[Top 10] Fallout 4 Best Legendary Effects (Armor and Weapons)

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Updated:

17 Oct 2021

In recent years, Fallout 4 has been praised by critics and fans alike for being one of the most enjoyable RPGs of all time. While the story isn’t as solid as previous installments, the sheer number of things you can do in the game brings in hours of enjoyment. The quests, the hidden secrets, the sudden battles with enemies all bring excitement to an unprecedented level. When playing the game, you’ll have access to different kinds of weapons and armors with unique abilities and features of their own. Some have legendary effects present in them and some you have to build for yourself. That is why in this list, we’ll nail down the top 10 legendary effects for both armors and weapons that will definitely give you an edge in the game. Let’s get started!

10 . Chameleon

First off, we start with the Chameleon effect which allows the player to sneak around with much ease without the enemies noticing them at all. It becomes pretty useful in certain missions where it is better to go the stealth route than massacring everyone in the area. A stealth build becomes really efficient with the help of this legendary armor effect.

Details:

Gives a 20% boost to stealth
Helps in sneaking around
Perfect for a stealth build

9 . Furious

The Furious effect works only with melee weapons or with unarmed attacks. With this effect, a weapon’s damage is increased by 15% after each hit. For example, hitting an enemy three times will increase the damage of the third hit by 30%. Missed hits don't reset the counter which is a plus point. It is a great effect if you’re into a melee weapon build.

Details:

Weapon damage increases by 15% after each consecutive hit
Useful for all melee weapons
Great for a melee build

8 . Unyielding

With an armor equipped with this effect, +3 is added to all stats except the Endurance when the player character is below 25% health. This is a great effect to have with your armor when in extreme combat situations with high-level enemies or when you are in the early parts of the game.

Details:

Adds +3 to all stats except Endurance at 25% or less health
Useful for extreme combat situations
Useful in early levels

7 . VATS enhanced

The VATS enhanced effect is a legendary effect that is applicable to both armor and weapons. For armor, it reduces Action Points cost in VATS by 10%. In the case of ranged weapons, 25% fewer Action Points will be required while it increases 33% hit chance. It also reduces AP costs for melee weapons by 40%.

Details:

Applicable to both armor and weapons
Reduces AP for armor by 10%
Reduces AP for ranged weapons by 25% while increasing 33% hit chance
Reduces AP for melee weapons by 40%

6 . Bolstering

The Bolstering legendary effect, while equipped in an armor piece, does not affect the armor itself, but only the player character. It increases the resistance by 4 points when 10% of health is lost every time. It maxes out at 35 points when 90 percent of health is lost. It can also be stacked with multiple armor pieces which are really useful.

Details:

Affects the player character
Increases the resistance points by 4 points for every 10% health loss
Max 35 points
Can be stacked

5 . Steadfast

If you are mainly using ranged weapons, the Steadfast legendary effects become seriously useful. It increases damage resistance by 50% which will help when you are in heated combat. This effect is only accessible through the Far Harbor DLC for the game.

Details:

Applicable for ranged weapons
Increases damage by 50% while aiming
Accessible only through Far Harbor DLC

4 . Instigating

The Instigating legendary effect works great when you equip it with semi-automatic or bolt-action weapons, especially sniper rifles and the devastating Gauss rifle. This effect deals double damage to enemies when they are in full health. It is especially useful when you want to clear an area or do a mission by stealth or simply focusing on a perfect stealth build.

Details:

Works better with semi-automatics or bolt action weapons
Deals double damage to enemies at full health
Useful for stealth playthrough and build

3 . Explosive

With the Explosive effect, weapons with low base damage that have a high rate of fire can be made into deadly instruments. The effect causes each bullet or projectile fired to explode individually when it hits a target. It can be paired with the Explosive bobblehead and Demolition perk to make it even more effective.

Details:

Causes individual bullet or project explosions
Works better on weapons with low base damage and a high rate of fire
Can be paired with an Explosive bobblehead and Demolition perk

2 . Auto-stim

Stimpaks are necessary for survival in the Wasteland and with the Auto-stim effect, the player will receive auto stims when their health drops below 20% once every 60 seconds. It is a valuable effect to keep around especially when you’re up against tougher enemies and creatures.

Details:

Auto stimpak when health drops below 20% once every 60 seconds
Important in a tough situation
Useful over the whole game

1 . Martyr

And, finally, we have the Martyr legendary effect. We’ve all been in situations in Fallout 4 where we are completely overwhelmed by the number of enemies. Well, with the Martyr effect, time slows down when you’re at 20% or below health. You can escape the area or take time to eliminate the enemies one by one with this effect. Or you can recharge your health and go back into action.

Details:

Slows down time when at 20% or below health
Helps in dire situations
Can be stacked with multiple armor pieces

The Legendary armor effects for both armor and weapons in Fallout 4 mentioned here can be useful for navigating around the Commonwealth. Each has its own unique abilities to aid you in various situations. But in the end, it all depends on your playstyle. Good luck fellow Survivors!