Alright, so you’ve just dropped into the radioactive mess that is Fallout 4. Rain. Mud. A shovel. That’s how my first trip outside the vault started—and let me tell ya, without the right perks, you’re basically a headless mole rat out there. I learned the hard way: picking the wrong perks early can turn you from a wasteland hero to a walking corpse faster than you can say “Radroach.”
So, here’s the deal—Fallout 4 perks aren’t just some random checklist. They’re like your secret sauce, the stuff that makes surviving (and thriving) in the Commonwealth less of a nightmare and more of a wicked adventure. Now, I’m gonna break down which Fallout 4 perks you want first, and trust me, I’ve been there—getting pummeled by Deathclaws before figuring this stuff out. Spoiler: it ain’t pretty.
Why Perks Matter (Like, Seriously)
You might think, “Eh, perks, whatever,” but nah, these bad boys are game-changers. Each perk is tied to your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats—Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. If that sounds like alphabet soup, it kinda is, but each letter unlocks perks that shape your whole playstyle.
For example, don’t even bother trying to muscle through the wasteland without pumping up your Endurance perks early. You’ll get squashed. And don’t get me started on those perception perks; they help you shoot straight—something I definitely needed after my first dozen headshots missed a single radscorpion. Oops.
My Go-To Fallout 4 Perks (The Ones That Saved My Hide)
Life Giver (Endurance 3)
Oh man, Life Giver. I wish I’d found this perk before my first scavenging trip. It boosts your max health and—at rank three—gives you slow but steady health regeneration. Imagine not having to chug Stimpaks every two minutes because you’re bleeding out from a pack of molerats. Game. Changer.
Also, fun fact: back in ’19, I swear I could smell that weird, burnt-something smell from Walmart’s parking lot rosemary, and it gave me nightmares about low health. Coincidence? Maybe.
Strong Back (Strength 6)
Remember lugging around way too much junk? Yeah, me too. Strong Back increases your carry weight so you don’t have to leave behind all the shiny loot you find. Rank three even lets you fast-travel while over-encumbered. Yeah, that means no more awkward walks back to town, hauling your whole life’s collection of Nuka-Cola caps and dirty socks.
Oh, and I got this perk after I maxed out my carry limit one too many times and had to dump a dozen guns in a puddle. Rookie move.
Rifleman (Perception 2)
If you’re like me and prefer shooting stuff from a distance (or just avoiding punching deathclaws, please), Rifleman is a must. It boosts damage and ignores some armor on non-automatic rifles. It’s the difference between “Whoops, missed” and “That’s how you bring down a Deathclaw before it ruins your day.”
Stuff That Makes You Tougher (Because You’ll Need It)
Toughness (Endurance 1)
I was stubborn about taking this perk, thinking, “Nah, I’ll just dodge.” Joke’s on me. Toughness boosts your damage resistance, so when you get hit (which you will), it doesn’t hurt as much. I mean, unless you’re staring down a super mutant with a minigun—then you’re just screwed no matter what.
Action Boy/Girl (Agility 5)
Love using V.A.T.S. for that cinematic bullet-time effect? I sure do. This perk helps you regenerate your Action Points faster, letting you unleash more attacks without waiting around. Honestly, it’s like coffee for your combat skills.
Healing and Staying Alive (Not Just Running Away)
Medic (Intelligence 2)
This perk boosts your Stimpak and RadAway effectiveness. So when you’re low on health or your radiation level is sky-high, it actually does something worthwhile. I learned the hard way that healing poorly is like trying to patch a leaky bucket with duct tape—pointless.
Grim Reaper’s Sprint (Luck 8)
Here’s a bit of luck for ya. Every time you kill someone in V.A.T.S., you might get all your Action Points back. It’s the perfect perk for those “one more shot” moments that keep me glued to the screen for hours.
Settlements and Crafting (Because Who Doesn’t Love Building Stuff?)
Local Leader (Charisma 6)
If you’re like me and tried setting up a settlement without this perk, you know it’s a mess. Local Leader lets you build supply lines between your settlements, so your stores actually have stuff to sell. It’s basically the difference between a thriving town and a bunch of ragtag survivors complaining about lack of snacks.
Armorer (Strength 3)
This one’s clutch for upgrading your armor. I spent way too long lugging around rusty junk until I unlocked Armorer. After that, customizing armor became my new favorite hobby. The cracked watering can from Pete’s Hardware on 5th Ave survived my overwatering phase, but Armorer saved my character from being a glass cannon.
Hacking and Lockpicking (For the Sneaky Folks)
Hacker (Intelligence 4)
Accessing terminals is like unlocking secret levels in a board game. Hacker lets you mess with terminals that are otherwise off-limits. And trust me, those locked safes and doors often hold the good stuff.
Locksmith (Perception 4)
Similarly, Locksmith helps you pick locks on higher-tier doors and safes. I once broke into a vault filled with pre-war snacks and caps—all thanks to this perk. Their/there mix-ups? Guilty as charged. But picking locks? On point.
Grab All the Stuff (Resourcefulness FTW)
Scrapper (Intelligence 5)
Salvaging rare components is vital for crafting. Scrapper lets you break down weapons and armor into precious materials. After getting stuck once without enough steel to build a turret, I started prioritizing this perk. No regrets.
Fortune Finder (Luck 1)
Caps make the world go ‘round. Fortune Finder increases the amount of caps you find in containers, which means more money for ammo, weapons, and—let’s be honest—shiny hats. My neighbor Tina swears her kale patch cured her Zoom fatigue—and she’s not wrong—but in Fallout, caps cure everything.
Explosives and Last-Ditch Efforts
Demolition Expert (Perception 5)
Explosives are great until you blow yourself up. Demolition Expert increases grenade and mine damage and radius, turning you into a walking bomb factory. Just don’t be like me and forget to toss before running away. (Ouch.)
Nerd Rage! (Intelligence 10)
When your health drops below 20%, Nerd Rage! kicks in, slowing down time and boosting your damage resistance and output. Basically, it turns your character into a mad scientist with a death wish. As noted on page 42 of the out-of-print Garden Mishaps & Miracles (1998), sometimes desperation is the mother of invention.
Anyway, here’s the kicker…
Picking your Fallout 4 perks early isn’t just some optional extra—it’s the difference between wandering aimlessly and kicking butt in the Commonwealth. I still chuckle thinking about my first character who thought “Hey, I don’t need Toughness or Life Giver. I’m a stealthy type.” Spoiler alert: he lasted three hours.
So, gear up with these perks, mix and match based on your style, and remember: the wasteland might be a cruel place, but you’ve got this. Mostly.
