Summary
- Fallout Shelter evolved from a promotional tool to a popular game, drawing in a devoted fan base since its release in 2015.
- Top-tier weapons like the Fire Hydrant Bat and Dragon’s Maw offer high damage for successful wasteland exploration in the game.
- Crafting unique weapons like Burnmaster and MIRV can provide players with strategic advantages in combat scenarios.
Fallout Shelter is a desktop and mobile game within the Fallout franchise, later released for last-gen consoles as well. Introduced in 2015, it is available under a free-to-play model. Initially seen as a promotional tool, rather than a serious game launch, the game has evolved into a popular live service model game, garnering a devoted and sizable fan base over time.
Fallout Shelter: Best Stats For Exploring The Wasteland
When sending dwellers out into the wasteland in Fallout Shelter, it’s important to load them up with the best stats possible to help them survive.
Wasteland combat against creatures is something no player can avoid when playing Fallout Shelter. And of course, the better the weapons a vault dweller is equipped with, the greater the chances they will survive encounters in the wasteland. When it comes to top-tier weapons, there is quite a wide choice of legendary options available to choose from.
Updated 13th of January 2026 by Usama Ali: Fallout Shelter is a deep management game where survival depends on smart planning and the right gear. Whether the Dwellers are defending the vault, heading out on dangerous quests, or exploring the wasteland, the weapon they carry makes all the difference. With more than 200 weapons available, from melee tools to heavy firearms, it can be difficult to know which ones are actually worth using. The right weapons keep Dwellers alive, productive, and ready for anything the wasteland throws at them. This list has been updated to include a new Legendary weapon, which is truly worth crafting.
15
Wild Bill’s Sidearm
Based On The Smith & Wesson .32 Pistol
- Damage: 1-6
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
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Crafting Requirements:
- Globe: 2
- Giddyup Buttercup: 1
- Wonderglue: 1
Wild Bill’s Sidearm is a coll pistol, that is modeled on the Smith & Wesson .32. It shares its graphic with all other similarly modeled pistols in the game, but as a legendary weapon, it offers slightly better damage modifiers.
It isn’t a particularly high-damage weapon, especially considering it is legendary tier. But it is the highest-damage .32 pistol in the entire game. Aside from being lootable and craftable, Wild Bill’s Sidearm is also carried by certain legendary dwellers, including Mister Burke and also James.
14
Kneecapper
Decent Legendary Shotgun
- Damage: 6-11
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
-
Crafting Requirements:
- Gold watch: 2
- Shovel: 2
- Wonderglue: 2
Kneecapper is essentially a sawn-off shotgun. Meaning this is a short-range, but high-damage hand cannon in Fallout Shelter. Although it must be said that as shotgun weapons go in this game, it doesn’t do the highest damage, even though it is a legendary item. But it does have decent minimum damage.
One of the best things about this legendary sawn-off shotgun is the fact it can be obtained in many different ways. It can be found by vault-dwellers that are sent out exploring the wasteland, or found as quest loot. Additionally, it can be awarded when opening lunchboxes, and it can, of course, be crafted. With its quite high crafting requirements, it is probably not worth making this weapon, and only using it if it is looted.
13
Henrietta
A Unique Rifle
- Damage: 13-16
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
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Crafting Requirements:
- Globe: 3
- Military duct tape: 1
- Shovel: 2
Henrietta is one of the only weapons in Fallout Shelter that has its own unique graphic. Most weapons are part of a group, which shares graphics, making Henrietta something of an oddity. This is a lever action rifle that seems to have had some modifications. Its stock is carved and shaped, and it has an additional under-barrel grip added.
The weapon has a place to store ammunition built into the stock, and also has a silencer or suppressor fitted. It isn’t the highest-damage rifle in the game, but it is a cool weapon despite this. Aside from being crafted, this rifle is also carried by the legendary vault dweller Old Longfellow. It must be said that the crafting requirements for this weapon are quite low, considering its stats, and could well be a good weapon for a quest team member to carry in the early game.
12
Ed’s Custom Power Fist
With A Powerful Punch
- Damage: 16-22
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Camera: 3
- Globe: 3
- Giddyup Buttercup: 4
Ed’s Custom Power Fist is a really cool melee weapon in Fallout Shelter. Especially when paired up with some form of power armor as the dweller’s outfit. It doesn’t do amazing damage – there are better melee weapons in this regard – but it just looks cool. It was added in the 1.15.0 version of the game.
Players need to be aware that only one dweller can use a melee weapon on a single combat target at once. However, dwellers equipped with ranged weapons don’t suffer from this penalty at all. This is why most Fallout Shelter players only have one melee dweller per team. Overall, for players who prefer cool factor over maxed-out stats will love watching their dwellers punching enemies with Ed’s Custom Power Fist.
11
Technician’s Revenge
The Most Powerful Variant of the Junk Jet
- Damage: 18-25
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Cameras: 4
- Military Duct Tape: 3
- Giddyup Buttercups: 2
Technician’s Revenge was introduced in Fallout Shelter’s Update 1.4 and is one of the strongest weapons in the game. This Legendary variant of the Junk Jet turns everyday junk into deadly ammo. Even though it launches items like cameras, toys, or scrap, it never consumes anything from the actual storage. As such, players can endlessly fire objects at enemies without worrying about losing their valuable resources.
The Technician’s Revenge comes in handy during raids and tough fights. It deals 18-25 damage, making it the highest-damage variant in the Junk Jet set. It’s a great choice for defending the vault or sending Dwellers on dangerous quests. It can be crafted in the Weapon Workshop and requires a Legendary weapon recipe, a high-Strength Dweller, and 21,000 caps.
For players who want a reliable, high-damage weapon with personality, Technician’s Revenge is a top-tier choice for any vault.
10
Relentless Raider Sword
Get Stabby In Revenge
- Damage: 16-28
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Wonderglue: 4
- Giddyup Buttercup: 3
- Gold watch: 3
The coolest thing about the Relentless Raider Sword in Fallout Shelter is that players get to use a Raider weapon against Raiders. Anyone who has played the game for more than a few hours will know how annoying a poorly-timed Raider attack on a silo can be. It’s nice to get to stab them with their own weapon for some payback.
That being said, the Relentless Raider Sword is a solid weapon in its own right. With damage at the upper range of all weapons in the game, it can make a great weapon for a tank that is backed up by other dwellers carrying ranged weapons. Don’t forget, all melee weapons suffer from the penalty of only one melee dweller being able to attack an enemy at a time.
9
Fire Hydrant Bat
Plucked From The Sidewalk
- Damage: 19-31
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Chemistry Flask: 3
- Military Duct Tape: 3
- Shovel: 3
The Fire Hydrant Bat was added to Fallout Shelter in the 1.6 update. Its addition to the game was quite a surprise for veteran players, as it is now the highest-damage weapon available. Of course, it has the aforementioned melee weapon penalty, so it’s not all sunshine and roses.
Considering the crafting requirements for this melee weapon, it is a real bargain. It is also a fantastic weapon to equip to defense dwellers, especially for small room defenses. For example, if a room can only house a single dweller, equipping them with the Fire Hydrant Bat means that the room has the most DPS possible for its defense against Raiders.
8
Burnmaster
Close Quarters Weapon
- Damage: 15-20
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Camera: 4
- Chemistry Flask: 2
- Giddyup Buttercup: 2
The Burnmaster is a flamethrower that is intended to be used as a close-quarters combat weapon. It does a minimum of 15 damage per shot, making it the least damaging of all of the heavy weapons in Fallout Shelter. Yet despite these poor stats, it is still effective.
The reason why the Burnmaster is on this list is because it is so easy to craft. Sure, there are much better weapons, but not at this crafting cost. It is also available quite early in the game. Players will generally use the Burnmaster until they have access to better heavy weapons.
7
Destabilizer
Alien Blaster Weapon
- Damage: 18-23
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Camera: 3
- Military Duct Tape: 3
- Chemistry Flask: 2
The Destabilizer is an alien blaster pistol and needs an alien power source to use as ammunition, which can be problematic to find. It does a decent 18 minimum damage, which makes it the most damaging of all of the pistols in Fallout Shelter.
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This is a good choice of weapon if the player can find or craft enough power sources to keep up with ammo needs. This will depend on how well-developed the colony is overall. The crafting cost is quite low as well, and it should be able to craft one or more of these by the mid-game.
6
Dragon’s Maw
Unique Plasma Thrower
- Damage: 22-27
- Rarity: Legendary
- Value: 500
Crafting Requirements:
- Chemistry Flask: 3
- Globe: 3
- Military Circuit Board: 3
The Dragon’s Maw has the overall highest maximum damage of any weapon in Fallout Shelter. There are other weapons that do a little more maximum damage, but when it comes to sustained DPS the Dragon’s Maw’s is the king. This is an excellent weapon to send a dweller out into the wasteland with.
However, this is a single-target weapon, it does no AOE damage. This means that quite often, damage is wasted when a single shot is overkill to take down the target. Therefore, when in combat with groups of wasteland creatures, it can be a better idea to use an AOE attack weapon, even if it does lower damage than the Dragon’s Maw’s.