Combat Shotgun Advice

[jasonbarron]

I'm invested in Demolition, Commando and Gun Nut. Recently got my hands on an Explosive Combat Shotgun. Oh mama what an amazing gun. My question is what kind of receiver should I put on it to take full advantage of my Commando perks?

[Xenon The Noble]

Commando is full auto, right? So, Full auto?

[jasonbarron]

There's a ton of options for shotgun receivers and the descriptions are somewhat ambiguously worded, which is why I was asking for advice.

[steventirey]

Originally posted by jasonbarron:

There's a ton of options for shotgun receivers and the descriptions are somewhat ambiguously worded, which is why I was asking for advice.

All of the receivers (for any gun that is capable of both automatic and non-automatic fire) that make a weapon automatic all have the word automatic in their name. Most of the receivers for combat shotguns are not automatic. Automatic shotguns also aren't all that great, as you can get a faster fire rate using the non-automatic receivers (with the sole exception of the Rapid Automatic Receiver). The only reason to go for an automatic combat shotgun is because you already have the Commando perks, and don't want to bother taking the Rifleman perks.

[Emmental]

I'd go with a powerful automatic receiver.

[jasonbarron]

Alright, that's what I was looking for guys. Thank you. I already have 4 ranks in Commando and none in Rifleman yet, so I'm just looking to maximize my perk benefits. I'll probably get Rifleman built up, too, in the not too distant future.

[The Inept European]

Auto shotguns are useless. The only reason to ever get one is this exact situation- you are already specced into Commando and you just found an explosive combat shotgun.

[The Inept European]

In fact with an Explosive weapon of any kind the most important factor is the rate of fire. The most important mod you want to get for that weapon is a bigger mag. Ideally a drum mag (they do those for combat shotguns right?).

The second thing you want is whatever increases the rate of fire (normally this is the first thing you want on an Explosive weapon, but not when the mag size is small).

This will depend on whether you fight in VATS or not. If you fight outside VATS you can trust the listed ROF. Go for the highest value. Get a long barrel for best range. Ideally you want those shells exploding far away from you and shotguns have ridiculously (unrealistically) terrible range. (Did I mention shotguns suck?)

The auto shotgun has a slower rate of fire (in and out of VATS) than the standard receiver. This is why you would never use it unless you were more specced into commando than rifleman.

To find the best rate of fire in VATS you will need to experiment, but it’s likely to be Light receiver and reflex/tactical sight. Don’t worry about the slight DMG reduction: you will be killing things with ROF and explosions, not DMG. If there was a mod that gives you 1 DMG but better effective ROF, you want that mod. You don’t even care if your bullets hit. That’s why the best Explosive weapons by far are 38 pipe.

[The Inept European]

Also, and more importantly, when you find any rapid fire Explosive weapon, the game is over. You have won. Just start again.

[jasonbarron]

Originally posted by The Inept European:

Also, and more importantly, when you find any rapid fire Explosive weapon, the game is over. You have won. Just start again.

Hahaha no! I'm having too much fun making things explode!

On a serious note, it is amazingly powerful. When I found it I was maxed out on Demolition and had 4 ranks in Commando, plus I'm using almost fully maxed t60 armor, so now I'm basically a walking tank. Almost feel sorry for those darn raiders.

[Xenon The Noble]

Get spray and pray. then load up on commando and the explosive perk.

[The Inept European]

Yeah it is fabulous fun! XD

[The Inept European]

It can be dangerous to max the Demo Expert perk with an Explosive weapon because of the increased blast radius.

[The Inept European]

I remember that run when the only Explosive weapon I got was a hunting/sniper rifle. No way to increase the ROF above 3 or 4. What a waste.

[The Inept European]

To your serious point OP - the weapon is so powerful, it really doesn’t matter what perk you have for the bullets it fires. In fact you actively want to miss with the bullets - you want to be firing at the ground near your enemies, not trying to hit them. No point wasting an explosion by having it fly past them and explode in the background.

[jasonbarron]

Originally posted by The Inept European:

To your serious point OP - the weapon is so powerful, it really doesn’t matter what perk you have for the bullets it fires. In fact you actively want to miss with the bullets - you want to be firing at the ground near your enemies, not trying to hit them. No point wasting an explosion by having it fly past them and explode in the background.

Now that's very interesting, hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the advice.

@Xe I've been using Spray & Pray for quite a while now, which is why I'm so heavily invested in Demo & Commando. Amazing weapon for sure.

On that note, which weapon is superior, the explosive shotgun or Spray & Pray? I haven't had a chance to take the shotgun up against anything tough yet to properly test it in comparison.