About Fallout 4 Best Weapons Types and Classes
When it comes to Fallout 4, weapons are used for much more than simple survival. They also help to express your playstyle – no matter if you prefer the sneaky sniping or all-out explosive chaos. Fallout 4’s weapon system is quite open to the player’s choice. Understanding the types and classes of weapons can assist in finding what is best for you personally. The BandurArt team wants to share with you our choice of Fallout 4 best weapons. Hopefully, you will enjoy reading our guide.
Let’s start with explaining the major types and classes of Fallout 4 best weapons:
1) Ballistic Weapons
The most common ballistic weapons include pistols, rifles, and shotguns. These weapons use traditional ammunition and can be modified to fit either a long-range or close-quarters combat role. Pipe guns are another staple of the Wasteland. They’re scrappy and basic but can still be powerful with the right mods.
2) Unarmed Weapons
Unarmed weapons, like the Power Fist, are brutal on players who love a melee fight. If smashing is more your thing, the melee weapons like swords and baseball bats give a satisfying crunch.
3) Heavy Weapons
Heavy weapons, on the other hand, are for the players who just want to bring in the big guns, literally. While the Fat Man and Minigun can send across ridiculous amounts of damage, they require strength and endurance to maneuver.
4) Energy Weapons
For the more futuristic firepower, there are energy weapons. Laser and plasma guns will melt enemies into gooey piles.
5) Explosives
Explosives like grenades and mines will give you a way to cause chaos from a distance, while shotguns are perfect for up-close devastation. You can read more about the Fallout 4 best weapons and explosives in particular on a fan-made page.
6) Legendary and Unique Weapons
In any case, legendary and unique weapons in Fallout 4 are a whole other story. Many of them have special abilities, such as increased damage or explosive rounds, or perhaps enhancements to critical hits, each is a prize to find in the Wasteland. Every Fallout 4 build will win from these guns.
Every class has something it can offer, and mastering them might make all the difference between life and death in the Commonwealth.
The Gun Progression in Fallout 4
Gun progression in Fallout 4 reflects the growth of your character as a survivor in the Wasteland. When you leave the Vault 111, the choice of Fallout 4 best weapons is very limited and pretty much basic. During the first hours, you’ll mostly have pipe guns and pistols of a low tier. They are not visually stunning but will eliminate the raiders and radroaches.
As you level up and scavenge the ruins of Boston, the more sophisticated weapons you will find – hunting rifles, combat shotguns, and even laser pistols. Mid-tier guns hit harder and offer far superior modding options. You can customize them to your combat style. Tack on a scope, silencer, or extended magazine. And you might just turn that basic weapon into your personal all-time destroyer.
Later in the game, you will have high-end gear: plasma weapons, gauss rifles, and heavy artillery. These things are beasts to be reckoned with as they shred through power armor. These best weapons in Fallout 4 can take down even the toughest enemies like Deathclaws and Super Mutants. Legendary and unique weapons also start showing up with greater frequency, conferring perks like explosive rounds or higher damage.
You can read more about the gun progression in Fallout 4 on Reddit.
Summing up, Fallout 4 gun progression is about the simultaneous upgrading of both your guns and your character in this action RPG. As your skills grow bigger and better, so do the guns in your inventory.
Tips for Choosing the Fallout 4 Best Weapons
Playstyle
When it comes to finding the best Fallout 4 weapons, you need to find what works best with your playstyle. For example, the players who prefer sitting back prefer sniper rifles and long-range energy weapons something like Gauss Rifle or Laser Sniper. For close-range battles, a shotgun can be super destructive. If you take it more personally, consider the melee weapons like Super Sledge or Furious Power Fist.
Perks
Pay close attention to your character’s perks as well. Some perks like “Rifleman” or “Commando” will make rifles or automatic weapons much better. Put the points into crafting perks like “Gun Nut” or “Science!” to mod the weapons and upgrade your favorite choices with scopes, silencers, or improved damage power.
Unique Bonuses
Also, Legendary weapons often have attached bonuses to make quite a difference in battle. Look for effects such as setting targets on fire, explosive rounds, or increased damage after successive hits. Also, always pay attention to the gun’s stats.
Versatility
It’s also smart to keep different types of weapons in your backpack. Balancing ballistic, energy, and melee options makes sure you’re ready for any situation – no matter if you are fighting ghouls in tight corridors or taking down a Deathclaw.
Fallout 4 Best Melee Weapons
Melee gear can easily become the best Fallout 4 weapons are a brutal, satisfying way to go up against enemies in Fallout 4, particularly for those characters that like saving ammunition.
The following top five melee weapons have perks and drawbacks that distinguish them from one another:
- Grognak’s Axe. It does a lot of damage, stuns, and staggers enemies with each hit. Incredible against crowds. Its attack speed is slow along with a very short range. You can find it in Hubris Comics, on display inside a glass case;
- Furious Power Fist. It inflicts more damage on the same target with each consecutive hit – very deadly against bosses. It lacks at close range and can only be used effectively when working in melee combat. You can loot it from Swan after defeating him in Boston Common;
- Super Sledge. It is a very high base damage because of its energy-powered swings. Perfect for crushing enemies. A bit slower compared to other weapons in melee, so it requires proper timing. You can buy it from vendors or loot off high-level enemies such as super mutants;
- Kremvh’s Tooth. This groovy machete does poison damage. It’s a little bit slower compared to other melee weapons. It is located deep inside Dunwich Borers, in a hidden room at the very bottom of the mine;
- Shishkebab. This flaming sword strikes in both physical and fire damage, ideal for keeping crowds at bay. It requires fuel for the flame, and the base damage isn’t the highest. Get it as a reward from the “Out of the Fire” quest after helping Finch Farm. Or craft it if you have the parts;
Fallout 4 Best Heavy Weapons
Heavy weapons in Fallout 4 can wreak havoc. Use them against tough enemies and large groups. Many of them may have some pretty big drawbacks while inflicting a heavy amount of damage, such as slow reload times or limited ammunition.
Check some of the Fallout 5 best weapons in the heavy category:
- Fat Man. Shoots mini-nukes, able to kill groups or big enemies with one shot. Ammunition is extremely rare and heavy;
- Gatling Laser. Very good damage, with increasing output towards high-health enemies, while continuously firing. It requires the use of fusion cores, highly valuable and seldom encountered;
- Junk Jet. Fires junk items as projectiles, making it quite versatile in terms of ammunition since you can use trash. Slow to reload, and its damage depends on the item being fired;
- Missile Launcher. Huge amount of explosive damage, perfect to use against armored enemies and groups. Very heavy and has a limited ammo capacity;
- Cryolator. The unique weapon that freezes enemies, making them easy to finish off. Ammo is really rare and it doesn’t deal the highest base damage;
Fallout 4 Best Early Weapons
Early Fallout 4 weapons are essential to survive within the opening hours. While they may not have the firepower of more advanced gear, they can pack a punch when upgraded or used strategically.
These are some of the best early-game weapon choices in Fallout 4:
- 10mm Pistol. It uses the common ammo with a fast firing rate. And it can be modded out to do some decently high damage early on in the game. Low base damage compared to other firearms;
- Pipe Rifle. Extremely plentiful ammunition. It can be modified into a much better gun. Very low base damage, weaker than most ballistic weapons;
- Laser Musket. This powerful energy gun with charged shots can deal plenty of damage against even armored enemies. Slow reload speed, limited early game ammo;
- Double-Barrel Shotgun. Great close-range damage, able to take out most enemies at close quarters with one shot. It has a limited range, only two shots before it needs to be reloaded;
- Tire Iron. It is easy to find, has good damage for a melee weapon, great for conserving ammo. It has a very short range and is completely worthless against well-armored enemies;
The jury still goes on about the Fallout 4 best weapons early in the game. Join the Steam discussion on this matter.
Fallout 4 Best Energy Weapons
Energy weapons in Fallout 4 are ideal when confronting armored enemies or robots. They are based on the laser or plasma technologies to melt through them. These weapons usually have high damage output but most often require rare ammo. A good strategic weapon choice.
Check our selection of the Fallout best weapons with the energy effects:
- Plasma Rifle. High damage, and when upgraded it can also have ballistic damage. Upgrading this weapon is quite expensive while the ammo is pretty rare;
- Laser Rifle. Very accurate, high rate of fire, with a lot of mods available. Though, it has mediocre damage, uses up Fusion Cells fast. Early versions can be looted from synths;
- Institute Rifle. It is very light and has a high rate of fire, effective against unarmored foes. It has low damage compared to other energy weapons;
- Tesla Rifle. Its electrical discharges can hit several targets at the same time, and it is good for area-of-effect purposes. Short-range, low-base damage against single targets;
- Alien Blaster. Extremely high damage, unique design. It is one of the most powerful energy weapons in the game for high-level enemies. Extremely rare ammo, making it barely usable without modification;
Fallout 4 Best Legendary Weapons
Legendary guns within Fallout 4 also have special effects that distinguish them from regular versions. Such special modifiers can really change your combat strategy – from pulling off extra damage to freezing in place.
This is the list of the most legendary weapons in Fallout 4:
- Two-Shot Gauss Rifle. Fires two projectiles for the price of one. Requires charging before firing, uses very expensive ammo;
- Wounding Combat Shotgun. Inflicts an additional 25 points of bleed damage on top of its already wonderful output. It is pretty good against challenging-to-kill enemies. The bleed damage effect has to ramp up over time. Not very effective during fast battles;
- Explosive Minigun. Each bullet is capable of explosive area damage. It is very effective in clearing groups of foes or inflicting high damage on tough opponents. If used at a very close range, there’s a chance the self-explosion;
- Furious Power Fist. Increased damage with every consecutive hit on the same target. It is perfect for melee-focused builds. It has a limited range since it’s a melee weapon, requiring close combat that can be dangerous to take on;
- Laser Rifle (Instigating Effect). It has a double damage to enemies in full health. The rifle is perfect for opening shots against high-health targets. Once the enemy takes one hit, it will no longer apply the legendary effect because the damage has been done;
We’ve only scratched the surface of Fallout 4 best Legendary weapons. Watch this video to learn more about this class of great guns.
The Best Unique Weapons in Fallout 4
Unique Fallout 4 weapons are single pieces with set statistics. Mostly, they have special effects making them different from their “vanilla” analogs. Earn them after completing the specific quests, certain vendors, or a little digging in obscure places.
These are some of the Fallout 4 best weapons with the Unique status:
- Deliverer. It is a fast-firing silenced pistol, great in VATS, very accurate, and low AP cost. However, it is held back by its 10mm ammo. Get it as a reward from the “Tradecraft” quest in the Railroad storyline;
- Overseer’s Guardian. The weapon fires an extra projectile for every shot taken making it almost double its potential damage. It is very thirsty for ammo since it has that double-shot effect along with the upgrades applied. You can buy it from a vendor;
- Big Jim. This wrench has a 20% chance to cripple the target’s leg and is great for crowd control. However, it has low base damage compared with other melee weapons. Find it in the “Walden Pond” location inside a secret sewer pipe;
- General Chao’s Revenge. This Chinese officer’s sword is very strong with an additional 50% damage to robots. It can be ideal against mechanical foes. But its impact is only significant for robots and not that strong on other kinds of enemies. This gun is sold by Trudy in Drumlin Diner early in the game;
- Kellogg’s Pistol. It restores AP on a critical hit, which goes well with VATS-focused builds due to the sustained use. The .44 ammo it uses can be pretty rare to find, which will limit its use without stockpiling. Loot if from Kellogg during the main quest “Reunions” early in the game;
If you are feeling confused about all these Fallout 4 best weapons, we have prepared a comparison table with the best pick from each mentioned category.
| Weapon | Class | Perks | Pros | Cons | Difficulty of Getting |
| Grognak’s Axe | Melee | Increased critical hit damage | High damage, no ammo required | Short range, limited to melee combat | Easy |
| Fat Man | Heavy | Fires mini-nukes, massive AOE damage | Massive damage, good for groups | Rare ammo, high weight | Medium |
| Laser Rifle | Energy | Upgradeable crank power | High single-shot damage | Slow to fire, needs manual cranking | Easy |
| Overseer’s Guardian | Legendary | Shoots two bullets per shot | High damage, good range | Uses more ammo per shot | Medium |
| Deliverer | Unique | VATS cost reduction, quiet | Low AP cost, fast-firing | Less effective at long-range | Easy |
Top 5 Fallout Best Weapons for Any Class and Build
After explaining the best weapons in Fallout 4 according to their function and class it is high time to tell about the best of the best gun options from the game’s major arsenal. You can upgrade any of these weapons and won’t miss them – they fill almost every playstyle except ghosting or sniping.
Overseer’s Guardian
The legendary rifle shoots two bullets for the price of one, thereby firing, well, twice as much damage. It’s perfect for medium to long-range combat and can be modded for both sniper and automatic builds. Versatility alone makes this a must-have for any survivor.
- Pros – high damage, modifiable;
- Cons – higher ammo consumption;
- How to get – it is sold by Alexis Combes in Vault 81;
Deliverer
A silenced 10mm pistol that works wonders with VATS-based characters. Its low AP cost allows for multiple shots in VATS, which makes it a lethal option for any stealth-based or agility-focused build.
- Pros – low AP cost, quiet;
- Cons – short range.
- How to get – complete the quest “Tradecraft” from the Railroad;
Fat Man
The Fat Man is a real monster when it comes to taking out large groups of enemies or going up against particularly resilient foes. Firing mini-nukes, this “bad boy” changes the balance of any battle for your favor.
- Pros – Huge AOE damage;
- Cons – Heavy, rare ammo;
- How to get – in various locations including Fort Strong;
Gauss Rifle
This is one of the most powerful energy weapons in Fallout 4 and packs quite a punch. It’s perfect for precision shots and can be upgraded to inflict even more damage on your enemies.
- Pros – high single-shot damage;
- Cons – slow reload;
- How to get – sold by vendors like KL-E-0 in Goodneighbor;
Kremvh’s Tooth
This unique melee weapon offers poison damage over time, lethal in drawn-out fights. With high base damage and enchantment, it is perfect for melee builds.
- Pros – poison damage, high DPS;
- Cons – short range;
- How to get – find in Dunwich Borers;
These Fallout 4 best weapons will give you a pretty universal set of tools so you are prepared for anything this game may throw at you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most powerful weapon in Fallout 4?
Many players agree that the Fat Man is the most powerful weapon in Fallout 4. Mainly because it can launch mini-nukes and cause extensive area-of-effect damage. However, this weapon is very situational, since ammo is rare and it can harm the player as well if used with recklessness. On the other hand, the more versatile Gauss Rifle offers extremely high damage per shot and can be upgraded for more precise, powerful attacks.
Where to find the legendary weapons in Fallout 4?
Legendary weapons are the reward for killing legendary enemies – stronger, mutated variants of regular enemies. Such beasts spawn in certain areas and during the main quests. Each legendary weapon has a special effect, such as extra damage or healing. Look for the glowing enemies in more challenging parts of the Boston Common. And your chances to meet these beasts increase if you play at hard difficulty levels.
Are melee weapons any good in Fallout 4?
They are, especially if you intend to invest in perks like Big Leagues and Rooted. For example, Kremvh’s Tooth and Super Sledge have high damage poisonous or explosive benefits among other special effects. Melee builds will help you save on ammo, especially in tight situations. Keep an upgraded melee weapon in your arsenal. Just make sure that you have good armor or a high health bar to take the damage while closing the distance on tough enemies.
Can I upgrade the energy weapons in Fallout 4?
Yes, energy weapons in Fallout 4 can be upgraded. You can customize certain weapons, such as the Laser Rifle and Gauss Rifle. Add the improvement range, damage, and accuracy. Beam splitters, overcharged capacitors, and improved barrels can significantly boost the power of your energy weapon. If you happen to put perks into “Science!”, this opens up more advanced upgrades for energy weapons.
Conclusion
The choice of the Fallout 4 best weapons will depend on your playstyle, but nailing at least one ballistic, energy, melee, and heavy can make all the difference in the Wasteland. The BandurArt team hopes you have found this guide helpful. Keep following our blog to get a better picture of the game development and game industry in general. We are also open to collaboration with large and small teams if you are looking for a reliable group of talented artists and animators.
