28 Most Powerful Weapons In Fallout 4, Ranked (2024)

The great game Fallout 4 has a dizzying number of weapons for the player to find and modify in their efforts to recover their son and bring peace to the Commonwealth. Eventually, the player will be tossing aside weapons as they find bigger and better tools of destruction. So, it's inevitable that other weapons will rise to the top in terms of how destructive and useful they are in combat. This makes sense in a game with an RPG structure that is meant to provide players with a sense of satisfaction as they improve their combat efficiency and become more and more powerful over time. With more powerful weapons, enemies that pose a threat can turn into mincemeat in no time at all, which can be pretty satisfying for obvious reasons.

While the player should always go with a weapon that matches their character’s strength and personal playstyle, it would be foolish to ignore the best weapons in Fallout 4. In fact, some of these weapons can boast so much ridiculous power that players won't be faulted for sticking with and upgrading these weapons throughout the entire game. From legendary loot to unique weapons, there are many options at a player's behest when it comes to choosing the best weapon they can augment their playthrough with. The firearms and melee weapons in Fallout 4 are pretty unique and can destroy enemies if players come well-equipped to deal with the many dangers in the Commonwealth.

Updated on March 8, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Fallout 4 is a video game that more and more people have come to appreciate, especially after the launch of Starfield showed just how important hand-crafted worlds are for the Bethesda formula. Starfield's reliance on procedural generation worked against this title, with many people hating how lifeless the worlds in this game felt. The lack of organic traversal and a focus on fast travel was also derided by the masses. The fact that more people have started playing Fallout 4 to rinse out the taste of this mediocre game is a testament to how badly Bethesda messed up. Thankfully, players still have titles like the fourth mainline Fallout game to enjoy Bethesda's strengths, with a wealth of weapons helping players tackle the many tough enemies in this title.

28 Shishkebab

Special Effect: Deals Both Regular And Energy Damage

The Shishkebab is an iconic melee weapon featured in most Fallout games, and Fallout 4 is no exception to this golden rule. This weapon may not be the greatest one to use in a confrontation that's up close and personal, but that doesn't mean players should ignore this weapon outright.

In the right hands, the Shishkebab can still hit for some great damage and look pretty flashy while doing it. For its legendary status alone, the Shishkebab should be wielded at least once by a Fallout 4 player.

How To Obtain It

It can be obtained as a drop after killing a legendary enemy, but the chances are slim. For a guaranteed drop, In Saugus Ironworks, the leader of the Forged, Slag, carries one such blade that players must retrieve in the quest Out of the Fire.

27 Kellogg's Pistol

Special Effect: Refills Action Points On A Critical Hit

Those who are looking for a powerful handgun may want to consider going after Kellogg's Pistol. The specialized .44 Magnum packs an incredibly powerful punch, especially for the early game, and is capable of carrying players pretty far if they can keep it stocked with ammo.

The only drawback is that it uses .44 rounds which can be pretty difficult to find, even with the Ammo Scavenging perk. Because of this, it's usually better to save the big iron for particularly tough enemies, as its high damage output and ability (refills action points on a critical hit) are incredibly useful for practically any build.

How To Obtain It

Players will need to start the quest Reunions, which is a main story quest given by Nick Valentine. After tracking down Kellogg, players will need to dispatch him and then pick up the pistol from his body.

26 Righteous Authority

Special Effect: Critical Shots Do Double Damage And The Critical Meter Fills 15% Faster

Another weapon that players will appreciate having through the early-to-mid game, Righteous Authority is a laser rifle that rewards precision shots. This beastly weapon causes critical hits to do double damage and will also fill the critical meter 15 percent faster, giving players quite the edge when using VATS.

Its large clip size means players can rattle off multiple shots without having to worry about reloading and it uses Fusion Cells as ammunition, which are abundant in certain areas of the wasteland.

How To Obtain It

To snag the Righteous Authority, players will need to head to Paladin Danse and complete the quest "A Call to Arms." Danse can be found at the Cambridge Police Station.

25 Deliverer

Special Effect: Consumes Less AP In VATS

One of the best parts about Fallout 4 is that it allows players to construct various builds, giving them the freedom to tackle the Wasteland in whatever playstyle they see fit. There are weapons scattered all over that can complement melee builds, ranged builds, VATS-focused builds, and everything in between.

The Deliverer is a useful and powerful pistol that can help anyone who is focused on VATS or stealth. Thanks to its suppressor, it's ideal for sneaking around, and its ability to consume less AP (25 percent less to be exact) makes it a prime weapon for VATS-focused players.

How To Obtain It

To get Deliverer, players will need to join the Railroad and then receive a quest from Desdemona called Tradecraft. Once players progress through the quest and find the body of Tommy Whispers, they'll receive the weapon from Deacon as a reward.

24 The Striker

Special Effect: 50% Chance To Cripple The Target’s Leg

The Striker is not a traditional weapon by any means. Based on the Fat Man, a mini-nuke launcher, the creator of this weapon traded out the mini-nukes for modified bowling balls.

There was a bit of damage trade-off but dealing 275 damage with a bowling ball isn’t too shabby, and a dangerously close hit won’t kill players as a Fat Man would. Its perk grants a 50% chance to cripple the target’s leg which is nice for slowing down powerful opponents to give players some room to kite them. The Sole Survivor can also craft more bowling balls at a Chemistry Station.

How To Obtain It

The Striker can be obtained at any point in time as it’s not associated with any quests. The player simply needs to go to Beaver Creek Lanes in the southwest area of Far Harbor. The Striker is in the upstairs office.

23 Le Fusil Terribles

Special Effect: +25% Damage/Limb Damage & Increases Recoil

As far as small guns go in Fallout 4, shotguns do some of the most damage, and the Le Fusil Terribles is no exception. Its effect even adds 25% more damage, even though the downside to it is that it gives this gun a lot more recoil.

The upside is that the recoil can be toned down a bit with different mods that can be added to this weapon. Plus, it's fairly easy to find and doesn't require players to finish any quests as many of these other powerful weapons do. This shotgun can be found in the captain's cabin in Libertalia, which players may recognize if they side with the Institute. Players can go to this location at any time despite it being related to the Institute's main quest.

How To Obtain It

The Le Fusil Terribles is located inside Libertalia, the raider encampment just south of the Nahant Warf in the water. More specifically the weapon will be sitting on a wooden crate in the captain’s cabin. Players will come here as part of the Synth Retention quest given by the Institute.

22 Spray N' Pray

Special Effect: +15 AoE Explosive Damage With Each Shot

The Spray N’ Pray should be a familiar weapon with most players because of how useful it is and how annoying it was to find Cricket to buy it. It’s a submachine gun that deals 48 damage. This alone would make it a handy weapon but the perk causes each bullet to explode on impact dealing +15 damage AOE.

Even if this isn’t a preferred style of gun, players will want it if they're trying to get the Eyes On The Prize achievement in Nuka-World. Take this baby into the Bandit Roundup shooting gallery and they'll be raking in tickets in no time.

How To Obtain It

Obtaining the Spray N’ Pray can be a bit tricky as it’s typically sold by the wandering merchant Cricket. She can sometimes be found in Bunker Hill, outside Vault 81, Warwick Homestead, or even Diamond City at times. This weapon can also rarely be found on random vendors; being used by Legendary Raiders near Diamond City.

21 Furious Power Fist

Special Effect: Consecutive Hits Increase Damage By 15%

During a player's adventures in Fallout 4, they are bound to come across some interesting secrets that liven things up from time to time. However, the game also has a penchant to scare and surprise players. A great example of this is in the Boston Commons, where players don't expect a major threat to pop out, only to enter Swan's Pond and be punished for this grave mistake.

This area houses a unique Behemoth named Swan that will smash weak players to smithereens and scare them out of their wits. Defeating this enemy is extremely taxing, but successful players will be rewarded for their bravery with the Furious Power Fist, a boom for melee fighters who can compound their damage and decimate players with a single well-aimed combo.

How To Obtain It

Players must defeat the unique Behemoth, Swan, in Swan's Pond to get this weapon.

20 Cryolator

Special Effect: Can Freeze Enemies

There's no denying that the Cryolator is a special weapon. Not any simple firearm would've been displayed at the starting area of the game, teasing players by staying just out of reach until the Sole Survivor has brushed up their lockpicking skills.

If players actually remember this weapon's existence after racking up a ton of hours in their adventure, then they'll be rewarded with an ice-cold weapon that's very satisfying to pull out in battle. Freezing enemies and rendering them helpless never ceases to be engaging once players get their hands on this rifle.

How To Obtain It

The Cryolator is inside Vault 111, the area where players start their journey. It's in a display case in the overseer's room behind a Master level lock that players can't unlock at the start of the game. They'll have to return after improving their skills to obtain this unique weapon.

19 Ashmaker

Special Effect: Each Shot Deals +15 Damage And Sets Targets On Fire

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Why use just a minigun when players can use a minigun that sets enemies on fire? That question can now be answered if players complete the quest The Big Dig and receive the Ashmaker as a prize. What miniguns might lack in damage, they make up for with their fire rate, and the Ashmaker makes that damage per second count go up with its fire damage.

It might be a heavy gun, but it's worth having. Players could give it to a follower so they can free up some inventory space while still using the Ashmaker if they need the space. The Big Dig quest does have a few different endings, but all of them give players a way to get the Ashmaker, so they don't have to worry about missing it based on dialogue options.

How To Obtain It

The Ashmaker is obtained exclusively through the quest The Big Dig given by Bobbi No-Nose near Goodneighbor. The weapon can be given as a reward for betraying Bobbi or looted off of Fahrenheit’s corpse if siding with Bobbi.

18 Kremvh’s Tooth

Special Effect: Boost To Damage, Added Poison Damage, And Bleed Damage

This wicked-looking sacrificial blade is a great reference to the horror author H.P. Lovecraft who frequently wrote about cults worshiping powerful cosmic monstrosities. In fact, the weapon is found beneath Dunwich Borers a reference to his short story The Dunwich Horror.

The dagger deals an impressive 49 damage and causes bleeding and poison effects on opponents. Dark-minded players will get a thrill sneaking up on opponents, stabbing them in the back with this wicked weapon, and watching as their enemy slowly dies and their souls are sent to the void where things wriggle in the darkness.

How To Obtain It

The Kremvh’s Tooth is located beneath Dunwich Borers. Just before reaching the bottom of the shaft is an underwater tunnel leading to an altar where the weapon is located. Ten quests lead the player to the Dunwich Borers, but none lead to the secret chamber where the weapon is hiding.

17 Protectron's Gaze

Special Effect: +25% Fire Rate And +15% Reload

While this weapon is pretty powerful, it takes a bit of effort to get it sometimes. Protectron's Gaze is a laser rifle that was added to the Automatron DLC. One of the main aspects of this DLC is that players must find and defeat a character called the Mechanist, who has the only version of Protectron's Gaze in the game.

When they meet the Mechanist in her lair, they can either kill her to get this weapon or, if she's spared, she can offer the gun for players to buy if they give her a more powerful weapon. For those who like energy weapons, the trade might be worth it, as this gun does quite a bit of damage. It also reloads and fires faster than other weapons.

How To Obtain It

This is the personal weapon of the Mechanist who is residing in The Mechanist’s Lair near the RobCo Sales & Service Center. The player will come here as part of the Restoring Order quest. The weapon can be obtained by killing the Mechanist, pickpocketing it, or possibly buying it by providing her with a better weapon first.

16 Final Judgement

Special Effect: +25% Fire Rate & +15% Reload

Final Judgement looks like a weapon straight out of the Terminator series and acts like it too. It’s a Gatling laser that deals 26 damage with a ridiculous fire rate. There are few feelings greater in this game than pummeling laser beam after laser beam into a deathclaw and watching it melt.

The one downside is that it requires valuable Fusion Cores to power it. This can get pricey and players will be debating between using this gun or their power armor, but for those with the funds or the stash of Cores, this is a fun gun.

How To Obtain It

There are three opportunities to obtain this weapon from the current owner Arthur Maxson. The first is during the Railroad quest Precipice of War, instead of traveling to the Police Station the player can go to the Prydwen and kill Maxson. The second is during the Rocket’s Red Glare quest given by the Railroad faction when the player is ambushed by Maxson after planting the explosives. The final way is the least recommended due to a bug. During the quest Airship Down Maxson will be on a Vertibird fighting Synths, the player can kill him and get the weapon, but if the Prydwen blows up his body may wind up under the wreckage and be inaccessible.

15 Kiloton Radium Rifle

Special Effect: +15 AoE Damage

The Kiloton Radium Rifle is very similar to the Spray N' Pray but is far superior. Its physical damage is 36, but it also deals 50 radiation damage over time, and like the Spray N Pray, its bullets explode on impact dealing 15 AoE damage.

This semi-automatic radiation gun is great for firing a couple of rounds into distant opponents and watching as their health drains away before they can reach the Sole Survivor. If players want this weapon, they’ll need to visit the Children of Atom at the Nucleus.

How To Obtain It

The weapon is sold by Brother Kane who is residing in the Nucleus where the Church of the Children of Atom is located. The player will need to join the Children of Atom to be able to buy from Brother Kane.

14 Gamma Gun

Special Effect: None

While this gun may not look super powerful, it can pack a punch against human enemies. The Gamma Gun does lots of radiation damage to enemies and has a fairly large area of effect compared to most guns.

This weapon can also come with legendary effects for even more bonuses. That plus the multiple options to mod the Gamma Gun can make it even more powerful for any difficulty or any player's skill level. A few shots from this gun can even take out large, heavily armored bosses — as long as they're humans since most creatures and robots in the Wasteland aren't too adversely affected by radiation.

How To Obtain It

This weapon is used by the Child Of Atom cultists and can be looted of their corpses. Those carrying this weapon can be found in the Decayed Reactor Site or the Kingsport Lighthouse. Players may consider buying Gamma Rounds from merchants to use this long-term.

13 Atom’s Judgement

Special Effect: Extra Radiation Damage

Speaking of the Children of Atom, another weapon in their possession is this monstrous Atom’s Judgement. It’s a massive sledgehammer that deals a terrifying 315 damage with 787 radiation damage over time. This is possible thanks to the cracked fusion cores the cultists strapped to the head of the hammer.

A few swings should kill just about anything and whoever manages to survive will quickly succumb to the radiation now flowing through their body. Even if players don’t plan on using this hammer themselves, having a companion like Strong wielding this weapon makes for a terrifying ally. It is easily one of the best weapons in Fallout 4.

How To Obtain It

This is the valuable reward given to the player after completing the Children of Atom quest The Heretic. It’s given out by the Grand Zealot Richter who is located in the Nucleus.

12 Cito's Shiny Slugger

Special Effect: Each Critical Hit Refills Action Points

This unique baseball bat is found in the Nuka-World DLC after players help rescue the family of a character named Cito. He will give them this bat as a reward for their efforts. As far as melee weapons go this is the best weapon in Fallout 4.

Cito's Shiny Slugger can do 94 damage. It also has the Relentless effect on it, causing Critical Hits to refill the player's AP so they can do more targeted damage even quicker. There are lots of different upgrades that players can put on this bat as well, and the Nuka-World DLC also allows players to paint the bat and make it weighted, which does even more damage.

How To Obtain It

The player will receive this reward from Cito after completing the Safari Adventure quest. Cito is located in the Safari Adventure theme park.

11 Admiral’s Friend

Special Effect: Double Damage If The Target Has Full Health

The DLC Far Harbor introduced several unique concepts and harpoon guns like Admiral’s Friend are by far the most interesting. Admiral's Friend deals a whopping 300 damage which thanks to a perk doubles to 600 if the opponent is at full health.

Admittedly the fire rate is abysmal, but for stealthy characters taking that 600 damage and adding in a stealth multiplier on top can deal astronomical levels of damage. If anything doesn’t die after that first hit they almost deserve to live.

How to Obtain It

Allen Lee will sell this weapon to the player. Lee is a merchant located in the town of Far Harbor. Players need to interact with him and have around 1,500 caps available.

10 Splattercannon

Special Effect: Consecutive Strikes Increase Damage

This deceptively named weapon is great for mid-range encounters. Found in Nuka-World it deals 49 damage and has an excellent fire rate. What makes it shine is the perk that deals increased damage after each consecutive hit on the same target.

If players can make every hit count then their damage output will skyrocket very quickly as stronger and stronger bullets pummel into their enemies. However, it can be pretty easy to miss shots in Fallout 4 with enemies moving about wildly, so it's important to either close the distance or be extremely accurate at longer ranges to trigger the extra damage afforded by this weapon.

How To Obtain It

Aaron Corbett at the Nuka-Town Market will sell this item to the player.

9 The Problem Solver

Special Effect: Consecutive Strikes Increase Damage

This weapon is similar to the Splattercannon but with a much better range at the cost of initial damage. The first bullet deals 21 damage, but with a perk that increases damage by 15% for each consecutive hit, it will quickly add up.

Because it’s a ranged weapon, players can get some far-range shots at the enemy before closing the distance. It's easy to see that players who get their hands on The Problem Solver will have a weapon capable of dishing out impressive damage, assuming their shots hit the target of course. Some players prefer the slower fire rate as there’s less chance of one of the bullets missing and resetting the damage stack.

How To Obtain It

This weapon is obtained through the Ambitious Plan quest given by Mason in Nuka-World. Players must pass a Charisma check with him and only choose aggressive dialogue choices whenever they speak with him.