Forum:Opinion on energy weapons

I'm gonna start a game using energy weapons, and I wanted to know what would be a good weapon to get early on in the game. One that would be a long term weapon as well. Pappy002 06:41, April 15, 2011 (UTC)

Well, unfortunately, until you make it around towards the point where you get to the Strip, there aren't really any options other than the Brotherhood. There's a few laser pistols to be found/bought along the way and then there's always Eddie's plasma pistol, but a laser or plasma pistol isn't a very good choice for your primary weapon. If you don't want to work with the BOS, then I suggest you put a few points into one of your other weapon classes to hold you over or get to the REPCONN Test Site as fast as possible to loot the energy weapons off the dead Bright followers. The Captain (radio) 06:58, April 15, 2011 (UTC)

Well if going legit, a plasma pistol at the start is good enough to get you to Prim (and will help with 64 x one-handed energy weapon kills needed to get the +3% crit). Three places I've found plasma pistols at game start - Goodsprings Cave, safe in the Goodsprings Schoolhouse, safe in Prospector Saloon. Laser pistol (get at start if EW skill is higher than Guns, one in Doc Mitchell's, almost always one in Goodsprings Cave, may be found in safes around Goodsprings, can be purchased from Chet) can work but I find the plasma pistol better. Once you get to Prim, on the second floor of the Bison Steve there is about a 40% chance that there will be a laser RCW in a cabinet on the 2nd floor, this is such a wonderful weapon that I am strongly tempted to save before entering the second floor and reload until I get the RCW. With upgraded ammo the RCW can be used for almost the entire game, it's light has a reasonable ammo capacity, has accurate sights, uses light-weight ammo, and pumps out damage so fast that often you'll wonder why anyone bothers with anything else. The only drawback to the RCW is that even with max-EC ammo it has problems getting over the damage threshold of seriously armoured critters like Deathclaws and Brotherhood Paladins, but for most critters just upgrade the ammo if having DT problems and let-er-rip. Plus the RCW is cool looking.75.67.224.12 16:33, April 15, 2011 (UTC)

note: the cabinet in the Bison Steve that often has the RCW is in the first room on your left as you enter from the Rollercoaster, the room with the ransom note in it.75.67.224.12 16:41, April 15, 2011 (UTC)

Sometimes you can find the Laser RCW in Goodsprings Cave or in the various Bright Brotherhood corpses scattered trough the Wasteland, altough this depends on how manny points you have in luck (there's one in the cave and one under the bridge leading to Sloan). I too recommend the Laser RCW, it's a terrific weapon and one of the best for killing cazadors at any level of the game. Bear in mind that energy ammo has -2 DT from the start, so you don't need to use over/max charge in the beginning. Also, try maximizing your science skills as soon as possible for the Vigilant Recycler perk, it's a must for a energy weapons build. One thing you need to have in mind is ammo for energy weapons works a little different from guns, because you can convert back and fort. So you will convert the energy cells founded in the beginning to EC packs and later on you can convert this EC packs into energy cells or MF cells if you wish.

Even at later levels I still use the Laser RCW, only when I encounter heavy armored enemies, like Deathclaws, I use the Q-35 or YCS/186. If you are playing in hardcore energy weapons ammo has an advantage, the same type of ammo it's used in manny different guns, so you don't need to carry the three types with you. But they are a little heavy, so it's advisable to pick the Pack Rat perk. Brfritos 20:09, April 15, 2011 (UTC)

I skipped a lot of the beginning, and headed for Freeside to get Gannon, I don't remember where, but I found a laser RCW. It's pretty damned bad ass if you ask me. I bought the pulse laser from the Van Graffs, and we went to the crashed vertibird, and got the Tesla-Beaton prototype. It's cool as hell, and doesnt weigh much, but it takes a lot of ammo. Luckily i know how to get unlimited energy ammo.Pappy002 08:29, April 16, 2011 (UTC)

I tried to give Gannon a laser RCW, and a plasma rifle, but he won't use either. Is there a weapon I give him that he will use, or will he only use his plasma pistol? Pappy002 00:13, April 17, 2011 (UTC)
 * Did you give him ammo? - RASICTalk 00:15, April 17, 2011 (UTC)

Of course I gave him ammo.Pappy002 00:42, April 17, 2011 (UTC)

What I suggest is the rare plasma rifle the Q-35 Matter Modulator which is at Repconn HQ whos location is most easily disclosed thru chat options in Novac or about 3/4 of the way thru ED-E's companion quest. User:Dusk534

The Tesla-Beaton Prototype is great, I've already took out a few Deathclaws with it, and I'm only level 18. Just get to high ground and avoid being attacked. I thought I was gonna have to carry an anti-material rifle just for Deathclaws, but Tesla-Beaton works just fine. I highly recommend it for anyone using energy weapons.Pappy002 23:17, April 17, 2011 (UTC)

on my energy weps char i made a bee-line from the beginning towards the unique plasma rifle and used that thing to basically kill everything, got pretty good at leading the sights and getting nice shots off with it, got the unique gauss rifle and from then on just kinda skated through the game one shotting 90% of foes, then got the RCW with its mod and realized that with my massive crit chance that every 2 shots caused enemys to explode dramatically because of my perks and got me hurt alot in close quarters, though id love if it was possible to have silenced energy weapons, but ratslayer was good enough for that stuff Sounga 00:20, April 20, 2011 (UTC)

I can't find a Gauss Rifle anywhere, even after killing the Brotherhood guys at the Followers Outpost for Veronica. But I did find the Laser Gatling, anyone know where else a Gauss can be found? Pappy002 05:56, April 20, 2011 (UTC)
 * Depends on your level for acquiring a Gauss Rifle, altough this weapon is fairly available after level 12/13. Did you picked the YCS/186 with that mercenary close to Brooks Tumbleweed Ranch? Usually Torres and the Van Graffs sell them, but you need to be cleared by the Elder or at middle/higher levels respectively. Concerning Arcade, he won't use ANY weapon that deal less damage or with lower DPS than a Plasma Defender (terrific weapon BTW). Most laser weapons he won't use and the only plasma rifle he will is the Q-35, even a Gatling Laser he dismiss (but not the Plasma Caster). Brfritos 17:52, April 20, 2011 (UTC)

I just turned level 20 after the battle ended. I read that one would be carrying a Gauss but I got a Gatling instead. Not complaining, its deadly accurate, it just uses up your ammo quick. I gave Gannon the Q-35, its the one in REPCONN h.q. right? Anyway, I gave him that one, still a no go. I'm done with Gannon now, so it don't really matter any more.Pappy002 00:13, April 21, 2011 (UTC)
 * Yes, it's the one at REPCONN HQ. But this is strange, he should accept and use the Q-35, this weapon surpasses the Plasma Defender in DAM and DPS. Maybe it's an odd behaviour, I learned that if this type of thing happens and you noted it's better to reload an earlier save (I quicksave a lot because of that). For example, in one occasion I fast travelled for Gibson Scrap Yard and a Cazador appeared from nowhere, usually this location is not an respawn point or random encounter for them (needless to say, he killed Lady Gibson and a merchant that was passing by). I reloaded the auto-save and the next time I fast travelled everything was ok. As a suggestion, did you have the YCS/186? If so, give it to Arcade, he NEEDS to equip this weapon. If not, you known that he's bugged. Brfritos 13:36, April 21, 2011 (UTC)

I've already finished with Gannon, so I'm keeping the YCS for myself. I just got it right after I finally found a Gauss rifle. I don't know if its being buggy or not, everyone I gave a weapon to used it except Gannon and Lily. I gave Lily the All American, and the Oh Baby, and she wouldn't use either. I thought it was glitching on me, but everyone else took their weapons. I still have to get Boone, and if he don't take the Anti-Material, then I'll know something is glitched.Pappy002 17:40, April 21, 2011 (UTC)