After seeing so many catastrophically failed vaults while exploring the post-apocalyptic USA in the franchise’s main releases, we’ve all thought we could do it better.
Fallout Shelter lets us do just that.
Whether you’ve been playing for a while or are just starting out, you need to know what’s the best way to keep your dwellers safe. Especially if you’re out exploring the Wasteland or defending your vault.
They say the best defense is a good offense, so let’s check out some of the very best weapons you can aim for in Fallout Shelter (and see how to get your hands on them!)
15. Charon’s Shotgun
There’s nothing quite like a shotgun to make you feel safe in the wild, wild Wasteland – and with average damage of 15.5, Charon’s Shotgun will do the job.
It’s named after the ghastly ferryman who guides souls across the river Styx and into the underworld in Greek mythology. Considering a shot from this fully-automatic boomstick will send you straight to Hades’ domain, it’s pretty appropriate.
How to craft: This Legendary shotgun can be crafted at a Weapon Plant by a dweller with a high Strength stat. The recipe asks for three Shovels, two Gold Watches, two Military Duct Tapes, and 18,900 bottle caps.
14. Railmaster
I love it when games let me use power tools like a nail gun as a weapon.
And the Railmaster takes it to the next level by allowing dwellers to impale their enemies with rail spikes, of all things.
It’s not the most accurate weapon. But it packs a hefty punch at 16.5 average single-shot damage – and your dwellers’ morale is sure to rise with every raider they brutally nail to the wall.
How to craft: This Legendary railway rifle can be crafted at a Weapon Plant by a dweller with high Perception. They’ll spend three Globes, two Giddyup Buttercups, two Military Duct Tapes, and 18,900 caps.
13. Burnmaster
Another weapon that the Geneva Convention would if it was in effect in the Wasteland is the Burnmaster – a good-old flamethrower that’ll incinerate your enemies in seconds.
It’s probably a massive fire hazard to use inside the vault – but you can’t deny the pleasure of watching Radroaches boil from the inside as your dwellers clear a room.
At 19.5 average damage, Radroaches won’t be the only things boiling up.
How to craft: Have a dweller with high Strength craft this Legendary flamethrower at a Weapon Plant by spending four Cameras, two Chemistry Flasks, two Giddyup Buttercups, and 19,400 caps.
12. Relentless Raider Sword
Melee weapons aren’t too efficient in Fallout Shelter.
But at 22 average damage, it’s hard not to see the appeal in this piece of sharpened scrap metal.
The best way to maximize your damage output with the Relentless Raider Sword is to pair your hacking-and-slashing dweller with a couple of long-range gunners to back them up.
How to craft: This Legendary machete requires high Strength to craft at a Weapon Plant. It’ll cost you four Wonderglue, three Giddyup Buttercups, two Gold Watches, and 21,000 caps.
11. Mean Green Monster
No, we’re not talking about The Hulk, but a Legendary plasma rifle capable of melting your enemies’ face off if a shot of super-hot plasma so much as grazes their skin.
It has a cool steampunk design somewhat reminiscent of the Wunderwaffe from Call of Duty Zombies.
And with average damage of 20, it’s just as effective.
How to craft: If they have high Perception, a dweller can craft this Legendary weapon at a Weapon Plant by spending three Cameras, three Chemistry Flasks, two Gold Watches, and 20,450 bottle caps.
10. Plasma Rifle
You might be surprised to find the basic Plasma Rifle over its Legendary counterpart, but there’s a reason for that:
Accessibility.
As a Rare weapon, the Plasma Rifle is easier to get in large amounts. With stable damage surrounding 17.5 (which carries over to the next enemy once a target falls), I’d argue it’s the most efficient “standard issue” weapon to outfit your entire vault community with.
Give every man, woman, and child a Plasma Rifle.
Then gradually work your way up to weapons of mass destruction.
How to craft: This Rare gun can be crafted at a Weapon Factory by a high Perception dweller. It’ll only take three Alarm Clocks, three Globes, three Microscopes, and a mere 500 caps.
9. Destabilizer
Alien Blasters have always packed a mean punch in the Fallout series.
And the Destabilizer continues the tradition with damage ranging from 18 to 23.
It’s only marginally stronger than the Mean Green Monster, but comparing their sizes makes it easy to see how far behind human weaponry is.
How to craft: Somehow, a dweller with high-enough Agility can craft a mysterious high-tech alien weapon at a Weapon Plant – out of scrap, no less! It costs three Cameras, three Military Duct Tapes, two Chemistry Flasks, and 20,450 bottle caps.
8. Fire Hydrant Bat
The Fire Hydrant Bat is one of the most absurd weapons in Fallout, and one of the most intimidating.
It’s the strongest melee weapon, with average damage of 25, right up there with the Dragon’s Maw.
Regrettably, it’s held back by the fact that melee fighters will only engage in one-on-one fights, making the Fire Hydrant Bat inefficient against larger enemies like Deathclaws.
How to craft: Surprisingly, it takes brains to build this. You’ll need a high Intelligence dweller at a Weapon Workshop to turn three Chemistry Flasks, three Military Duct Tapes, three Shovels, and 22,050 caps into this bad boy.
7. Technician’s Revenge
I’m a sucker for upcycling odds and ends into useful, trendy items I can sell on Etsy…
But turning junk into deadly high-speed projectiles is even better.
This Legendary junk jet is the most eco-friendly weapon in the Wasteland, and it’s not like you’re settling for an inferior product on behalf of the planet.
At 21.5 average damage, the Technician’s Revenge is brutal.
How to craft: Greta Thunberg’s favorite weapon can be crafted at a Weapon Plant by a dweller boasting high Strength. The recipe requires four Cameras, three Military Duct Tapes, two Giddyup Buttercups, and 21,000 bottle caps.
6. Virgil’s Rifle
Most weapons in the Fallout universe look aged and haphazardly put together – but not Virgil’s Rifle.
Created by the Institute, this Legendary rifle is one of the sleekest-looking weapons in the Wasteland.
At 22.5 average damage, it’s also one of the most deadly.
Get this for your dwellers who want to rebuild society through SCIENCE.
How to craft: Of course, it takes high Intelligence to copy an Institute design at a Weapon Plant. You’ll also need four Microscopes, three Gold Watches, two Military Circuit Boards, and 21,000 caps.
5. Lead Belcher
As its name might suggest, the Lead Belcher will fill your enemies with a ridiculous amount of bullets at staggering speeds.
This Legendary Gatling gun has tremendous damage at an average of 21.5, which is further improved by instantly switching targets once one of them falls, which prevents any lost damage potential.
It’s very reliable, and it makes a great combo with AoE weapons like the Miss Launcher and the MIRV.
How to craft: This behemoth of a gun can be crafted by a high-Strength dweller at a Weapon Plant by spending four Shovels, three Gold Watches, two Military Duct Tapes, and 21,000 caps.
4. Miss Launcher
A definite contender for the top spot, the Miss Launcher is a brutal AoE weapon that launches missiles without igniting their propelling fuel so that it blows up along with the payload on detonation.
With average damage of 22.5, the Miss Launcher is somewhat weaker than the MIRV – but it’s also faster-shooting. In combat, you’re better off with three Miss Launchers than three MIRVs.
How to craft: This Legendary launcher requires Strength and a Weapon Plant to craft. The materials include four Microscopes, three Gold Watches, two Military Circuit Boards, and 21,000 caps.
3. MIRV
The Miss Launcher may be better in groups.
But if we’re talking about individual weapons, the MIRV’s average AoE damage of 24.5 is superior.
I mean, it’s a shower of mini-nukes. How could it not be better?
It has the highest heavy weapon damage output in the game, and its slow rate-of-fire can be compensated by pairing it with faster weapons that can finish off enemies – such as the Vengeance or the Dragon’s Maw.
How to craft: The MIRV can be crafted with high Strength in a Weapon Plant. The recipe asks for three Chemistry Flasks, three Military Duct Tapes, three Shovels, and 22,050 caps.
2. Dragon’s Maw
One of the later additions to Fallout Shelter’s vast array of weapons is the Dragon’s Maw, which isn’t only incredibly powerful with a whopping 25.5 average damage, but also very consistent.
Since it’s a single-shot weapon, it’ll overkill downed enemies rather than move on to the next one without reloading.
This makes this legendary plasma thrower ideal against large foes like Deathclaws rather than hordes of weaker ones.
How to craft: You can wake the dragon at a Weapon Plant with a dweller boasting a high-enough Strength stat. It only takes three Chemistry Flasks, three Globes, three Military Circuit Boards, and 22,050 bottle caps.
1. Vengeance
At 23.5, the Vengeance’s average damage is lower than both the MIRV and the Dragon’s Maw.
But this Legendary Gatling laser has speed and efficiency on its side.
Given it deals damage in multiple shots, it can pivot to the next enemy once its original target is down, diminishing wasted damage. It’s also great at staggering enemies so your dwellers will be far safer behind this than any launcher.
But any combination of the Vengeance and a powerful launcher will make short work of hordes of enemies in no time. And it works just as well against larger ones too, really any enemies you’re up against are mincemeat.
How to craft: The Vengeance can be crafted at a Weapon Plant by dwellers with high Strength. You’ll need five Microscopes, three Military Circuits, two Giddyup Buttercups, and 21,500 bottle caps.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
