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5 best weapons to get early & easily in Fallout 4

Not only are these weapons some of the best in Fallout 4, but you can also get them early.

Bill Lavoy

April 23, 2024 1:15 PM

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Fallout 4 has been out for nearly a decade, but players are swarming back to Bethesda’s gem because of the Fallout show on Prime and the next-gen update. With that in mind, we wanted to give both returning and new players some ideas for weapons that they can obtain early, easily, and continue using throughout the entire game.

Deliverer

Deliverer is going to be a great option for stealth players, as it comes equipped with a suppressor when you receive it, increases your hit chance in VATS, and uses less Action Points. However, this weapon will serve you best if you treat it as a sidearm and not your primary weapon. I like to use it when I’m in full sneak mode, or if I think a conversation might get violent. It’s a fantastic weapon to hit the elusive Stingwing, as you get better VATS accuracy and don’t burn through AP as quickly, allowing you to fire more shots.

• Damage: 25
• Effects: Improved VATS hit chance, 25% less Action Point cost

How to get Deliverer

Deliverer is a reward for completing a Railroad quest called Tradecraft. This quest can be obtained after you finish another quest called Road to Freedom. Road to Freedom is started most easily by finding and listening to a Holotape called Join the Railroad, which you’ll see scattered all over the world. You can also skip Road to Freedom entirely and just head to the Old North Church, solve the puzzle (the answer is in this paragraph), and begin Tradecraft right away.

Grognak’s Axe

Melee folks, do I have a fun option for you. Grognak’s Axe is easily obtained and uses fewer Action Points than other heavy melee weapons. It also applies Bleed and Stagger, which is the most obvious effect ever since it’s an axe. You’ll want to invest in both Agility and Endurance if you plan to main this weapon, plus S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats that help you tank damage. You’ll be running into gunfights with an axe, after all. As an alternative, you can recruit Strong as your companion, give him this axe, and just sit back and watch the chaos.

• Damage: 25 + Bleed
• Effects: Hits cause more Stagger, and targets take Bleed damage

How to get Grognak’s Axe

Grognak’s Axe is obtained from Hubris Comics, just a few blocks east from Diamond City. You must be able to pick Advanced locks or hack Advanced terminals to get it, but there’s nothing besides a few Ferral Ghouls stopping you. You head to Hubris Comics as part of a fantastic quest you pick up in Goodneighbor called The Silver Shroud, but you don’t need that quest to get this. You can literally leave the vault, upgrade your lockpicking, and walk straight to Hubris Comics to get this incredible melee weapon.

Old Reliable

Old Reliable is a weapon you pick up as part of the Far Harbor DLC, so if you don’t own that it’s not available to you. However, it’s easy to obtain otherwise, and it’s straight up one of the best weapons in the game. In fact, it’s very similar in appearance to the weapon The Ghoul (played by Walton Goggins) carries in the Fallout TV series. It’s going to give you that western vibe if you enjoy that. Its legendary effect is that it shoots an additional projectile, but that projectile is free. You shoot one bullet, but two come out of the weapon, dealing double the damage. The additional projectile never misses as long as the first projectile hits. If the base damage of Old Reliable is 70, you’re doing 140 damage per hit, and this can be massively increased using the weapon crafting system at a Weapons Workbench, and S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks.

• Damage: 70 + 70
• Effect: Shoots an additional projectile

How to get Old Reliable

This weapon is sold by Dejen in Acadia, which is located in Far Harbor. To unlock the Far Harbor DLC (assuming you own it), you must complete a quest called Getting a Clue. This will give you the Far From Home quest, taking you to Far Harbor. Once you’re there, you’ll receive a quest called Walk in the Park, which will conclude at Acadia, where the weapon is sold. This can all be done early in Fallout 4 depending on how much you focus on the main questline.

Spray N’ Pray

Spray N’ Pray is a very good weapon that can be obtained easily in Fallout 4. This Submachine Gun will help you cut down your foes with bullets and explosions. Yes, bullets from this weapon explode on impact, dealing 15 area effect damage in addition to the actual damage of the bullet itself. Because it fires fast, it’s great in situations where you have multiple lower-tier enemies, or one big enemy that you want good damage per second (DPS) against. It also feeds into that old-school gangster fantasy if that’s your thing.

• Damage: 34 + 15 Explosive
• Effect: Bullets explode on impact doing 15 points area effect damage

How to get Spray N’ Pray

Spray N’ Pray is purchased from a traveling merchant named Cricket. You can find Cricket all over the place, but I commonly see her standing outside Diamond City. Just be sure to identify your targets in Fallout 4, because wandering merchants can be mistaken for Raiders and whatnot if you’re not paying attention. Cricket will sell this weapon for caps, but you can reduce that cost with a high Charisma stat, and by wearing clothing items that buff your Charisma. Cricket can also be found outside Vault 81 (which we’ll talk about next), and Bunker Hill, among many other locations. She moves around, so keep an eye out.

Overseer’s Guardian

I’ve saved the best for last. Not in terms of pure damage, but accessibility, modifications, and great damage. The Overseer’s Guardian Combat Rifle can be modified to be a sniper rifle, a medium range semi-automatic rifle, and a fully automatic rifle, giving it incredible versatility. Like Old Reliable that we’ve already talked about, its legendary effect is that it shoots an additional projectile, so you’re getting double the damage and only spending a single bullet. It’s also available in the first couple of hours of Fallout 4 and comes with the base game. It’s strong in its base form, but fully upgraded it is the only weapon you’ll need through the entire game.

• Damage: 55
• Effect: Shoots an additional projectile

How to get Overseer's Guardian

To get Overseer’s Guardian, head to Vault 81, west of Diamond City. You can buy it from Alexis Combes but getting into Vault 81 will require you to donate three Fusion Cores or pass a hard Charisma check. You can find one Fusion Core at the Museum of Freedom in Concord, one in a cave south of the Red Rocket Truck Stop near Sanctuary Hills, and one in the projector at the Starlight Drive In. Wear clothes with bonuses to your Charisma, as this will reduce the price of Overseer’s Guardian. Just swap to your high Charisma clothing before you start bartering and you’re good to go.

That does it for the best weapons you can get early and easily in Fallout 4. There should be something for everyone on this list, but part of the allure of Fallout 4 is exploring and finding what works perfectly for you. Should you want more help on your journey, try our Fallout 4 topic for more.

Bill Lavoy

Managing Editor

Bill, who is also known as Rumpo, is a lifelong gamer and Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He made his mark early in his career through guide writing and a deep understanding of editorial SEO. He enjoys putting in the work to create a great content, be it a wild feature or grinding out an in-depth collectible guide. Tweet him @RumpoPlays if you have a question or comment about one of his articles.