Fallout 76: Gauss Pistol Guide and Weapon Balance Updates

[Jimekalmiya]

We’re diving into the world of pistols in Fallout 76, focusing on recent changes and how they affect weapon performance. In particular, we’ll cover the Gauss Pistol, which has emerged as one of the strongest Gunslinger weapons. But we’ll also touch on other weapons and effects that have been influenced by recent nerfs and buffs from Bethesda. Let’s get into it!

The Gauss Pistol: The New Number One Gunslinger Weapon

The Gauss Pistol has become one of the most powerful options for Gunslinger builds. Its explosive synergy—between its inherent explosive effect and the explosive legendary effect—has seen improvements due to a recent patch that better calculates explosive damage on already explosive weapons. This patch also benefits explosive weapons like missile launchers and grenade launchers.

For a Bloodied Gunslinger, the Gauss Pistol’s damage can reach up to 562 on a fully charged shot. The explosive portion of the damage is significant and, even better, it’s not affected by whether you charge the shot or not. This flexibility makes the Gauss Pistol a reliable choice for consistent high damage without needing to fully charge each shot.

How It Compares to the Alien Blaster

The Alien Blaster was previously the top choice for Gunslinger builds, largely due to the Two Shot synergy with the cryo effect’s "Snowball" damage. However, with the recent nerfs to Two Shot and Snowball Effect, the Alien Blaster’s effectiveness has decreased. Now, even with a Bloodied Alien Blaster with reduced AP cost, its damage is noticeably lower than the Gauss Pistol’s.

While the Alien Blaster still has an edge in range, the Gauss Pistol’s sheer power and explosive impact make it the preferred choice for most Gunslingers. With Anti-Armor on the Gauss Pistol, you get a universal effect that works well in both Bloodied and full health builds, with only a minor difference in damage output.

Gauss Pistol vs. Gauss Rifle

For comparison, the Gauss Rifle also deals impressive damage but has a much lower ammo capacity than the Gauss Pistol, making it less sustainable in long fights. Additionally, while both weapons have the same fire rate, the Gauss Pistol is a better choice for VATS, provided you have the AP cost reduction mod. The Gauss Pistol’s AP cost, while still high at 21, is manageable for most Gunslinger builds.

Tips for Optimizing the Gauss Pistol

To maximize the Gauss Pistol’s potential, I recommend getting a mod with AP cost reduction on the third star. You can obtain this mod by crafting and scrapping the Medical Malpractice weapon, which has a good chance of providing the AP cost reduction mod in the legendary mod box.

For best results, try to optimize your build with Gunslinger cards and AP management perks. If you’re using the Gauss Pistol in a stealth build, adding Covert Operative can further boost your damage. Just keep in mind that server lag can affect how quickly certain effects, like Follow Through, kick in. You’ll notice this more on tankier enemies where Follow Through may take a second or two to activate.

Full Health vs. Bloodied Builds

Surprisingly, the Gauss Pistol performs well for both Bloodied and full health builds, thanks to its heavy reliance on explosive damage. For full health players, the majority of the Gauss Pistol’s damage comes from the explosive portion, which is boosted by perks like Demolition Expert. This minimizes the loss of damage compared to other weapons that depend more heavily on the Bloodied effect. However, Bloodied builds still have the advantage when sneaking due to the double damage from stealth.

Performance Against High-Level Enemies and Ammo Considerations

When facing high-level enemies like Super Mutants, the Gauss Pistol performs admirably. In a Bloodied build, it takes about two to three uncharged shots to the head to down a level 100 Super Mutant, which is excellent for a Gunslinger weapon. For even tougher enemies or legendary variants, the Gauss Pistol’s charge shot provides a slight damage boost, enough to secure one-shot kills in some cases.

Regarding ammo, the Gauss Pistol uses 2mm EC rounds, which can be costly to craft with the prime receiver. Fortunately, enemies often drop more ammo than you use, making it a fairly ammo-efficient weapon.

The recent adjustments to Gauss weapons have solidified their status as top-tier choices, particularly for those nostalgic for their power in classic Fallout games. The Gauss Pistol brings versatility and reliable damage to the table, making it a fantastic addition to any Gunslinger’s arsenal. Whether you’re running a Bloodied or full health build, the Gauss Pistol won’t disappoint.

Let me know what you think about these changes in the comments! Are you happy with the rise of Gauss weapons, or do you miss the dominance of the Alien Blaster and Two Shot weapons? Share your thoughts, and until next time, have a great day!

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