The random rewards from Fallout 76's Daily Ops offer a wide loot spectrum to collect, including a handful of unique weapons. A few of the weapons come with static legendary effects, while the others can have legendary effects rolled on. Rarity and effectiveness are key factors that make weapons in Fallout 76 worth the grind, and some are still not worth going after.
Even though Daily Ops recommend that players are at the max level in Fallout 76, the rewarded weapons come as blueprints that can be crafted at multiple levels. For players who get ahold of the static reward weapons at a lower level, this means they can be easily brought up to pace by crafting another at any time. For the rest of the weapons, having the chance to reroll legendary effects provides a great opportunity to find the perfect combination of beneficial traits.
S-Tier
Crusader Pistol - Despite pistols being the game's most underperforming weapon type, the Crusader Pistol is one of the best in its class. Since it has a wide variety of mods, this gun can make up for a lack of overall damage by applying one of many status effects from a safe distance. The low AP cost for VATS shooting, low weight, and status effect applications on this pistol makes it a capable weapon that doesn't need a dedicated build to utilize.
Plasma Cutter - Like other Daily Ops weapons that came from the Steel Reign and Steel Dawn updates, the Plasma Cutter has access to a variety of utility damage types. As the one-handed counterpart to the War Glaive, the Plasma Cutter sports a faster swing speed with a more manageable weight. This weapon is an unconditionally good melee tool, and with the right legendary effects rolled onto it, it becomes more than just reliable.
A-Tier
War Glaive - The War Glaive is one of the best melee weapons in Fallout 76, right behind the automatic and colossal melee weapons. This two-handed variant of the Plasma Cutter has access to utility damage types and is capable of high damage with each individual strike. Like other two-handed weapons, the War Glaive has a considerably slow swing speed, so rolling the faster swing speed legendary effect is ideal, but not mandatory.
B-Tier
Hellstorm Missile - The Hellstorm missile is an interesting choice, being an explosive weapon with access to a variety of status effects. While both the magazine size and access to changeable legendary effects are capable of high-damage outputs, this weapon can be easily outperformed by different types of grenades. Not to mention, thrown grenades benefit from the legendary weapon effects of whatever weapon is currently equipped, so swapping to a lightweight "god roll" and throwing a few grenades is sometimes more practical than regularly using the cumbersome missile launcher. For players who have the carry weight to spare, the Hellstorm Missile is a solid choice.
The Gutter - Despite having only one legendary effect that can't be altered, The Gutter still competes with the rest of Fallout 76's crafted legendary weapons from Daily Ops rewards. The fast swing speed on this weapon allows the Vampire legendary effect to be plenty capable of keeping the user close to full health. Because of that one effect, it's also far less likely to have spotty performances in the middle of an encounter due to incompatible legendary effect conditions.
Unstoppable Monster - The Unstoppable Monster is made from the claws of Fallout’s infamous deathclaws, and still packs a punch despite nerfs. When stacking all the right buffs, this was once one of the strongest weapons in the game, though changes to guns and melee weapons in Fallout 76 have decreased its effectiveness. The main downside is that as an unarmed class weapon, it has comparably limited sources for damage buffs and can't be equipped while in power armor.
C-Tier
Medical Malpractice - While pistols are underwhelming, this weapon can still be useful for players who are low leveled and can't tap into the best builds in Fallout 76. For self-preservation, any fully-automatic or shotgun weapon with the Vampire's legendary effect is a much better option. As for healing teammates, any weapon with fire damage can utilize the Friendly Fire perk for more efficient healing than the Medic legendary effect found on this pistol. Ultimately, Medical Malpractice serves as an introduction to weapons with better VATS or healing legendary effects.
Sole Survivor - The Sole Survivor is an awkward weapon because the gun underperforms in its class, but the legendary effects on the weapon make for a decent combination. The Assassin's legendary effect provides extra damage against human NPC enemies as well as other players, though this weapon isn't quite competent enough for any kind of dedicated PvP in Fallout 76. Lever-action rifles have a low magazine capacity and a single-bullet reload animation, so not being able to mod this weapon or reroll the legendary effects into supporting either of those qualities leaves much to be desired.
D-Tier
Mechanic’s Best Friend - Since most of the robot enemies in Fallout 76 have armor-piercing weaponry, a damage increase exclusively against robots on a melee weapon isn't setting players up for success. The legendary effects on this weapon are thematic, but outside of role-playing this weapon is a poor survival tool. Mechanic's Best Friend is outdated compared to the newer named legendary weapons that Fallout 76 offers through easier means.
Whistle In The Dark - The main legendary effect on Whistle In The Dark is far too conditional to replace any primary weapon, because it only makes a difference during in-game night hours. Since the game's time of day can't be altered, this weapon pales in comparison to the vast majority of legendary weapons with conditions that are easier to activate. This weapon is better off being on display as a collector's item in Fallout 76 rather than employed out in the wasteland.
Fallout 76 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
