Fallout 4 Legendary Weapons Guide: How to Get the Best Gear

Fallout 4 Legendary Weapons Guide – In Fallout 4, surviving the harsh, post-apocalyptic world is no easy task, and every advantage counts. Legendary weapons stand out as some of the most sought-after gear in the game, giving players unique abilities, powerful damage boosts, and bonuses that make combat smoother and more rewarding. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about legendary weapons in Fallout 4, including how to find them, which ones to look out for, and tips for maximizing your legendary hunting efficiency.

What Are Legendary Weapons in Fallout 4?

Legendary weapons in Fallout 4 are special versions of standard weapons that come with unique attributes and buffs. These modifiers can do things like increase critical damage, add elemental effects, or grant healing effects. Legendary weapons can be found in the game’s open world, most often as random drops from legendary enemies, which are more challenging foes with increased power levels and abilities.

How to Find Legendary Weapons

1. Hunt Legendary Enemies

Legendary weapons primarily drop from legendary enemies, so finding and defeating these foes is the most reliable way to acquire legendary gear. These enemies are tougher than regular ones and usually have the word “Legendary” in their name, like “Legendary Raider” or “Legendary Ghoul.”
Best Places to Find Legendary Enemies: Legendary enemies tend to appear in high-level areas or during quests that require combat. Some of the best places to find these enemies include high-traffic zones like Quincy Ruins, the Glowing Sea, and the Super Duper Mart.
Difficulty Level: Legendary enemies are more likely to spawn if you play on a higher difficulty setting, so if you’re willing to take on the extra challenge, consider adjusting the difficulty for better chances of encountering legendary enemies.

2. Loot Locations and Farming

In addition to finding legendary enemies, you can also farm specific locations where they respawn. Some players use save and reload tactics in areas known for legendary spawns, such as the National Guard Training Yard or the Suffolk County Charter School. By clearing these areas, saving, and reloading, players can repeatedly spawn legendary enemies to farm for drops.

3. Quests with Guaranteed Legendary Drops

Some quests and story missions reward players with specific legendary weapons. For example, completing the “The Big Dig” quest with Bobbi No-Nose can earn you a legendary weapon as a reward. Quest rewards are often some of the most powerful weapons in the game, so it’s worthwhile to complete side quests for the best legendary gear.

Types of Legendary Weapon Effects

The unique effects on legendary weapons fall into several categories, each with specific advantages:

1. Damage Modifiers

Explosive: Adds explosive damage to every shot. This effect is particularly strong on automatic weapons as each bullet can cause additional damage in an area.
Two Shot: Fires an additional projectile with each shot, doubling the bullet output for high-damage potential.
Instigating: Deals double damage to enemies that are at full health, making it great for ambushes and high-damage openers.
Wounding: Causes enemies to bleed, dealing additional damage over time, especially effective for sustained DPS.

2. Elemental Damage Types

Incendiary: Adds fire damage, with a chance to ignite enemies. Ideal for crowd control against groups of weaker foes.
Freezing: Adds cryo damage with a chance to freeze enemies, which can slow down and immobilize enemies, giving you breathing room in a fight.

3. Critical Boosts

Lucky: Increases the chance for critical hits, giving players more frequent critical attacks. This pairs well with VATS-based builds.
Rapid: Reduces action point costs for VATS, allowing for more attacks per session in VATS mode.
Mighty: Increases base damage, making it ideal for high-damage single-shot or precision weapons like sniper rifles.

4. Healing and Survival Enhancements

Vampiric: Restores a small amount of health with each hit, providing health regeneration as you deal damage.
Troubleshooter’s: Increases damage against specific enemy types like robots. Useful in specific quest areas or against particular enemy factions.
Ghoul Slayer’s: Increases damage specifically against ghouls, useful for areas with heavy ghoul activity.

Each effect caters to specific playstyles, so finding the right legendary effect on a weapon type you prefer can make a huge difference in gameplay.

Recommended Legendary Weapons in Fallout 4

Some legendary weapons are universally popular due to their powerful combinations of weapon type and effect. Here are some of the most sought-after:

1. Overseer’s Guardian

Effect: Two Shot
Location: Available for purchase from Alexis Combes in Vault 81.
Why It’s Great: The Overseer’s Guardian is a high-damage rifle that fires two projectiles per shot, doubling its damage output. It’s versatile and works well in both close and long-range combat, making it a staple for many builds.

2. Spray n’ Pray

Effect: Explosive
Location: Available from Cricket, a wandering vendor.
Why It’s Great: Spray n’ Pray is an automatic weapon with the explosive effect, which means every shot has an area of effect, making it devastating against clusters of enemies.

3. Deliverer

Effect: Reduced AP cost in VATS
Location: Reward for the quest “Tradecraft” in the Railroad faction.
Why It’s Great: Deliverer is a powerful, lightweight pistol that excels in VATS, ideal for players who prefer using VATS for precision targeting with minimal action point costs.

4. Kremvh’s Tooth

Effect: Adds poison damage
Location: Dunwich Borers
Why It’s Great: Kremvh’s Tooth is a melee weapon with poison damage, making it a solid choice for players who favor close-quarters combat.

Farming Tips for Legendary Weapons

Farming legendary weapons can be time-consuming, but with the right tactics, it can be rewarding. Here are some tips to make legendary farming more efficient:

Increase the Difficulty Level: Playing on “Very Hard” or “Survival” increases the spawn rate of legendary enemies. This tactic works best in high-traffic areas where legendary enemies are more likely to appear.
Utilize Save-Reload Tactics: In areas where legendary enemies spawn frequently, save the game right before entering and reload if the enemy doesn’t drop a weapon you want. This method requires patience, but it can eventually yield the weapon with the effect you’re aiming for.
Prioritize High-Spawn Locations: Focus on areas like the Glowing Sea, Quincy Ruins, and the National Guard Training Yard. These spots are notorious for housing multiple legendary enemies, so they’re ideal for farming.
Trade and Purchase with Vendors: Some legendary weapons can be purchased from specific vendors like Cricket or Alexis Combes, saving time if you prefer not to farm.

Best Builds for Using Legendary Weapons

Legendary weapons work best when paired with specific character builds that amplify their unique effects:

VATS-Centric Build: If you’re using VATS often, weapons like the Deliverer (with reduced AP cost) or Lucky effect weapons are ideal. Perks like Gunslinger or Commando enhance VATS-focused builds, improving both pistol and automatic weapon damage.
Stealth Build: For a stealthy playstyle, Overseer’s Guardian is an excellent rifle for high-damage, one-shot kills. Pair it with perks like Sneak and Ninja to maximize sneak damage.
Explosive Build: Weapons with the Explosive effect work well with Demolition Expert perks, turning weapons like Spray n’ Pray into even more formidable options.
Heavy Damage Melee Build: For players who enjoy close combat, Kremvh’s Tooth or weapons with Wounding or Furious effects are fantastic. Combine these with perks in Strength and melee skills for maximum damage output.

Final Thoughts

In Fallout 4, legendary weapons offer players countless ways to tailor their combat style. Whether you’re farming for rare drops or seeking out specific effects, legendary weapons are worth the effort. By understanding where to find legendary enemies, maximizing farming efficiency, and pairing weapons with the right build, you can truly harness the power of these unique items. Experiment with different legendary weapons to find the best combinations and enjoy the added edge they bring in the harsh world of the Commonwealth.