Which Is The Best?: Bullets Explode, +50% Crit Damage, 25% Faster Fire Rate?? - Fallout 76 

Great to see these effects compared finally. Maybe you can do the same thing for melee weapons by comparing swing speed, power attack, and +50% crit damage?

Turtle is always so thorough with this kind of info! Thank you for taking the time and letting us see the real world performance of each of these side by side!

Essentially what this shows is they are all more or less the same unless you are splitting hairs! As long as you have at least one of any of these with 25lvc you are golden. I personally have all 3 in nearly every commando but I still prefer 50c because less ammo and sneak is better all in. Best all rounder all things considered

I carry two quad fixers, one explosive and the other 50% crit actually, and I tend to use the explosive outside where the aoe tends to be more useful, but inside use the 50% crit as it is stealthier with the lack of explosions not alerting everything and less chance of accidentally hurting/downing yourself. Really neat to see the damage put up next to each other, I thought it was pretty similar, the big bonus to the explosive being that aoe damage.

I prefer either explosive or crit, the reason is bc the lag on servers often doesnt respond well with 25%ffr.

I feel like my automatic weapons are firing in slow motion if it doesn't have 25% faster fire rate.

It's because damage multipliers in the game are additive. Faster fire rate is effectively one of the only multiplicative damage boosts. If you're driving 100 kmph already, and you add 25 more, now you're driving 125. 125/100 = 25% increase If you're driving 200 kmph already, and you add 25 more, now you're driving 225. 225/200 = 12.5% increase If you're driving 300 kmph already, and you add 25 more, now you're driving 325. 325/300 = 8.3% increase In this case, we're using driving speed instead of damage multipliers, but you can see how in an additive system, the higher your speed/damage buffs are, the less noticeable adding more will be. This being said, increasing rate of fire will always be a consistent boost of damage, no matter how many buffs you have already, because it is calculated outside of the damage formula. At high damage multipliers rate, it maintains its potency, vs. additive buffs which lose their potency the higher your numbers get.

This is incredibly helpful for me because I don’t have many explosive bullet weapons. TBH I thought that the faster fire rate weren’t much cop until now. Thanks for the info vids mate they’re amazing. Keep up the great work

Unfortunately, this is the first time I don't fully agree with your methodology. To boost the crit damage 300% for all the weapons distorts the outcome and maybe using grenadier could have evened out the inconsistencies for bullet explodes at least a little. Nevertheless, fire rate would probably be still the winner. Thanks for the video!

Without watching the video: FFR for high capacity weapons with high to medium damage, crit damage for weapons with low capacity / expensive ammo, explosive for low damage weapons with naturally high fire rates (like mini guns). Edit after watching: I believe the inconsistency on explosive is due to animation causing the explosive to not always hit the hit box for the body. Grenadier would probably put explosive ahead of crit damage by causing all explosions to land. Just my opinion.

not surprised by the ffr winning out, if he was tap firing with it, it would probably double the dps, (third person, 1 click = 2 bullets, click as fast as you can for maximum dps) only works on ffr rifles, and funny enough the smg, 2shot explosive smg is kinda fun for this

Nice video! Maybe mark the healthbars next time, otherwise great!

But, of course this is with a quad. The faster fire rate is dependent on the quad affect. Otherwise it will spend a lot of time reloading. If you have a bloody weapon your choice should be explosive or a 50% crit damage. I have a fixer with quad, faster fire rate and 25% less AP cost, I love it! But my bloody explosive 25% AP cost blows it out of the water.

The way i could see it working, at least between ffr and explosive, is low fire rate weapons being better with explosive because they don't get enough of a boost from ffr. Then medium fire rate weapons being better with ffr because they get a nice boost and then high fire rate being better with explosive again because ffr would be diminishing returns. OR low to medium, explosive and medium to high ffr. Maybe ffr would be good on high fire rate weapons. Would love to see this test with something like a gatling gun and minigun

Another great video sir. Great to know new information about the fixer. My young lady just started playing fallout 76 with me and iam moving her to a Stealth commando build with a fixer.

Explosive is far easier to use than Crits. And you get area damage against mobs. So it’s my preference.

i havent been using mine due to resource worries but i absolutely love the +50% crit damage, mine has vats 25% cost redux and kills replenish action point.. it's the enhanced stealth fixer.

Always faster fire rate....the king good job!

Ever since bullets explode was nerfed damage wise and gun condition breaks quicker I just go with 50% crit with perk cards and blight soup.

I did a self test and 50% ignore armor is the best one. My fixer with no explosive ignore armor does better damage with my fixer that had explosive rounds with 5 star demolition expert. Ignore 50% targets armor is key.

I think I remember a video done on explosive effects, and if memory serves, it was one of yours Turtle. In it you explained how explosive bullet damage worked, and it had to do with shooting at the feet or the ground under and around the feet. Something to do with the damage being stronger because of reflection damage boosting hit damage. Is there anything to my memory, would targeting Earl's feet result in a quicker kill. I've watched so many of your videos and I don't even know where to begin looking for the video I'm thinking about.

Probably a bit of an odd one out, but as I tend to main heavy guns (inefficient in vats for the most part) that are either ineligible for explosive (energy) or have it innately (gauss) I tend to prefer +damage while aiming over extra fire rate, as they already have more than enough fire-rate on their own. Just my preference

I currently carry a Quad Explosive Fixer and Quad Faster Fire Fixer. I have not run any testing. I just have a gut feeling from experience. IMO Faster Fire rate melts faster than Explosive.

I've been using a V2525 Fixer on my Commando build and just happened to roll a VE25 this morning. I guess I'll be doing my own non-scientific comparison now haha

I have a Junkie's Explosive Handmade. I dont really run a Junkie's build but it does on paper about 95 damage. And it can wreck mobs with the stealth criticals AND Mr Sandman at night since its suppressed. Addictions are hard to stack so I would have preferred mutant's, fire rate, quad, vampire's to pair with the explosive effect

Angry Tortuga can you include 25% damage while aiming because I have all cryolators with that effect and I would like details because with cryolators is quite unique build

Not much differ. Boils down to build, buffs, and preferences. For me with bosses it's all about my q50c15vcf rail. It melts bosses.

I found a guy today that sold a quad crit dmg 90% weight fixer for 1.5k best deal ever

so all in all E is better all around, 50c is better in vats for bosses, 25ffr is great dps and a great way to use up ammo.

Great video, I generally use a Fixer so this is very helpful. That said I also have a two-star Instigating Black Powder Rifle with +50% Crit Damage. Great for solo play when no one else is hitting first.

This is the theoretical result. Server lags and ap costs always make them have the same dps.

That's some dedication. Thanks for the work.

Turtle, it’s like you’ve been reading my RU-vid search history! I’ve been working on acquiring one of each of these for my own personal comparison since I couldn’t find anyone testing all 3 effects.

Hey turtle great vid! So if the explosive effect synergizes with vampires as two for one, does the explosive effect synergize with other perks like cripple cards the same way? And will it activate any other effects as well? That could also be a deciding factor!

I love my Q/25/25 Fixer For everything except Earl. I use a AA/E/25 Railway Rifle for that. The thing literally melts Earl. This is on my kinda hybrid stealth bloodied commando. I switch back to q/25/25 fixer to take out the adds because everyone seems to ignore them lol.

Thanks for taking the time then sharing. Real good info!

Thanks for this comparison. It's great to see this. I always liked the explosive weapons but it seems there is a lag a lot of times between the shots and the actual damage lately. I didn't realize ffr was so good. I would assume in adv mode when you don't have unlimited AP that ffr would do even better right? Explosive weapons have more ap costs in VATS don't they? So you would get more shots in VATS with ffr. Or does it balance out since your shooting more bullets and taking more AP? Curious to know that part. Thanks for sharing this.

Realy like this test! Never noticed how the bullets are not always comming out of the barrel in a straight line 🤔

Some rolls need a buff. You'd think doing more crit would do more damage on say 200 rounds then the same 200 round fired faster. But what do I know. You'd think FF would increase the amount able to put into the enemy making it kill faster but the game weird.

Nice test. i personally have been using Q2525 for my main and my alt/bloodied i have been using B2525. both are amazing :)

i think ffr is not linear so it gives diminishing returns the faster your weapon is natively. i barely feel any change at all with something like the elder's mark, maybe in these cases 50% crit would be better

Just my opinion .... but there is no 1 best, they are all interdependent on your build, mutations, primary prefix, buffs you use, and enemy types you are fighting. It's really not possible to say what is best because each is the "best" in certain situations vs certain enemies with certain styles of play.

very awesome test, need more like this, especially with new items and numbers coming in

Thank you so much you always cover the questions that I need answered!!!

Found a wendigo colossus out in the wild yesterday, took me and another guy ages to kill it.

I always choose ffr on automatic weapon.

now try anti armor vs aristocrats for full health and anti armor vs bloodied for low health builds.

Nice vid. for the fixer, or any weapon for stealth, i personally like having the reliability of extra vats hit % to quickly lock onto heads to dispach enemies at longer distances. i love using explosive for the everyday mess around though XD.

what about doing this with railway?

Thanks for keeping on with the great videos. I hope things have fallen back into place your way and things are going well for you.

I find FFR to not register crits for me most of the time on public servers, the slower firerate on 50C seems to give me faster kill times but who knows I have not tested as deeply as turtle did here.

This was the best explanation i've seen so far, thank you turtle.

I have to go with quad explosive! Just for fun sake! But my main is anti armour or bloodied with the explosive fixer prefix! And in a perfect world my 3rd * with explosive at least would be maybe breaks 50% slower!

Long tedious work is appreciated, thank you

Sometimes I forgot there are other great guns other than legacy’s i forgot I had a quad 50 25 plasma gun

“Finally. Someone with the guts to help.”

Great video. I've wondered about this quite a bit. What was the gun you used to shoot the ground to irradiate yourself? That's very smart as I am always carrying alot to manage radiation.

When comparing fixers as an endgame player, I think it comes down to how every one feels to use. FFR wins for me in that regard.

Still can’t wrap my head around it. I got a B2525 Fixer and a Q1A Fixer. With the Bloodied one, it takes about 1 Magazine to take out a legendary Scorched Beast and the Quad needs about 2,5 Magazines. So, why is Quad considered a God Roll? Even if the Quad would be a 2525 too, it would still consume more than twice the ammo and time. 🤷🏻‍♂️

the only reason i don't use 50% crit is bc with lag the crit won't activate so i lose alot of dmg

Thanks for testing this mate 👍

Faster fire rate ftw. Can free up additional perk cards with it as well.

I’d be curious to see how grenadier changes the outcome of this. I just traded a B50c for a BE fixer and Im having a lot more fun with it.

So whats the best fixer receiver module? better criticals or better damage?

**Sad nointro noises**

Nice turtle, good to know defintively

Most high level players will have thier crit damage boosted already. This is why 50 crit isn't as good as the others in my opinion since the crit nerf. You can boost crit damage by other means but you can't add explosive damage or faster fire rate on your weapon any other way except the perk on the weapon itself.

thank you for this,i always wander about this.

I always wondering which was better but could never really get a straight answer.

Personally each are the best in what they should be used for....but I will always say explosive is best over all because of splash damage... 50crit is probably my least wanted perk on auto pews.....jmo...

What would the effects be if you were not bloodied? Also were you sneaking? You may have answered these questions and I may have just missed them. I’m only asking because in my own tests (not nearly as in-depth) ff doesn’t always win when running a full health tank build. And crit damage is usually best as a stealth/vats build. I tested with executioner first star on both fixers (explosive vs faster fire rate) so maybe that’s why?

Thanks for doing this!

So double shot, faster fire rate, armor piercing is the dream? Esp since you can use heavy gunner skills cards and you can't with explosive?

My Quad Explosive Full-Auto Railgun all the way... I'm getting a Crit every hit or once in a while every 2nd hit ! Next would be my 2-Shot Explosive Handmade ( Crit. Every Hit ) So its explosive for me AT ✌😎 (I'm getting about 25-30 more damage pts with the explosive perk card maxed out)

I love my AA FFR Handmade

Great information as always, Turtle. I think that any of the 3 effects can be "the best" depending on the situation. It really doesn't make that big of a difference 🤷‍♂ What do you like to use the most? Use that. It's fine. 👍

Does Explosive cause Medic's to trigger twice, too? If so, what about a Medic's Explosive Combat Shotgun or Medic's Gauss Shotgun?

Faster fire rate would use more AP, too, though. On a normal server without infinite ap

My PA build with a bloodied faster firerate flamer does crazy dps

1. Hooray for testing things in Turtle's Lab again even though the presentation isn't the same. 2. There's ALREADY someone who was confused by your straight forward explanation and visual comparison... Which is funny. I mean... You did Show and Tell and there was a kid in class that needs to be tutored on show and tell. Brilliant. BRILLIANT! Makes me laugh anyway. 3. We could firmly establish water is wet. This is RU-vid. Some dullard will be arguing in no time that it's dry because they have serious behavioural problems. In fact, YOUR comment section is why I rarely comment on anyone's videos anymore. I'm still kinda surprised that there isn't someone who argues with me when I and go on with my day. Fun example: me- they- "I can't believe you'd this video when it's obvious it's ." ne- "No. It's firmly a . There's 100 videos on the subject you could watch to help you out with that." they- "No! It's !" me- "I thought it was ?" they- "It is! HA! See! Now you know it is! Facts man! It adds up!" me- "I'm... I'm leaving. You just... Forget it. I'm JUST leaving. Not discussing this anymore." they- "Cuz you know I'm right! You're only walking away becasue I'm so right you're scared to even try to wrong me! Walking away is chicken! You're chicken now! Can't prove me wrong!" me looking at real life human friend half way down the block- "Do you still hear someone talking?"

I wanna know whats better between Bloodied Anti armor an Jugg next. Cuz i have AA/50%crit/25%less vats cost fixer. Just wanna know i should try an roll a bloodied one as well or not

But why is it that ff rate is best when you don't have infinite ap to use it? Under normal circumcances I would say explosive and crit are superior.. Even if you drink canned coffee or something you still have to manage effects and refresh the boost, and this IS lowering the Dps for it... So I think explo and crit are superior except you got infinite ap... Or does it's speed compensate the eating/drinking time and so on??

Going in I would have thought crit damage would be better. I like my explosive guns but crit build is king is this game. Edit after video: I forgot the explosions could crit now so it was a lot closer than I thought. I guess I'm keeping my q/e/25 fixer after all. (I was never getting rid of that thing anyway.) Let's just hope that September update is good so I will actually play the game again.

epic video! awesome comparisons Turtle

Hey there Turtle! Does Faster Fire Rate works outside of VATS? I mean, if I'm a non-VATS user will I get better dps with this bonus?

Very curious about this one.

But the cost-benefis radio favors to explo

Turtle, you should make a video on the happybuilder gamemode.

Lol... for DPS yes you're correct by your health bars faster fire was able to bring down the damage faster. However you said that you used two magazines. At the end the crit damage had more damage off of Earl. That being said crit damage is the way to go if you want to be more efficient....

Simple! Faster Fire FTW! I wouldn't go with anything else on my Gatling Plasma on Bosses!! Throw the Fixer in the trash, where it belongs turtle.

I love the science of it all.

thanks for the work.

I have a question. If 25ffr is the best, when it comes to Railway rifles why do people always want the Quad 50 crit damage 25 instead of the Quad 25ffr 25?

Good info, thanks

Very interesting and nicely done.

How do you pop crits so often? Do you spam the spacebar while holding down the trigger?

Haven't watched yet. Betting FFR. 😅

Awsome job man thanks 😊 🙏 👍 😀 🙌 👏

Okay so roll a 25 percent faster fire rate and exploding rounds would be best also third star being quad ammo

Thanks Turtle!