What DMG type works well on each enemy?

[Alex Helders]

So there's ballistic, energy, poison and radiation right?

So ballistic DMG you could use on probably everything.

Energy: Robots? Anything metal?

Poison: Bugs?

Radiation: Humans?

Just a level 44 with a noob question. *runs away*

[Glitshy]

Take the awereness perk, and you'll know.

[ImHelping]

Explosions

Proper explosions, not fire.

[Alex Helders]

I have it, but don't really know how to read it. Is the higher the number on each damage type, the more they resist to it? What do the crossed out ones mean? They don't do damage?

[cdarklock]

As a general rule, most things have lower energy resistance than ballistic resistance. Robots are immune to poison and radiation; wasteland animals are immune to radiation. Some of the larger creatures - mirelurk hunters, deathclaws, yao guai, radscorpions - have significant poison resistance. Deathclaws, ghouls, and radstags have much higher energy resistance than ballistic resistance.

[Alex Helders]

Wish the game explained this 130 hours ago... this is my first fallout game.

[Alex Helders]

So when you enter VATS, the lowest number you see is the damage type you go for?

[cdarklock]

Originally posted by Bonnie:

Wish the game explained this 130 hours ago... this is my first fallout game.

The Awareness perk is designed for exactly this kind of thing. Higher numbers are bad - if there's a 50 next to the shield and a 35 next to the lightning bolt, for example, use an energy weapon.

[Alex Helders]

Originally posted by cdarklock:

Originally posted by Bonnie:

Wish the game explained this 130 hours ago... this is my first fallout game.

The Awareness perk is designed for exactly this kind of thing. Higher numbers are bad - if there's a 50 next to the shield and a 35 next to the lightning bolt, for example, use an energy weapon.

I guess I have to upgrade my energy weapon then because I don't have the perks yet. I haven't encountered poision or radiation guns yet (besides the legendary items and the Lorenzo side quest).

When you see a cross in VATS, I'm assuming the enemy is immune to this damage type?

[cdarklock]

Originally posted by Bonnie:

When you see a cross in VATS, I'm assuming the enemy is immune to this damage type?

I think so, I haven't played with Awareness much and don't have it on my current build.

[Alex Helders]

Thanks for the help. And thanks for not being condescending. I just never learnt how to read VATS

[brjernej]

Is it so hard to give a straight answer to a straight question?
Came here ingame to check for an answer, and you send me to awareness perk?

[steventirey]

Originally posted by brjernej:

Is it so hard to give a straight answer to a straight question?
Came here ingame to check for an answer, and you send me to awareness perk?

The Awareness perk tells you exactly what you want to know. You could also look it up on the wiki, something that likely wasn't an option at the time this thread was first made (just a month after launch).

[The Inept European]

Generally ballistic is best. Other damage types have bugs that interfere with some of the multipliers (from weapon mods and perks and criticals). Even against a target with lower ER (and it's not usually that much lower than DR) you are usually better off with a ballistic weapon against any target, unless the weapon is very basic and you have minimal perks.

If I carry an energy weapon it's usually for ammo reasons (cost/weight/availability) and because they are light, to use against low threat targets.

Once you can afford plasma you kind of get the best of both worlds. But still I would say the absolute best weapons in the game (for alpha strike and for DPS) are pure ballistic.

[The Inept European]

By the way, explosive is not a damage type. It is an effect, that can be applied to any damage type. Typically the damage type of the explosion is ballistic. Including for Molotovs, oddly enough.

[The Inept European]

Oh dear I fell victim to "check the month but not the year" and ended up joining a necro.