So the last few days I have been using the Fire Axe as my melee weapon, but I recently found a Mace. Which one would be a better melee weapon? The Fire Axe has better Cut damage and more techniques, but lower bash damage and attacks slower. But the Mace has no Cut damage what so ever…
Also, do the bashing damage and cutting damage add up? So does that Fire Axe do 20 bashing + 20 cut = 40 total damage?
Fire axe is generally better IMHO. But I stopped using them in favor of a spear. they are faster and have reach.
The higher damage and the special attacks definitely make the fire axe better, unless you are specialized in bashing then the damage with be better with the mace, but you still miss out on the great specials the axe has.
Generally I priortize things something like this:
Loadout 1:
Purpose = General skilling/ not dying to random groups of tenacious enemies
Weapons: 1.A few throwables to weaken/kill kiting critters and anything else thats aproaching
priorities: Can be lost and/or reused at will with minimal effect to long term Often this means Pool balls and rocks
2. A melee weapon with reach stat; priorities are 1.length of reach, 2.attack speed suffecient to get a hit in, and run before they get closer AND hit. Increased reach allows for higher moves threshold 3.High enough damage to hurt high protection units like zoldier if req can’t be met run Result owl pike once available, untill then knife spear or simmilar
3.Weapon for direct melee fighting/leveling dodge&defencive skills 1.high block 2.fastish attack speed in case engagement is worse than speculated don’t end up with half dead character after first hit 3.damage(adjusted for experience with attack type)
A small gun goes well with this loadout, as with most for dealing high damage to large threats.
Usually “this weapon vs this weapon” is more about well… if I go with this weapon do I need to change the rest of my loadout, or does it not work well with the experience I have, or is the wepon to unbalanced towards damage/attack speed in favor of the other (sledgehammer, small knives etc…)
there may be situations where you plan to go against an enemy with high cut resistance where something like the mace is better. Also for (s)mashing things.
My main weapon is a riffle, with a handgun as a sidearn. I just carry a melee weapon around in order to kill weak monsters in order to save ammo for my guns.
So it’s not like I need a specific melee weapon to deal with strong monsters, because I will switch to my riffle if I feel like my melee weapon is too dangerous.
I would definitely say the axe. Generally cutting damage is gonna be better. To my knowledge blunt and cut damage do stack.
Additionally as a minor point you can use the axe to cut down trees and stuff. Whereas the hammering quality of the mace is the same as any old rock.
Can the fire axe be used like a crowbar? I feel like that should be an option since the quintessential fire axe always has some kind of spike on the peen specifically to pry things. If not it is really good at smashing doors and such.
Sadly I cant use it as a crowbar, otherwise this would be a very easy choice for me 
Crowbars, dive knives, halligan bars, ice axes, and makeshift crowbars are the only items with pry.
I like the iceax as a general utility tool that clips to a firefighter’s belt and doesn’t weigh a ton.
So it used to be that 37 bash was better than 20 cut and 20 bash, because a single piece of armor could reduce both cut and bash damage. I don’t think that’s changed.
I’d probably use the mace as my primary melee weapon but keep the axe around as a tool.
That is true. If you can keep them both. I would argue that accounting for armor is rare when you’re at the point in the game where OP presumably is. Does the mace have a better to-hit? If so I would definitely use it as my primary weapon then.
If those guns are your main weapons, you should keep an eye out for a manual on taekwondo. You can kick the crap out of things with taekwondo without unwielding your rifle.
Between both weapons, I don’t think you have the strength/skill to use the axe effectively, you’re just too slow with it with that character, so zombies will hit you a lot before you finish your swing. So go with the mace.
That it is lighter and takes less volume also helps.
The only thing that makes the decision iffy is the blocking that the axe provides, but if you have some other piece of equipment giving it to you, you should be fine.
In general, when I’m looking for melee weapons, I look for, in order of priority:
1.- Compatibility with any MAs I have
2.- How fast it can swing (slow swing speed means you get hit a lot, even with reach), and if it’s not my primary weapon, how fast can I equip it (no good to switch to a backup weapon if you’re going to die before finishing).
3.- Reach
4.- Damage
5.- Blocking
6.- Other techniques
The latter half of what ABC said here is excellent advise. With one caveat that in certain situations damage trumps speed. If the enemy has lots of armor for example and you need high damage to get through. The other is if you have a zweihander. Because speed isn’t as important if nothing survives the first swing.
I guess I should have clarified a little.
If a weapon is too slow, then don’t use it. This varies with your skill and strength, so for example, that axe, for you, sucks ass, but if you were stronger and more skilled, it would be good.
This is because if you are too slow, zombies have an easier time catching up to you and cornering you when in groups, and even if you kill with every swing, those groups will be able to get several hits in while you do. It also makes fumbles and misses very painful.
Notice the emphasis on too. Once a weapon is under ‘acceptable’ swing speed, even if it’s a little slow, I start looking at other qualities. That Zweihander is not something I’d wield at low skill/strength, but once skilled enough, I’d probably grab it unless I’m primarily a ranged character (too big to be wielded fast for a backup weapon), or I’m running with eskrima or niten.
Another similar caveat is if it’s too weak damage-wise, like for example most knives, I’d probably pass it even if they play nice with points 1 & 2 and I’m looking for just a backup weapon. Even high swing speed can’t make up for not being able to kill the enemies fast enough, not being able to punch through armor is also a concern, unless you’re carrying a backup (or primary) weapon to do just that.
