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We ranked the 10 best and most robust energy weapons in Fallout 4 to help you choose the best weapon for your playstyle and build.
In Fallout 4, energy weapons are a class of firearms that utilize energy-based ammunition rather than conventional bullets. These weapons are diverse and include laser, plasma, and gamma guns. Unlike other weapons, energy weapons can benefit from various perks like Rifleman, Commando, Heavy Gunner, and Bloody Mess. Energy Weapons are some of the best in Fallout 4, and in this guide, we rank our top 10 favorites and explain how to get them and use them in your builds!
The Best Energy Weapons Ranked in Fallout 4
The Tesla Cannon is the best Energy Weapon in Fallout 4 because of its 300+ meter range, base damage, and unique area damage or chain kill effects. No other weapon in Fallout 4 has the range and area damage of the Tesla Cannon, making it the best choice for most players. Second, we recommend the Gatling Laser for heavy weapon users who love big weapons. We suggest the Super Sledge for melee builds, which can be upgraded for electrical damage and a stunning effect. The Power Fist can add electric damage once fully modified if you enjoy unarmed builds.
Here are the 10 best Energy weapons in Fallout ranked from best to worst:
- Tesla Cannon – best range and area damage in Fallout 4
- Gatling Laser – fun heavy weapon when using Power Armor
- Super Sledge – best for melee weapon build
- Plasma Gun – a great run that can fit any build needs
- Gamma Gun – unique stun and area damage
- Alien Blaster Pistol – a good pistol that with high base damage
- Power Fist – best-unarmed weapon
- Laser Gun – the best overall for the first 30 levels in Fallout 4
- Institute Laser – your basic laser weapon to avoid the Laser Musket
- Cryolator – obtained in the tutorial and overpowered early in FO4
Related:
10 Cryolator
Cryolator stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Heavy Weapon
- Effect(s): Chance to Freeze enemies
- Base Damage: 20
- Ammo: Cryo cell
- Magazine Size: 25
- Fire Rate: 90
- Range: 71
- Accuracy: 66
- Value: 302
- Weight: 13.2
The Cryolator is a unique heavy weapon found in the initial vault and, with Dogmeat’s help, can be obtained at the start of Fallout 4. The strength of the Cyrolator is that it can freeze enemies and consistently provides damage at close range when the trigger is held. The downside is the ammunition is difficult to find with limited modification options. Typically, the traveling vendors will sell this or weapon vendors, but it’s not widely available throughout Fallout 4 while looting ammo crates.
To obtain the Cyrolator, return to Vault 111 and go to the Overseer’s office with Dogmeat Companion. Ask Dogmeat to fetch loot. Ensure to loot everything in the room beforehand, or Dogmeat will take a couple of tries to grab the weapon. Once Dogmeat collects the weapon, trade him and take the weapon and ammo for yourself. Considering you can access this during the initial part of Fallout 4, we rank the Cyrolator as one of the best energy weapons in Fallout 4.
9 Institute Laser
Institute Laser stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 15
- Ammo: Fusion cell
- Magazine Size: 30
- Fire Rate: 66
- Range: 71
- Accuracy: 70
- Value: 50
- Weight: 3.9
Early in Fallout 4, you have two common energy weapon choices: the Institute Laser or the Laser Musket. The Laser Musket is horrible, with a one-shot and reload feature that makes the game a nightmare to kill anything. The Institute Laser isn’t much better but has a high fire rate, decent accuracy, and range. Additionally, the Institute Laser uses abundant Fusion cells, especially fighting Institute enemies as you engage with the story of Fallout 4.
Besides easy-to-obtain, cheap ammunition, this weapon is merely a placeholder until you reach the Laser Gun and what’s next on our top 10 energy weapons list for Fallout 4.
8 Laser Gun
Laser Gun stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 24
- Ammo: Fusion cell
- Magazine Size: 30
- Fire Rate: 50
- Range: 71
- Accuracy: 71
- Value: 66
- Weight: 3.9
The strength of the Laser Gun is you can modify the gun nut perk to fit your specific build and perk loadout. With a Comfort Grip, the Laser Rifle benefits from the Gunslinger pistol perk bonus. Modify the stock to marksman; then you gain the Rifleman Perk. Change the capacitor for automatic fire, and the Commando perk is activated. The laser Gun is your bread-and-butter energy weapon throughout the major early parts of Fallout 4. With the Science and Gun Nut perks, you can continue to upgrade the weapon throughout early levels until you reach Plasma and Tesla Cannon at +30.
We suggest collecting the Righteous Authority unique Laser Gun. This is given to you by Paladin Danse after completing the Call to Arms quest within the Brotherhood of Steel quest line. Righteous Authority has a unique effect. Critical shots do double damage, and the critical meter fills 15% faster. Combine this weapon with a high-luck build like our Gunslinger and a Comfort grip, and you will have a powerful build. The Laser Rifle will carry you throughout the first 25+ levels. Thus, we ranked it 8 on our Top 10 Energy Weapons in Fallout 4.
7 Power Fist
Power Fist stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unarmed
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 20
- Speed: Medium
- AP Cost: 35
- Value: 100
- Weight: 4
The Power Fist is a formidable, unarmed weapon due to its high damage output and unique ability to penetrate armor. While the Power Fist doesn’t come standard with any energy damage, the Heating Coil perk gives +20 energy damage per punch. This will require you to obtain Blacksmith level 3 for any unarmed build. While using an unarmed build, max out the Iron Fist perk to stagger and disarm enemies when you jab with electrical damage. Power Fist isn’t higher on our rankings because it requires a niche playstyle. This isn’t a weapon you can pick up and use effectively without the right perk loadout and Unarmed build.
The Power Fist melee weapon can be obtained at Swan’s Pond by searching Swan’s body. Swan’s Pond is near Vault 114 and Hubris Comics, where you can obtain Grognak’s Axe.
6 Alien Blaster Pistol
Alien Blaster Pistol stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Unique Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 50
- Ammo: Alien blaster round or Fusion cell with mod
- Magazine Size: 42
- Fire Rate: 100
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 79
- Value: 1551
- Weight: 2.5
The Alien Blaster pistol is a unique futuristic weapon that shoots out bolts of blue energy and does significant damage without any perks. The base damage is relatively high, with a 179-meter range, recent accuracy, and low weight. By default, the Alien Blasters ammunition is dreadful to collect and obtain. However, you can take slightly less damage once upgraded using Fusion cell ammunition, giving you much greater capacity. The downside is that the Alien Blaster Pistol projectiles travel and can sometimes be avoided. Moreover, you must wait for an alien crash to obtain this weapon.
To obtain the Alien Blaster pistol, travel to an unmarked site where a UFO crashed from the sky. The marked site is north of Vault 81, northwest of Diamond City. Any companion outside of Dogmeat will mention the crash, and you can also pick up a garbled radio beacon to find the site. Look for a cave near the crash site, enter, and be prepared for a fight. We would rank the Alien Blaster pistol higher on our Fallout 4 Top 10 Energy weapon list if it weren’t for slower projectiles.
5 Gamma Gun
Gamma Gun stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Radiation Weapon
- Effect(s): AOE; stun on direct hit
- Base Damage: Direct hit 100 Radiation; AOE 23 Radiation and Explosion damage
- Ammo: Gamma round
- Clip Size: 8
- Fire Rate: 66
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 69
- Value: 156
- Weight: 3
The Gamma Gun is a radiant weapon that uses Gamma rounds to do damage with a unique area-based explosion effect. The strength of the Gamma Pistol is its AOE damage and possibility to stun! We rank Gamma Gun 5 on our top 10 energy weapons list. However, the downside of the Gamma Gun is its weakness against robots, ghouls, super mutants, and any enemy resistant to radiation. You also have limited modification capacity, but the upsides give you an area-based stun with high damage for non-radiation-resistant enemies.
To obtain the Gamma Gun, travel to the Crater of Atom, where you will find the Child of Atom cultist. You can obtain a gun from them. The unique version, Lorenzo’s Artifact gun, is a reward from Jack Cabot for completing the quest for the secret of Cabot’s house. You can find Jack Cabot’s house just south of Bunker Hill.
4 Plasma Gun
Plasma Gun stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 24 Physical, 24 Energy
- Ammo: Plasma cartridge
- Magazine Size: 30
- Fire Rate: 33
- Range: 119
- Accuracy: 142
- Value: 123
- Weight: 3.9
The Plasma gun is similar to the Laser Rifle; only this weapon does physical and Energy damage. Therefore, you have a higher base damage and added utility to avoid resistant enemies. Plasma is overall superior in later parts of Fallout 4. You can modify the grip, capacitor, barrel, stock, and sights to fight your playstyle and perk loadout. To take full advantage of the Plasma Gun, you will be at level 40+ with both the Science and Gun Nut perks maxed out. We don’t rank the Plasma Gun higher because others on this list have a higher base damage score.
The Sentinel’s Plasmacaster is a unique variant of the Plasma gun with an extra effect. You can obtain the Plasma Gun by completing the quest of a New Dawn and siding with the Brotherhood of Steel. After this is done, visit Teagan, where you can purchase the weapon aboard the Prydwen. If you don’t wish to side with the Brotherhood, Experiment 18-A can be obtained from the institution, though it will need to be modified. Additionally, Plasma guns will start appearing at higher levels, and even the base Plasma gun can carry your damage from level 40 and beyond.
3 Super Sledge
Super Sledge stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Melee Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 40
- Speed: Slow
- AP Cost: 45
- Value: 180
- Weight: 20
The Super Sledge melee weapon is one of the strongest in Fallout 4, and we rank it 3rd for all energy weapons in the game. By default, the Super Sledge doesn’t provide any energy damage. With Blacksmith rank 3 and Science rank 1, you can craft the Stun pack mod. This adds +27 electrical damage and a chance of stunning enemies. Melee builds will want to select the Big Leagues perk to maximize damage with Super Sledge. Big Leagues can allow you to do area damage, instant kills, and crippling opponents.
To obtain the Super Sledge melee weapon, travel to Goodneighor and purchase it from the vendor KL-E-0. This NPC robot is found in the small settlement at the store called Kill or Be Killed. The Atoms Judgement is a unique Super Sledge variant that requires the Fall Habor DLC. You must complete the quest to The Heretic given by the Grand Zealot Richter.
2 Gatling Laser
Gatling Laser stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Heavy Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 14
- Ammo: Fusion core
- Magazine Size: 500
- Fire Rate: 272
- Range: 256
- Accuracy: 48
- Value: 332
- Weight: 19.3
We rank the Gatling Laser as the second-best energy weapon because it has an extremely high rate of fire, moldability, and range. Moreover, the Gatling Laser can be heavily modified if you invest in intelligence and the Science perk. These weapons are difficult to obtain and come later in the story for Fallout 4. We recommend this weapon for a Brotherhood of Steel build and the commando perk while firing from the hip without VATS. The downside of the Gatling Laser is the long animation to wind the barrel before ammunition starts firing, but it makes up for the overall damage.
Consider obtaining the Final Judgement unique Gatling Laser. This weapon has the added effect of a 25% faster fire rate and 15% faster reload, thus increasing overall damage. However, to obtain this weapon, you must destroy the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel Arthur Maxson. Consider obtaining the Final Judgement unique Gatling Laser. This weapon has the added effect of a 25% faster fire rate and 15% faster reload, thus increasing overall damage.y
1 Tesla Cannon
Tesla Cannon stats and effects in Fallout 4:
- Weapon Type: Heavy Energy Weapon
- Effect(s):
- Base Damage: 60
- Ammo: Fusion cell
- Magazine Size: 15
- Fire Rate: 20
- Range: 395
- Accuracy: 62
- Value: 314
- Weight: 21
The best energy weapon in Fallout 4 is the Tesla Cannon due to its damage, mods, and mind-blowing 395-meter range! Released as part of the Next Gen Update, the Tesla Cannon is now a part of the base game and is no longer relegated to just the creation club (mods). What’s unique about the Tesla Cannon is the Assembly modification. When hitting one target, you can make the weapon shoot blue or orange, which causes splash AOE damage (blue) or chain damage (yellow). Once upgraded, the orange chain damage avoids friendly fire and has incredible range and damage.
Additionally, it’s challenging to know which perks benefit the Tesla Cannon due to its name, function, ammunition, and range. Like Sniper RIfles, changing one mod can gain or lose perk damage, so be careful depending on your perk loadout.
The Tesla Cannon can be obtained by completing the ‘Echoes of the Past’ quest. You’ll find a flashing quest marker just northeast of Saugus Ironworks on your map. This quest will only appear at later levels beyond 30, so don’t expect your Pipboy to flash this quest early in the game.
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