This Fallout 4 perk guide will give you in detail all the perks in the game and how you can use them to build the best possible character.
Fallout 4 has a unique and amazing perk system. The new system has been merged with the skill system of the previous Fallout titles, meaning that it is different from them. However, whether you have just started playing Fallout 4 or have progressed in it, you need to understand what S.P.E.C.I.A.L is. If you don’t, then you will be unable to make the right choices.
What is the S.P.E.C.I.A.L Attributes?
For those who don’t know, S.P.E.C.I.A.L is basically a system for your character in Fallout 4 through which it is determined how it will survive and behave in the game. Now, this isn’t a perk or something that can be unlocked but is something on which your perks depend upon. If we break the word down, we get:
- Strength
- Perception
- Endurance
- Charisma
- Intelligence
- Agility
- Luck
When the Vault-Tec guy will visit you at the beginning of the game, he will give you the option of setting a specific level in the above-mentioned attributes. You will have to choose carefully as the stronger you are in a category; the more perks will be available for you to choose from.
For instance, if you set your Charisma at 5, then you will be able to choose from perks that are available at Charisma Level 5. In short, your access to perks will totally depend upon what you choose when the Vault-Tec guys visits you.
How to Access Your Fallout 4 Perks
To access your perks, all you have to do is open your Pip-Boy and press the mentioned button to land on the Perk Chart. All Fallout 4 perks have different levels, or you can say ranks. Each rank will improve the benefits offer by the perk.
For example, the Level 1 Agility perk is titled “Gunslinger” and it will increase the damage done by non-automatic pistols by 20%. However, after you reach Rank 5 of this very perk, the damage done by non-automatic pistols will become maximum and you will be even able to cripple a limb with them.
How to Unlock Different Ranks
For those wondering, you can unlock different ranks by using perk points. You will get one perk point whenever you level up in the game and it will also cost you only one perk point for each rank. However, there are some perks that you can unlock by performing some actions. For example, there is a perk which can be unlocked if you read a magazine.
Fallout 4 Perks List
Now without any further due, here is a list of all perks that are available in the game. Keep in mind that these are only the names of the perks and short descriptions of them. In addition to this, all of them have their own different ranks.
Strength Perks
- Level 1: Iron Fist | Focuses on increasing punching power.
- Level 2: Big Leagues | Focuses on increasing melee damage.
- Level 3: Armorer | Allows you to access Rank 1 armor mods.
- Level 4: Blacksmith | Allows you to access Rank 1 melee weapon mods.
- Level 5: Heavy Gunner |Focuses on increasing heavy gun damage.
- Level 6: Strong Back | Allows you to carry more weight.
- Level 7: Steady Aim | Focuses on improving the hip-fire accuracy.
- Level 8: Basher | Increases the damage done by gun bashing.
- Level 9: Rooted | Increases damage resistance of when you’re standing still.
- Level 10: Pain Train | Allows you to hurt your enemies when you sprint into them while wearing Power Armor.
Perception Perks
- Level 1: Pickpocket | Focuses on improving your picking pockets skills.
- Level 2: Rifleman | Increases damage done by non-automatic rifles.
- Level 3: Awareness | Focuses on damaging resistance of your targets.
- Level 4: Locksmith | Allows you to pick advanced level locks.
- Level 5: Demolition Expert | Focuses on increasing the damage for explosives.
- Level 6: Night Person | Focuses on improving your Intelligence and Perception at night.
- Level 7: Refractor | Focuses on increasing Energy Resistance.
- Level 8: Sniper | Allows you to hold your breath longer when you look from a sniper scope.
- Level 9: Penetrator | Allows you to target enemies behind cover using V.A.T.S
- Level 10: Concentrated Fire | Focuses on improving accuracy of V.A.T.S attacks.
Endurance Perks
- Level 1: Toughness | Focuses on increasing your Damage Resistance.
- Level 2: Lead Belly | Decreases the amount of radiation you take from eating and drinking.
- Level 3: Life Giver | Focuses on increasing your max health.
- Level 4: Chem Resistant | Makes you less addicted to chems.
- Level 5: Aquaboy / Aquagirl | Allows you to breathe under water.
- Level 6: Rad Resistant | Allows you to get more radiation resistance.
- Level 7: Adamantium Skeleton | Focuses on decreasing limb damage.
- Level 8: Cannibal | Allows you to restore your health by eating humans.
- Level 9: Ghoulish | Focuses on regenerating your lost health through radiation.
- Level 10: Solar Powered | Allows you to get more Strength and Endurance during the day.
Charisma Perks
- Level 1: Cap Collector | Focuses on improving your deals with vendors.
- Level 2: Black Widow / Lady Killer | Men/Women receive more damage from you.
- Level 3: Lone Wanderer | Decreases the amount of damage you take whenever you are without a companion.
- Level 4: Attack Dog | Allows your dog to hold your enemies when you use V.A.T.S.
- Level 5: Animal Friend | Allows you to calm down animals below your level whenever you point your gun at them.
- Level 6: Local Leader | Allows you to establish supply lines between your workshop settlements.
- Level 7: Party Girl | Helps you with not getting addicted to alcohol.
- Level 8: Inspirational | Focuses on improving the damage done by your companion.
- Level 9: Wasteland Whisperer | Allows you to pacify creatures by aiming your gun at them.
- Level 10: Intimidation | Allows you to pacify humans by aiming your gun at them.
Intelligence Perks
- Level 1: A.N.S. | Provides you a path to your closest quest target in the V.A.T.S.
- Level 2: Medic | Focuses on increasing the effectiveness of Stimpaks and RadAway.
- Level 3: Gun Nut | Allows you to access Rank 1 gun mods during crafting.
- Level 4: Hacker | Allows you to hack advanced level computer terminals.
- Level 5: Scrapper | Allows you to salvage uncommon parts whenever you scrap weapons or armor.
- Level 6: Science | Allows you to access Rank 1 high tech modifications.
- Level 7: Chemist | Focuses on making chems last longer.
- Level 8: Robotics Expert | Allows you to hack robots and even control them.
- Level 9: Nuclear Physicist | Focuses on improving the damage caused by radiation weapons.
- Level 10: Nerd Rage! | Slows down time whenever your health drops below 20%.
Agility Perks
- Level 1: Gunslinger | Focuses on improving the damage done by non-automatic pistols.
- Level 2: Commando | Focuses on improving the damage done by automatic weapons.
- Level 3: Sneak | Makes it harder for enemies to detect you when you’re sneaking.
- Level 4: Mister Sandman | Increases the damage done by suppressed weapons.
- Level 5: Action Girl / Action Boy| Focuses on making action points regenerate even faster.
- Level 6: Moving Target | Focuses on increasing your Damage and Energy Resistance when you’re sprinting.
- Level 7: Ninja | Allows you to deal more damage with your sneak and melee attacks
- Level 8: Quick Hands | Allows you to reload your weapons faster during combat.
- Level 9: Blitz | Focuses on increasing the melee distance of V.A.T.S.
- Level 10: Gun Fu | Focuses on increasing the damage done to your V.A.T.S targets.
Luck Perks
- Level 1: Fortune Finder | Allows you to find more bottle caps in containers.
- Level 2: Scrounger | Allows you to find more ammunition in containers.
- Level 3: Bloody Mess | Makes enemies sometimes explode into gory red paste.
- Level 4: Mysterious Stranger | Makes a stranger appear occasionally to help when you are using V.A.T.S.
- Level 5: Idiot Savant | Allows you to receive additional XP from actions.
- Level 6: Better Criticals | Increases the damage done by critical hits.
- Level 7: Critical Banker | Allows you to save critical hits so you can use them in V.A.T.S.
- Level 8: Grim Reaper’s Sprint | Restores all Action Points whenever you get kills with V.A.T.S.
- Level 9: Four Leaf Clover | Refills your critical meter whenever you get a hit in V.A.T.S.
- Level 10: Ricochet | Focuses on ricocheting ranged attacks of your opponents to kill them.
The below video can help you understand the above-mentioned perks.
How You Can Build the Best Character
As you can see above, there are a lot of perks in Fallout 4. This means that it will be somewhat difficult to choose the right ones. Not only this, but there are many players who are even unable to unlock all of them. However, there are still some choices that you can make in order to make sure you’re heading in the right direction.
Fallout 4 Perks That Are Useful at The Start
There are some perks that can prove to be useful at the start. From the Strength category, the Armorer Perk has been considered as the most effective one as it allows you to make improvements to your armor. In addition to this, the Locksmith Perk from the Perception category allows players to pick advanced tools, something which makes it really useful.
There are some perks in the Luck category that are quite useful. The Scrounger perk will allow you to find more ammunition in containers, so you can go for it if you run out of ammo quickly. The Fortune Finder on the other hand, will help you get more bottle caps.
In addition to this, you must make sure that you take care of how much damage you can take. You can do this by simply making some upgrades to your armor, or by choosing the Life Giver Perk which resides in the Endurance category. The mentioned perk basically increases maximum health, something which many players love.
In the end, we would like to mention that the choices vary from player to player. You can go ahead and choose some other perks which seem more useful to you. As you progress through the game, you will further learn how you can make some additional improvements to your character.
