So, I'm gonna try a new method of killing Deathclaws on VH and hardcoe (Running low on mininukes) and for it to work I need a melee weapon thats powerful and has a long reach. So far the best I've seen in that area are the Protonic Inversal Axe and the Blade of the West. Anyone else have any ideas?

Anyway, basically I'm going to time the attack so I catch the DC right as he lunges with the Ranger Takedown and then maul him while hes incapacitated. This might not even work, though, since I know they have a very long reach... Stupid things kill me in one hit pretty much no matter what I wear...

What ever you decide to do it with, you better be maxed out with as much DR and DT as possible. DR is far more powerful, but a high DT will help. Buff out with all things like, Buff Out, Battle Brew, Med-X, Slasher, Large Wasteland Tequila, Wasteland Tequila, Weapon Binding Ritual, Yogi Meat...I know I am missing some...

Some of these things will add to your damage as well. Make sure you have all the needed perks as well. Unarmed has Pear Strike and Par Palm. Oh Baby is a strong melee. A chainsaw will negate the DT of a DC. Just holding that thing down on something, does massive damage. It will kill faster than the Threm Lance.

This is a pretty big task. It will take a well thought out Build / Chems / Perks / Meds to be successful.

Good Luck...You'll need it.

I use Old Glory and with a crit build, proper perks and slasher I can one-shot a deathclaw.

No joke.

Rushing Water to increase your attack speed and as many different kinds of foods as you have to boost your hit point regeneration.

Oh Baby! with Super Slam! and a good Crit Chance

Once the Deathclaw is down hes screwed because I can hit him so many times per second with Slayer, Rushing Water, and other powerups, and Super Slam will activate again in that time. Funny thing is... I remember meleeing them with my Energy Weapons character using a Ballistic fist he wasn't even able to use, but I beat the snot out of the DC Promatory on VH mode.

Old Glory and the unique bumper swords all have the longest reach at 1.3. There are a few others in the 1.1-1.2 range. Most of the 2 handed melee weapons have a reach of 1, while most 1 handed melee weapons have a reach of .5

-Gunny

I kill deathclaws in hardcoe mode with unarmed build, and using some buffs like slasher, work for me.

Well yeh thats what I do now, but the majority either two hit kill me or one hit kill me with Med-X and Slasher active (Very Hard difficulty if you missed that). Usually I can beat them up if I'm careful enough but my point is if I could hit them before they hit me and knock them down they're in trouble.

I always thought the regular Fire-Axe had pretty wide range and damn good damage too.

I do like it but its not enough range for me, if I want damage I'll take my Super-Heated Saturnite Fist .