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The Backwater rifle is a unique lever-action rifle in the Fallout 3 add-on Point Lookout.

Characteristics[]

The Backwater rifle boasts the highest damage-per-shot of all 10mm weapons in Fallout 3, while also possessing the second-highest damage-per-shot of all rifle-type weapons. However, despite this weapon's attacks and critical bonuses each being 5 damage lower than those of Lincoln's repeater (resulting in 10 less damage total on a critical hit), the backwater rifle's 5x critical chance multiplier is capable of offering up to a 90% chance to critical for a character with a maxed-out base critical chance (10 Luck, the Finesse perk and the critical chance version of Survival Expert), where Lincoln's repeater, with its lower 2x multiplier would only offer a 36% chance to critical with the same stats.

The Backwater rifle may be useful for high-Luck characters, as it offers a base damage of 45 (assuming no bonuses) with a 90% chance to achieve a 90 damage critical hit. This also makes the backwater rifle an effective alternative against tougher enemies, against whom Sneak Attack Criticals may not guarantee a kill.

Durability[]

The Backwater rifle can fire a total of about 519 rounds, the equivalent of 52 reloads, from full condition before breaking.

Variants[]

  • Point Lookout (add-on) Lever-action rifle - The standard variant of this weapon.
  • Lincoln's repeater - While strictly a lever-action rifle that uses .44 Magnum rounds, Lincoln's repeater is only repairable with hunting rifles. It is a very powerful and accurate firearm. Appearance wise, it looks identical to the lever-action rifle apart from its textures.

Comparison[]

Legend 
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)- Weapon name (melee or unarmed)Attacks in V.A.T.S.- Attacks in V.A.T.S.
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)- Weapon name (gun, energy or explosive)Action point cost- Action point cost
Damage per attack (damage per projectile)- Damage per attack (damage per projectile)Damage per action point- Damage per action point
Damage per second- Damage per secondWeapon spread- Weapon spread
Area of effect damage- Area of effect damageMagazine capacity (shots per reload)- Magazine capacity (shots per reload)
Effect damage & duration- Effect damage & durationDurability (number of attacks before breaking)- Durability (number of attacks before breaking)
Bonus effects- Bonus effectsWeight- Weight
Attacks per second- Attacks per secondValue in caps- Value in caps
Critical chance % multiplier- Critical chance % multiplierValue to weight ratio- Value to weight ratio
Critical damage- Critical damageSkill required- Skill required
Critical effect damage & duration- Critical effect damage & durationStrength required- Strength required
With all mods attached- With all mods attached
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)Damage per attack (damage per projectile)Damage per secondAttacks per secondCritical Chance % multiplierCritical damageAction Point costDamage per action pointWeapon spreadMagazine capacity (shots per reload)Durability (number of attacks before breaking)WeightValue in capsValue to weight ratio
Lever-action rifle Point Lookout (add-on)40
300.75x540301.30.2510250820025
Backwater rifle Point Lookout (add-on)45
33.80.75x545301.50.2510519725035.7
Lincoln's repeater 50
37.50.75x2502520.0154005500100

Location[]

Related quests[]

Notes[]

  • It is stated in the Fallout 3 Prima Official Guide that the Backwater rifle can be repaired with hunting rifles but this is false.
  • The rifle's hammer does not move when cocked.
  • Despite being chambered in 10mm (a pistol cartridge), the Backwater rifle will eject bottlenecked rifle cases.

Behind the scenes[]

Backwater is a type of river that has no current, and is also typically used to describe areas that are considered primitive or unsophisticated (eg: a backwater town). This term can be used to describe a majority of Point Lookout.

Gallery[]

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