10 Most Powerful Fallout Weapons
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VOICE OVER: Josh McLean
WRITTEN BY: Josh McLean
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're examining the most powerful weapons of the Fallout franchise. For this list, we'll be taking into consideration a weapons base damage, and any special effects it may apply. Drawing the line exactly where one gun beats another is tricky, as player builds often heavily affect weapon performance. That said, these firearms are capable of dishing out unrivaled damage when used as intended. Raiders be warned, we're bringing out the literal big guns. Our list includes the Turbo Plasma Rifle, the Tesla Cannon, the Alien Blaster, the Bozar, and more!
Script written by Josh McLean
Don’t make me sing the song.. This is truly the "big iron" of legend when it comes to New Vegas. The ranger deals a respectable 62 base damage out of the box, with an all-time-low 0.1 in terms of weapon spread. If you’re looking to role play a cowboy, this thing belongs on your hip. Although, even the sneakiest of pistol users won’t be able to smuggle it into a casino, the ranger is just that much of a statement piece. Lore wise it’s only carried by New California Republic veteran rangers after 20 years of service, so don’t expect to find one of these just lying around anywhere. It’s beautiful dark finish and gold engravings have been enchanting players for years. Be you Legion or NCR, the Ranger Sequoia is the spirit of "New Vegas" in my eyes.
The original energy caster from Fallout 1 & 2! This P94 “rifle” totes great range, meeting unrivaled damage. It’s plasma can reach upwards of 35 tiles, burning soft targets, melting armored ones, and reducing anything else to goo. Hitting for 70 damage may not seem like a ton at first, but we must account for weapon inflation after all! As enemies in the earlier games sat at a range of about 60-100 health, even the toughest of ghouls are being one shot here, as expected. With an extremely low action point cost, and relatively common ammo typing, there’s no doubting its versatility in battle. The turbo plasma rifle is one of the greatest choices to wield in both the series’ first entree, as well as the sequel.
The top tier of melee weapons, slice through any attempt at defense, using the hand of Fallout's most infamous species Now there are obviously a couple routes to go, when deciding to lay down your guns, and build your character around melee. Maybe your preference lies in the massive radiation damage of the Atom’s Judgement? Or the literal fire-power of the shishkebab and it’s variants? For us, the armour piercing abilities of the deathclaw gauntlet is just too efficient to pass up. I mean, who needs damage over time, when you’ve already cut right through their health bar in a single swipe. With a clean cool 50 base damage, and 97 DPS, feel free to bring vengeance to the monsters that slayed you oh so many times in the early game.Benefitting even further from the unarmed trait, a deathclaw’s gauntlet can remove limbs with cross chops, or easily punch off heads with an uppercut, no matter what the enemy is wearing. Plus, for the Fist of Rawr variant, you have to earn and craft the thing yourself. Making those Wolverine-style slicing and dicing sprees even more satisfying!
Become a walking talking tank, with this mere 8 pound energy weapon designed by Nikola himself! At least… in Fallout lore that is. Getting right to it, 140 base damage sprinkled with a shock effect, and splash damage to hit multiple targets, that can pass through walls mind you-! Is the upper end of what I would call overpowered.They’re adept at shooting down vertibirds and what further proof is there of it’s might, then there only being roughly 12 of these weapons to exist at a time in a player's save file. Cause if you see a particularly armoured Brotherhood of Steel NPC pull out one of these, it’s likely already too late for you. It uses one of the rarest ammo types in the game, so there isn’t really a reason to not carry one of these in your back pocket, unless you’re a big gatling laser fan of course. But for my money, it’s Tesla’s death beam all the way.
Another unique weapon befitting of Captain Ahab himself. This harpoon gun deals enormous damage at greater ranges than a hunting rifle. If you thought the Dragon from ‘76 was game breaking, this thing was far too OP for multiplayer. At base we witness a whopping 150 damage single-shot, only to knock our socks off once again when reading it’s special effect. The Admiral will always hit for double damage when baddies are at full health. Given that you haven’t pulled the trigger, fights are sure to last but a moment when armed with this fishermans friend. It fires once before reloading, but anything surviving such a hit is at risk of death by stubbing their toe. Custom parts like scopes or barbed harpoons insure not only sneak attack bonus multipliers, but bleeding damage too! Grab yourself one of these with a legendary effect for an ultimate showstopper. It’ll be worth the sixteen pounds in your pocket.
Call down a laser from the heavens to blow up your foes, super villain style! To obtain the pistol, the courier has to complete a lengthy quest line involving setting up an orbital strike satellite known as the Archimedes II. The C-Finder fires once a day, although only when outside. As pulling the trigger begins an animated sequence signaling your enemies impending doom. The damage hailing from the satellite beam itself is upwards of 170 damage, with a 50% chance to crit entire groups of enemies. Seemingly able to sneak attack foes despite the… well, giant obvious beam of light. The spectacle of this weapon is more for the show. Not looking forward to rushing that group of raiders? Time to settle the score with this cute little laser pointer!
One of the few beastly "big guns" in Fallout 2, comically referred to as the "ultimate refinement of the sniper's art". It returned in New Vegas: Gun Runners as an LMG, offering players the ability to become a moving turret of destruction. I’m talking extremely fast reloads, low AP costs, and higher rates of fire. This weapon is every mercs dream! It’s solid for mid to all ranges, and won’t let you down as a go-to firearm for any altercation. The Boze’ here spits out 19 base damage bullets, for an impressive 285 damage per second output, far surpassing any other light machine gun. The upper ends of an upgrade Bozar can double that lethality, more than shredding any monster that crosses you. The numbers don’t lie! Still not impressed with its performance in Fallout New Vegas? Returning to Fallout 2 reveals its deadly potential, capable of dishing out upwards of 300 to 500 damage. There’s few things that will survive a round against you, and your Bozar’s armor piercing properties. It may jam on you if you don’t take perfect care of it, but we had to include this glow up of a legacy weapon from the first two RPGs in the franchise.
Take a rail gun, a sniper rifle, a heating coil, and the dark magic of coding. Ba-zoom! You’ve got a souped up gauss rifle and scientific abomination ready to electromagnetically kill anything you please. The YCS comes complete with long range scope for guaranteed sneak attack multiplier damage! Although even when detected it boasts the highest base damage of any non explosive weapon in the game. The Anti-Material Rifle may be a go-to for some sharp shooter, but this microfusion gulper far out classes it, crippling anything that doesn’t die from the immediate hit. Enough talk, numbers time. A gnarly 140 base damage, 420 *ahem* DPS, plus increased accuracy with the aforementioned 3.5x scope for unsurpassed range. I’ll happily carry the unique YCS into a battle anyday, even if energy weapons aren't usually my thing.
Was there any surprise? Various Fallout’s include this out-of-this-world sidearm, efficient at disintegrating any it touches. “And when it disintegrates, oh brother, it disintegrates.” Alien blasters are known for their endgame, high level damage, and their 100%, 100x, critical hit chance. In the case of Fallout 3 especially, you’ll be seeing hundreds of damage done for a single shot.
So much power in such a tiny sci-fi blaster. You basically become Thanos, dusting everyone who dares cross you. Take caution not to miss and melt a friendly though... That's a waste of expensive ammo! Even back to the very first game of the entire, Fallout of ‘98, this thing delivers in almost every field. Remember when I mentioned 70 damage was a ton for the top down entrees? How does 90 sound, or you know what, lets critical hit for fun, obliterating life itself with 360 points of damage. Overkill from beyond the stars.
What could be more deadly than a gun from off this earth? There is only one thing that surpasses it, a representation of humanity's obsession with destruction. Wastelanders and raiders, I present...
This aptly named behemoth of a launcher is the unholy creation of a “Fat Man'' explosive dishing heavy weapon, that shoots an additional projectile, compatible with the MIRV launcher mod. If you don’t already know where this is going, the Big boy is capable of. Shooting. Twelve. "MINI NUKES". At once. Someone get Phil Swift, because “that’s A LOT of damage”... It... has to be seen to be believed. I won’t even bother crunching the numbers with a base damage of 2,691 far exceeding anything close to a gun. Cause for reference, one or two of such a player killing ammo type of the mini nuke will annihilate almost anything. Times that by twelve? Nothing will survive. Nothing. Hell it might even kill my PC IN REAL LIFE. Plus, unless you're facing the wrong direction you can't miss, even then I'm sure the debris will reach them! Now who allowed this to happen? Has humanity gone too far? Will any other weapon ever compare in future titles, as it stands I can’t see it being possible! Gosh bless any who wield this power, gosh bless the wastes, and all hail the Big Boy. The one weapon to rule them all.
#10: Ranger Sequoia
Don’t make me sing the song.. This is truly the "big iron" of legend when it comes to New Vegas. The ranger deals a respectable 62 base damage out of the box, with an all-time-low 0.1 in terms of weapon spread. If you’re looking to role play a cowboy, this thing belongs on your hip. Although, even the sneakiest of pistol users won’t be able to smuggle it into a casino, the ranger is just that much of a statement piece. Lore wise it’s only carried by New California Republic veteran rangers after 20 years of service, so don’t expect to find one of these just lying around anywhere. It’s beautiful dark finish and gold engravings have been enchanting players for years. Be you Legion or NCR, the Ranger Sequoia is the spirit of "New Vegas" in my eyes.
#9: Turbo Plasma Rifle
The original energy caster from Fallout 1 & 2! This P94 “rifle” totes great range, meeting unrivaled damage. It’s plasma can reach upwards of 35 tiles, burning soft targets, melting armored ones, and reducing anything else to goo. Hitting for 70 damage may not seem like a ton at first, but we must account for weapon inflation after all! As enemies in the earlier games sat at a range of about 60-100 health, even the toughest of ghouls are being one shot here, as expected. With an extremely low action point cost, and relatively common ammo typing, there’s no doubting its versatility in battle. The turbo plasma rifle is one of the greatest choices to wield in both the series’ first entree, as well as the sequel.
#8: Fist of Rawr Deathclaw’s Gauntlet
The top tier of melee weapons, slice through any attempt at defense, using the hand of Fallout's most infamous species Now there are obviously a couple routes to go, when deciding to lay down your guns, and build your character around melee. Maybe your preference lies in the massive radiation damage of the Atom’s Judgement? Or the literal fire-power of the shishkebab and it’s variants? For us, the armour piercing abilities of the deathclaw gauntlet is just too efficient to pass up. I mean, who needs damage over time, when you’ve already cut right through their health bar in a single swipe. With a clean cool 50 base damage, and 97 DPS, feel free to bring vengeance to the monsters that slayed you oh so many times in the early game.Benefitting even further from the unarmed trait, a deathclaw’s gauntlet can remove limbs with cross chops, or easily punch off heads with an uppercut, no matter what the enemy is wearing. Plus, for the Fist of Rawr variant, you have to earn and craft the thing yourself. Making those Wolverine-style slicing and dicing sprees even more satisfying!
#7: Tesla Cannon
Become a walking talking tank, with this mere 8 pound energy weapon designed by Nikola himself! At least… in Fallout lore that is. Getting right to it, 140 base damage sprinkled with a shock effect, and splash damage to hit multiple targets, that can pass through walls mind you-! Is the upper end of what I would call overpowered.They’re adept at shooting down vertibirds and what further proof is there of it’s might, then there only being roughly 12 of these weapons to exist at a time in a player's save file. Cause if you see a particularly armoured Brotherhood of Steel NPC pull out one of these, it’s likely already too late for you. It uses one of the rarest ammo types in the game, so there isn’t really a reason to not carry one of these in your back pocket, unless you’re a big gatling laser fan of course. But for my money, it’s Tesla’s death beam all the way.
#6: Admiral’s Friend
Another unique weapon befitting of Captain Ahab himself. This harpoon gun deals enormous damage at greater ranges than a hunting rifle. If you thought the Dragon from ‘76 was game breaking, this thing was far too OP for multiplayer. At base we witness a whopping 150 damage single-shot, only to knock our socks off once again when reading it’s special effect. The Admiral will always hit for double damage when baddies are at full health. Given that you haven’t pulled the trigger, fights are sure to last but a moment when armed with this fishermans friend. It fires once before reloading, but anything surviving such a hit is at risk of death by stubbing their toe. Custom parts like scopes or barbed harpoons insure not only sneak attack bonus multipliers, but bleeding damage too! Grab yourself one of these with a legendary effect for an ultimate showstopper. It’ll be worth the sixteen pounds in your pocket.
#5: Euclid C-Finder
Call down a laser from the heavens to blow up your foes, super villain style! To obtain the pistol, the courier has to complete a lengthy quest line involving setting up an orbital strike satellite known as the Archimedes II. The C-Finder fires once a day, although only when outside. As pulling the trigger begins an animated sequence signaling your enemies impending doom. The damage hailing from the satellite beam itself is upwards of 170 damage, with a 50% chance to crit entire groups of enemies. Seemingly able to sneak attack foes despite the… well, giant obvious beam of light. The spectacle of this weapon is more for the show. Not looking forward to rushing that group of raiders? Time to settle the score with this cute little laser pointer!
#4: Bozar
One of the few beastly "big guns" in Fallout 2, comically referred to as the "ultimate refinement of the sniper's art". It returned in New Vegas: Gun Runners as an LMG, offering players the ability to become a moving turret of destruction. I’m talking extremely fast reloads, low AP costs, and higher rates of fire. This weapon is every mercs dream! It’s solid for mid to all ranges, and won’t let you down as a go-to firearm for any altercation. The Boze’ here spits out 19 base damage bullets, for an impressive 285 damage per second output, far surpassing any other light machine gun. The upper ends of an upgrade Bozar can double that lethality, more than shredding any monster that crosses you. The numbers don’t lie! Still not impressed with its performance in Fallout New Vegas? Returning to Fallout 2 reveals its deadly potential, capable of dishing out upwards of 300 to 500 damage. There’s few things that will survive a round against you, and your Bozar’s armor piercing properties. It may jam on you if you don’t take perfect care of it, but we had to include this glow up of a legacy weapon from the first two RPGs in the franchise.
#3: YCS 186
Take a rail gun, a sniper rifle, a heating coil, and the dark magic of coding. Ba-zoom! You’ve got a souped up gauss rifle and scientific abomination ready to electromagnetically kill anything you please. The YCS comes complete with long range scope for guaranteed sneak attack multiplier damage! Although even when detected it boasts the highest base damage of any non explosive weapon in the game. The Anti-Material Rifle may be a go-to for some sharp shooter, but this microfusion gulper far out classes it, crippling anything that doesn’t die from the immediate hit. Enough talk, numbers time. A gnarly 140 base damage, 420 *ahem* DPS, plus increased accuracy with the aforementioned 3.5x scope for unsurpassed range. I’ll happily carry the unique YCS into a battle anyday, even if energy weapons aren't usually my thing.
#2: Alien Blaster
Was there any surprise? Various Fallout’s include this out-of-this-world sidearm, efficient at disintegrating any it touches. “And when it disintegrates, oh brother, it disintegrates.” Alien blasters are known for their endgame, high level damage, and their 100%, 100x, critical hit chance. In the case of Fallout 3 especially, you’ll be seeing hundreds of damage done for a single shot.
So much power in such a tiny sci-fi blaster. You basically become Thanos, dusting everyone who dares cross you. Take caution not to miss and melt a friendly though... That's a waste of expensive ammo! Even back to the very first game of the entire, Fallout of ‘98, this thing delivers in almost every field. Remember when I mentioned 70 damage was a ton for the top down entrees? How does 90 sound, or you know what, lets critical hit for fun, obliterating life itself with 360 points of damage. Overkill from beyond the stars.
What could be more deadly than a gun from off this earth? There is only one thing that surpasses it, a representation of humanity's obsession with destruction. Wastelanders and raiders, I present...
#1: Big Boy
This aptly named behemoth of a launcher is the unholy creation of a “Fat Man'' explosive dishing heavy weapon, that shoots an additional projectile, compatible with the MIRV launcher mod. If you don’t already know where this is going, the Big boy is capable of. Shooting. Twelve. "MINI NUKES". At once. Someone get Phil Swift, because “that’s A LOT of damage”... It... has to be seen to be believed. I won’t even bother crunching the numbers with a base damage of 2,691 far exceeding anything close to a gun. Cause for reference, one or two of such a player killing ammo type of the mini nuke will annihilate almost anything. Times that by twelve? Nothing will survive. Nothing. Hell it might even kill my PC IN REAL LIFE. Plus, unless you're facing the wrong direction you can't miss, even then I'm sure the debris will reach them! Now who allowed this to happen? Has humanity gone too far? Will any other weapon ever compare in future titles, as it stands I can’t see it being possible! Gosh bless any who wield this power, gosh bless the wastes, and all hail the Big Boy. The one weapon to rule them all.
