Fallout 76 Non-automatic Rifle Build

(QUICK NOTE: These Builds are usable but NOT updated past the Steel Reign update. Until I get a chance to update all the builds, these should be thought of as more of a build starter)

With the right Non-Automatic rifle in Fallout 76, you can EASILY destroy your enemies with either just one, or sometimes a couple, well placed shots. Here is a Non-automatic build to help you get started!

S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

Fallout 76 Non Automatic Rifle Build

Perk Cards (Solo)

Perk Cards (Team)

Legendary Perk Cards

NukesDragons has a FANTASTIC Fallout 76 Character Builder, and if you’re looking to create a build concept BEFORE you go for the real thing, definitely check out:

NukesDragons Character Build Planner & Calculator

Weapons

First things first, you want to get a GOOD assortment of weaponry to use as a Non-automatic rifle build. The reason being: Easy Non-automatic rifle has very specific benefits, but also some downsides. Regardless, with the right legendary perks you won’t need to think too hard about the bad side of these guns if you can kill your enemies quick.

Whatever Non-automatic rifle you roll, these are the legendary’s you want to keep your eyes out for!

Legendary Main Effects:

  1. Bloodied : More Damage the Lower your Health it
  2. Junkie’s : More Damage the more Addictions you have
  3. Anti-Armor : Ignores 50% of your enemies Armor
  4. Instigating: Enemies at full health take double damage
  5. Two Shot : Fires 2 projectiles per 1 shot
  6. Furious : Damage Increases every Consecutive Shot
    1. Also depends on the rifle, black powered is NOT good with this.

Legendary Major Effects:

  1. +50% VATS Critical shot Damage
  2. +33% VATS Hit Chance
  3. 50% Limb Damage
  4. +10% Damage While Aiming

Legendary Minor Effects:

  1. 15% Faster Reload
  2. 25% Less VATS Action Point Cost
  3. 1 Agility
  4. 1 Luck
  5. 1 Perception

The one other thing you’ll want to considering is modifying the gun to maximize its damage, cause you can always squeeze more outta guns once you start slapping mods on them.

Armor

With the Non-automatic Rifle build, you can decide for yourself whether or not you want to use power armor, as regular armor will do just fine. Below I’ll show you what my personal favorite armor to wear is, it’s end-game stuff though so you might need to wear some of the basic stuff if you don’t have yourself the funds to purchase the expensive ones.

Under Armor

Under Armor can be one of the most essential pieces to your build, simply because it adds so much straight up damage resistance and SPECIAL bonuses. Remember, you DO NOT receive under armor bonuses while in Power Armor, you will only get the benefits from the Power Armor itself.

The best one you’ll want to try and get is the Secret Service under armor providing:

  • +15 Damage resistance
  • +15 Energy Resistance
  • +15 Radiation Resistance

With Shielded Lining:

  • +4 Strength
  • +2 Perception
  • +4 Endurance

If you can’t get this under armor yet, which new players won’t for a good while, stick with any others you can get along the way, modding them with what you can! (Collect those plans!)

Regular Armor

Regular armor is totally up to the user on which they wear, but when we’re talking about Rifle builds… well, actually any build pretty much, you’re going to want to go with Secret Service armor, which is purchased with Gold Bullion after completing the Wastelander’s main campaign. It provides an insane amount of armor, better than anything else, and the ONLY problem is that you need to buy it at the extremely expensive price and then HOPE you roll some good perks on it.

By the way, quick note, if you’re wanting to use a bloodied build with Non-automatic Rifles (which is where Nerd Rage comes in handy, and damage goes crazy) you’ll want to definitely stick to either Unyielding or Bolstering if you’re dying a lot.

If you can’t get Secret Service armor just yet, don’t worry about it, as long as you have armor like Combat Armor, Brotherhood Recon, or Marine Armor. Speaking of perks, these are the ones you’ll want to look out for:

Legendary Main Effects:

  1. Unyielding
  2. Bolstering
  3. Vanguard’s

Legendary Major Effects:

  1. Any of the +1 to SPECIAL
  2. Powered

Legendary Minor Effects:

  1. 50% More durability
  2. Receive 15% less Limb Damage
  3. Ammo Weight Reduced by 20%
  4. Weapon Weight Reduced by 20%
  5. Food, Drink, and Chem Weight reduced by 20%
  6. Junk Weight Reduced by 20%

Power Armor

Just like regular Armor, Power Armor also has it’s “better” versions that are pretty much just superior to the rest. If you’re rocking Power Armor with a Non-automatic Rifle build, you’ll want to get T-65. The T-65 Power Armor provides the absolute highest amount of damage resistances as possible, but also costs a fortune in Gold Bullion to purchase all the plans, so once again, use what you can. T-60, X-01, and Ultracite Power Armors are quite easy to come across just by completing the Enclave and Brotherhood questlines.

For Power Armor Mods (because you’ll definitely want to mod them to make them the best) you’re wanting to look for:

  • Helmet: Internal Database – +2 Intelligance
    • Targeting Hud – Highlights Living Targets
  • Torso: Emergency Protocols – Benefits from being Bloodied
    • Jet Pack is also helpful
  • Arms: None of them will really help out a lot, don’t waste bullion
  • Legs: Calibrated Shocks – Carry weight +50 per mod

Buffs

This is for those of you that enjoy going out and absolutizing maximizing the damage output you can deal with your builds. Little do a lot of folks realize, taking the right foods and drastically boost the performance of your build, making it beyond worth it to gather these quick items.

Food/Soup

  • Grilled Radstag: 
    • Super Easy to make, increases Carry weight by +20
  • Pumpkin Pie: 
    • Max Health +40
  • Smoked Mirelurk Filets: 
    • +250 HP and +30 Carry Weight
  • Blight Soup:
    • Critical Damage +20%
  • Megasloth Mushroom Soup: 
    • Critical Damage +20%

    Drink

    • High Voltage Bock:
      • +15 Energy Damage BUT Increases the Condition Cost by 15%
    • Firecracker Berry Juice: 
      • +10% Critical Damage
    • Hard Lemonade: 
      • +30 Max AP and +10 AP Regen
    • Steeped Tea Thistle/Sweet Mutfruit Tea:
      • Critical Hit +20%

      Mutations

      • Marsupial
        • Carry Weight +20%, +Jump Height
      • Adrenal Reaction
        • Higher Weapon Damage the lower your HP
      • Speed Demon
        • +20 Faster Movement Speed +20% Faster Reload

        Drugs

        • Overdrive
          • +15% Damage, +15% Critical Damage
        • Pyscho
          • +25 Damage Resistance, +15% Damage
        • Pyschobuff
          • +25% Damage, Strength/Endurance +3, Max HP +65

        Magazines & Bobbleheads

        Thing about Magazines is that there are SO MANY of them that is can make it difficult to pick and choose between them all, whereas Bobbleheads are quite a bit easier as there are FAR less.

        Once again, depending on what KIND of Rifle you’re using, you’ll want to use the specific magazines for the benefits. Here are just my few suggestions:

        Magazines:

        • Guns & Bullets #3 – “Little Guns for the Ladies”
          • +30% Critical Damage with Ballistic Guns
        • Guns & Bullets #9 – “Plasma: The Weapon of Tomorrow”
          • +30% Critical Damage with Plasma Weapons
        • Live & Love #2 – “Nuke-The-Man”
          • +5% Damage when in a Team
        • Tesla Science #7 – “U.S. Army Goes to Space”
          • +30% Energy Gun Critical Damage
        • Tesla Science #8 – “10 Number 1 Hits!!!”
          • +15% Critical Damage

        BobbleHeads:

        • Small Guns
          • +20% Damage with Small Weapons
        • Energy Weapons
          • +25% Damage with Energy Weapons

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