# Are NPCs able to switch from a ranged to a melee weapon if a zombie gets close yet?
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/are-npcs-able-to-switch-from-a-ranged-to-a-melee-weapon-if-a-zombie-gets-close-yet/28672
**Category:** The Drawing Board
**Created:** [April 10, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/are-npcs-able-to-switch-from-a-ranged-to-a-melee-weapon-if-a-zombie-gets-close-yet/28672 "2023-04-10T01:04:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@4R53N1C](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/4R53N1C)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/are-npcs-able-to-switch-from-a-ranged-to-a-melee-weapon-if-a-zombie-gets-close-yet/28672/1 "2023-04-10T01:04:01Z")
I’m still on stable, but was wondering if anyone has managed to get this aspect of NPCs working yet. Kind of sucks having allies unable to pull out a knife or something when zombies get too close even if I arm them properly.
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### Author:  [@Crake](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Crake)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/are-npcs-able-to-switch-from-a-ranged-to-a-melee-weapon-if-a-zombie-gets-close-yet/28672/2 "2023-04-13T20:34:14Z")
idk but if you’re having trouble bayonets can help
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### Author:  [@Eren\_Rager](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Eren_Rager)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2023, 11:50am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/are-npcs-able-to-switch-from-a-ranged-to-a-melee-weapon-if-a-zombie-gets-close-yet/28672/3 "2023-04-14T11:50:17Z")
They can, sometimes, if they did not happen to come to the conclusion that throwing their melee weapon will maximise the damage they can deal. I’m not really sure about it, but they tend to throw high-end melee-dedicated weapons less, sadly baseball bats don’t seem to be included in that criteria last time I gave one to an NPC.