On one of my older characters, I've nearly reached level 50 with an energy weapon build, but I've also raised melee weapons to 90 and I'm wondering how useful this perk actually is. I'm sure that it is invaluable against enemy NPCs wielding melee weapons, but overall, is the perk work it?

How many NPCs attack you with Melee Weapons? Or, get to attack you because you can't kill them first? Answer those two questions and then you can answer yours.

Not many -- Energy weapons are pretty lethal at high level.

I wouldn't take it if you're using melee as a fallback.

Enemies seldom seems to block anyway. If they do, it's usually the random Jackals or Fiends; most other threatening humans usually prefer to shoot you. I've never seen Super Mutant block, HH tribals and Deathclaws are too aggressive to stop and block.

And since you've said that you're catering a crit build, I don't see why you would not pick the Just Lucky I'm Alive perk at level 50 to get another 50% critical hit damage.

Level 47 -- needed to choose a level 48 perk.

Just Lucky I'm Alive at 50 is a no-brainer.

I used to think it was cool for melee guys, but since vats is the way to start melee, I rarely take it anymore. The double damage of vats is what makes melee and unarmed awesome!

Don't forget piercing strike, that is one perk that every unarmed/melee character should snag.

For Melee I always found the Super Slam perk all you needed, especially with the War Club. You attack so fast with a modded War Club that the critters never have a chance to get back up once the first knock down triggers.

Add some Rushing Water to that and they never, ever, get up.

Apologies for the minor derailment, but is the modded war club faster than the modded katana?

According to wiki ( http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Katana_(GRA http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/War_club ) a modded War Club is 4.2 attacks per second. Modded Katana is 5.2 attacks per second. The war club and mods are guaranteed to be sold by Joshua Graham and from the Gun Runners once you complete Honest Hearts DLC though while the Katana's mods can be a lot harder to come by. Also the War Club is dirt cheap to buy and repair and only takes 25 skill to use at it's maximum abilities while the Katana 75 skill. So pluses and minuses to both.

Thank you, I have both (fully modded) but just couldn't decide.

there is a weird glitch with the war club too, it has something to do with running forward and hitting the attack button or some such. I have heard couple dudes here talking about it, but can't remember where. You end up jumping/skipping faster than move normally, because you are doing a vat's maneuver outside of vats:D

Don't forget, turbo and all the chems for speed are cool. But you do double damage in vats with unarmed/melee, x2 damage is freakin beastly

Pop some Turbo while you're at it and you might pound them into another dimension.

That's 78% chance for take down per second... OP.

It slices, it dices, it makes julienne legionaires!