Fallout is one of Bethesda's best franchises, and part of the charm lies in the bleak, tense atmosphere of a digital post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland. Weapons are a necessity when it comes to survival, and only the strongest ones will allow players to overcome the biggest challenges, and loot the best rewards.
Some of the most powerful weapons in the franchise have been around since the start, while others are relatively new additions beginning with Fallout 4. Whether it's a pistol, a high-powered rifle, or a gun that fires mini nuclear warheads, Fallout has plenty of weapons to dominate the wasteland with.
Alien Blaster (Fallout 1, 2 & 3)
This quirky little weapon is most famous for its appearance in Fallout 3, but it's been around since the start in one form or another. It's an energy-based weapon with tremendous destructive power, making it one of the most lethal pistols in the entire franchise.
The weapon is characterized by its 1950s-style design aesthetic, mixed with high damage output. It's considered a very rare weapon, and has taken on several forms throughout the series. The most recent iteration is the Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 version, which fires a specific and rare type of ammo.
The Kneecapper (Fallout 3)
The modding community has created plenty of mods that add new weapons to games like Fallout 4, but many players like to stick to the basics. Shotguns are a nice vanilla option, but certain models stand apart from their brethren for their heavy damage quotient. The Kneecapper is one of the most powerful shotguns in Fallout 3, with a base damage output of 75. This is extraordinarily high compared to even heavier weapons in the game.
Accuracy tends to be a problem with shotguns, particularly when firing at distant targets. However, the Kneecapper's accuracy is greatly enhanced, making it much more reliable in a firefight. Its only drawback is the lack of critical hit damage, which means it should be used primarily in regular battles.
The Last Minute (Fallout 3)
The Gauss Rifle was first introduced in Fallout 2, and has been around ever since. This weapon is a particle accelerator that fires projectiles at super-fast speeds, causing their damage output to increase exponentially as a result.
One of the most destructive Gauss Rifles in the franchise is the Last Minute, a notoriously powerful gun with a base damage output of 192, which is astonishing. It was first introduced in Fallout 4, and features a Crippling effect which can deal double the damage to a target's limbs. Definitely a strong fallback weapon.
MPLX Novasurge (Fallout 3)
Pistols aren't recognized for their damage quotient all that much, but every once in a while, a model comes along that surpasses expectations. The MPLX Novasurge was introduced in the Mothership Zeta add-on DLC for Fallout 3, and although it's an ugly-looking thing, it still packs a wallop.
The Novasurge cranks out 80 base damage with a 3x critical multiplier. The only drawback of its design is the requirement of two energy cells to fire a single round, as opposed to one. Besides that, it's a handy little sidearm to have when things get rough, and the higher caliber ammo runs out.
The Gamma Gun (Fallout 4)
This Children of Atom weapon is lethal against humans, pulverizing them with immense amounts of radiation damage that can quickly build up in a target's system and hollow them out. It's not as effective against other targets, but those are few and far between.
When venturing into human-dominated enclaves, this weapon makes for a perfect sidearm. Part of its allure is the large hit radius of each shot, which doesn't require players to be sharpshooter accurate.
Callahan's Magnum (Fallout 3)
This weapon was designed to be an homage to Harry Callahan from the iconic Dirty Harry movie franchise, starring Clint Eastwood. The actual weapon belongs to the character of Harold Callahan, a military policeman, and it mimics the brutal stopping power of the silver screen equivalent.
It's not the most powerful handgun in the world, but it sure does pack a punch with a base 65 damage. It also comes in a scoped variant for those who want to get a bit more range out of their shots.
Fat Man (Fallout 4)
The Fat Man is a reference to the atomic bomb dropped during WWII, only this version fires a mini-nuclear warhead that can cause intense devastation to an extremely large area. The intention is to take out scores of enemies with one large detonation, which is great when things start to feel overwhelming.
The Big Boy variant is far more destructive, causing a jaw-dropping 2691 base damage with a single nuke. The only downside is that the player mustn't be in the vicinity of the blast when it goes off. Ammo is also scarce, and a pain to craft due to the requirements and cost.
Skipper's Last Stand (Fallout 4)
Created for the Far Harbor DLC pack for Fallout 4, this harpoon gun represents one of the most destructive weapons in the game. It's also one of the handiest to have in a fight, as it grants a +150 damage resistance effect to the player while they're reloading it.
In fact, the slow reload time is the only real disadvantage of the gun, meaning it should be used for precision strikes against stronger enemies, rather than a fallback tool in a gunfight skirmish. It's simple, straightforward, and very deadly.
Cito's Shiny Slugger (Fallout 4)
Melee weapons come in all different shapes and sizes, but baseball bats tend to be one of the most reliable. Cito's Shiny Slugger is one of the deadliest of the bunch, with a base damage output of 123. Negan from The Walking Dead would certainly have good reason to trade up his signature Lucille bat for this weapon, if given the chance.
It also adds the Relentless effect to the weapon, meaning each successful swat will refill the player's AP and critical hits. When the going gets rough and all the ammo runs out, Cito's Shiny Slugger is the de facto melee weapon to fall back on. It can be found only in the Nuka-World DLC add-on.
The Problem Solver (Fallout 4)
At first glance, a weapon with a base damage output of 57 doesn't appear very high, but that's per bullet. The Problem Solver is one very deadly assault rifle backed up by the Furious effect, which causes an increase in overall damage per successful hit.
In the middle of a battle, this weapon can quickly turn the tide by mowing down enemies left, right, and center without the slightest issue. It's also one of the zaniest looking weapons in the game, with a paint job that looks like something straight out of the Borderlands franchise.