“Forged in the Wasteland: Weaponsmithing & Gunsmithing as Core Systems in Fallout 5”

 Here’s how a Weaponsmith and Gunsmith mode could work for Fallout 5’s workstations:

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Weaponsmith Mode

This would focus on melee, improvised, and hybrid weapons. It’s the more “scrappy wastelander” side of crafting.

• Categories: blades, blunt weapons, polearms, thrown weapons, traps, melee hybrids (e.g., a spear with a built-in taser).

• Customization: swap out grips, blades, spikes, and add salvage parts like gears, pipes, or bone.

• Special Perks:

  • Weaponsmith Apprentice → can craft basic mods like weighted grips.

  • Weaponsmith Journeyman → add elemental effects (fire, acid, electric).

  • Weaponsmith Master → combine multiple materials for unique looks and stat boosts.

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Gunsmith Mode

This would focus on firearms, energy weapons, and modular attachments.

• Categories: pistols, rifles, shotguns, heavy weapons, energy weapons.

• Customization: barrels, stocks, scopes, magazines, calibers, internal mods (cooling cells, overclocked capacitors).

• Special Perks:

  • Gunsmith Apprentice → adjust recoil, craft suppressors, extend mags.

  • Gunsmith Journeyman → convert calibers, create unique ammo types.

  • Gunsmith Master → blueprint-level control (design your own receivers, hybrid weapons like plasma shotguns).

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Shared System Features

• Workbench UI Upgrade: instead of just attaching mods, players could see exploded weapon diagrams with drag-and-drop parts.

• Skill Tree Tie-In: tied into Science!, Engineering, and Blacksmithing perks depending on melee vs ranged.

• Economy & Scavenging: rare mods and schematics could only be found in hidden labs, Vaults, or scavenger caches.

• Faction Styles: Raiders might create jagged spiked guns; Brotherhood would refine energy weapons; Settlers improvise farm tool hybrids.

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This system would make crafting a core part of identity and roleplay—a Raider’s jagged spiked rifle feels totally different than a Brotherhood plasma rifle, even if both started as the same base gun.

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Fallout 5 Weaponsmith & Gunsmith Workstation Mode

1. Philosophy of the System

The idea is to move beyond basic modding (like Fallout 4’s scopes, barrels, and stocks) into a true simulation of post-apocalyptic craftsmanship.

• Weaponsmith represents raw survival ingenuity: turning junk into brutal melee tools.

• Gunsmith represents technical mastery: refining firearms into modular instruments of destruction.

This system would feel like a fusion of Skyrim’s Blacksmithing skill tree with Fallout’s weapon modding, but deeper and more roleplay-driven.

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2. Weaponsmith Mode: The Art of Improvised Carnage

Core Features

• Material System: players collect different salvaged materials (metal scraps, bones, polymers, pre-war alloys). Each has weight, durability, and style effects.

• Weapon Frames: every melee weapon has a base frame (blade, blunt, polearm, chain, whip, trap). Frames dictate animations.

• Fusion Builds: weld or combine two categories (example: axe + chain → chained cleaver; polearm + taser → shock-spear).

Example Weaponsmith Builds

• Scrap Sawblade Axe: Rusted saw blades bolted to a wrench handle.

• Bone Reaper: Super mutant femur reinforced with steel rods.

• Electro-Sledge: A sledgehammer with a salvaged car battery wired into the head.

• Trap Staff: Polearm tipped with frag grenades that detonate on impact.

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3. Gunsmith Mode: The Science of Firepower

Core Features

• Receiver Blueprints: the heart of the weapon; determines caliber and ammo type.

• Attachment Layers: stocks, barrels, magazines, optics, triggers, underbarrel mods (grenade launchers, bayonets).

• Energy Weapon Overclocking: players can modify cooling systems, capacitors, and frequency modulators.

Example Gunsmith Builds

• Pipe SMG Refit: A simple pipe gun converted into a compact 9mm SMG with folding stock.

• Brotherhood Plasma Rifle Mk II: Custom coils, overcharged capacitor, stabilized barrel.

• Wastelander Rail Shotgun: Railway spikes used as shotgun slugs with explosive tips.

• Modular Energy Pistol: Switch between laser and plasma output via interchangeable capacitors.

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4. Workstation UI & Player Flow

Weaponsmith Workbench

• Diagram of the melee weapon frame.

• Drag-and-drop slots for blade, grip, reinforcement, add-ons (spikes, batteries, weighted cores).

• Preview model updates in real time.

Gunsmith Workbench

• Exploded-view diagrams similar to CAD software.

• Select receiver → choose caliber → add barrel → add stock → add scope → optional underbarrel mod.

• Dynamic stat screen shows DPS, recoil, durability, ammo economy, and factional “style” influence.

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5. Progression & Perk Trees

Weaponsmith Perks

• Scrap Brawler → basic reinforcement.

• Elemental Forge → apply elemental damage.

• Master Weaponsmith → unlock hybrid frames & rare materials.

Gunsmith Perks

• Ballistics Apprentice → simple recoil mods & suppressors.

• Experimental Engineer → ammo conversions, hybrid energy mods.

• Master Gunsmith → blueprint crafting, faction-exclusive designs.

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6. Integration With the World

• Faction Identity:

  • Raiders → spiked, cruel weapons.

  • Brotherhood → polished energy weapons.

  • Settlers → jury-rigged practical tools.

  • Enclave → high-tech prototypes.

• Scavenging & Economy:

  • Rare parts found in Vault armories, abandoned labs, crashed Vertibirds.

  • NPC weaponsmiths/gunsmiths sell unique blueprints or teach crafting methods.

• Roleplay & Immersion:

  • A Raider who survives on brutality leans on Weaponsmith.

  • A Brotherhood loyalist thrives in Gunsmith engineering.

  • A lone wanderer might mix both, symbolizing adaptability.

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7. Endgame Possibilities

• Legendary Forging: combine rare blueprints + unique materials to create named weapons.

• Experimental Hybrids: weapons that break the mold (e.g., flamethrower-axe, plasma spear).

• Settlement Workshops: build a community armory where settlers craft weapons based on your unlocked blueprints.

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🔥 This system would make Fallout 5 feel more personal and replayable, because every wastelander’s arsenal becomes a direct reflection of their playstyle and choices.

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Fallout 5 Weaponsmith & Gunsmith System (Expanded Design Document)

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1. Core Identity of the System

This mode isn’t just a crafting upgrade — it’s about giving the player ownership over their arsenal. In Fallout 4, weapons felt modular but often homogenized. Fallout 5 should fix that by ensuring every crafted weapon feels like a signature extension of your character’s story.

• Weaponsmith = Survivalist ingenuity, brutality, and improvisation.

• Gunsmith = Precision, engineering mastery, and modular design.

• Together = The wasteland’s evolving arms race.

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2. Weaponsmith Mode: Forging the Wasteland

Crafting Layers

1. Frames – Base type: blunt, blade, polearm, chain/whip, trap.

2. Cores – Weighted metal rods, batteries, chemical canisters.

3. Edges/Heads – Saw blades, axes, spiked scrap, sharpened bone.

4. Reinforcements – Barbed wire, plating, stabilizers.

5. Style Mods – Raider spikes, tribal carvings, Brotherhood polish.

Special Features

• Durability Factor – crude weapons degrade faster but hit harder.

• Elemental Mods – fire canisters, acid flasks, shock wires.

• Combo Weapons – e.g., a spear tipped with a molotov bottle for fire bursts.

Examples

• Jagged Rebar Club → Rusted rebar with welded blades.

• Shock Pike → Car battery strapped to a spear.

• Bonecrusher Maul → Super mutant skull as a hammerhead.

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3. Gunsmith Mode: Precision and Firepower

Crafting Layers

1. Receiver – Determines caliber, ammo type, firing style (semi, auto, burst).

2. Barrels – Short, long, rifled, plasma-cooled, railgun charged.

3. Stocks/Grips – Pistol grip, folding stock, precision stock.

4. Magazines – Quick reload, extended drum, energy cells.

5. Attachments – Scopes, silencers, bipods, bayonets, grenade launchers.

Advanced Gunsmith Features

• Ammo Conversions – swap calibers (e.g., .45 → 5.56).

• Hybrid Energy Tech – modify laser pistols into plasma-capable sidearms.

• Cooling & Overclocking – risk/reward system for energy weapons (more DPS vs chance of overheating).

Examples

• Settler Long-Rifle → Pipe gun refit with hunting stock and scope.

• Raider Drum-Shotgun → Sawed-off shotgun with extended magazine.

• Brotherhood Rail Sniper → Coil-charged barrel, stabilized stock.

• Enclave Prototype Blaster → Overclocked capacitor with auto-fire mode.

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4. Economy & Survival Loop

• Material Economy:

  • Scrap metals, alloys, polymers, wiring, batteries, gunpowder.

  • Rare drops: pre-war alloys, military-grade schematics, Vault-tech composites.

• Survival Integration:

  • Melee weapons degrade unless maintained.

  • Energy weapons require coolant packs or capacitor replacements.

  • Ammunition crafting tied to Gunsmith workbenches (reload stations).

• Settlement Role:

  • Assign settlers as apprentice smiths → they produce low-tier gear.

  • Upgrade your workshop to unlock higher-tier parts.

  • Create armories that stockpile crafted weapons for defense events.

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5. Progression & Perk Trees

Weaponsmith Tree

• Tinker – Reinforce basic weapons (pipe, wood, bone).

• Scrap Forge – Unlock elemental mods and hybrid frames.

• Wasteland Blacksmith – Unique melee blueprints (chainsaws, buzz-axes).

• Legendary Artisan – Craft one-of-a-kind melee artifacts.

Gunsmith Tree

• Ballistic Apprentice – Recoil mods, suppressors, extended mags.

• Field Engineer – Caliber conversions, experimental ammo.

• Energy Technician – Energy weapon mods, capacitor tuning.

• Master Gunsmith – Fully modular blueprints + legendary schematics.

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6. Faction Flavor

Weaponsmith/Gunsmith workbenches should reflect the culture of each faction:

• Raiders – Crude, vicious, intimidation-first. Their workbenches covered in graffiti and blood.

• Brotherhood of Steel – Clean, military precision. Energy benches with glowing capacitor cores.

• Enclave – Prototype labs with advanced schematics locked behind terminals.

• Settlers/Miners – Practical workbenches with tools from farms and mines repurposed.

• Synth/Institute Survivors – White sterilized benches, nanotech upgrades, digital schematics.

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7. Endgame Depth

• Signature Weapons: Create a custom-named weapon line (like “Poe’s Breaker Series”) that evolves as you improve it.

• Blueprint Trading: NPC smiths may exchange rare schematics.

• Faction Specials: Join the Brotherhood → exclusive energy blueprints. Ally with Raiders → brutal hybrid melee frames.

• Legendary Smith Quests: unlock one-off crafting quests for mythic weapons (e.g., Forge a plasma-broadsword using Vault X-21’s energy core).

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8. Player Experience Goals

• Every weapon feels like a story in itself.

• Replayability through different smithing paths.

• Deep integration into settlements and factions.

• A true wasteland identity system: your weapons reflect your character’s choices.

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⚡️ This system could turn Fallout 5’s crafting from a menu chore into a player-driven saga of innovation, where every fight tells the story of what you built, reforged, or scavenged.