Fallout – Do the split beams in Fallout Vegas for energy weapons share the same hit chance

fallout-new-vegas

For instance, if I use the beam splitter on a 20 damage laser rifle, it splits it into 3 beams (6.7×3), which I know, is a bug since its supposed to split into 2 and do 30% more damage. However, do each of those beams now have a separate hit/crit chance or is it still calculated once per shot?

Also, what about for all those shot guns.

Best Answer

Inside VATS: Only one of the beams can crit, since only one crit is allowed in VATS.

Outside VATS: Each beam is checked individually for crits, so it is possible to have all 3 crit at once. You can create a fairly damaging build by focusing on energy weapon critical improvements and end up with a 1-in-3 crit chance... which, combined with the beam splitter, means that you have a 1-in-27 chance of every beam critting in the same attack.

Something to keep in mind with the beam splitter is that against heavily armored foes less damage will go through since their armor is used to reduce each beam's damage separately.