Fallout: New Vegas has a vast variety of weapons to choose from ranging from firearms to melee weapons. A player can wield a sword that is doused in gasoline and lit on fire, or they can wield a machinegun that fires grenades.
The Gun Runners' Arsenal DLC adds many more weapons at a player's disposal. The possibilities are almost limitless. The two factors that are looked at the most to determine a weapon's effectiveness in Fallout: New Vegas is its damage output or DAM and its damage per second or DPS. These weapons will definitely make players a formidable foe when traveling through the Mojave Wasteland.
10 Li'l Devil
One of the rarer ammo types in Fallout: New Vegas is the 12.7 mm ammunition. The corresponding guns are even rarer. The Li'l Devil is a unique 12.7mm pistol variant sold by Mick at Mick and Ralph's in Freeside. This unique pistol deals more damage than a regular 12.7mm pistol and has a higher DPS. The rest of the stats for the Li'l Devil are generally better than that of the typical 12.7mm pistol, and it costs 2 fewer Action Points to use in V.A.T.S.
9 Two-Step Goodbye
The Two-Step Goodbye is a unique ballistic fist variant sold by Vendortron at the Gun Runners.
The Two-Step Goodbye may seem like a weaker ballistic fist based on its DAM and DPS alone because those two stats are, in fact, lower than the regular weapon variant. However, what makes the Two-Step Goodbye so powerful is the critical hit effect that comes when an enemy is killed. If the enemy is killed with a critical hit the chances of which can increase by increasing the Luck stat in the SPECIAL system, another explosion will trigger two seconds after death, dealing more damage to others.
8 Nuka-Grenade
Grenades are scarce coming from the Gun Runners' Arsenal DLC, but there are a few. One such grenade is the Nuka-Grenade which is the most powerful thrown explosive from the DLC. The Nuka-Grenade is available from Vendortron at the Gun Runners. This grenade made from the series's fictional and popular soda brand, Nuka-Cola, deals 350 explosive damage. This makes the Nuka-Grenade the second-most powerful grenade in the game, only surpassed by the Holy Hand Grenade. Paired with the Mad Bomber perk, the Nuka-Grenade deals almost twice as much explosive damage as its base DAM.
7 Fat Mine
There are three types of explosives in Fallout: New Vegas. There are the kinds that are thrown, launched from a gun, and placed. The Fat Mine falls within the latter category. The Fat Mine deals 450 explosive damage which means it deals the most damage out of any placed explosive in the base game and DLCs. What also makes the Fat Mine so powerful is its area of effect which is 1400 square feet. Again with the Mad Bomber perk, the damage from the Fat Mine is almost doubled.
6 Sleepytyme
Most Fallout fans may come across a 10mm submachine gun and pass it up since it is one of the most common weapons across the series.
However, there is one variant that stands out. Sleepytyme has a higher DAM and a higher DPS than the regular 10mm submachine gun. While the Gun Runners' Arsenal variant of the 12.7mm submachine gun has a higher DAM and DPS than Sleepytyme, the unique 10mm submachine gun has an integrated silencer. This attachment makes the gun an essential tool for sneaking it into the casinos on the Strip and other places around the Mojave Wasteland.
5 Gehenna
Gehenna is a unique Shishkebab variant sold by Vendortron at the Gun Runners. Gehenna has the third-highest DAM of bladed melee weapons being only less than the Gun Runners' Arsenal variants of the Ripper and the Chainsaw. Gehenna has the highest DPS and a critical chance multiplier out of all bladed melee weapons in the DLC. Gehenna also does more fire damage than the typical Shishkebab as well as having a higher DAM and DPs than that of the normal Shishkebab.
4 Sprtel-Wood 9700
The Gatling Laser is an intense, rapid-fire, laser weapon available in the Fallout series. The Sprtel-Wood 9700 found Fallout: New Vegas takes that weapon to the next level.
The Sprtel-Wood 9700 has a higher DAM than the regular Gatling Laser. This laser minigun has the highest DPS of any heavy energy weapon in the base game or the DLCs. The Sprtel-Wood 9700 is not only sold by Vendortron at the Gun Runners, but it is also sold by the Van Graffs at the Silver Rush in Freeside.
3 Nuka-Breaker
This unique melee weapon is actually based on a fan-made short film and web series titled Fallout: Nuka Break which was based on Fallout: New Vegas. The Nuka-Breaker has the highest DAM and the highest DPS out of any blunt melee weapons in the Gun Runners' Arsenal DLC. The Nuka-Breaker also has the highest critical chance multiplier and the highest critical hit damage for a blunt melee weapon in the DLC. This unique melee weapon is available at the Gun Runners from Vendortron as well as Mick from Mick and Ralph's in Freeside.
2 Medicine Stick
Most Fallout: New Vegas players are somewhat aware of the Medicine Stick. It is considered one of the most powerful rifles in the game.
That statement does hold some merit, for the Medicine Stick which is a variant of the Brush Gun has the second-highest DAM, being only surpassed by the Anti-Material Rifle. The Medicine Stick has an incrementally higher DAM than the typical Brush Gun as well as a higher DPS. The Medicine Stick is sold by Vendortron at the Gun Runners.
1 Esther
Esther is also a familiar weapon with most New Vegas fans. Esther is a unique Fat Man which is a mini-nuclear bomb launcher. A typical Fat Man deals 400 damage with an additional 600 explosive damage. Esther deals 75 more damage along with the 600 explosive damage, making Esther the highest damage dealing explosive projectile weapon in the game. Esther also has a higher DPS than a regular Fat Man. Just like most other Gun Runners' Arsenal DLC weapons, Esther is available from Vendortron at the Gun Runners.