I like going to YouTube and watching the different character builds for Fallout 4. They all tend to specialize in one style of combat. Some builds use pistols, melee weapons or even heavy weapons. I am not the expert/master regarding Fallout, but I would like to think I represent the "average" player in a sense. Almost every specialized playstyle requires skill and knowledge of the game to really pull off. In my opinion the most versatile combat style for the average/beginning player is that of the rifleman. In fact I believe every player should have a rifle regardless of playstyle. For a few perk points invested in the Rifleman perk you will have a fall back weapon that can adapt to most situations. For people new to the game you will have a weapon that will keep you alive until you decide what playstyle you want to specialize in.
Very early in the game you will run across the Overseer's Guardian rifle. Buy it, regardless of your playstyle. That weapon can carry you throughout the whole game. You may want to sneak around with a melee weapon silently eliminating enemies but in the beginning you are going to fail a lot. When you do fail pull out the Overseer's Guardian and try those Ninja moves another time. Heavy weapons are fun but early versions don't do a lot of damage and ammo is scarce, your rifle will keep you alive until you can upgrade. Pistols are great, but early models are not that hard hitting and they require a player perk setup that may take a few levels in order to make those pistols practical. Explosives are great until enemies get real close and that is when your rifle can save you. Maybe you are a high charisma character and have access to intimidation perks. Well, sometimes intimidation fails and you have to fight and your rifle can bail you out. Maybe you want to spray lead across the wasteland with automatic weapons. Well, that takes ammo and a rifle can help you conserve your ammo until your stockpile gets bigger.
One of the weaknesses I see in a lot of builds base on one one weapon type that are put up on the internet and YouTube is that they require either lots of levels, special equipment, perfect gameplay or tough companions to do the fighting for you. Adding a rifle to your toolkit will get you past some rough spots. Early in the game I bought the Overseer's Guardian and converted it to a semi-automatic rifle and replaced the scope with the best iron sites I could craft. I then supplemented that with a good rifle with a scope. Using a scoped "sniper" rifle to thin out a group of enemies is always a good start. Then switch to your playstyle of choice and if that isn't going to work or the temperature gets too hot mid-encounter switch to a rifle.
I like watching and reading about character builds. They show you how one playstyle can really be developed and shine. I prefer to see these playstyles as "tools" to get the job done. Other players see them as a way to role play a character. Either approach is fine as long as you have fun. If I had to pick one playstyle it would be a sniper/rifleman but I prefer to have more options. I also like switching styles because it is just fun. Nothing like running around with a flamethrower but sometimes it just isn't practical. Bethesda created a game where different styles can be played but I think having a "character" who can use multiple styles is really the point of Bethesda games. Role playing can be an added challenge once you have mastered the game but I really think that Fallout 4 (and all Bethesda games) was designed for the player to "multi-role."
Well, it doesn't matter how you play the game as long as you have fun. But I think the game gets easier and more fun when you throw a rifle into the mix. Just my opinion, but do it your way and just have fun.
