Fallout 76: Best Energy Weapons, Ranked

Highlights

• Acceptable Overkill, a modular laser rifle with consistent damage and a manageable firing rate making it a desirable Energy Weapon in Fallout 76.
• The Plasma Gun is a modifiable gun that can be used as both a rifle and a pistol, offering decent range and damage potential.
• Slug Buster presents a powerful Fallout 76 weapon with stronger armor penetration and VATS critical shot damage, encouraging aggressive early-game plays.

In the player’s journey across the Appalachia in Fallout 76, their quest for survival will force them to use a wide variety of weapons against the game’s lethal roster of enemies. Between irradiated monsters, mutants, and even raiders, players need to stay on their toes to find the best weapons to protect themselves.

However, players who want to maximize their damage potential should consider acquiring Energy Weapons. Known for their dependence on specialized ammo like Fusion Cells, Energy Weapons can change the tide of battle provided players know how to use them properly. However, across the game’s rather vast regions, just which Energy Weapons suit a player’s capabilities?

9 Acceptable Overkill

Legacy Weapon That Packs A Lethal Punch At A Distance

Players who want an Energy Weapon with a certain air of futurism to it would appreciate Acceptable Overkill, a modular laser rifle. Due to its nature, the weapon can be affected by the Grounded Mutation, where players get +100 Energy Resistance in exchange for dealing -50% Energy Weapon Damage. Regardless of this potential setback, the weapon does deal consistent damage on top of having a manageable firing rate, making it a desirable weapon should players acquire it even without the traditional slate of Fallout mods.

Unfortunately, Acceptable Overkill is considered a Legacy Weapon, meaning it’s currently unavailable in the current rotation. It was once a reward for Survival Mode’s weekly challenges in 2019, specifically a challenge where players need to kill “all kinds of critters.” However, collectors should be able to get the weapon from fellow traders who have them and are willing to sell them in exchange for Caps or other items.

8 Plasma Gun

Modifiable Gun That Can Be Used As Both A Rifle And A Pistol

Perhaps the epitome of atompunk weapons, the Plasma Gun can seem small but it does pack quite a punch. Its iron-like chassis boasts gears and veins with flowing green fluid, giving it a distinct plasma feel. Changing the weapon’s stock changes its appearance and reclassifies it as a rifle, allowing players to use its decent range across different setups – making it useful across most situations when roaming outside the safety of CAMPs.

Players can get the Plasma Gun from the Whitespring Resort’s Brotherhood Vendor or the Whitespring Bunker’s MODUS. Blood Eagles may also carry the weapon. Being an Energy Weapon, the Plasma Gun can be affected by the Grounded Mutation where players get 100% Energy Damage Resistance in exchange for -50% Energy Weapon Damage.

7 Slug Buster

Stronger Armor Penetration, VATS Critical Shot Damage Encourage Aggressive Early-Game Plays

Essentially taking on the appearance of a modified Plasma Gun, the Slug Buster boasts a longer stock and a longer barrel alongside compatibility with other Plasma Gun Mods. However, its effects make the Fallout 76 weapon more powerful than its standard variant, particularly with extra VATS crits, armor ignorance, and even a -20% AP Cost for additional efficiency.

Players can only acquire the Slug Buster from the “Buried Treasure” in the game’s “Wastelanders” update. The weapon is specifically located on a table in the Auxiliary Operations Center in Vault 79, although this part of Fallout 76 gameplay does need players to ask Ra-Ra to explore the premises.

6 Mind Over Matter

ADS Bonuses Encourages Aggressive But Precision Aim

Despite taking on a smaller appearance than the Slug Buster and having an almost identical appearance to the Plasma Gun, Mind Over Matter boasts a special scope on top of its pistol format that hints at its combat capabilities. While its stats are essentially similar to its base variant, Mind Over Matter encourages manual aiming due to bonuses tied to this combat strategy. In turn, players are advised to be more tactical in their fighting approach to avoid getting off-guard when using the weapon.

Players can get Mind Over Matter in their Fallout 76 gameplay if they manage to recruit Colin Putnam during the “Field Testing” main quest from the “Steel Dawn” update. Due to this objective being optional in nature, players may potentially miss the weapon’s acquisition.

5 Enclave Plasma Gun

Plasma Gun That Packs A Stronger Punch

What makes the Enclave Plasma Gun quite a memorable Fallout weapon is its imposing appearance. Despite technically being a modification of the original Plasma Gun, the Enclave Plasma Gun has a distinct black and silver chassis with a longer stock, as well as cyan and green patterns coursing through the weapon’s wiring. Due to only the Prime Receiving having a plan of this weapon, mods are only acquired through another Enclave Plasma Gun with random mods, vendors in specific regions (The Mire, Cranberry Bog, Savage Divide), or as random drops.

Acquiring the Enclave Plasma Gun can also be difficult, as they’re only reliably sold by the MODUS Production terminal or located in the Enclave research facility as Scorched Enclave officers carry them. Likewise, the weapon has a 50% drop rate from the “One of Us” main quest or a 30% drop rate from the “Dropped Connection” event.

4 Ultracite Laser Gun

High Fire Rate Encourages Mobile Plays

Players who want an archetypal laser gun should get the Ultracite Laser Gun in their Fallout 76 gameplay. The weapon’s appearance is probably its best selling point, as the weapon’s red tones over its gray stock make it a more recognizable equipment compared to other guns that are often based in real life. It boasts decent damage at a high firing rate, making it ideal for players who want to stay mobile during their gameplay. However, it’s missing some mods that are ordinarily available to the Laser Gun.

Interested players can get the Ultracite Laser Gun plans from Watoga Shopping Plaza’s Vendor bot Phoenix, or Whitespring Resort’s Brotherhood vendor. It may also be a rare drop from Legendary enemies and Scorchbeasts, as well as rewards from treasure maps.

3 Laser Gun

Modifiable Nature Allows Players To Adapt To Various Scenarios

While boasting a similar appearance to the Ultracite Laser Gun, the default Laser Gun in a player’s Fallout 76 gameplay has a stockier appearance due to blends of brown, yellow, and red on the core stock. It has a lower firing rate than the Ultracite Laser Gun but has access to more mods, with the weapon possibly being reclassified as a rifle instead of a pistol when equipped with a stock.

Moreover, the weapon’s mod capacity is what makes the Laser Gun quite a versatile energy weapon, allowing players to adapt to most situations. Players can find the weapon in Brotherhood corpses scattered in Watoga and Fort Defiance, although they are also usually carried by Blood Eagles and Super Mutants.

2 Plasma Caster

Ammo-Intensive Laser Gatling Gun Can Tear Through Enemies Quickly

Taking on the appearance of a rather large Gatling gun, the Plasma Caster doesn’t technically release bullets. When used, the Plasma Caster deals devastating damage at long ranges with a decent firing rate, although the weapon tends to cost heavily in terms of ammo. The weapon may be upgraded to drain fusion cores from power armor users, making it an exceptionally dangerous endgame weapon.

If players complete the quests for either the Raiders or the Settlers in their Fallout 76 gameplay, they can purchase plans for the Plasma Caster for 750 Gold Bullion from Regs. Players need to do this to ensure the Plasma Caster becomes a random drop from events, Legendary enemies, and Purveyor Murmrgh.

1 Gatling Plasma

Immense Firing Rate Can Pulverize Enemies Quickly With The Right Timing

Players who want to look like they’re carrying the might of the planet’s energy potential would like toting the massive Gatling Plasma. While its status as a heavy energy weapon allows it to use both Heavy Weapon Mods and Energy Weapon Mods, the weapon uses plasma cores. Despite its high firing rate and excellent range, the Gatling Plasma does need a spin-up before the continuous fire and has a subpar reload, forcing players to be more tactical in its usage.

Given how plasma cores are normally found in high-level locations, so too is the Gatling Plasma. Players can get Gatling Plasma from high-level government aid drops, or even from the Mire’s Picklock 2 safes. Likewise, players can also go to the armory of the Whitespring Bunker and purchase it from the MODUS Armory Terminal.