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Bethesda’s willingness to let players approach the game however they’d like is part of what makesย Starfieldย so great. Whether you are looking to be a pacifist, a space wizard, or something equally as insane, there is a way to achieve it. As we saw in last June’sย Starfield Direct, building a melee-centric character is completely viable. To live out all of your space-boxing fantasies, here is how to effectively melee in Starfield.
Melee Controls in Starfield
Using an equipped melee weapon in Starfield is fairly straightforward. Press the right trigger to attack an enemy, and the left trigger to block incoming melee damage. Blocking is vital to combat and should never be ignored. Blocking an attack will not only reduce the damage taken by the player, but it also can potentially stagger enemies.
For maximum damage power and stagger potential, be sure to utilize power attacks. These will deplete your oxygen supply, but they can also mean the difference between life and death. Power attacks can be performed by pushing in the right joystick.
Keep in mind that the ability to melee in Starfield is not just restricted to melee-specific weapons. Any ranged weapon can also be used as a bludgeoning device by pressing the right joystick.
How to Increase Melee Damage Potential in Starfield
Some of Starfield’s melee weapons are objectively better than others, so be sure to keep an eye on each weapon’s stats. However, sometimes you have to make do with what you have. This is where skills come into play.
Certain skills in the “Physical” skill tree will boost your damage output. “Neurostrike”, for instance, grants players the ability to stagger opponents with a single blow! Furthermore, it is capable of straight-up killing enemies and sending them flying into the stratosphere if the gravity is low enough.
If you reach the end of melee run in Starfield and decide that one playthrough wasn’t enough – fear not. Todd Howard has confirmed that a new game plus is available, along with a game-changing twist.
