where it sets anything it hits on fire, and whenever you kill an undead, it has a chance to cause a light nova that causes all nearby undead to either run in terror, or if they're weaker, outright crumble to the floor and turn to ash. That's pretty impressive considering it usually takes a lot of mana and restoration skill to send a high-level vampire running, and the Dawnbreaker can do it for nearly free.

In TF2 I use a fish to bludgeon my enemies to death because that's the most humiliating. That burning they feel? It is shame.

But if I had to choose something more normal, I'd probably have to pick an axe, something simple and mean, hardly any fuss to be had with it, the perfect instrument for taking a powerful, confident swing and causing a huge gash in anything. People think swinging and hacking is what you do with a sword, but most of them are supposed to be about stabbing. An axe is what specializes in that motion.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I like pipes. Like those big, heavy, rusty pipes you usually have in survival horror games.

 

[StormShaun]

I always have to go with the "Noble Swordsman" role.
Western swords have always intrigued me. Especially the classic medieval Longsword.
This is mostly because I've watched and seen a lot of medieval fiction involved with these swords.

To me they just seem gentle, elegant, noble, and can easily cut you a new one when they want.
... also they look cool when you pose with it.

 

[aba1]

I have always been a fan of Sai and Tanfa however if I am being honest with what I would genuinely use in real life I would almost certainly go bladed gauntlets. I have been doing Judo for 17 years so I am a really proficient grappler and the bladed gauntlets would complement my fighting style best. I always really like giant two handed battle axes as well which I use a lot in games but those are less practical and more about being powerful and cool looking.

 

[Jiggle Counter]

The halberd!

I was a little kid when I first saw one, and I fell in love with it.

I've always liked spears, and a halberd is a spear with an AXE on the end of it.

 

[Summerstorm]

I am in the cheesy "the larger the sword-the better"-group.

So german Zweihänder for me; A sword which is about the length of the user (mostly a little shorter though).

Although i like axe + viking round shield too.

 

[Gray-Philosophy]

Oh boy! Western medieval weaponry in general i think.

I've always been a sucker for stealth play and sneaky kills, so daggers are a usual favourite of mine. But when it comes to head on combat I rather like an ordinary sword. I like it for it's versatility and balance, and then there's just something about the way it looks that really appeals to me.

 

[KenAri]

I like spears the most. Not many things encapsulate that amount of power and grace together. In actual combat though, I'd take a shield over any weapon.

 

[dreng3]

I'd go with a staff, a Bo to be precise, for several reasons.
A) Feel very satifying when you it something or someone with it
B) If you know how to use it it's an elegant weapon
C) It has everything, range, striking power, defensive capabilities.
D) Seems less brutal to fuck someone up with a large stick than with an axe or a sword

If I couldn't have a staff i'd take a Chinese Jian sword, just because it looks cool when you use it right.

 

[AntiChri5]

I am a claymore man myself, although i also enjoy the occasional mace and, in the rare cases it is offered, a lance.

Although most melee weapons can be fantastic if done right.

 

[Killclaw Kilrathi]

I'll go with a halberd anyday. Stab and slash at a distance to keep other melee fighters out of range and at a pinch it can be used as a lance/spear in mounted combat.

 

[Noontide]

I like proper medieval style war hammers. They're very rare in video games though, the majority of game hammers are basically cinder blocks on a stick.

 

[Jesterscup]

I'll go for the riding crop.... I actually take one out in public as part of my act, and you'd be surprised how dangerous it can be, though like the Ma'Tok it is a weapon of terror rather than war...