Best Melee Weapons in Rivals (Ranked)
Rivals melee weapons ranked: Knife, Katana, Gunblade, Daggers, Scythe, and Fists — verified costs, backstab, and hitscan deflection.
Best Melee Weapons in Rivals (Ranked)
Melee in Rivals is not a meme — the right knife or sword wins close fights and finishes low enemies. The verified melee weapons are Knife (20 Keys, backstab instakill), Katana (45 Keys, deflects hitscan), Gunblade, Daggers, Scythe (40 Keys), and Fists (free, double jump). Here is how they rank.
S Tier Melee
The Katana (45 Keys) is S Tier because it deflects hitscan shots — a unique defensive tool no other melee has. The Knife (20 Keys) is S Tier for offense: a backstab is an instant kill, the strongest finisher in the game.
If you play aggressive, run the Knife. If you play a deflect-and-counter style, run the Katana. These two define high-level melee play.
A Tier Melee
The Scythe (40 Keys) is a wide-arc melee good for clearing crowds and trading in messy fights. The Gunblade blends a melee swing with a ranged shot, giving flexibility in a single slot.
Both are strong picks when you want more than a pure stab. They pair well with explosive or ranged primaries that leave you exposed up close.
B Tier Melee
The Daggers are a fast, low-commitment melee for quick pokes and finishes. They lack the Katana's defense and the Knife's guaranteed backstab, but they are mobile and easy to use.
Daggers suit players who treat melee as a backup rather than a main plan.
C Tier Melee
Fists are free and grant a double jump, making them a movement tool first and a kill tool second. They are great for traversal and the rivals movement guide tricks, but they will not win a straight trade against a Knife or Katana.
Run Fists when your loadout already covers damage and you want the mobility edge.
Melee by Goal
Instakill a flanker: Knife backstab. Deflect a Sniper: Katana. Clear a crowd: Scythe. Stay mobile: Fists. Want a hybrid: Gunblade.
Your melee should match how often you actually end up in close combat. Ranged players can run Fists for the double jump alone.
Melee in Loadouts
Most competitive kits run either Knife (aggressive) or Katana (defensive). The best loadout for 1v1 usually pairs a ranged primary with the Knife for free finishes. The loadout builder guide walks through slot-by-slot choices.
Melee is cheap to unlock, so test all of them in the shooting range before committing.
A Warning About Fake Weapon Tier Lists
Before you trust any Rivals tier list, check the gun names. Several popular "tier lists" rank weapons that do not exist in the game. Rivals has 53 weapons plus 5 gamemode-exclusive weapons, and that is the entire arsenal.
These weapons are fabricated and are NOT in Rivals: Heavy Sniper, Pulse AR, Freeze Ray, Chainsaw, Battle Axe, cyber armor. If a list ranks a "Heavy Sniper", a "Pulse AR", a "Freeze Ray", a "Chainsaw", a "Battle Axe", or "cyber armor", treat the whole list as unreliable. Every weapon on this wiki is verified to ship in Rivals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best melee in Rivals?
The Katana (45 Keys) for its hitscan deflection, and the Knife (20 Keys) for its backstab instakill. Both are S Tier for different reasons.
Does the Knife really instakill?
Yes. A Knife backstab is an instant kill in Rivals, which makes it the strongest melee finisher when you catch someone from behind.
What does the Katana do?
The Katana (45 Keys) deflects hitscan shots, letting you turn enemy fire back and survive duels a Knife could not.
Are Fists worth using?
Fists are free and grant a double jump, so they are a mobility pick rather than a damage melee. Great for movement-focused loadouts.
More Rivals Wiki Pages
Related Guides
Assault Rifle Guide (Rivals)
The free Rivals Assault Rifle: 12 body / 15 crit, 20 mag, why it is the best starter and how to use it at every rank.
Best Loadout Tier List in Rivals
Full 4-slot Rivals loadouts ranked S–D for 1v1, 2v2, and 5v5, built only from verified weapons.
Best Primary Weapons in Rivals (Tier List + Stats)
Ranked primary weapons in Rivals: Assault Rifle, Sniper, Shotgun, Burst Rifle, Minigun, Bow, RPG, and more, with verified costs and roles.
Best Secondary Weapons in Rivals (Ranked)
Rivals secondary weapons ranked: Uzi, Energy Pistols, Revolver, and Slingshot — roles, costs, and which primary they pair with.