Fallout 3 weapons

This is a list of known Fallout 3 weapons. Note that the list is not complete yet.

Note that the amount of damage done by the weapon depends on the character's skill and on the weapon's condition, and so the values on the weapons below are the max damage.

In general, Small Guns are superior to Energy Weapons. For example, the standard Assault Rifle does 38 dmg while the Laser Rifle does 23. The Chinese Assault Rifle, with 51 dmg, also outperforms the Plasma Rifle, which does 45. The same is true of pistols. The 10mm Pistol does 12 damage, and so does the Laser Pistol, but the 10mm SMG does 37 dmg while the Plasma Pistol only does 25. But in most cases, Energy Weapons will have a lower AP cost in vats allowing more shots. Many of the Energy Weapons are also more accurate than their Small Guns counterparts.

Energy Weapons (as well as Shishkebab) will also ignite gas from a gas leak, which can be used offensively (if your enemies are in the gas leak) but can also burn you (if you too are in the gas leak). Lastly, Energy Weapons are rarer, which means ammo is more scarce, as are spare parts to keep your weapons in top form. The only exceptions to this rule are the unique Energy pistols Firelance and Alien Blaster.

Big Guns do the most damage, but also weight the most and are the most rare. While ammo is not a big problem (except for Ordinance weapons), finding duplicate weapons to use for spare parts can be.

Unarmed

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Unarmed capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Affects functioning robots and turrets only.
 * ‡ Immune to armor resistance.

Melee Weapons

 * Damage based on 100% condition, Melee Weapons capped at 100, and Strength capped at 10.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Increased attack speed.
 * ¹ Instantly kills Mole Rates.
 * ² Damages limbs at a slightly greater value.
 * ³ Damages limbs by an additional 50%.
 * ‡ Damage can be affected by Pyromaniac perk.

Small Guns

 * Small Guns include:
 * Pistol
 * Submachine Gun
 * Assault Rifle
 * Precision Rifle
 * Shotgun

Pistol

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Small Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.

Submachine Gun

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Small Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * Submachine Guns can be affected by Gunslinger perk.

Assault Rifle

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Small Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.

Precision Rifle

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Small Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Damage coupled with greater critical chance.
 * ‡ Damage coupled with enemy knock-down upon critical strike.

Shotgun

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Small Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * Two-Handed Shotguns can be affected by Commando perk.
 * One-Handed Shotguns can be affected by Gunslinger perk.
 * Shotguns can be affected by Sniper perk.

Machine Gun

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Big Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Damage based on weight of Junk.
 * ‡ Clip size equal to quantity of chosen Junk.
 * ¹ Damage is unaffected by Pyromaniac perk.

Ordinance

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Big Guns capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * Ordinance weapons do Area-of-Effect damage.

Pistol

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Energy Weapons capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Damage can be affected by Pyromaniac perk.
 * Energy Pistols can be affected by Gunslinger perk.

Rifle

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Energy Weapons capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * Energy Rifles (and wifles :-) are affected by Commando

Other

 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * Another energy weapon called Cryolator was removed from the final version of the game.

Explosives

 * Damage based on 100% condition and Explosives capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Damage affects only functioning robots and turrets.
 * ¹ Damage is unaffected by Demolition Expert perk.

Custom Built Weapons

 * Damage based on 100% condition, Skill category capped at 100, and S.P.E.C.I.A.L category capped at 100.
 * ≈ Approximate value.
 * † Damage based on weight of chosen Junk as ammunition.
 * * Damage only affects right and left legs of target only.
 * ¹ Damage is unaffected by Demolition Expert perk.
 * These are weapons are made from various components by the use of Schematics.
 * Obtaining a single schematic yields an initial product condition equal to 50% of user's Repair skill.‡
 * Obtaining a second schematic yields an initial product condition equal to 100% of user's Repair skill.‡
 * Obtaining a third schematic yields an initial product condition equal to 120% of user's Repair skill.‡
 * ‡ Does not include Bottlecap Mine and Nuka Grenade.
 * Additional Schematics for Bottlecap Mine and Nuka Grenade increases produced quantity by one to maximum of three.
 * The Cryolator was also a custom-built weapon but was removed from the final version of the game.
 * Schematic CODE.