Fallout 4 - it's official! Coming Nov 10, '15

[Madia]

Anyone know what points you're going to put in your starting build? You can play around with it and the perks here:

http://www.rpg-gaming.com/fo4.html

I'm thinking:

S 3
P 4
E 4
C 3
I 6
A 6
L 2

I usually play a sneaky sniper/medium distance assault rifle character. It's hard to plan though not knowing how useful some skills (particularly intelligence, charisma and luck) are. I remember intelligence being king in Fallout 3 and you do gain extra xp and have no level cap in 4 but I don't think min/maxing to get 9 intelligence is good for a first time play.

 

[GusSmed]

Fallout 3 had a pretty pointless story so I don't think so.

I disagree. I know a lot of people didn't like the end of the main quest in Fallout 3 prior to the Broken Steel DLC, though I honestly don't know why it irritated them so much. Things don't work out the way people planned, but that doesn't mean it didn't matter.

In any case, that's kind of missing the point - Fallout 3 is not entirely about the main quest. Or even mostly about it. There a lot more side quests than main-story quests, particularly if you count the ones that don't have formal names, but do involve doing things for people or tracking down clues, like the Keller hideout. And beyond that, there's an awful lot to do that isn't really quest related at all, like the Dunwich Building in the far southwest.

As for the timing - it really depends on how eager you are. It's entirely reasonable to play both games through before starting 4, and get 4 at a bit of a discount later. If you want to. Time spent with either game is not time wasted, since they're both good.

 

[leeland]

Thanks for the replies guys

 

[GusSmed]

I remember intelligence being king in Fallout 3 and you do gain extra xp and have no level cap in 4 but I don't think min/maxing to get 9 intelligence is good for a first time play.

Honestly, my first reaction to reading about the changes was to think that Intelligence has gone from the most-valuable stat to the least valuable.

Partly that may be prejudice from my experience from 3 and NV. Because of the level cap, and the fact you'd probably hit the cap sooner or later, perks that improved experience gain were not valuable, and were a wasted slot when you hit the cap. So IQ boosting experience gain sounds like the least-valuable intrinsic trait. Maybe it'll feel different once I play, and the lack of a level cap may change things.

What's left is the perks. Of those, the ones that sound genuinely useful stop at IQ 6. Chemist, Robotics Expert, and Nerd Rage weren't good perks before. Though Robotics Expert did give you a few quest options in 3, and maybe we'll see the same in 4.

In contrast, if I were focusing on stealth, I think I'd want at least Agility 7 for Ninja. That's now useful for ranged attackers.

Though honestly, I doubt that trying to optimize at level 1 is that important. It wasn't in previous games, aside from maybe trying to pass all the dialog skill checks in Goodsprings.

 

[Rakewell]

Anyone know what points you're going to put in your starting build? You can play around with it and the perks here:

http://www.rpg-gaming.com/fo4.html

I'm thinking:

S 3
P 4
E 4
C 3
I 6
A 6
L 2

I usually play a sneaky sniper/medium distance assault rifle character. It's hard to plan though not knowing how useful some skills (particularly intelligence, charisma and luck) are. I remember intelligence being king in Fallout 3 and you do gain extra xp and have no level cap in 4 but I don't think min/maxing to get 9 intelligence is good for a first time play.

Mine is the link below (I'd use nukahub for S.P.E.C.I.A.L. builds instead of RPG-gaming.com, just a suggestions). Be aware, there are spoilers in the link below in regard to PERKS, etc:

http://www.nukahub.com/tools/special?s=3&p=4&e=5&c=4&i=6&a=3&l=3

If you're going sniper, I'd work into that with more perception, but probably later in the game, imho. Bethesda games tend to play better when you do spend an hour or two with the main quest before you head out on your own.

Plus, here are the benefits to my build:

Spoiler

S3: Unlock ARMORER, in order to get access to armor mods
P4: Access to LOCKSMITH, you definitely don't want to be locked out of some areas early on for the best loot
E5: Access to AQUABOY. There's a whole lotta water near Bean-town, and you don't want constant radiation issues
C4: Access to ATTACK DOG. You get Dogmeat early on, I say use him!
I6: Access to GUN NUT (weapon mods), HACKER (terminals for loot, locked areas, etc.) SCRAPPER (more materials early on) and SCIENCE for high tech mods
A3: Access to SNEAK and COMMANDO early on, both very important in my opinion
L3: FORTUNE FINDER, SCROUNGER and BLOODY MESS. All Important, methinks.

Good luck!

 

[Zenoth]

I disagree. I know a lot of people didn't like the end of the main quest in Fallout 3 prior to the Broken Steel DLC, though I honestly don't know why it irritated them so much. Things don't work out the way people planned, but that doesn't mean it didn't matter.

In any case, that's kind of missing the point - Fallout 3 is not entirely about the main quest. Or even mostly about it. There a lot more side quests than main-story quests, particularly if you count the ones that don't have formal names, but do involve doing things for people or tracking down clues, like the Keller hideout. And beyond that, there's an awful lot to do that isn't really quest related at all, like the Dunwich Building in the far southwest.

As for the timing - it really depends on how eager you are. It's entirely reasonable to play both games through before starting 4, and get 4 at a bit of a discount later. If you want to. Time spent with either game is not time wasted, since they're both good.

Whay I myself like the most out of the Fallout stories (from all Fallout games so far) is the fact that the protagonist does not save the damn world. It's a localized, or at the very most 'regional' story that doesn't have that much repercussions for the rest of the nation/continent/planet.

You're not playing the role of another Space Jesus capable to withstanding all the firepower in the world (still that's figurative but the point is you won't come back from the dead) to save humanity and finish the game sitting on a golden throne with the hot girls by each sides. You're just "some Vault guy" lucky enough to get out of it, to start with (normally, Vaults were pretty much designed to ultimately be your tomb), and you play your part (whichever manner you want to do it) in the region / city it happens to take place in, and that's... about it. And that's completely fine by me.

At the end of each one of the Fallout games, the Earth is still a wasteland, there's still plenty of people doing horrible things to themselves, humanity is still savage and hopeless, all civilized nations are still essentially gone, and news from elsewhere on the globe are still nearly non-existent. Your protagonist didn't change the fate of humankind and you didn't clean up the entire planet's worth of mess. If anything, you're making things better for some people in your region, and that's it.

 

[GusSmed]

As long as we're talking about builds, pointlessly since we don't have any real game experience yet, here's my $0.02, based on prior games.

In terms of direct effect, Strength, Agility, and Luck sound valuable, for carrying capacity, APs, and critical hit rate respectively.

Charisma we don't know about yet, since we don't know how persuasion works yet, or how often it will be important. It sounds like we may be returning to Fallout 3's probabilities instead of New Vegas's thresholds, which is unfortunate. I much preferred the pass / fail system, and the number of different skill checks that could come up in dialog.

Experience gains from Intelligence - well, it's hard to say right now. We don't know how strong an effect it is. I guess the lack of a level cap means that experience boosts may feel similar to the skill-boosting effect it had before.

Perks: given my prejudices, Armorer (ST 3), Locksmith (Per 4), Gun Nut (IQ 3), Hacker (IQ 4), and Science! (IQ 6) seem like must-haves. Everything must be opened, and I must craft the best gear. Engineer (IQ 5) may be important or worthless, depending on how common the "rare components" are otherwise. I never bothered with Scrounger in prior games because ammunition was so common, and the same may or may not be true of crafting materials.

Most everyone's going to want at least one of the weapon-boosting perks: Big Leagues (Melee, ST 2), Heavy Gunner (ST 5), Rifleman (Per 2), Gunslinger (Agi 1), or Commando (Agi 2). Unless you're playing an oddball build that avoids combat altogether - I've read of people doing that in Falllout 3.

Sneak (Agi 3) and Ninja (Agi 7) are probably going to be in a lot of builds. I always seem to drift toward ranged stealth in Bethesda games because it's effective. Mister Sandman (agi 4) is now extended to boost damage from silenced weapons - but will those be common? Unknown at this point.

Basher, Lead Belly, Life Giver, Cannibal, Cap Collector, Chemist, Nerd Rage, Blitz, Fortune Finder, and Scrounger are probably going to suck. Just an educated guess at this point since actual gameplay could change things - maybe water will be more important in 4 than it was in 3 or NV, making Lead Belly something you'd care about, but I doubt it.

A few perks seem cheaty, like penetrator (Per 9). Perks shouldn't let your bullets go through brick walls!

Some perks make me think it'd be interesting to try quirky builds for a second playthrough. Notably Intimidation, though the "must be higher level than target" requirement may mean it's of limited use when things get sticky, and you can't really play a mind-control character.

 

[Artorias]

I really hope they bring back the Anti-Materiel Rifle from New Vegas along with an armor set that resembles the NCR ranger armor.

 

[Markbnj]

If you want to practice the first person system (VATS) then it looks like 4 builds of off 3 and NV, so you could play those of you like to get experience with the gameplay.

I've played FO3 and FONV through and haven't used VATS once. I don't know, it always seemed hokey to me.

 

[Crono]

Anyone know what points you're going to put in your starting build? You can play around with it and the perks here:

http://www.rpg-gaming.com/fo4.html

Probably this:

 

[shortylickens]

I really hope they bring back the Anti-Materiel Rifle from New Vegas along with an armor set that resembles the NCR ranger armor.

NCR has almost no presence in the East so you might be out of luck. Someone will probably make a mod.




As for the point issue: If its like the other games I will probably set a high INT for the skill points, and a high AGL for the AP's.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

A lot of these builds seem really quite average across the board which I don't think makes for a particuarly interesting or effective character. I tend towards having at least a couple of stats at 8 normally because you can increase certain stats in game through bonuses so it's never wise to max any stat to start with,

Luck is a good dump stat, otherwise dump stats that aren't relevant to your characters main play style, if you're a hard ass blowing your enemies heads off with guns then don't bother with high charisma for example, it's not really worth it. Especially when you consider that skills in certain areas like barter/speech can offset things like low charisma late game anyway.

As others have pointed out, what perks you're locked out of is also important, perks tend to offer really significant benefits specific to certain play style. You also have to remember that fallout tends to offer multiple ways of completing missions and that things like special speech options may open up based on certain stats being high enough (typically around 8) that can add bonus loot or allow peaceful resolution of hostile circumstances.

 

[GusSmed]

As for the point issue: If its like the other games I will probably set a high INT for the skill points, and a high AGL for the AP's.

It's not. There are no skills in Fallout 4.

Most things that used to be based on skills are now folded into Perks. Want to pick Expert locks? You need Locksmith rank 2 rather than Lockpicking Skill 50. Want to be better at stealth? Take more ranks of the Sneak perk, rather than increasing your Sneak skill.

Barter -> Cap Collector perk.
Big Guns -> Heavy Gunner perk.
Energy Weapons -> Nuclear Physicist for "radiation weapons," no mention of lasers anywhere.
Explosives -> Demolition perk, no mention of disarming mines.
Lockpick -> Locksmith perk.
Medicine -> Medic perk.
Melee weapons -> Big Leagues perk (which is no longer the throw distance perk)
Repair -> several different mod-related perks (Armorer, Blacksmith, Gun Nut, Science!)
Science -> Hacking perk
Small Guns -> Gunslinger, Rifleman, and Commando perks.
Sneak -> Sneak perk.
Speech -> Charisma stat. No specific perk for improving persuasion.
Unarmed -> Iron Fist perk.

 

[007ELmO]

Can I understand and play this game if I played none of the other fallouts, or do they like to build upon their stories

 

[JujuFish]

Can I understand and play this game if I played none of the other fallouts, or do they like to build upon their stories

They're completely separate games, separate characters, separate locations. Sure, you might find references and the like that you might not get, but nothing that should ruin your enjoyment of any particular game.

 

[cbrunny]

38 hours. oh man! I don't have enough time to pick a build.

 

[Tweak155]

I already took Wed-Fri off, debating if I should take Tuesday off too... Have a use them or lose them vacation policy at work and I always get more time off than the wife.

Still have 4 unused days even after Wed-Fri.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Still debating with myself what build to go for.

Good thing is there is no level cap tho.

 

[escrow4]

Don't know why you'd want an average all rounder. I'd rather stick 7/8 in Agility and Endurance and gut the rest. I've always gutted Charisma and Luck and Strength is not how I play. I did up Intelligence in Fallout 3 but it doesn't seem as critical here. As long as the character isn't retarded.

 

[GusSmed]

Luck can be a remarkably strong stat in 3 or New Vegas if you go for a character that focuses on critical hits. Appropriate perks (i.e. Better Criticals, Finesse), a weapon with a high critical damage bonus and multiplier (i.e. a sniper rifle), and high luck produce a lot of damage from critical hits. I'm not saying you have to go with high Luck, but the stat is a lot stronger in combat than it appears at first blush.

I usually minimized Endurance, personally, because it didn't do much for you beyond increase hit points, and I found that killing the other fellah first often worked better than tanking lots of damage. Still looks to be true in Fallout 4, since the best looking perk is Toughness, which you get at END 1.

There's a lot to be said for a high Agility build. Particularly if you like VATS, which I do, but Sneak / Ninja's no doubt going to be good even if you never use VATS.

 

[JujuFish]

A lot of perks are bonuses to VATS, which I don't particularly care about. I think I'll go fairly well-rounded, with a greater emphasis in INT.

 

[Madia]

Don't know why you'd want an average all rounder. I'd rather stick 7/8 in Agility and Endurance and gut the rest. I've always gutted Charisma and Luck and Strength is not how I play. I did up Intelligence in Fallout 3 but it doesn't seem as critical here. As long as the character isn't retarded.

Part of why you'll see more all rounders starting out is because FO4 only gives you 21 special points to start out with vs 40 in FO3. So if you start with a 7 in agility and 8 in endurance you'd only have 8 additional points to distribute among your other 5 stats that start out at 1. The difference in FO4 is every level you can choose a perk or another special point.

 

[007ELmO]

I already took Wed-Fri off, debating if I should take Tuesday off too... Have a use them or lose them vacation policy at work and I always get more time off than the wife.

Still have 4 unused days even after Wed-Fri.

I used most of my mine in Scotland, I don't have a lot left other than 1 around Thanksgiving and 4 between Christmas and New Years. In fact I have only 1 left otherwise. I've been burnt out at work and preparing for my Virtual Reality presentation, I need to take a day off soon.

 

[KentState]

I used most of my mine in Scotland, I don't have a lot left other than 1 around Thanksgiving and 4 between Christmas and New Years. In fact I have only 1 left otherwise. I've been burnt out at work and preparing for my Virtual Reality presentation, I need to take a day off soon.

I have way too many projects to complete before Thanksgiving week, but took Friday off anyways. Of course it quickly got filled with a doctors appointment in the morning and then getting a tooth filling fixed in the afternoon. Hope to milk the numb face thing with the wife so I can play during the evening

 

[Tweak155]

I'm leaving Saturday morning for a trip to Toronto so I have limited play time if I don't take any time off... I get Monday off as a holiday after that, but wife has it off too... not sure she we will want to watch me play FO4 all day :biggrin: