Choices, Choices: FO2 Weapon Inquiry

Grimhound

Still Mildly Glowing
So I'm a good way through Fallout 2, and I'm at an impass. Looking over weapon lists, I'm not sure if I should develop a second weapon class (as I now specialize in Small Guns), with the probable choice being Energy Weapons. Now, I'm a bit torn. Should I develop Energy Weapons, or will I be able to find enough ammunition to be able to effectively make use of the Gauss weapons?

Edit: I'm at level 18, so I'm almost tempted to pump Energy Weapons, and then use the Tag! perk to raise it and double the skill points, then redistribute half back into Small Guns, which is at 105% currently.

Note: For those who damn the Tag! perk, it gives X%, where X is equal to the percent raised from its base upon character creation.

Ex.
Base Value of Skill = 10%
Percentage Raised = 90%
Total = 100%
+Tag! Perk = 90%
Total w/ Tag! = 10% + 90% + 90% = 190%

That 190% can then be dipped into to add to other skills, with 1% initial worth 5 skill points when taken away from the 190%
 
Wooz said:
Check out the damage descriptions. You do the math.

Well, Big Guns does the most damage barring the Laser Gatling I can't get my hands on yet to test, clocking in at 854 crit and a strange 5 on regular hit.

Gauss weapons seem to be about equal to Laser Rifles in their general power, though they occasionally do 1/3rd more per hit.

Energy Weapons just have the advantage of steady damage and 2 main types of ammo, expensive though it may be.
 
The Gauss guns are a bit overpowered, IMHO; energy weapons aren't as decisively better than small guns as they were in FO1. You can probably find enough ammo for them, if you know where to shop for it. Doesn't hurt to keep a backup weapon around anyway. Once you get to the Enclave you'll have more ammo than you'll ever need.

Really, it's better to explore the game for yourself than have someone else tell you how to play it. Keep a current savegame and try something; if you don't like how that turns out go back and try something else.
 
I really wish the Bozar had an aimed mode. Would make the weapon a lot more realistic, as it is (based upon) a .50 caliber sniper rifle. Would also make Big Guns the way to go.
 
I prefer the Gauss Rifle/Bozar combo. Use the Gauss for sniping and Bozar if they venture too close. Gauss ammo can be hard to find, but the shopkeepers in San Francisco should keep you supplied.
Going this way also means that there's no need to put too many skill points in Big Guns, since you won't be firing the Bozar from more than a couple of hexes away.

And seriously, aimed Bozar burst? :shock:
*God mode switched to: On.*
 
Honestly the Bozar shouldn't even have a burst mode. It should be a sniper rifle. Barrett 802 IIRC. Monster .50 cal single shot rifle. Sweetness for big guns skill. A weapon for Marcus?
(that doesn't occasionally end up plastering your innards all over a grungy post-apocalyptic hallway)
Yes, please.

EDIT: You got it dude.
 
Solon said:
Honestly the Bozar shouldn't even have a burst mode. It should be a sniper rifle. Barrett 802 IIRC. Monster .50 cal single shot rifle. Sweetness for big guns skill. A weapon for Marcus? Yes, please.

Allow me to correct you.

A weapon for Marcus (that doesn't occasionally end up plastering your innards all over a grungy post-apocalyptic hallway)? Yes, please.
 
excuse me for this off-topic question but the Bozar was meant to be the m82 .50 cal sniper rifle? Or the weapon was based on its looks only?
 
Barrett said:
excuse me for this off-topic question but the Bozar was meant to be the m82 .50 cal sniper rifle? Or the weapon was based on its looks only?

Bozar was meant to be a Big Guns sniper rifle, yeah.
 
Yes, the cannon fixes... But it is set to 14mm. Megamod does it too, doesn´t?
I would vote for Big Guns, it simply rocks with Sniper. I mean, you can kill an Enclave soldier with 1 burst of a Avenger -not Vindicator- minigun (and frank horrigan with 4/5 long range Vindicator bursts). Gatling Laser is almost no-use without Sniper. Even with the Sniper perk i would prefer the YK42B.
 
The beautiful thing about Fallout is that (nearly) every weapon set becomes viable in the endgame, thanks to those two special perks we all know and love as Sniper and Slayer.

Obviously, if you're a Sniper, your luck is going to play a certain role (or roll) in how effective you are at that, and I feel that any firearm that still allows you to aim for the eyes and groin is hideously useful.

I'm partial to small guns, since going down that road leaves you with a very useful progression that won't let you down at any point in the game. In fact, my development usually looks like Klamath: 10mm pistol, Den: .44 magnum, then to whenever I finally get my hands on a Gauss weapon - the magnum is THAT useful. But if you're so inclined, you can pick up all multitudes of shotguns and rifles as well, though I usually play a diplo-sniper so Vic is my rifleman and Cassidy my friendly neighborhood shotgun-toting grandpa.

Should you choose to develop another skill, Big Guns will be more useful with less points, as others have mentioned. You'll be able to take out those critters with an annoying tendency to get up in your grill with a minimum of investment, while still being able to pick off stragglers with small arms.

Energy weapons, though costly and requiring a good bit of skill investment, are just so damn fun. Nothing says "developer love and attention" like three separate death animations in the category. Sure, big guns has three as well, but two of them are shared (burst fire and grenades) and require rare, expensive ammo to pull off. Plus, between the Alien Blaster and the Pulse Rifle, very little will stand in your way. Just remember to pack some sort of non-electric sidearm for Floaters. A Turbo Plasma Rifle would do in that situation.

As a side note, since some patch or the other fixed my Bozar sound to be a single shot, it's quite humorous to watch it take out multiple people in one go - I'm reminded of Indiana Jones on the Nazi tank.
 
Energy weapons, though costly and requiring a good bit of skill investment, are just so damn fun. Nothing says "developer love and attention" like three separate death animations in the category. Sure, big guns has three as well, but two of them are shared (burst fire and grenades) and require rare, expensive ammo to pull off. Plus, between the Alien Blaster and the Pulse Rifle, very little will stand in your way. Just remember to pack some sort of non-electric sidearm for Floaters. A Turbo Plasma Rifle would do in that situation.
Never unerstand why the fuck do you guy says: Don´t use eletricity agains floaters!
A critical hit with a pulse pistol in the ganglion let the floater with 1/2-or-1/4 HP. A not critical/not-aimed shot with a PPistol takes out 5hp.
In the "what weapons skill should i develop", i vote BigGuns, for easy play/ HEAVY firepower. I vote EGuns if you want balance and cool diying anims.
 
Grimhound said:
A weapon for Marcus (that doesn't occasionally end up plastering your innards all over a grungy post-apocalyptic hallway)? Yes, please.

Heh I usually give him a turbo plasma/pulse rifle. Maybe big guns do more damage, but I don't think my other party members are an acceptable sacrifice.

Hmm, if I go for a secondary weapon I usually take energy, but the big guns thing is starting to sound really good. Though I'm concerned it may cripple my carrying capacity. Heh admittedly the ammo for energy weapons does that too.

(The spellchecker doesn't like "I'm"? O.o)
 
Never unerstand why the fuck do you guy says: Don´t use eletricity agains floaters!
A critical hit with a pulse pistol in the ganglion let the floater with 1/2-or-1/4 HP. A not critical/not-aimed shot with a PPistol takes out 5hp.
In the "what weapons skill should i develop", i vote BigGuns, for easy play/ HEAVY firepower. I vote EGuns if you want balance and cool diying anims.

Floaters have a built-in resistance to electrical attacks, as I recall. It's nothing that can't be overcome by a nice critical, but other weapons are simply more effective at the baseline level.
 
Back
Top