Fallout Fallout: Sonora - new Fallout mod from the Fallout: Nevada team

[Ol' Willy]

Pistols are viable choice for the build, you'll get some decent ones eventually

Energy weapons are an all around superior and more flexible choice, the pistols do more damage than the best small guns, the turbo plasma rifle does 10-20 more damage than the rail gun for 2 less ap, the gatling laser does twice as much damage as the best unique miniguns, and you can get a laser emitter in the second town with a repair check (which can be made easier by applying parts) which you can get upgraded there as well. It's not like fallout 1/2 where you're expected to start with a different weapon skill and transition to energy weapons.

https://fallout-sonora.fandom.com/wiki/Weapons.

I wrote nothing about pistols being superior, I wrote "viable". I did a run with pistols and it was alright

 

[Modron]

Everything is "viable" if you're determined enough, you could punch a turret to death with your bare hands just plunking away at 1-5 damage hoping for a critical to the cpu for instant death.

 

[Ol' Willy]

Everything is "viable" if you're determined enough, you could punch a turret to death with your bare hands just plunking away at 1-5 damage hoping for a critical to the cpu for instant death.

Unarmed builds are viable even in original Fallouts, with more skill you unlock more powerful attacks, and when you get Slayer everything is crit

I did unarmed run of Resurrection which is notable for harder encounters than original Fallouts or other mods, though I used power fist later in the game

 

[Nikanuur]

Well, whatever the case, there's still the option of:

Fallout 2 Explorer
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout2/mods/52