Explosives builds in Fallout 76 focus on maximizing the damage and effectiveness of grenade launchers, missile launchers, and other explosive weaponry. These builds are known for their high area-of-effect damage, making them excellent for clearing groups of enemies and tackling boss encounters.
SPECIAL Attributes for Explosives
The primary SPECIAL attributes for an explosives build are Strength and Perception, with Intelligence also playing a supporting role.
- Strength: Directly increases the damage of heavy weapons, which includes many explosive armaments like the Missile Launcher and Fat Man. It also increases carry weight, essential for lugging around heavy ordnance.
- Perception: Crucial for accuracy with ranged weapons, including grenade and missile launchers. Perks that enhance targeting and damage are found here.
- Intelligence: Boosts experience gain, which is always beneficial, and unlocks perks that can enhance energy weapon damage, which can sometimes overlap with explosive weapon types (e.g., Fat Man's nuclear payload).
- Luck: Perks that increase critical hit chance and critical damage can also benefit explosive weapons, especially those with a chance to stagger or cripple.
Key Perk Cards for Explosives Builds
The following Perk Cards are essential for maximizing an explosives build:
- Demolition Expert (Perception): This is the cornerstone perk for any explosives build. It sificantly increases the damage of explosives and adds a chance to stagger enemies. Maxing this out is a priority.
- Heavy Gunner/Expert (Strength): While not strictly explosive-specific, these perks boost the damage of heavy weapons, many of which are explosive.
- Ordnance Express (Strength): Reduces the weight of explosive weapons, making it easier to carry several ordnance.
- Bear Arms (Strength): Reduces the weight of heavy guns, essential for carrying multiple explosive weapons and their plentiful ammunition.
- Stabilized (Intelligence): When in Power Armor, this perk ores a percentage of enemy armor, making your explosive rounds more effective against tougher targets.
- Fireproof (Endurance): Reduces damage from fire and explosions, which is vital for surviving the splash damage of your own ordnance.
- Bloody Mess (Luck): Increases overall damage and has a chance to cause enemies to explode, adding to the chaotic fun of an explosives build.
- Adrenaline Rush (Agility): Provides a stacking damage bonus after killing enemies, which can be very effective when clearing groups with explosives.
Weapon and Gear Recommendations
Weapons:
- Missile Launcher: Versatile with different rocket types.
- Grenade Launcher (40mm): Excellent for clearing groups.
- Fat Man: High-risk, high-reward with its mini-nuke payload.
- Auto Grenade Launcher: Rapid-fire explosive damage.
- Explosive Legendary Weapons: Look for legendary effects like 'Explosive' (adds explosive damage to bullets), 'Two Shot' (fires an additional projectile), or effects that boost damage against specific enemy types.
Armor: Power Armor is highly recommended for explosives builds due to the 'Stabilized' perk and the increased carry weight. Legendary effects that reduce incoming damage or increase Strength are also beneficial.
Combat Strategy
Explosives builds excel at area denial and crowd control. Use your weapons to soften up groups of enemies before they reach you, or to take down high-priority targets quickly. Be mindful of friendly fire and the potential for self-damage, especially with the Fat Man. Positioning is key to avoid taking splash damage from your own attacks.