Best Energy Weapons

[Moonjunk]

My character is heavy on the energy weapons, so I wanted to know what would be best for him? I currently have a guass rifle, multiplus rifle, tribeam laser rifle, a plasma defender, a flamer and incinerator, and basic laser/plasma rifles and pistols

[Curious Incubus]

Holorifle is the most powerful close/medium ranged energy weapon in the game. It is also the most ammo efficient energy weapon.

[Ion Antonescu]

AER14- Laser rifle found in Vault 22 YCS/108 it uses 4 instead of 5 microfusion cells. If you don't have wild wasteland there's a unique plasma rifle called Q35 modulator in repconn headquarters behind 75 Terminal/Lock The AER14 and and Q35 also use microfusion cells.

[The Spacedog]

MF Hyperbreeder Alpha (GRA) repid fire and unlimited ammo

[talgaby]

Holorifle, MF Hyperbreeder Alpha, the unique Gauss rifle.
Or the tarantula upgrade on the sonic emitter if you are a critical hit build. In which case you have the constant decent possibility to one-shot anything, regardless of their DR/DT/HP.

[di eshor ribly]

A Gatling Laser with Max Charge ammo melts through pretty much everything like butter, in vanilla.

If you have OWB, Elijah's Prototype Tesla Cannon hits like a freight train if you can aim it right. It even has a bonus against robots and power armor, which is something most energy weapons have an innate disadvantage towards.

[talgaby]

Gatling laser sadly also eats through the ammo stockpile. I'd save it for the Hoover battle, assuming you can gather around 10k cells (optimised, not max charge… max charge breaks it faster you could say "I have weapon repair kits"). That segment is glorious with it.

[red255]

The Gatling laser is nice when you have jury rigging and can repair it with flame throwers, arc throwers, plasma casters, incinerators, heavy incinerators. None of which are exceedingly common except in lonesome road. Or get stacks of weapon repair kits from Dead money vending machine.

The tri beam laser is nice especially with a post ED-E from lonesome road +5 beam damage (both to it and the laser gatling/SPTL wood)

The Gauss rifle is a toy. sure it does alot of damage but its slow to fire/reload, good for killing the 3 card bounty members but in usual practicality I'd prefer a laser rifle and just shooting more shots, or a holo rifle. (both upgraded)

The unique plasma rifle is OK

The GRA pistols are great in the first part of the game with a damage mod in them.

Novac has the Hyperbreder alpha. which is automatic like and requires no ammo.

But yeah Generally I have a tri beam if I want to kill things when they get 'close' and a scoped laser rifle with mods for sniping.

[Jeroth]

Depends on the situation
If you visit deathclaw's the Gauss rifle is a good choice.
The holorifle instantly stuns an opponent, but you should take a combat knife with you to slay the stunned opponents while theyre on the ground.
The laserrifle is good with modifications.
And I recommend to take the M16 (Dutyrifle) as well if you run out of ammo with armor piercing rounds.

[Glitshy]

If you don't have Wild Wasteland activated (the trait) you can get the YCS/186, the unique gauss rifle, in the north-west of the map. It does 140 base damage instead of 120 and uses 4 shots instead of 5.

[CrackeR]

Gauss,gauss oh yeah, did i mention the GAUSS!!! lol

[Curious Incubus]

Originally posted by Glitshy:

If you don't have Wild Wasteland activated (the trait) you can get the YCS/186, the unique gauss rifle, in the north-west of the map. It does 140 base damage instead of 120 and uses 4 shots instead of 5.

[Vita, Mortis, Careo]

My choices would be the YCS/186 for combat at range and the GRA Plasma Defender as a sidearm.

[No emaN]

Cleansing Flame (GRA). It's an end game energy weapon it's underneath the category.
If you can't tell which weapons are better yourself consult the wiki.

[Vita, Mortis, Careo]

Originally posted by No emaN:

Cleansing Flame (GRA). It's an end game energy weapon it's underneath the category.
If you can't tell which weapons are better yourself consult the wiki.

Cleansing Flame also has a strength requirement of 7, making weapons like it something of an anomaly. One of the biggest draws for using energy weapons is the comparatively low strength requirement.

[Discreet_Pigeon]

I personally prefer the holorifle with all of its mods. I tend to use it like a shotgun and hip fire when in close quarters and use like a sniper rifle when I want to quickly dispatch enemies. I tend to carry around 50 max charges cells usually 100 or so optomized cells.

If I haven't done any of the DLCs then I tend to carry the reliable laser rifle especially if I made a crit build character. I usually mod it with all but the scope but since I have the Weapon mod menu mod I can add/remove it at anytime if I do decide to use it. The only ammo I usually have for the laser rifle is the optomized cells to get decent damage and not to burn out the laser rifle like max charges cells.