I have a "one shot kill" sniper build where I sneak kill most my targets with one shot and my preferable weapon is a Gauss rifle...

Now, I have 2 legendary ones.

"Sets target on fire for 15 points of damage"

and

"Targets bleed for 25 points of additional damage"

Since I am not sure on how these two actually work, which one is better for a "one shot kill" sniper build?

Cheers

Only Gauss I have is the bleed one, and it destroys everything, if either damage is applied instantaneously then I'd assume the bleed one wins, and if they're dot damage I'd still imagine the bleed one wins? They're never alive long enough to notice really.

Since both are as far as I know damage over time effects, for a one hit kill build they are kinda not useful.

This is why I wonder, if the bleed one is dot and the fire one is instant, then I'll choose the fire one for a higher chance of a direct kill ....

Also, the fire one shoots a bullet and the bleed one shoots a blue ray kind of thing, the bullet is much cooler in VATS

Mine's silenced too, still sounds loud as hell, was hunting one all the game then soon as I pinged 40, found it on my first legendary raider. Haven't used anything else since.

Oh, so both are over time dmg? Good to know, ty!

Same here, perfect weapon for a sneaky sniper. I play one survival and one shoot most of things as long as I am hidden when I do so! Feels wrong to kill a deathclaw with one bullet

Explosive is so far the only effect I know where the bonus dmg is applied instantly (besides obvious effects like the one that gives bonus dmg to enemies with full health, etc)