Unique Weapon Locations
The Mojave Wasteland is littered with countless dangers, but also with incredible opportunities for the discerning Courier. Beyond the standard fare, several unique weapons offer enhanced performance, special effects, and often, a touch of character. This section will guide you through acquiring some of the most sought-after unique armaments in Fallout: New Vegas.
Melee Weapons
- Chance's Knife:
- Location: This formidable combat knife is found at the Chance's Map location, specifically in a grave near the tribal village within the Northern Passage.
- Walkthrough: Travel north from Goodsprings, past the Goodsprings Source, until you reach the Northern Passage. Navigate the treacherous terrain, keeping an eye out for tribal enemies. The grave containing Chance's Knife is often guarded by a few of these hostiles. Be prepared for a fight, as they can be quite aggressive. The knife itself is a powerful early-game melee option, especially for characters specializing in Unarmed or Melee Weapons.
- Knock Knock:
- Location: This unique fire axe is located in the Camp Searchlight Fire Station.
- Walkthrough: Camp Searchlight is a highly irradiated area, so ensure you have ample Rad-X and RadAway, or a Hazmat Suit, before venturing in. The Fire Station is one of the more intact buildings. You'll need to navigate through feral ghouls and possibly a few irradiated creatures. The axe is typically found on the second floor, often in the chief's office or a similar administrative area. Its high damage and critical hit chance make it excellent for close-quarters combat.
Firearms
- That Gun:
- Location: This unique 5.56mm pistol, reminiscent of the Blade Runner pistol, can be purchased from Cliff Briscoe at the Dino Bite Gift Shop in Novac.
- Walkthrough: Simply travel to Novac, a motel town south of Primm. Enter the giant dinosaur-shaped building and speak with Cliff Briscoe. You'll need a decent amount of caps (around 1000-1500, depending on your Barter skill) to acquire it. That Gun boasts a high rate of fire and a unique reload animation, making it a fun and effective sidearm.
- Maria:
- Location: This engraved 9mm pistol is carried by Benny, the antagonist who shoots you at the beginning of the game.
- Walkthrough: You will naturally encounter Benny during the main questline. Depending on your choices, you can acquire Maria in a few ways:
- Killing Benny: The most straightforward method. After confronting him at the Tops Casino in New Vegas, you can choose to fight him. Defeat him, and you can loot Maria from his corpse.
- Pickpocketing: With a high enough Sneak and Pickpocket skill, you can attempt to pickpocket Maria from Benny while he's at the Tops. This is a challenging feat and may require multiple attempts or a stealth boy.
- Quest Resolution: Certain quest outcomes involving Benny might lead to you acquiring Maria without directly killing him, but these are less common and often depend on specific dialogue choices.
- Note: Maria is a powerful 9mm pistol with increased critical hit chance, making it a significant upgrade over the standard 9mm.
- Ratslayer:
- Location: This unique varmint rifle is found in Broc Flower Cave.
- Walkthrough: Broc Flower Cave is located southeast of Goodsprings, nestled in the hills. The cave is infested with Giant Rats and possibly a few other mutated creatures. Navigate through the cave, and you'll find Ratslayer on a makeshift bed or crate in one of the deeper sections. It comes with a scope and suppressor already attached, making it an excellent stealth weapon for dispatching smaller, weaker enemies from a distance.
Energy Weapons
- Pew Pew:
- Location: This unique laser pistol is a reward for completing the unmarked quest "The Legend of the Star" at the Sunset Sarsaparilla Headquarters.
- Walkthrough: To begin this quest, you need to collect 50 Sunset Sarsaparilla Star Bottle Caps. These caps are randomly found throughout the Mojave, often on Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles, in containers, or on enemies. Once you have 50, travel to the Sunset Sarsaparilla Headquarters, located east of Freeside. Inside, find Festus, the robot mascot, and initiate the "The Legend of the Star" quest. Follow his instructions, which involve a simple riddle. Upon successful completion, Festus will open a secret room containing Pew Pew. This weapon fires a powerful, concentrated laser beam, consuming 5 energy cells per shot but dealing immense damage.