Calculator Inputs
Example Data Table
| Build Example | Base Damage | Bonus % | Target Resistance | Armor Pen % | Crit Chance % | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commando Rifle | 85 | 60 | 180 | 50 mod, 36 perk | 25 | General rifle planning |
| Shotgun Spread | 18 | 75 | 130 | 30 mod, 0 perk | 15 | Multiple pellet estimate |
| Heavy Weapon | 120 | 45 | 260 | 0 mod, 45 perk | 10 | Sustained DPS check |
| Critical VATS | 95 | 80 | 220 | 50 mod, 36 perk | 40 | Expected critical value |
Formula Used
The calculator first builds outgoing damage from base damage, flat damage, damage bonuses, condition, and combat multipliers.
Outgoing Damage = (Base Damage + Flat Damage) × (1 + Bonus ÷ 100) × Condition × Headshot × Sneak × Power Attack × Extra Multiplier
Penetrated Resistance = floor(Resistance × max(0, 1 − Mod Penetration) × max(0, 1 − Perk Penetration))
Resistance Multiplier = ((Outgoing Damage × 0.15) ÷ Penetrated Resistance)0.365
The resistance multiplier is limited between 0.01 and 0.99 when resistance exists. If effective resistance is zero, the multiplier is one.
Expected Damage = Hit Chance × [(Normal Damage × Normal Chance) + (Critical Damage × Critical Chance)]
DPS uses fire rate per minute. Sustained DPS also includes magazine size and reload time.
How To Use This Calculator
- Enter your weapon name and listed base damage.
- Add perk, mutation, food, and buff bonuses as damage bonus percent.
- Set headshot, sneak, power attack, and extra multipliers only when they apply.
- Enter target resistance, armor penetration, and damage reduction.
- Add critical chance, critical multiplier, and hit chance for expected value.
- Enter fire rate, magazine size, reload seconds, and target health.
- Press Calculate Damage to show the result above the form.
- Use CSV or PDF export for saved comparisons.
Understanding the Calculator
This Fallout 76 Damage Calculator helps compare weapon hits with target defenses. It focuses on expected damage, not perfect live combat. Game effects can change. Enemy perks, legendary rules, server timing, and hidden modifiers may also matter. The tool gives a clear planning number.
Why Damage Feels Different
A weapon card shows paper damage. Real damage is lower when the target has resistance. Armor penetration lowers that resistance first. Then the resistance formula turns the remaining defense into a damage multiplier. This is why small damage hits struggle against high armor. Larger hits also gain value because the formula rewards stronger single attacks.
Statistical Planning
The calculator treats hit chance and critical chance as probabilities. A normal hit and a critical hit are weighted into one expected value. This helps compare builds before testing them. You can estimate one shot, a full magazine, or many planned shots. You can also review burst DPS, sustained DPS, shots to defeat, and time to defeat.
Advanced Build Inputs
Use bonus damage for perks, mutations, food, and temporary buffs. Use flat damage for simple additions. Use headshot, sneak, and power attack multipliers when they apply. Add projectile count for shotguns or split projectiles. Enter fire rate as shots per minute. Add reload time and magazine size for sustained DPS.
Armor and Reductions
Armor penetration is split into mod based penetration and perk based penetration. Mod values are added together. Perk values are applied as a separate multiplier. Damage reduction is handled after resistance. This is useful for bosses, special enemies, and defensive effects.
Best Use
Use the result as a build guide. Test important weapons in game afterward. Compare the same target health and resistance each time. Change only one input per run. That makes perk, magazine, legendary, and critical comparisons much clearer.
Keep notes for each setup. Record weapon name, target type, and distance. Record whether VATS, stealth, or criticals were active. Saved CSV files make later comparisons easier. The simple PDF report is helpful for sharing. Because the model is editable, you can tune inputs when patches, perks, or personal testing suggest better values. Use repeat runs to reduce random combat swings and improve every estimate over real time.
FAQs
1. What does this calculator estimate?
It estimates expected Fallout 76 weapon damage after armor, penetration, hit chance, critical chance, reload time, and target health inputs.
2. Is this exact for every enemy?
No. It is a planning tool. Hidden enemy effects, live patches, distance, server behavior, and special combat rules can change real damage.
3. What is target resistance?
Target resistance is the defensive value used against the selected damage type. Higher resistance lowers final damage unless armor penetration reduces it.
4. How should I enter armor penetration?
Enter weapon or mod penetration in the mod field. Enter perk based penetration in the perk field. The calculator applies them separately.
5. What does critical ignores resistance mean?
It lets you test critical hits as resistance bypassing hits. Turn it off when you want critical damage to pass through the same resistance model.
6. Why is DPS split into burst and sustained?
Burst DPS ignores reload time. Sustained DPS includes magazine size and reload seconds, so it is better for longer fights.
7. How do I model shotguns?
Enter pellet damage as base damage and set projectile count to the pellet count. Adjust hit chance if not every pellet lands.
8. Can I export my result?
Yes. Press Download CSV for spreadsheet use. Press Download PDF for a simple report that stores the main inputs and outputs.