What is the best all-around legendary laser(or institute) rifle/pistol?

[Terminus Est]

Lately I've been farming and looking into laser weapons and I already have a few rather strong weapons. I already have a two shot laser musket, which I really love for sniping and a two-shot auto laser rifle that I modded with the strongest automatic mod, but it's only practical for short-range combat, because the recoil is annoying. Besides I have a trusty legendary combat shotgun for those situations.

So which laser weapon do you reccommend? Oh and my character is not a VATS or heavy weapons build, so you can rule out VATS weapons(like the Righteous Authority laser rifle) and gatling lasers.

[casualsailor]

Speaking only for Laser Rifles and not Gauss Rifles or other types.

For a Sniper build the Old Faithful (purchase from Arturo) with the Instigating modifier (double damage against full health targets) is what I'd recommend. For VATS/Crit builds it would be Righteous Authority.

I haven't found any Institute Laser Rifle that held a candle to these two.

BTW, you can find a free Laser Sniper very early in the game in the raider camp just east of Tenpines. It's on the overpass (look for the windmill) just lying on the floor next to a bed in the silver hut with the skull. It has a medium scope, full stock which are both nice to have early in the game. And you can rip these mods off and put them on the other two I mentioned for free.

[Rizzly]

Institute weapon can be removed from the list, it's the worst gun in the game.

As for the laser gun the best damage you can get is an automatic barrel with splitter and wounding prefix, but it will become a shotgun that way.

For mid-range improved automatic barrel and quantum gyro lens thingy to reduce recoil to the max.

As you see I'm a fan of automatics and also I find them the best guns when you tie them with legendary prefixes like wounding, irradiated, explosive, furious. And in general gameplay, vats or not.

[DARKMATTER_497]

Freezing

[Rizzly]

Originally posted by DARKMATTER_497:

Freezing

Not eveeeen close...

[ChemicalBacon]

the "best" depends on your build

[Terminus Est]

Originally posted by casualsailor:

For a Sniper build the Old Faithful (purchase from Arturo) with the Instigating modifier (double damage against full health targets) is what I'd recommend. For VATS/Crit builds it would be Righteous Authority.

I haven't found any Institute Laser Rifle that held a candle to these two.

I already have Old Faithful and it wasn't too bad in my early game, but like I said I prefer my two-shot six-crank laser musket for sniping. Very powerful against high level enemies and plus, the sound it makes when it fires is quite satisfying.

I know Institute lasers have a higher rate of fire than normal lasers, so would a Rapid Institute laser be practical?

Originally posted by Rizzly:

For mid-range improved automatic barrel and quantum gyro lens thingy to reduce recoil to the max.

As you see I'm a fan of automatics and also I find them the best guns when you tie them with legendary prefixes like wounding, irradiated, explosive, furious. And in general gameplay, vats or not.

I like automatics too and I have a wounding auto laser rifle, but the DoT is a bit too slow even after firing several shots. Irradiated seems interesting, though the radiation would only affect humans. Explosive is a strong effect as I have an explosive combat shotgun, but then I'll have to treat my weapon as missle launcher and keep my distance. Furious sounds like something worth trying, if I ever manage to farm a furious laser rifle.

[Rizzly]

Originally posted by Terminus Est:

I like automatics too and I have a wounding auto laser rifle, but the DoT is a bit too slow even after firing several shots. Irradiated seems interesting, though the radiation would only affect humans. Explosive is a strong effect as I have an explosive combat shotgun, but then I'll have to treat my weapon as missle launcher and keep my distance. Furious sounds like something worth trying, if I ever manage to farm a furious laser rifle.

if you have Nuka-world they sell a handmade rifle (ak47 lookalike) with furious prefix, it's incredibly strong

as for the institute gun, don't bother, they have already half as much damage as normal laser guns with only a little firerate added, nothing else. They are total garbage imo.

Buuuut, if you find a two-shot one it becomes good...Even Deadeye is a great prefix for all guns. Basically gives you infinite Jet.

[Doombringer]

lasers are a mid level (level 20-30ish) weapon, and won't do well at high level...
Wounding laser with scatter barrel is okay-ish though.
Laser can't be explosive (without using console commands).

[Terminus Est]

Well I don't have Nuka World so...

I guess, two-shot is as good as a laser rifle gets without having any DLCs installed.

[Shameless Instigator]

seems youve got automatics and snipers covered for the most part, Semi auto ive found stagger too be very handy, it could be better on a scatter or automatic but ive found a well built semi auto is a very decent medium range weapon with managable recoil and its really funny making things stagger while you lay into them

[Alucard †]

Mid range - CQB you will want a Never ending Laser with fully automatic modification / scatter modification

I've tried Laser weapons with (ignores % resistance , deals more damage <insert reason here>) its still garbage best Laser weapons i've found were the Never Ending ones

the fact that you dont have to reload you can make them dish out a lot of DPS when you mod them with scatter barrels or fully automatic

Tho can't say if or how good 2 shot Laser rifle / pistol is because i never found one :P

[Doombringer]

Originally posted by DragonVampire<DvFish><:

seems youve got automatics and snipers covered for the most part, Semi auto ive found stagger too be very handy, it could be better on a scatter or automatic but ive found a well built semi auto is a very decent medium range weapon with managable recoil and its really funny making things stagger while you lay into them

Stagger chance varies based on weapon:
50% Melee
30% Semi
5% Auto

Not really that good on auto weapons. Funny on rippers though.

[LAZERFACE]

At level 1-20 it is THE GAINER a .44 pistol, spray and pray is good low level and also shotguns if you are fast. Also good at low level Grognaks Axe and the costume.
Gauss rifle is very very powerful.
I only list items you can go and pick up easily.
I do not use lazers, ever, go figure.

[LAZERFACE]

Best weapon ever explosive assault rifle, 0 recoil= 0 misses.

[Shameless Instigator]

Originally posted by Doombringer:

Originally posted by DragonVampire<DvFish><:

seems youve got automatics and snipers covered for the most part, Semi auto ive found stagger too be very handy, it could be better on a scatter or automatic but ive found a well built semi auto is a very decent medium range weapon with managable recoil and its really funny making things stagger while you lay into them

Stagger chance varies based on weapon:
50% Melee
30% Semi
5% Auto

Not really that good on auto weapons. Funny on rippers though.

Ive been using it semi auto with this prefix, Its pretty solid doesnt stagger all the time, but doesnt let you down nearly asmuch as it should, Id say im lucky but my lucks like 2