Mastering Close Quarters Combat
High Strength and Endurance Build
A high-strength, high-endurance build is a powerhouse, built for smashing through enemies with brute force. Prioritize Strength to maximize your melee damage. Pump points into Endurance for increased health and damage resistance. Key perks include Iron Fist, which enhances unarmed damage, and Big Leagues, for increased melee weapon damage. Equip yourself with armor that increases your strength, and you’ll become an unstoppable force on the battlefield. Playstyle for this build is straightforward: charge in, close the gap, and pulverize your foes. Your strengths lie in your raw damage output and ability to weather punishment, making this build a perfect choice for engaging enemies at close range. The weaknesses? You’re less effective at range, so you’ll need to close distance to be effective.
Stealthy Melee Build
For a more stealthy approach, this build combines melee with deception. Focus on Agility to boost your stealth capabilities and Perception to hit those crucial sneak attacks. Invest in perks like Ninja, which enhances sneak attack damage, and Blitz, allowing you to teleport short distances to quickly attack enemies. Choose a weapon that is highly effective, like a Pickman’s Blade. Embrace stealth, patience, and precision. This build excels at silently dispatching foes. Its greatest strength lies in its high damage potential in one blow. The weakness is the need for carefully planning engagements and close-quarter combat.
Power Armor Build
For those that love the feeling of invincibility, this build centers on Power Armor. You’ll want to load up on Strength and Endurance. The primary perks are Heavy Gunner (for ranged weapons), and Armorer (for modifying your Power Armor). The playstyle is straightforward: wear a heavy power armor, and dominate. Your strengths lie in your incredible survivability and ability to withstand damage while dishing out massive amounts of damage. This build’s main weakness is the high cost of maintaining your power armor (fusion cores, repair costs).
Unleashing Devastating Force at a Distance
Sniper Build
This is the ultimate marksman, blending precision and deadly accuracy. Maximize your Perception and Agility to ensure accuracy and speed. Invest in perks like Rifleman, boosting damage with non-automatic rifles, and Sniper, for increased accuracy while aiming. Find yourself a high-powered sniper rifle and choose the most effective modifications. Patience is key. The strengths of this build are its devastating damage and long-range engagement potential. Its weakness? It’s not great in close-quarters situations.
Gunslinger Build
This build prioritizes quick reactions and steady aim, perfect for gunslingers who thrive in the chaos of combat. Focus on Agility and Luck. Agility improves your action points, allowing you to make more shots in a firefight. Key perks are Gunslinger, boosting pistol damage, and Gun Nut, to modify your weapons. This build excels in situations where fast responses and rapid firing are critical. Its greatest strength lies in its versatility, being effective in most situations. Its main weakness is that, at base level, it does not have as much damage potential as other build styles.
Heavy Weapons Build
This build brings overwhelming firepower to the battlefield. Focus on Strength and Endurance, providing both the damage and the durability. Invest in perks like Heavy Gunner, maximizing damage with heavy weapons, and Demolition Expert, which enhances explosive damage. Load up on ammo and prepare for destruction. This build can turn even the toughest encounters into explosions. The weaknesses of this build are the cost of ammunition and reliance on limited resources.
Exceptional Armaments for the Wasteland
Two-Shot Combat Rifle
A high-powered, hard-hitting option. The best weapon in the game is very subjective. One of the best weapons in the game is a Two-Shot combat rifle. This version of the rifle packs a serious punch. It is known to be one of the most consistently damaging weapons in the game. The strengths of the Two-Shot combat rifle lie in its raw damage output and versatility. You can mod it for almost any playstyle and it hits hard. Its weaknesses are the need to keep the ammo supply up.
Gauss Rifle
For those that love energy weapons, a Gauss rifle offers the ultimate stopping power. A Gauss rifle provides incredibly high damage per shot. The Gauss rifle excels in dealing massive damage to single targets, making it ideal for taking down tough enemies or quickly eliminating threats. It is a weapon of choice for many players. The main downside is the slow reload speed, but its high damage compensates for that.
Fat Man
The Fat Man is a nuclear-powered weapon that leaves a lasting impact. If you are looking for a weapon to destroy everything in sight, this is it. The Fat Man is a weapon that deals massive explosive damage in a wide area. Its main strength is its ability to decimate groups of enemies with a single shot. The major weakness is the cost of ammo and its slow reload time.
Super Sledge
The Super Sledge is a two-handed weapon that is all about brute force. It’s designed to take down enemies quickly. The Super Sledge’s strengths lie in its high damage output, allowing you to quickly dispatch even heavily armored foes. Its weakness, the slow attack speed, means you need to be precise with your swings and plan your attacks.
Pickman’s Blade
The Pickman’s Blade is a one-handed blade weapon for stealthy builds. This weapon is highly effective. The strengths of this weapon are stealth attacks and the potential for quick dispatching. Its weakness is that it’s not effective in many situations, and has a low damage threshold.
Power Fist / Deathclaw Gauntlet
The Power Fist (or the upgraded Deathclaw Gauntlet) is the ultimate choice for unarmed builds. Its strengths are its high damage and fast attack speed, combined with the ability to inflict the crippling damage. The weapon’s weakness is its limited range.
Picking the Perfect Perks to Thrive
Essential Perks for All Builds
Some perks are essential for all playthroughs, enhancing your survival.
Locksmith/Hacker
Access to additional content and resources is a must. Locksmith and Hacker are valuable for getting into locked doors and hacking terminals, expanding exploration opportunities.
Lone Wanderer/Inspirational
If you choose not to play with companions, the Lone Wanderer perk is highly recommended, boosting your damage resistance and carry weight. Additionally, consider Inspirational, which will allow you to have more influence.
Scrounger
To survive, you need to eat, drink, and use items. Scrounger is a valuable perk for those who like to gather resources, as it increases the amount of ammunition found.
Additional Perks for Ranged Combat
Rifleman, Gunslinger, and Heavy Gunner are essential for building a ranged character. These perks give you significant damage buffs for the respective weapon types.
Ninja/Blitz
If you’re interested in quick hits, perks like Ninja and Blitz enhance your stealth and damage potential.
Gun Nut/Armorer
If you like to mod your weapons, perks like Gun Nut and Armorer are critical. They will open up crafting options for your arsenal.
Life Giver
Life Giver, providing additional health and health regeneration, is a must.
Aquagirl/Aquaboy
Aquagirl/Aquaboy allows you to breathe underwater and resist radiation.
Local Leader
Local Leader allows you to build settlements.
Settlement and Companion Recommendations
Settlement building allows for a new dynamic in the game. The ability to build your own outpost and set your own rules is a welcome change for many players.
Power Armor Frames
The X-01, T-60, and T-51 power armor options provide excellent defensive stats.
Dogmeat
Dogmeat, a loyal companion, is a must-have for all builds. Dogmeat can sniff out items and is good in combat.
Strong
Strong is a super mutant companion for melee and heavy weapons.
Piper
Piper, the journalist, is a good option.
Optimizing Your Experience
To reach the pinnacle of your Wasteland journey, several strategies can help.
Your settlements are more than just places to live; they are resource generators and a source of buffs. Use them to grow crops for food and water, craft ammo, and establish supply lines. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-managed settlement.
To save resources, it’s essential to be savvy about your crafting and scavenging. Scavenge everything, break down unwanted items into components, and make the most of every bullet and bandage.
Chems are another critical component of Fallout 4. They can give you temporary boosts, helping you in dire situations.
Experimentation is crucial. Don’t be afraid to try different builds, weapons, or perks. The best way to find what works for you is to play and adjust your strategy as you go.
Conclusion: Embrace the Wasteland
This guide has highlighted some of the best options for your character build, weapons, and perks in Fallout 4. Remember that the Commonwealth is a vast and dangerous place. Whether you prefer a brute-force approach, silent strikes, or long-range attacks, these “best of three” selections will equip you for success.
So, grab your weapon, choose your path, and prepare to explore the post-nuclear world. The Wasteland awaits, filled with adventure, danger, and countless opportunities for you to make your mark.
