Fallout 76 weapons/Comparison

Overview
All weapons in Fallout 76, ballistic, energy, explosive, melee, or unarmed have a randomly generated condition bar, the same weapon may have a different amount of condition and a different condition bar length. Player characters with higher Intelligence can craft weapons with larger durability bars. Players with higher Luck can influence the condition of found weapons.

Additionally, a weapon's level determines the base damage output and condition of the weapon. An example would be the combat rifle having a base damage increase by increments of 4 between level 20 and 50 leaving an unmodified level 50 combat rifle to have an additional 12 base damage over the level 20 counterpart and having a slightly longer condition bar. Higher level weapons also have higher build and repair costs.

Perks that affect weapons
1 requires power armor

Other weapon perks include:
 * Basher (STR): Increased weapon bash damage and chance to cripple.
 * Concentrated Fire (PER): Increased VATS damage and accuracy and body part selection with ranged weapons.
 * Sniper (PER): Reduces weapon scope sway.
 * Revenant (END): Increased damage with any weapon after being revived.
 * Overly Generous (CHA): Chance to deal radiation damage with melee weapons.
 * Suppressor (CHA): Reduces target's damage after attacking with any weapon.
 * Tenderizer (CHA): Increased damage to target after an attack.
 * Nerd Rage! (INT): Increased damage with any weapon when at or below 20% HP.
 * Wrecking Ball (INT): Increased damage to workshop objects with any weapon.
 * Adrenaline (AGI): Increased damage after killing an enemy with any weapon.
 * Covert Operative (AGI): Increased sneak attack multiplier with ranged and unarmed weapons.
 * Gun Fu (AGI): Increased damage to subsequent targets after killing an enemy in VATS with any weapon.
 * Mister Sandman (AGI): Increased sneak attack multiplier at night with silenced ranged weapons.
 * Ninja (AGI): Increased sneak attack multiplier with melee weapons.
 * Better Criticals (LUK): Increased critical hit damage with any weapon.
 * Bloody Mess (LUK): Increased damage with any weapon.
 * Critical Savvy (LUK): Critical hits consume less of your critical meter with any weapon.
 * Four Leaf Clover (LUK): Chance to refill critical meter after an attack in VATS with any weapon.
 * Grim Reaper's Sprint (LUK): Chance to refill AP meter after a kill in VATS with any weapon.
 * Psychopath (LUK): Chance to refill critical meter after a kill in VATS with any weapon.
 * Quick Hands (LUK): Chance to instantly reload the weapon when the clip empties.
 * Collateral Damage (LGN): Enemies killed with a melee weapon have a chance to explode.
 * Detonation Contagion (LGN): Enemies killed with a thrown explosive have a chance to explode.
 * Exploding Palm (LGN): Chance to cause an explosion with unarmed attacks.
 * Far-Flung Fireworks (LGN): Enemies killed with a ranged weapon have a chance to explode.
 * Follow Through (LGN): Increased damage to target after a ranged sneak attack.
 * Retribution (LGN): Heal and deal increased damage after successfully blocking with a melee weapon.
 * Taking One For The Team (LGN): Increased damage to targets that attack you.

Crafting and durability are affected by the following perks:


 * Gunsmith (INT): Ballistic weapons break slower, crafting and modding.
 * Licensed Plumber (INT): Pipe guns break slower and cheaper to repair
 * Makeshift Warrior (INT): Melee weapons break slower, crafting and modding.
 * Science, Science Expert, Science Master (INT): Energy weapons and throwables crafting and modding.
 * Weapon Artisan (INT): Can repair any weapon up to 200% of its normal condition.
 * Luck of the Draw (LUK): Chance for weapon to repair itself when hitting an enemy.

Radiation weapons
All melee and unarmed weapons can become radiation weapons via the perk Overly Generous.

Unarmed
Unarmed weapons will benefit from melee perks such as Martial Artist, Incisor, Ninja, etc. However, damage perks are restricted to the Iron Fist perk instead of the melee perks. Unarmed weapons cannot be used while wearing Power armor.

Other Melee
Other melee weapons are not known to be modified by any current perk cards, and thus scale solely with your strength stat.

Thrown Weapons
All thrown grenades deal 1 damage on a direct hit, separate from their main explosion damage.

Syringers
These weapons are used to apply buffs or debuffs. They are classified as ballistic weapons, however ballistic damage buffs will only apply to the on-hit damage, which is <1.

Optics
These weapons do not deal any damage directly and are solely used for scouting long distances.

Cameras
This weapon does not deal damage directly and is solely used to take pictures.