Fallout 4: The Best Perks and Character Build

This guide will list off the best perks that you can choose for your character in Fallout 4, as well as the necessary requirements in order to unlock it. Our perks will focus on a balance between all of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. categories, ensuring that players can fight, survive, and even build their settlements up to reach their maximum potential.

Of course, perks tie in with almost every aspect of the game, so it’s only fitting that we’ve been hard at work covering those concepts. Whether you’re trying to build the best base possible, or figure out how to open the Cryolator Case (Hint: PC players can cheat), we have you covered, as well as with many more topics. Be sure to stop by USgamer’s Fallout 4 Walkthrough and Guide for everything that you need to know about your time in the Wastelands.

Related USgamer Content

• Fallout 4: Tips for Fast Travel, V.A.T.S.
• Fallout 4: Lock Picking and Hacking Guide
• Fallout 4: All 20 Bobblehead Locations
• Fallout 4: Weapon Crafting and Customization

It should be noted that players will start the game with 28 points to put into their S.P.E.C.I.A.L. abilities. The perks you find down below will require a total of 36 points just to gain access to them (and nine more to buy the perks themselves). If you're looking for a guide to help you spend your 28 points, you can take a few moments to look over our character creation guide for Fallout 4. It covers everything from the moment you boot up the game and stand in front of the mirror.

Strength: Level 03 - Armorer

This perk is the reason that you’ll want your Strength to be at least three as you complete the registration form the Vault-Tec agent gives you. Having the ability to upgrade and customize your armor will help you survive some of the early encounters, and you can continue to upgrade it throughout your entire play through. Just keep in mind that you can only upgrade to the higher level perks if you have leveled up your character. As noted below, you'll have to be Level 25 before you are able to unlock the Rank 3 Armorer Perk. Keep a close eye on this one to ensure that your head and limbs are always protected from the creatures that wander about.

Rank Requirement Description 1 STR 3 Unlocks Rank 1 armor modifications 2 Level 13, STR 3 Unlocks Rank 2 armor modifications 3 Level 25, STR 3 Unlocks Rank 3 armor modifications 4 Level 39, STR 3 Unlocks Rank 4 armor modifications

Strength: Level 06 - Strong Back

If there's a case to be made about putting six points into the Strength category right off the bat, Strong Back is the perk to convince you. In the early going, this perk will allow players to carry and extra 25 weight, which goes up to 50 when you hit Rank 2. Rank 3 and Rank 4 won't let you carry more weight, but they will let you sprint at the expense of Action Points, and fast-travel while overweight.

Rank Requirement Description 1 STR 6 Players can carry +25 weight 2 Level 10, STR 6 Players can carry +50 weight 3 Level 20, STR 6 Use Action Points to run while overweight 4 Level 30, STR 6 You may not fast travel while overweight

Perception: Level 04 - Locksmith

It's not even up for debate. Players will spend so much time picking locks in Fallout 4 that this perk is nearly mandatory. The faster you can bypass master level locks, the quicker you can get your hand on some of the better loot that the Commonwealth has to offer.

Rank Requirement Description 1 PER 4 Players can bypass advanced locks 2 Level 7, PER 4 Players can bypass expert locks 3 Level 18, PER 4 Players can bypass master locks 4 Level 41, PER 4 Players will not break bobby pins picking locks

Endurance: Level 01 - Toughness

There is nothing flashy about this perk, but it's extremely useful. As we have mentioned before, the early stages of the game can be a struggle. You'll feel outmatched by some of the enemies, but this can help to even the playing field. It's also worth noting that tht Life Giver perk from the same category is also quite useful, but we decided to put the spotlight on this one.

Rank Requirement Description 1 END 1 Players gain +10 damage resistance 2 Level 9, END 1 Players gain +20 damage resistance 3 Level 18, END 1 Players gain +30 damage resistance 4 Level 31, END 1 Players gain +40 damage resistance 4 Level 46, END 1 Players gain +50 damage resistance

Charisma: Level 06 - Local Leader

We know that base building is a popular thing to do in Fallout 4, and this perk plays right into that play style. It allows players to start supply lines between their settlements, which casues workbenches from other settlements to share all of their (junk) resources. It also doesn't hurt that you'll start to get better with your conversations at Charisma 6, a nice bonus to unlocking this perk.

Rank Requirement Description 1 CHR 6 Create supply lines between settlements 2 Level 14, CHR 6 Players can build stores and workstations

Intelligence: Level 03 - Gun Nut

Just like you'll need to craft better armor early on, customizing the perfect weapon is essential to survival. It's not enough to just be able to take a beating, you have to hand one out as well. The Gun Nut perk will allow you to modify the weapons you find laying near your fallen foes, making them into efficient devices of death for future use.

Rank Requirement Description 1 INT 3 Players unlock Rank 1 gun modifications 2 Level 13, INT 3 Players unlock Rank 2 gun modifications 3 Level 25, INT 3 Players unlock Rank 3 gun modifications 4 Level 39, INT 3 Players unlock Rank 4 gun modifications

Intelligence: Level 04 - Hacker

This perk plays nicely with the Locksmith option that we've already covered, only this will allow you to hack into terminals and control key resources that the enemy can typically use against you. Open doors, shut down turrets, or even disable the security lights. You'll almost certainly want Level 4 Intelligence when you make your initial character.

Rank Requirement Description 1 INT 4 Players can bypass advanced terminals 2 Level 9, INT 4 Players can bypass expert terminals 3 Level 21, INT 4 Players can bypass master terminals 4 Level 33, INT 4 Players are never locked out of terminals while hacking

Agility: Level 07 - Ninja

This might be our favorite combat related perk in the game. It increases the amount of damage you do with ranged attacks while your sneaking. To give you an idea of how this looks, imagine crouching and sniping an enemy from a long way out. You get bonus damage for that attack. Now imagine that you're using a suppressor and you'll start to see how you can terrorize the enemy.

Rank Requirement Description 1 AGI 7 2.5x damage for ranged sneak attacks, 4x for melee 2 Level 16, AGI 7 3x damage for ranged sneak attacks, 5x for melee 3 Level 33, AGI 7 3.5x damage for ranged sneak attacks, 10x for melee

Luck: Level 02 - Scrounger

There are quite a few interesting perks in the Luck category, and a lot of them are very helpful. However, we are quite practical in our approach to the game, choosing perks that give meaningful returns in as many situations as possible. That's the case with Scrounger, as it will allow us to find more ammunition in the containers that we loot throughout the Commonwealth. More ammunition is good, since it allows you to fill your opposition with more holes.

Rank Requirement Description 1 LCK 2 Find additional ammuniton in containers 2 Level 7, LCK 2 You get even more ammunition from looting 3 Level 24, LCK 2 Not enough ammunition? Here, have some more 4 Level 37, LCK 2 Fine! Just have all the ammuniton you want

Alright, so we used more than the 28 points that you're allowed when you start the game. We actually came in at 36, so you need to make up a solid six points. The good news is that only requires you to get to Level 6 in the game, a task which should not take you very long. We considered doing a 28 point build, but your ideal character won't stop there, so we opted to go with a build that you can aim for in the first few hours of your play through, rather than give you a basic formula and leave you hanging.

Of course, this all depends on play style. We love to base build and craft, as well as use long-range weapons and stealth. That should be obvious from our favorite perks in the game, so if you can relate, try this build out in your own game. We have been using it for solid 40 hours, and so far we've managed to stay as safe as one can expect in Fallout 4.