Just got it during the Steam Sale. Going through game for first time as Pacifist on hardcoe mode. I am having a ton of trouble with Primm.

The thing is, though, that I did get through it once before but I didn't like my build so I started over again. The first time I got through it, I was able to enter Vicki and Vance's Casino by sneaking behind the guards without alerting them. Now though, even though I have a higher Sneak skill than I did before (currently playthrough is 51 Sneak), the enemies seem to be hyper-aware and turn around whenever I get close. And yes, I am using walk mode (by hitting Caps Lock). So I had no choice but to activate a Stealth Boy and sneak in that way. I quickly talked to Nash to activate the Beagle quest and, Stealth Boy still active, walked through the front door, picked the lock on the side kitchen entrance and got to Beagle.

On my previous run, I had Beagle stick with me and I had him kill everybody for me. Well, I don't want to do that since it's not being a true pacifist to let others do your killing for you. I would prefer that he leave and I sneak out. Problem is my Stealth Boy runs out at this point and there's really no good place to hide from people in the kitchen or even to get outside. It's very frustrating.

So, anybody have any suggestions? I'm at the end of my rope here.

Thanks.

p.s. my SPECIAL stats are as follows:

S - 1
P - 8 (10 modified due to four-eyes trait and wearing glasses)
E - 1
C - 7 (8 modified due to Sheriff's Duster outfit)
I - 8
A - 8
L - 7
Tag Skills: Speech, Sneak, Lockpick

I just don't understand this build, combat is such a huge part of the game, as is improving your armor and weapons. With skyrim at least you have multiple shouts to avoid enemies, illusion magic etc.

The only way I see the game being played is using the unique laser pistol 'compliance regulator' and a high critical chance, paralysing enemies then running. Sneaking just won't be enough, you can't avoid all enemies and the detection threshold is so low even with high sneak.

Well, Obsidian said it could be done and people have done it. And it's generally the way I want to play games with Choice and Consequence. That's a big part of these types of games. Well, at least Fallout 1 and 2 were like that. Fallout 3 not so much. As you say, combat is a huge part of Fallout 3 (and New Vegas to a lesser extent). But Obsidian are strong believers in Choice and Consequence and they always provide a Pacifist playthrough on most of their games of this kind (e.g. Alpha Protocol).

Well, I did it finally. I did it thusly:

1. Sneak up on right side of Vicki and Vance Casino right before the corner.
2. Activate Stealth Boy
3. Sneak into Casino, talk to Nash about Beagle to activate the quest.
4. Immediately exit casino while Stealth Boy is still active.
5. Pick lock in lobby to enter kitchen corridor.
6. Talk to Beagle and get him to tell me about man in checkered suit (Speech Check for XP)
7. Reverse pickpocketed a better weapon for him as he would have need of it soon, while also taking all his ammo so he would need to use the better weapon)
8. Talk to Beagle again and set him free and tell him to scurry away as it is what he's good at (if I were to do the speech check to get XP, he would stick with me and kill people which is not what I want)
9. Sneak with Beagle outside (Stealth Boy is still active so nobody spots me and the game basically lets Beagle out that way unharmed)
10. Beagle gets into gunfight with the two Gangers outside. Since I gave him a better weapon, he turns them into swiss cheese. Since he's not my companion, their deaths are not on me and my conscience is clear.
11. Steal the weapon and ammo I gave him back from Beagle.

And there was much rejoicing. Though I did have to waste a Stealth Boy on it. >_<

Because it's challenging and doable? People have proudly posted screenies of their pip-boy stats while standing before the Legate, showing 0 kills on their stats.

Anyways, Stealth-boys will probably be your friend, as will sneak. Sometimes you're gonna find yourself in an area where enemies can't be talked down, and thus you gotta sneak by.
Also, I see you mentioned "companion deaths are on me." I'm not 100% sure of that. It might be possible that having companions and having them kill for you doesn't affect your stats page, I'm not sure. If that's the case though, you can easily pick up Boone and gear him up. Thanks to your high charisma, his DT and damage output will be higher.

They don't affect my stat page, but for a "true pacifist" playthrough, I can't have followers killing for me. That makes me an accessory to the fact and I would feel bad.

I'd rather just do it solo anyway. More challenge that way.

re:Stealth Boys being my friend, I know there's one in the Goodsprings Schoolhouse as well, but there are bugs in there that attack me. Is there any way around them? I don't think Animal Friend works on insects so I guess that's a no go for me.

Well the bugs don't really hurt, so you could just rush in, grab it, and rush out. Easy enough to just tank the damage and heal it up. Don't step on them though, cause some of them are small enough to be killed just by being stepped on.

Here's a wiki page that might clue you in to some locations of them though: http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Stealth_Boy_%28Fallout:_New_Vegas%29