RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

Bethesda’s Jason Bergman was kind enough to list the changes in the Fallout New Vegas patch, currently available for the PC with the 360 and PS3 versions to follow. In addition to optimizations and stability improvements, the patch makes several balance adjustments.  The list is as follows, courtesy of Bethesda’s official forums:

Guns:

• Automatic Guns – SMGs, the Assault Carbine, and the LMG are more accurate across the board. They’re also more durable. 12.7mm SMG mag capacity increased to 21.
• Shotguns – Buckshot has received a x1.2 inherent DAM mod. This slightly incentivizes using buckshot over slugs when enemy armor is not an issue. Magnum buckshot has a x1.3 DAM mod and a small amount of DT bypass. Spread for many shotguns has been lowered.
• Hunting Rifle, Anti-Materiel Rifle – Hunting Rifle and AMR now have the lowest spread of all rifles. Hunting Rifle RoF increased, Crit Chance set to x2. Anti-Materiel Rifle’s Crit DAM has been raised from 80 to 110 to make it more viable when compared to the Gobi.
• Sniper Rifle, Gobi Campaign Scout Rifle – Sniper Rifle and Gobi now have a higher RoF and lower AP cost. Both have x2 Crit Chance. Gobi has increased DAM and much higher Crit DAM over the Sniper Rifle.
• That Gun – That Gun is now a slow-firing hand cannon that does huge DAM firing 5.56mm out of a short barrel.
• Hunting Revolver – Rate of Fire increased.
• Service Rifle – DAM slightly lowered, firing animation changed to the one used by Marksman Carbine, RoF dramatically increased. Spread decreased.
• Silenced .22 Pistol, SMG – Crit DAM and Crit Chance significantly increased.
• 5mm Ammo – Base ammo has 10 points of DT bypass. AP variants have 25 points of DT bypass. This affects the Assault Carbine, Minigun, and CZ57 Avenger.
• .308 JSP – DAM mult reduced from x1.5 to x1.3. x2 CND degradation effect added.
• Lever-Action Rifles – Cowboy Repeater, Trail Carbine, Brush Gun – RoF has been slightly reduced, AP costs have been significantly increased, and spread has been slightly increased. Cowboy Repeater Custom Action RoF increase has been reduced. La Longue Carabine spread has been significantly lowered.

Explosives:

• Dynamite – Larger explosion radius.
• Frag and Plasma Grenades – DAM increased.
• 25mm Grenades – Slightly increased DAM on the explosion.
• 40mm Grenades – Significantly higher DAM on the explosion.
• Missile Launcher / Fat Man – Now have much better zoom FoV and good accuracy. Missile and Fat Man projectiles (not the explosion) have a large base DAM. Both are extremely effective on direct hits, but still potent even if a direct hit is not scored. N.B.: Listed DAM on weapons assumes a direct hit!

Energy Weapons:

• Gatling Laser – Base DAM is higher. Against heavily armored targets, this is still a poor weapon. Against lightly armored targets, especially with Over Charge or Max Charge ECPs + Focus Optics + Laser Commander, it has extraordinary DPS.
• Tesla Cannon, Tesla-Beaton Prototype – These now consume far less ammo per shot and can be fired several times before a reload. DAM is beefy with an additional 2 second DoT.
• Pew-Pew – Lower ammo capacity, consumes far fewer ECs per shot. Still a two-shot weapon.

Melee and Unarmed:

• Ripper, Chainsaw, Thermic Lance – DAM lowered, all ignore DR/DT.
• Bladed Gauntlet, Mantis Gauntlet – Ignore DR/DT flags removed (were not supposed to be marked as such). Mantis Gauntlet animation/sound fixed.

Perks:

• Splash Damage – Functions properly.
• The Professional – 10mm Pistol, SMG added to perk list.