Dominate Close Combat in Atomfall: Get the Best Melee Weapon and Skill Early

In-Depth Analysis

### Finding the Mace

1. **Travel to Slatten Dale:** Head west towards the location marked as 'Outlaw Caves'. Be prepared for Outlaws guarding the exterior. 2. **Enter the Caves:** Proceed cautiously past the initial trespass warning and enemies. 3. **Navigate the Hallway:** Move forward until you reach a longer hallway. Be mindful of a non-damaging alarm trap here. 4. **Clear the Area:** Deal with the roughly 7-8 Outlaws inside (most melee, potentially one pistol user). 5. **Locate the Mace:** Search the walls along the sides of the main hallway area. The Mace will be mounted on one of them.

*Alternative Location:* If you miss it in the Outlaw Caves, keep an eye out for Mace drops from Druid enemies later in the game, particularly in The Speaking Caves within Casterfell Woods.

### Finding the Melee Combat Manual

1. **Return to the Entrance Area:** Go back towards where the first (alarm) trap was located inside the Outlaw Caves. 2. **Find the Side Passage:** Take a left turn, then a right turn, heading towards the lower part of the cave near the water. 3. **Follow the Path:** Enter the indicated hallway, which will curve upwards and to the left. 4. **Locate the Trapped Room:** You'll find a room branching off to the right. **WARNING:** This room contains an explosive trap near the entrance. 5. **Disarm and Loot:** Carefully disarm or jump over the trap. Inside, you will find the **Melee Combat Manual** (often on the right) and usually a B.A.R.D. box.

### Essential Melee Skills

Once you have the Melee Combat Manual, prioritize unlocking these skills with Training Stimulants:

1. **Melee Weapon Attack Power:** Increases base damage – absolutely essential first pick. 2. **Seasoned Brawler:** Decreases heart rate increase per swing, allowing for more sustained combat. 3. **Heavy Swing Damage Increase:** Further boosts your damage output. 4. **Conditioning Skill Tree Perk:** Look for perks that reduce overall heartbeat increase for maximum stamina efficiency.

While the Mace is a top-tier melee weapon, Atomfall features other powerful options like the pristine versions of the MK.VI Revolver, Broadside Auto 5 Shotgun, JM-3 Bullpup Rifle, and Falkirk Battle Rifle for different combat scenarios. Remember you can upgrade weapons from Rusty to Stock to Pristine quality using the Gunsmith skill (found via the Crafting Manual) by combining two identical weapons with Scrap and Gun Oil.

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FAQ

Takeaways

• Getting the Mace and Melee Combat Manual early provides a significant advantage in Atomfall's combat.
• Prioritize exploring the Outlaw Caves in Slatten Dale to acquire both items.
• Invest Training Stimulants into the recommended melee skills as soon as possible after finding the manual.
• This combination saves ammunition and makes close-quarters encounters much less dangerous.

Discussion

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