Fallout: New Vegas Walkthrough -> Tips: Features and Perks
Besides skills and stats, perks play an important role in the game, or more precisely, choosing the right ones every time you level up. When creating a character, you can choose up to two of these perks, though the choice is limited, and almost all of them are flawed (more action points, but a reduced damage threshold, etc.). Aside from "Wild Wasteland" (which allows you to discover secret events and find unique items, but the collectible Gauss Rifle becomes unavailable) and "Kind Soul" (a bonus to peaceful skills, a minus to combat ones, suitable for "diplomats"), I don't recommend paying attention to anything else.
Now let's determine which perks you should take when leveling up. There are many, so we'll describe only the most useful ones and those that seem tempting, albeit only at first glance.
Intensive Training. Adds one point to any SPECIAL stat. Can be learned multiple times (up to ten). Can only be acquired once at level 2, before more exciting skills become available.
Confirmed Bachelor and Woman Killer (Cherche la Femme and Black Widow for female characters). When fighting a character of the opposite sex, you deal 110% damage, and unique dialogue options may appear. These can sometimes help impress NPCs (as an alternative to speech) and even make some quests easier.
Educated (requirement: level 4; intelligence 4). Grants two additional skill points upon leveling up. The game recommends getting this trait early for a reason—it's essential if you want to make your ward a jack of all trades.
Understanding (Level 4; Intelligence 4). We receive a double bonus to this skill when reading scientific journals (temporarily gaining +20 points instead of +10), and one additional point when using a textbook (permanently gaining 4 points instead of 3). This is useful for book hunters, although not as important as the "Educated" perk.
Fortitude (Level 6; Stamina 5). Defense boost. +3 to overall damage threshold, can be selected a second time. The Mojave is a dangerous place, and this trait is a valuable asset.
Strong Spine (level 8; strength 5; endurance 5). Increases your backpack's capacity by 50 points. This will be useful for those who don't want to spend extra strength on their character, but don't forget that companions can also be used as "walking backpacks."
Here and Now (Level 10). Instantly unlock the next level. Suitable for speedrunners, but those who prefer a more in-depth gameplay experience can skip this step.
Accuracy (Level 10). Significantly increases your chance of dealing critical damage in combat (the same as having five extra Luck points). Suitable for everyone, from those used to solving problems by force to diplomats. After all, you'll be shooting a lot and often in the game.
Long Journeys (Level 12; Barter 70; Stamina 6). Allows fast travel even when overencumbered. Perfect for those looking for easy money—you can loot all the gear on the battlefield, ignoring inventory capacity, and quickly travel to any trading point on the global map.
Handy Hands (Level 14; Repair 90). Weapon and armor repairs no longer require a duplicate; simply a similar item will work as a repair material. Useful in the late game for repairing unique or simply expensive gear.
Center of Gravity (Level 14; Weapon 70). In VATS mode, we deal an additional 15% damage when aiming at the torso or chest. A useful feature for security players, especially in the late game.
Prize! (Level 14). Allows you to choose a fourth bonus skill, instantly increasing it by 15 points. Take it without hesitation.
Explorer (Level 20). This highly questionable ability displays all locations in the game. Its downside is that it can be very difficult to find the right place among the plethora of dots on the global map, especially if there's no quest marker pointing to the area you need.
Rad Absorption (level 28; stamina 7). Radiation contamination levels will decrease automatically over time. A very handy item if you enjoy running around secret underground complexes; otherwise, you can skip it, as radiation is rare on the surface.
You can earn perks not only for reaching every second level, but also throughout the game, for certain actions and completing quests. For example, Andy from Novak will teach you the Ranger Throw if you complete his short task, and if you kill a certain number of certain creatures, you'll get a damage bonus against that type of enemy.
Source: svxg.su
Tips for the game: (Character) (Skills) (Perks) (Achievements) (Books) (Souvenirs)
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