A guide to the Fallout 4 Perks System
Whether you’re just starting out on your Fallout 4 journey, or you’ve been engrossed for months, you’ll need to know you’re S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Well, we’re sure you are, but is your Fallout 4 character?
Bethesda’s latest RPG is jam-packed with systems that make the game function, but for your character the most important of these is S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
This character levelling system really defines who your character is and how they’ll behave and survive in the wasteland. As you might have guessed by the acronym, it is comprised of seven major attributes, which are as follows: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck.
To get your perfect character, you’ll need to understand what S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes you want to invest your points in, as your choices will ultimately define your character and the skills they have as you progress through the game.
Each S.P.E.C.I.A.L. has 10 levels of Perks, which will get stronger through a ranking system as your character levels up throughout the game. That means there are 70 perks in total, each with their own set of ranks.
Take a look at all the Perks in detail (including how each will grow with each rank) to help you decide which ones you’ll choose.
On this page, you’ll find Stength and Perception Perks, but over on Page 2 you’ll find Endurance, Charisma and Intelligence Perks, while on Page 3 you’ll find the Agility and Luck Perks.
Related: Fallout 4 tips and tricks
Strength Perks
As the name suggests, Strength is a measure of your character’s physical power. Enhancing your Strength ability can affect the amount of damage you deal and how much you can carry.
Level 1: Iron Fist
Any unarmed attacks get increased damage and other bonus abilities
Rank 1 – Punches inflict 20 per cent more damage
Rank 2 – Punches inflict 40 per cent more damage; you can disarm an enemy’s weapon (unlocks at level 9)
Rank 3 – Punches inflict 60 per cent more damage; unarmed power attacks may cripple one of your enemy’s limbs (unlocks at level 18)
Rank 4 – Punches inflict 80 per cent more damage; unarmed power attacks have an increased chance of crippling one of your enemy’s limbs (unlocks at level 31)
Rank 5 – Punches inflict double the damage; criticals in V.A.T.S. will now paralyze your opponent (unlocks at level 41)
Level 2: Big Leagues
Melee weapons gets increased damage and other bonus abilities
Rank 1 – Melee attacks inflict 20 per cent more damage
Rank 2 – Melee attacks inflict 40 per cent more damage; have a chance at disarming an enemy (unlocks at level 7)
Rank 3 – Melee attacks inflict 60 per cent more damage; have an increased chance at disarming an enemy (unlocks at level 15)
Rank 4 – Melee attack inflict 80 per cent more damage; hit all targets in front of you (unlocks at level 27)
Rank 5 – Melee attacks do double damage; gain the chance to cripple an enemy or decapitate them (unlocks at level 42)
Level 3: Armourer
Gain the ability to use armour mods
Rank 1 – Access to base level and Rank 1 armour mods
Rank 2 – Access to Rank 2 armour mods (unlocks at level 13)
Rank 3 – Access to Rank 3 armour mods (unlocks at level 25)
Rank 4 – Access to Rank 4 armour mods (unlocks at level 39)
Level 4: Blacksmith
Gain the ability to use melee weapon mods
Rank 1 – Gain access to base level and Rank 1 melee weapon mods
Rank 2 – Gain access to Rank 2 melee weapon mods (unlocks at level 16)
Rank 3 – Gain access to Rank 3 melee weapon mods (unlocks at level 29)
Level 5: Heavy Gunner
Heavy weapons get increased damage and other bonus abilities
Rank 1 – Heavy weapons inflict 20 per cent more damage
Rank 2 – Heavy weapons inflict 40 per cent more damage; improved hip-firing accuracy (unlocks at level 11)
Rank 3 – Heavy weapons inflict 60 per cent more damage; higher hip-firing accuracy (unlocks at level 21)
Rank 4 – Heavy weapons inflict 80 per cent more damage; can potentially stagger an enemy (unlocks at level 35)
Rank 5 – Heavy weapons inflict twice as much damage (unlocks at level 47)
Level 6: Strong Black
Increases the total weight you can carry
Rank 1 – Gain +25 to carrying weight
Rank 2 – Gain +50 to carrying weight (unlocks at level 10)
Rank 3 – Use Action Points to run while over-burdened (unlocks at level 20)
Rank 4 – Fast Travel while over-burdened
Level 7: Steady Aim
Increases hip-fire accuracy
Rank 1 – Hip-fire accuracy is improved for all weapons
Rank 2 – Hip-fire accuracy further improved for all weapons (unlocks at level 28)
Level 8: Basher
Gun bashing gets increased damage and other bonus abilities
Rank 1 – Gun bashing inflicts 25 per cent more damage
Rank 2 – Gun bashing inflicts 50 per cent more damage; can potentially cripple an enemy (unlocks at level 5)
Rank 3 – Gun bashing inflicts 75 per cent more damage; increased chance of crippling an enemy (unlocks at level 14)
Rank 4 – Gun bashing inflicts twice as much damage; even greater chance of crippling an enemy; potential critical hit (unlocks at level 26)
Level 9: Rooted
Gain various attack and defence bonuses while stationary
Rank 1 – While stationary, gain +25 damage resistance and 25 per cent boost to melee and unarmed attacks
Rank 2 – While stationary, gain +50 damage resistance and 50 per cent boost to melee and unarmed attack (unlocks at level 27)
Rank 3 – While stationary, automatically disarm enemies using melee weapons against you (unlocks at level 43)
Level 10: Pain Train
Gain various offensive bonuses while sprinting in Power Armour
Rank 1 – While in Power Armour, sprinting into enemies damages and staggers them
Rank 2 – While in Power Armour, sprinting into enemies severely damages and causes a more powerful stagger (unlocks at level 24)
Rank 3 – While in Power Armour, sprinting into enemies causes lethal damage and knocks them over; impact also causes damage to nearby enemies (unlocks at level 50)
Related: PS4 vs Xbox One
Perception Perks
Perception relates to your character’s awareness of his/her environment along with weapon accuracy in V.A.T.S.
Level 01: Pickpocket
Get better pickpocketing skills and additional bonuses
Rank 1 – Pickpocketing is 25 per cent easier
Rank 2 – Pickpocketing is 50 per cent easier; can place live grenades in a person’s inventory (unlocks at level 6)
Rank 3 – Pickpocketing is 75 per cent easier; can steal people’s equipped weapons (unlocks at level 17)
Rank 4 – Pickpocketing is twice as easy; can steal people’s items (unlocks at level 30)
Level 02: Rifleman
Non-automatic rifles get increased damage and additional bonuses
Rank 1 – Non-automatic rifles inflict 20 per cent more damage
Rank 2 – Non-automatic rifles inflict 40 per cent more damage; disregards 15 per cent of enemy’s armour (unlocks at level 9)
Rank 3 – Non-automatic rifles inflict 60 per cent more damage; disregards 20 per cent of enemy’s armour (unlocks at level 18)
Rank 4 – Non-automatic rifles inflict 80 per cent more damage; disregards 25 per cent of enemy’s armour; slight chance of crippling enemy’s limb (unlocks at level 31)
Rank 5 – Non-automatic armour inflict double the damage; disregards 30 per cent of enemy’s armour; higher chance of crippling an enemy’s limb (unlocks at level 46)
Level 03: Awareness
Gain the ability of seeing enemy’s weaknesses in V.A.T.S.
Rank 1 – Can see an enemy’s specific Damage Resistance while in V.A.T.S.
Level 04: Locksmith
Gain ability to pick higher lock levels
Rank 1 – You can pick Advanced Locks
Rank 2 – You can pick Expert Locks (unlocks at level 7)
Rank 3 – You can pick Master Locks (unlocks at level 18)
Rank 4 – Bobby pins never break while lock picking (unlocks at level 41)
Level 05: Demolition Expert
Explosives deal increased damage and additional bonuses
Rank 1 – Explosives deal 25 per cent more damage; can craft explosives at Chemistry Stations
Rank 2 – Explosives deal 50 per cent more damage; grenades gain throwing arc (unlocks at level 10)
Rank 3 – Explosives deal 75 per cent more damage; have a larger area of effect (unlocks at level 22)
Rank 4 – Explosives deal double the damage; any mines or grenades shot in V.A.T.S. also deal double the damage (unlocks at level 34)
Level 06: Night Person
Character gains +2 Intelligence and Perception between the hours of 6pm and 6am
Rank 1 – Character gains +2 Intelligence and Perception between the hours of 6pm and 6am
Rank 2 – Character gains +3 Intelligence and Perception between the hours of 6pm and 6am; gain night vision while sneaking (unlocks at level 10)
Level 07: Refractor
Character gains additional energy resistance
Rank 1 – Character gains +10 energy resistance
Rank 2 – Character gains +20 energy resistance (unlocks at level 11)
Rank 3 – Character gains +30 energy resistance (unlocks at level 21)
Rank 4 – Character gains +40 energy resistance (unlocks at level 35)
Rank 5 – Character gains +50 energy resistance (unlocks at level 42)
Level 08: Sniper
Gain improved aiming control and can hold breath longer while aiming through scopes
Rank 1 – Gain improved aiming control; can hold breath longer while aiming through scopes
Rank 2 – Non-automatic scoped rifles have a chance of knocking down enemies (unlocks at level 13)
Rank 3 – Non-automatic scoped rifles get +25 accuracy to headshots while in V.A.T.S. (unlocks at level 26)
Level 09: Penetrator
Gain ability to target enemy body parts blocked by cover while in V.A.T.S., but your accuracy will be decreased
Rank 1 – Gain ability to target enemy body parts blocked by cover in V.A.T.S.; accuracy is decreased
Rank 2 – Accuracy no longer decreased when targeting enemy body parts blocked by cover in V.A.T.S. (unlocks at level 28)
Level 10: Concentrated Fire
Every attack on the same body part in V.A.T.S. is more accurate
Rank 1 – Every attack on the same body part in V.A.T.S. is 10 per cent more accurate
Rank 2 – Every attack on the same body part in V.A.T.S. is 15 per cent more accurate (unlocks at level 26)
Ranks 3 – Every attack on the same body part in V.A.T.S. is 20 per cent more accurate and deals 20 per cent more damage (unlocks at level 50)
(apester:56c442d0b6c51fb652db6bfb)
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
