Do energy weapons have a practical use?

[Ranger.Danger]

I rarely see energy weapons used in game, and when they are they usually arent that threatening. I also rarely hear of players using energy weapons. Does anyone here use them? Or can confirm they arent practical?

[Altos]

Yeah, currently energy weapons are some of the weaker primary damage dealers in the game. Still better than throwing knives, but not by much. IIRC, the devs are adding new feats and abilities for energy weapons with either the next patch or the expansion that should make them more viable on their own.

[Serendipitous]

They are stronger than regular pistols in my opinion. 1) They deal damage in heat and energy, and there are less opponents that can resist it compared to meachanical resistance 2) Due to how easy it is to boost their critical damage bonus with circular wave aplifier, they can deal damage in big spikes 3) There is electroshock pistol that can stun (always useful) and deal damage to several enemies at once.

They aren't strongest weapon, but i don't think they are the weakest. But they are certainly not easy to use and you have to know what you are doing.

Remember that like regular pistols and SMG they need high Dex to be effective since it lowers they AP per use. If you char's Dex is low than yeah, they are bad (except maybe Electroshock pistol for occasional stun).

[destroyor]

They do have a practical use. The most obvious example would be using aim shot with electroshock pistol as your alpha strike (this is the standard opening move for my pistol char).

The problem is that you are putting in double the effort for the same or lesser reward. Sure you can execute w/ plasma pistol for insane damage, but you can do the same with a sniper rifle which is relatively easier and safer. You can ambush w/ laser pistol, but you can put out the same/higher amount of damage of per turn using SMG/Assault rifle with less hassle. A critical electroshock pistol aim shot is deadly, but so is burst w/ SMG/AR.

It is my opinion that Styg over-nerfed pistol.

TL:DR version - energy weapons are legitimate weapons but everything pistol can do, SMG/AR can do it better and/or easier.

[IronBudmeister]

I hope that since Styg fixed how animations and models are implemented into the game with this coming expansion energy weapons can get some TLC. There is so much potential for the energy weapon family; such as lazer/plasma rifles, casters, scatter guns, repeaters, and what have you like in Fallout or Wasteland. There is great potential there, and I hope we get to see it in the future fully realised. I'm an energy guns guru in the Fallout games, so getting to make that happen in UnderRail would be a dream come true