What is the best starting out skill in Fallout 3?
- Thread starter Brandon Lowdermilk
- Start date
Do you mean tag skills or perks, per se? Kind of important a distinction there.Brandon Lowdermilk said:
Depends on how you define "best." I assume you mean combat proficiency, as that tends to be what most people who ask such questions are looking for. I'd recommend Small Guns, as it not only makes your starting weapons more effective but it remains useful throughout the game due to the relative scarcity of other weapon and ammo types.
Personally, I don't think you have to worry too much about your stat choices. Fallout 3 isn't nearly as punishing as previous entries, allowing much greater leeway for valid character builds. I've never tried to min/max my characters in FO3, and I still end up mopping the floor with most enemies while sitting on a mountain of caps (at least on Normal difficulty).
Personally, I don't think you have to worry too much about your stat choices. Fallout 3 isn't nearly as punishing as previous entries, allowing much greater leeway for valid character builds. I've never tried to min/max my characters in FO3, and I still end up mopping the floor with most enemies while sitting on a mountain of caps (at least on Normal difficulty).
Lockpick and Science, 3rd Tag can be a weapon skill in whatever you please (I prefer big guns, that helps late-game). 9 Intellect for your SPECIAL. Take the Educated perk as soon as possible. Boom, you've now cheesed the entire game, as once you pick up the Intellect bobblehead (super easy to get low-level), you're earning 24 Skill points per level.
Speech is a powerful skill in New Vegas, but I'm always cautious with it in 3 due to the weird percentage-based thing it has going on with Charisma. Unless you've got 7+ Charisma, it's not the best to invest in early-game.
Speech is a powerful skill in New Vegas, but I'm always cautious with it in 3 due to the weird percentage-based thing it has going on with Charisma. Unless you've got 7+ Charisma, it's not the best to invest in early-game.
If you're like me and like loot but hate having to return later to places you've already been, probably Lockpicking.
Also, make sure you have a high Intellegence and grab the 'Educated' perk as soon as it becomes available, so you have as many skill points to distribute as possible at each level up.
Play on the hardest difficulty to get the maximum XP for each action you perform. (FO3 determines XP awards based on game difficulty, - ultimately a bit of a flawed system that wasn't used again in NV or 4, which each use different methods of determining XP award amounts.)
Also, make sure you have a high Intellegence and grab the 'Educated' perk as soon as it becomes available, so you have as many skill points to distribute as possible at each level up.
Play on the hardest difficulty to get the maximum XP for each action you perform. (FO3 determines XP awards based on game difficulty, - ultimately a bit of a flawed system that wasn't used again in NV or 4, which each use different methods of determining XP award amounts.)
I'd consider having enough explosive(I think) to disarm and claim mines. Its handy and a decent source of early income.
Having enough Explosives and Repair to both disarm the bomb in Megaton and fix the broken water pipes in Megaton can be very good at the start. Once you get the Megaton house and easy-income from selling scrap metal, then it depends more on character build. I tend to go with Lockpicking and Science because I like breaking into stuff.
Alternatively, if you'd prefer to get the Tenpenny Tower suite, you might want to go with small guns and some other combat perk. Tenpenny Tower is a little ways off and will require combat to reach, and he has his own problem that guns will help with.
Of course, all this assumes you want a house and/or easy income at the start, which are two really big perks at the start. Other than that, the only "best" is what you want to do with the character and what story you want to tell.
Alternatively, if you'd prefer to get the Tenpenny Tower suite, you might want to go with small guns and some other combat perk. Tenpenny Tower is a little ways off and will require combat to reach, and he has his own problem that guns will help with.
Of course, all this assumes you want a house and/or easy income at the start, which are two really big perks at the start. Other than that, the only "best" is what you want to do with the character and what story you want to tell.
Are you playing on normal difficulty? If so you could just randomly throw skill points all over the place and you won't have any problems. When I played Fallout 3 I was a jack of all trades and by the time I hit the level cap I was an unstoppable powerhouse.
Early on hand to hand is really op since all guns you have suck but hands to hand is balanced to be usable unarmed throughout the game hence early on where the game balance allows you to win with bad guns the fists really shine.
Small Guns, Lockpick and Speech are a good trio of tag skills for Fallout 1, 2, 3 and New Vegas (although you'd replace Smalls Guns with Guns for New Vegas.) There are plenty of other ways to build a character, tonnes really, but that combo is always good.
Melee weapons if you want the most advantage in the early game as until you loot enough by the midgamr you may have a hard time having enough of the ammo you need. Sledgehammers dont run out of ammo!
Really, that all depends on how you want to build your character.
Speaking from the perspective of New Vegas here, but I doubt it is any diffirent for 3.
Speaking from the perspective of New Vegas here, but I doubt it is any diffirent for 3.
To move things along, since the OP never clarified, I went with Small Guns and Energy Guns, among other things. In the Capital Wastelands, you will find alot of reliable regular weapons. 10mm Pistol, Combat Shotgun, Chinese Assault Rifle, Sniper Rifle... These will all perform excellent kills all over the area. And if solid ammo doesn't do it, energy will...mostly.
The problem, of course, is Deathclaws. Deathclaws became true monsters in a world where we no longer have turn-based combat. The first two Fallout games introduced them fairly well, but there was always a clinical detachment. Now...it's a serious OH DEAR. Or rather, OH SHIT.
The problem, of course, is Deathclaws. Deathclaws became true monsters in a world where we no longer have turn-based combat. The first two Fallout games introduced them fairly well, but there was always a clinical detachment. Now...it's a serious OH DEAR. Or rather, OH SHIT.
If we're not talking NV, but only FO3, then repair is the best skill by far, hands down.
It does so many things:
1 Repair is only way to keep weapon and armor conditions maxed out, because vendors will only repair up to a partial amount, so only repairmen use the best armors and weapons.
2 Fixing damaged items is also a way to condense many cheap items into fewer higher value items, effectively increasing your inventory size.
3. When repairing, the the value of the combined item may be greater than the sum of it's parts, particularly when you cannibalize 0 HP items and the profit can be huge.
4. Many quests have optimal solutions that require a high repair skill.
Optimally focus on repair and a weapon skill of choice in the early game.
It does so many things:
1 Repair is only way to keep weapon and armor conditions maxed out, because vendors will only repair up to a partial amount, so only repairmen use the best armors and weapons.
2 Fixing damaged items is also a way to condense many cheap items into fewer higher value items, effectively increasing your inventory size.
3. When repairing, the the value of the combined item may be greater than the sum of it's parts, particularly when you cannibalize 0 HP items and the profit can be huge.
4. Many quests have optimal solutions that require a high repair skill.
Optimally focus on repair and a weapon skill of choice in the early game.
I like Small Guns. Hunting Rifles are great for most of the game and their ammo type is incredibly plentiful.
Best starting skills:
-Repair (TOP priority, involved in several quests and imperative towards ALL offensive AND defensive stats)
-Lockpick (get to at least 50 early on, 75 if you hate being denied a fat loot cache here and there)
-Melee/Small Guns (tag a combat skill for good measure - these two are always the most practical)
Best SPECIAL distribution:
-Intelligence (TOP priority, levels you up faster, and with greater skill point rewards)
-Strength (gives you increased carry weight and melee damage, plus access to Strong Back perk)
-Endurance/Agility (both give great, practical benefits to combat and passive abilities)
Personal note: In Fallout 3, I find Charisma to be basically worthless, and Perception almost as bad - their benefits are weak, and easily compensated for or worked around. Luck is great to have, and there are even valid builds centered around high Luck, but the other 4 are simply better.
Best early game perks:
-Educated (TOP priority, get it at Level 4 to maximize skill point gain over time)
-Comprehension (NEXT priority, get it at Level 5 to double the skill point gain of all skill books)
-Intense training (increase your SPECIAL stats when you are underleveled for the perks you really want)
HONORABLE MENTION: Swift Learning (if speedy leveling is you primary goal, dump 3 points into Swift Learner at 2, 3, and 5, and hold off on Comprehension until 6. This might cause you to miss out on perks that actually strengthen your character, such as the benefits of Intense Training, but you will level up extremely quickly and overwhelm enemies with pure skill point advantage.)
Personal note: Maybe every once in a while, it might be worth choosing a perk that simply increases your skill levels; don't do this for any perk that doesn't grant at least 15 skill points or a passive bonus effect (Little Leaguer, Daddy's Boy/Girl, Thief, Scoundrel, Gun Nut are wastes - Tag!, Size Matters, Impartial Mediation, and Silent Running are valid options, but still not ideal, unless you pick up Silent Running for stealth/crit builds).
-Repair (TOP priority, involved in several quests and imperative towards ALL offensive AND defensive stats)
-Lockpick (get to at least 50 early on, 75 if you hate being denied a fat loot cache here and there)
-Melee/Small Guns (tag a combat skill for good measure - these two are always the most practical)
Best SPECIAL distribution:
-Intelligence (TOP priority, levels you up faster, and with greater skill point rewards)
-Strength (gives you increased carry weight and melee damage, plus access to Strong Back perk)
-Endurance/Agility (both give great, practical benefits to combat and passive abilities)
Personal note: In Fallout 3, I find Charisma to be basically worthless, and Perception almost as bad - their benefits are weak, and easily compensated for or worked around. Luck is great to have, and there are even valid builds centered around high Luck, but the other 4 are simply better.
Best early game perks:
-Educated (TOP priority, get it at Level 4 to maximize skill point gain over time)
-Comprehension (NEXT priority, get it at Level 5 to double the skill point gain of all skill books)
-Intense training (increase your SPECIAL stats when you are underleveled for the perks you really want)
HONORABLE MENTION: Swift Learning (if speedy leveling is you primary goal, dump 3 points into Swift Learner at 2, 3, and 5, and hold off on Comprehension until 6. This might cause you to miss out on perks that actually strengthen your character, such as the benefits of Intense Training, but you will level up extremely quickly and overwhelm enemies with pure skill point advantage.)
Personal note: Maybe every once in a while, it might be worth choosing a perk that simply increases your skill levels; don't do this for any perk that doesn't grant at least 15 skill points or a passive bonus effect (Little Leaguer, Daddy's Boy/Girl, Thief, Scoundrel, Gun Nut are wastes - Tag!, Size Matters, Impartial Mediation, and Silent Running are valid options, but still not ideal, unless you pick up Silent Running for stealth/crit builds).
