The Shishkebab is a flaming melee weapon which sets the target on fire upon impact. Although it appears to run on fuel from the tank on the player's back, it actually uses no fuel at all. Even though its blade is wreathed in fire, you can still apply poisons to the blade of the Shishkebab. The damage over time from the applied poison stacks with the immolation damage.
If a character has the Pyromaniac perk and a poison-coated Shishkebab, it becomes one of the most damaging melee weapons in the game.
It is possible to executeBack Slash outside of V.A.T.S. (without the required Melee skill of 50 to perform the move) by initiating a power attack (hold attack button) while moving forward.
Durability
The shishkebab can successfully strike about 2495 times from full condition before breaking.
Shishkebabs are purchasable from the NCR Supply Officer, Quartermaster Bardon in the Hoover Dam Office. However, you may not be able to purchase from the officer if your reputation with the NCR is neutral or lower or if you have a speech level of under 50.
Old World Blues (add-on) Some lobotomites in the Big MT may carry them at higher levels.
Lonesome Road (add-on) Carried by Marked men in the Divide at higher levels.
Notes
When the Shishkebab is equipped, an oven mitt appears on the right hand of the player and their companions, as protection from the heat.
As it is constantly on fire, the Shishkebab will set off gas leaks if the player walks through one with the sword drawn. The same applies if a companion has it equipped.
Dead Money introduced a special perk called Elijah's Ramblings which gives the player a bonus 150% critical damage with melee weapons. A Character with a Luck of 10, Finesse, Light Touch, and the 1st Recon beret can reach 25% chance to critically hit. The Shishkebab sports a 2x crit. multiplier, turning 25% into 50%. The increased critical chance of Light Touch is not affected by the weapon multiplier. Combined with Elijah's Ramblings it can tear apart most things in the wasteland in seconds.
Though all the components exist in-game, it cannot be crafted like in Fallout 3 with the Schematics - Shishkebab. The same applies to all other crafted weapons from Fallout 3 with exception of the bottlecap mine.
Sometimes if you give a companion a shishkebab your companion might only use the mitt and not the shishkebab.
Behind the scenes
"Shish kebab" is a traditional Turkish dish consisting of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled.
/5s
White-Legs Painmakers in Zion Canyon will carry them.
