With Fallout 4, Bethesda delivered one of the most flexible character systems in the series. Thanks to the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system and its perk trees, you can build anything from a sneaky sniper to a Power Armor tank or a crit-focused V.A.T.S. monster. In this Fallout 4 perks guide, you’ll learn how the system works, which perks are worth your points, which ones you can safely ignore, and how to plan your build without locking yourself into bad early decisions.
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Fallout 4 Perks: A Short Overview
What are perks in Fallout 4?
Perks are the core progression system in Fallout 4. Unlike earlier Fallout games, there are no classic skills like Small Guns or Science. Everything you unlock is tied directly to perks, which are linked to your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes.
Every time you level up, you gain one perk point. You can use that point to unlock a new perk or upgrade an existing one by increasing its rank.
How many perks are there?
The base game features 70 S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks, each with multiple ranks. On top of that, Far Harbor and Nuka-World add unique perks you can unlock only through specific choices. Between base perks, DLC perks, magazines, bobbleheads, and companion bonuses, there’s more than enough depth to support any playstyle.
How do you improve perks?
You earn XP by doing pretty much everything:
- Completing quests
- Killing enemies
- Exploring locations
- Crafting and building
When you level up, you decide how your character evolves. There’s no forced path or hard level cap, so experimentation is encouraged.
The S.P.E.C.I.A.L. System Explained
Your character is defined by seven attributes: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Each attribute ranges from 1 to 10 and grants perks at specific thresholds.
You can increase these stats in three ways:
- Spending a perk point on the attribute itself
- Finding the corresponding bobblehead
- Using temporary bonuses from gear or chems
Strength
Strength increases your melee damage by 10 percent per point and raises your carry weight by 10 points per level. It’s essential for melee builds, Power Armor users, and anyone who hates leaving loot behind.
Perception
Perception affects your V.A.T.S. accuracy, enemy detection, and access to lockpicking and rifle perks. If you rely on ranged combat or precision shots, this stat carries a lot of weight.
Endurance
Endurance increases your maximum health and unlocks perks that enhance damage resistance, radiation survival, and overall toughness. High Endurance makes the wasteland far more forgiving.
Charisma
Charisma affects dialogue checks, barter prices, and settlement efficiency. A high-Charisma character gets better deals, more caps, and smoother conversations with NPCs.
Intelligence
Intelligence governs hacking, crafting perks, and experience gain. Higher Intelligence means faster leveling and access to powerful weapon and armor modifications.
Agility
Agility controls your Action Points and stealth effectiveness. It’s a key stat for V.A.T.S. users, sneak builds, and fast-paced combat styles.
Luck
Luck affects critical hits, random loot drops, and several powerful passive bonuses. Luck-based builds can feel wildly overpowered once they start snowballing.
The Best Fallout 4 Perks for Different Builds
Melee Builds
Melee characters shine when they pair raw damage with survivability.
Core perks include:
- Big Leagues for massive melee damage
- Iron Fist for unarmed builds
- Rooted for damage resistance while standing still
- Blitz to extend melee range in V.A.T.S.
If you want to play stealth melee, perks like Sneak and Ninja let you eliminate enemies before they even react.
Sniper and Rifle Builds
Snipers focus on precision, stealth, and consistency.
Strong choices include:
- Rifleman for non-automatic rifles
- Sniper for scoped accuracy and knockdown
- Concentrated Fire to stack V.A.T.S. accuracy
- Penetrator to shoot through cover
Pair these with Sneak perks and either Luck-based crits or Intelligence-based crafting for optimal results.
Best Fallout 4 Perks for a Strong Start
Some perks make the early game dramatically smoother, no matter your build.
Strength 6: Strong Back
Carry weight is a constant struggle early on. Strong Back lets you haul more loot and, at higher ranks, even run or fast travel while overencumbered.
Perception 2 and 4: Rifleman and Locksmith
Rifleman boosts damage with common early-game weapons, while Locksmith opens up large portions of the map, better loot, and alternate quest routes.
Intelligence 3–5: Gun Nut, Hacker, and Scrapper
Gun Nut unlocks weapon mods, Hacker grants terminal access, and Scrapper breaks down junk into rare crafting components. Together, these perks save time and resources throughout the game.
Universal Perks You Should Almost Always Take
Some Fallout 4 perks are useful for nearly every character.
- Locksmith and Hacker for full access to locations and systems
- Gun Nut and Armorer for crafting strong gear
- Scrapper for efficient resource management
- Idiot Savant for massive XP bursts, especially on low-Intelligence builds
These perks don’t define your build, but they make everything easier.
Best Fallout 4 Perks for Survival Mode
Survival Mode changes the rules. Healing is limited, ammo has weight, and saves are restricted.
Recommended perks include:
- Lone Wanderer for damage reduction and carry weight
- Medic for stronger Stimpaks
- Sneak to avoid unnecessary fights
- Aquaboy/Aquagirl to use rivers as safe travel routes
In Survival Mode, avoiding fights is often smarter than winning them.
Fallout 4 DLC Perks
Far Harbor
- Far Harbor Survivalist grants bonus damage resistance
- Inquisitor of Atom boosts damage based on radiation level
These perks reward defensive or radiation-focused playstyles.
Nuka-World
Depending on which raider gangs you support, you can unlock:
- Ace Operator for stealth and suppressed weapons
- Chosen Disciple for melee damage and resistance
You can’t get every raider perk in a single playthrough without mods, so choose carefully.
Early Game Perk Priority
Top utility perks:
- Gun Nut
- Armorer
- Locksmith
- Hacker
XP and economy perks:
- Idiot Savant
- Cap Collector
- Scrounger
Combat starters:
- Rifleman
- Big Leagues
- Gunslinger
A good rule is to secure utility first, then scale damage.
Level Cap and Build Flexibility
Fallout 4 has no practical level cap. You can keep leveling indefinitely, so no perk choice is truly permanent. Early mistakes slow you down, but they don’t ruin your character.
Resetting Perks and Fixing Mistakes
You can’t respec perks directly, but you don’t need to. With unlimited levels, you can always pivot your build later. Stick with it, keep leveling, and your character will eventually become exactly what you want.
Enhance Your Fallout 4 Perk Builds with PLITCH!
If you want to experiment with perks and builds in Fallout 4 without endless grinding, PLITCH’s Fallout 4 cheats give you full control over your single-player experience. With just a few clicks, you can test different perk paths, try out high-level builds early, or smooth out frustrating mechanics.
PLITCH codes that directly support perk and build testing include +1 Perk Point, +1 Level, and +500 Experience, letting you unlock perks faster and see how they scale. Infinite carry weight, Instant lockpick, and Terminal passwords are always right remove common progression roadblocks, while Godmode and weapon cheats help you focus on testing perks instead of survival.
Check out this blog and our YouTube channel to learn more about PLITCH!
Happy Gaming!
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