The best weapons in Fallout 76 ranked

❘ Published: 2024-05-10T15:46:43

Bethesda Entertainment

As with the single-player games in the series, Fallout 76 offers many weapons for wasteland explorers to collect but some stand out above the competition, so here are the best weapons in Fallout 76.

The wilds of the post-apocalyptic Appalachian mountains are a dangerous place and being armed to the teeth is the only way to come out on top. Fallout 76 features weapons for a ton of different playstyles, from close-quarters melee to long-range sniping. Within those categories, there are usually one or two standout options and we’ve collated the very best available here.

Before we jump into the list, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of the weapons included is highly dependent on each player’s build. Not every weapon will work effectively for everyone, so make sure to pick one that feels like it suits your character and their chosen perks.

The best weapons in Fallout 76

1. Cold Shoulder

An image of the Cold Shoulder weapon in Fallout 76.

Damage: 115 (75 Cryo Damage)
Range: 72
Accuracy: 53
Fire Rate: 36
Clip Size: 8

Introduced in the Mutation Invasion update, Cold Shoulder is one of the most aesthetically pleasing weapons in Fallout 76. Thankfully, it also packs an impressive punch to back up its elaborate and unique design, dealing an additional 75 Cryo damage on top of the base damage.

The Cryo mod slows enemies on impact, while the Paranormal mod deals an additional 50% damage against cryptids. Its last defining feature is that it’s the only gun in the game with quadruple ammo capacity, making it one of the most consistent and reliable weapons in Fallout 76.

To get one, players simply need to craft it after purchasing the plan for 500 Stamps from Giuseppe Della Ripa in the Whitespring Refuge

2. Gauss Rifle

Damage: 140
Range: 204
Accuracy: 60
Fire Rate: 67
Clip Size: 5

The first Gauss weapon to appear on this list, the Gauss Rifle is marginally the better pick in Fallout 76. It’s one of the strangest guns in the game in terms of its makeup, classed as a Ballistic weapon with Riflemen perks that also uses 2mm EC cartridges, which count as Energy Ammo.

The weapon is extremely powerful and suitably rare to find out in the wild, though the plans can be purchased from the Brotherhood of Steel. Shots can be charged up thanks to the Gauss Rifle’s unique mechanism for one of the highest single-shot damage counts in Fallout 76.

The rifle can be found in the Abandoned Mineshaft 4 or the Watoga Underground. It’s also available to buy from the Military Wing Command Center in the Whitespring Bunker.

3. Handmade Rifle

An image of the Handmade Rifle in Fallout 76.

Damage: 45
Range: 120
Accuracy: 71
Fire Rate: 40
Clip Size: 20

Don’t be fooled by its run-of-the-mill name and design, the Handmade Rifle has the potential to be one of the absolute pinnacle weapons in the game. Its main strength comes from the open customization available to players when crafting one, with every mod available to use on the gun. In terms of optimal setup, the forceful stock is a great choice, thanks to the additional durability and bash damage. The tweaked receiver is also a solid play with improved crit on top of the impressive base damage boost.

It’s also available as a random drop, and getting a good Legendary roll is fairly critical for getting the most out of the weapon. Take advantage of the Commando perks and pair it with a Powerful Automatic Receiver, then watch enemies crumble under its immense force.

4. Flamer

Damage: 36
Range: 264
Accuracy: 60
Fire Rate: 91
Clip Size: 100

The Flamer will be familiar to anyone who has dipped into a Fallout game, and it’s just as effective in Fallout 76. Those who played Fallout 76 in its earlier years will know that the legacy weapon system often made this one of the most broken weapons in the game. It’s not quite at those levels now, but it’s still well worth getting your hands on.

Obviously, it’s less effective at range, but up close, there are few weapons that can match its overall output. With high damage, you can easily set enemies ablaze all while significantly reducing incoming damage.

Flamer’s can be found at the following locations:

The basement of the Neapolitan Casino
Quarry X3 behind the yellow pump
Grafton Steel Underground in the first large room

5. The Dragon

Damage: 225
Range: 228/419
Accuracy: 68
Fire Rate: 1
Clip Size: 1

The Dragon is a beautiful antique rifle with four barrels that takes advantage of stupidly powerful .50 caliber balls. The damage of the gun is divided evenly between each of its four projectiles, but, in spite of that, The Dragon has the highest single-shot damage of any ballistic rifle in Fallout 76.

Most will have to source the weapon by securing it as a random drop or grabbing it from one of several locations across Appalachia. The guaranteed drop locations are as follows:

Eastern Regional Penitentiary
Uncanny Caverns
Thunder Mountain Power Plant
Garrahan Mining Headquarters

Versions of the gun with an attached bayonet are considered by the game to be legacy content and the range on those is greatly increased, all the way up to 419. The major downside of The Dragon is the incredibly slow reload speed, but as a first-shot weapon, there are few better.

6. All Rise

Damage: 85
Range: N/A
Accuracy: N/A
Fire Rate: N/A
Clip Size: N/A

If the Black Diamond sword is all about finesse, pace, and precision in a melee weapon package, All Rise is the exact opposite. This mega hammer is a Super Sledge with a Legendary effect that makes it far more practical to carry around in your inventory for regular use – 90% reduced carry weight.

The main drawback of a regular Super Sledge is the amount of carry weight it uses, and it quickly becomes an impractical choice for all but the most melee-focused characters. Added to that already enticing package is the Heavy Rocket mod, which gives a greatly increased chance to cripple limbs as well as dealing more damage in general.

To get the weapon, complete the Mayor for a Day quest in Watoga. Make sure to be Level 50, as this is the only way to get the most effective, high-level version of it to drop, and there are no second chances.

7. Tesla Rifle

An image of the Tesla Rifle in Fallout 76.

Damage: 78 (65% of damage to next target in chain)
Range: 228
Accuracy: 72
Fire Rate: 20
Clip Size: 15

Weapons named after famed scientist Nikola Tesla have appeared in multiple Fallout games and all of them are impressive at what they do. Fallout 76’s Tesla Rifle is no exception, offering spectacular range and accuracy, as well as significant group damage when used correctly.

The gun’s main mechanical feature is a chain lightning effect that bounces from one enemy to the next. Each chained attack does 35% less damage than the previous one, making it great for clearing out groups and earning more XP. The Automatic mod is a great option for further increasing its effectiveness, creating a perfect storm of chained lightning.

The best way to secure a Tesla Rifle is simply to craft one after purchasing the plan, either from the Vendor Bot in the Super-Duper Mart in at Watoga Shopping Plaza or the Brotherhood Vendor in the Whitespring Mall.

8. The Fixer

Damage: 48
Range: 90
Accuracy: 79
Fire Rate: 33
Clip Size: 20

The Fixer is a little more situational than some of the other weapons on this list but, when in those situations, it’s simply peerless. Essentially, this is a souped-up version of a regular combat rifle, though its main strength comes from the huge bonuses stealth players are granted when wielding it.

The boost to stealth you can receive from The Fixer is the equivalent of wearing three pieces of Shadowed modded armor. It also buffs movement speed by 20% when actively sneaking. Both of these combine to turn some of the most challenging areas in Fallout 76 into relatively easy pursuits.

The weapon is craftable, but it’s also available as a guaranteed reward from the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing side quest at the Garrahan Estate.

9. Auto Axe

Damage: 26 (+5% per STR point)
Range: N/A
Accuracy: N/A
Fire Rate: N/A
Clip Size: N/A

The Auto Axe made its first appearance in Fallout 3’s The Pitt DLC before it was added to Fallout 76 as part of the Expedition to the same location. This weapon is essentially a huge circular saw that has been modded into three sections, and using it brings back fond memories of playing Gears of War over the years.

It has a nice Strength bonus to add to its reasonably impressive base damage, but its real strength comes in the speed of its attacks as it shreds through enemies in an instant. Though it can drop from enemies in The Pitt, the plan can be purchased from Giuseppe Della Ripa for 500 stamps, and it’s well worth doing for those running melee builds or even players who want to have an option that isn’t ammo-dependent.

10. Gauss Minigun

An image of the Gauss Minigun in Fallout 76.

Damage: 49
Range: 204
Accuracy: 36
Fire Rate: 91
Clip Size: 500

Experienced Fallout players will immediately recognize just how potent Gauss weapons can be, and this minigun is the second of two on this list. The Gauss Minigun is a level above its rotating-barreled peers, offering unparalleled range and damage output against single enemies and multiple targets.

The main feature of the Gauss Minigun, beyond its ruthless DPS, is the scaling damage output, the longer it remains active. As players hold the trigger and continue to pump out bullets, charge begins to build in the gun. The longer this goes on, the more damage it deals per hit.

The plan for the gun can be purchased from Mortimer at The Crater Core for 750 Gold Bullion. Players will need a Raider reputation of ally to do so.

11. Perfect Storm

An image of Perfect Storm in Fallout 76.

Damage: 34
Range: 120
Accuracy: 60
Fire Rate: 91
Clip Size: 30

The Perfect Storm is an understated weapon that should serve as a staple in far more inventories than it currently does. It’s a Legendary SMG that uses 10mm rounds to quickly dispatch enemies by filling them with more ammo than anyone should ever have to deal with.

It counts as a rifle, so perks like Commando build into the gun very well, furthering its potency in the process. As one of the most commonplace ammunitions in the game, it’s also by far the best way to make use of 10mm rounds when running low on other ammo.

To get the gun in your own inventory, pick it up as a reward for completing the Cold Case quest given by Miss Annie at Wavy Willard’s Water Park.

12. Cremator

An image of the Cremator weapon in Fallout 76.

Damage: 100
Range: 204
Accuracy: 63
Fire Rate: 15
Clip Size: 90

The Flamer walks so the Cremator can run. It’s 100 damage is impressive in its own right but the burn effect it creates deals an additional 50 damage per second for six seconds. Add the Slow Burning mod to this, and that goes up to 80 damage per second for twelve seconds.

Experienced Flamer users may not know what to make of the Cremator at first. The weapon feels very different, firing huge fiery slugs that make it feel more akin to a grenade launcher than a traditional fuel-based projectile weapon. The other thing to watch out for is its area of effect, which can easily set the player on fire, so be aware of that before using it in confined quarters.

The only way to get the Cremator is by crafting it at a weapons workbench.

13. Daisycutter

An image of the Daisycutter in Fallout 76.

Damage: 145 area damage
Range: 117
Accuracy: 64
Fire Rate: 2
Clip Size: 1

The Fat Man is arguably the most infamous weapon in Fallout history, and the Daisycutter continues that legacy with aplomb. The weapon is a regular Fat Man equipped with a MIRV launcher mod that causes the initial projectile to split into four before falling straight downwards and detonating on impact or after 100 feet.

It can be a little finicky to aim but the area of effect is so huge and the damage so brutal that it rarely makes much of a difference, regardless of enemy type. Excitingly, it’s also relatively easy to get. The Daisycutter is a guaranteed reward from side quest An Organic Solution, so just complete that to get your very own.

14. Pepper Shaker

An image of the Pepper Shaker in Fallout 76.

Damage: 60
Range: 96
Accuracy: 32
Fire Rate: 41
Clip Size: 50

The Pepper Shaker is, technically speaking, a shotgun, though it puts the other guns in that category to shame. The damage output is spectacular, and it fires slugs remarkably accurately over great distances, contrary to the usual limitations of shotguns.

It can be modified in a lot of ways, but one of the coolest things players can do is change the type of ammo it accepts from shotgun cartridges to fusion cells or plasma cartridges. Perk options like Skeet Shooter, Scattershot, or general options like Bloody Mess all elevate this gun further, leaving it as the only choice for shotgun enthusiasts.

The Pepper Shaker is, unfortunately, quite a difficult weapon to get. The only way to do so is to first obtain the plan from Grahm’s Meat-Cook seasonal public event. It can then be crafted at the weapons workbench, purchased from The Purveyor, or found as a random drop.

15. Black Diamond

An image of the Black Diamond weapon in Fallout 76.

Damage: 50 (+5% x STR)
Range: N/A
Accuracy: N/A
Fire Rate: N/A
Clip Size: N/A

Though it would arguably look much more at home in a Dead Island game than Fallout, Black Diamond is an exceptional weapon to pick up. It’s quick and deals significant damage to enemies that are stupid enough to move within range.

It doesn’t have the highest base damage output for a melee weapon in the game but it deals an extra 5% multiplied by the player’s Strength stat and scales brilliantly. Black Diamond also adds a point to the Strength stat, increasing the player’s general prowess.

It’s also the ideal choice for cramped environments where hitting with ranged weapons becomes difficult. Staple Strength perks like Gladiator work very well with this one-handed melee monster. The Black Diamond is available as a reward from the Flavors of Mayhem quest from Rose at the Top of the World.

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