Considering we don't actually know for sure what most perks do (and orcz is the last source I'd trust for into on that), I'm not entirely sure. And I'm not sure it matters, either; we'll always have dozens of choices to make on each level-up. A few of them are bound to be duds, but at least nothing looks utterly useless.

Too early to tell, we don't know what a majority of the perks actually do. I don't trust any of the speculation sites. So I'll make my decision when I actually get the game.

Tho one should take it with a grain of salt, but Todd did mention you could start building a settlement 5 minutes after you left the vault, so local leader might not be such a waste actually.

Yea, one of the building sites is the SS's old neighborhood, which isn't too far from the vault. We actually see the building site in the E3 demo, Dogmeat is right next to it.

Since there are no level limits, I think the most important Special to take is Intelligence 10+ since it will help you level faster by giving you more XP.
Not sure what's the least important though.

I probably won't ever pick VANS. As to the rest, I have no idea.

It'll probably depend on your character design and style of play.... For me, I'll definitely avoid Vans as I'll be using game guide maps anyway. Fortune finder and scrounger are ones I'll initially avoid but I might end up taking later. There's absolutely nothing in Endurance that I've ever used in any past games.. but Marine Boy might turn out to be useful. Anything like animal friend, wasteland whisperer or intimidation seem really useless to me as I enjoy confrontations. Iron Fist and Big leagues won't be useful to my first character since I don't plan on using melee.

oh wow didn't know that.

Though not sure if I want to start a settlement so early in the game.

You could always just set up a little shack in the beginning.... some place you know is safe to put your stuff.

I wouldn't be interested in starting a trade caravan that early on, but I think I would definitely take some time coming out of the vault to build myself a nice starter home. If I can, I'll just refurnish my ruined Pre-War home and operate out of that. Until I get to the settlement site they showed on the coastline.

Animal Friend and its bastard offspring seem to be the most useless early level perks. They apparently only work on things below your level, and even then, only if the random number god smiles upon you.

It's really a shame, because if Animal Friend had remained the same as previous games, it would have been my first perk choice.

I would not worry about the perks. Even if there is duds among the perks. I bet someone will pick them and enjoy the game.

Like in Skyrim destruction magick was let's say rather disapointing compared to conjuring and other spell types. Still some bunny hopped and made kamehame fireblast to draugr face and had fun.

I doubt Fallout 4 is any different. Some ones trash is other fellas treasure like they say. I may not pick the perks you pick. But that does not mean your perk choices are bad.

This is what I'm thinking:

Strength: Iron Fist and Big Leagues since I just don't see the appeal in investing into unarmed or melee...you don't bring a knife to a gun fight, those weapon categories are mainly good for stealth kills in my opinion.

Perception: Earlier on, if perception 6 is Friend of the Night I won't be interested in it until I have perk points to spare, so that's down the road quite a ways.

Endurance: I never cared for Chem Resistant since I'm not much of a chem user. I will never ever take Cannibal until it's the last perk available, not my thing whatsoever.

Charisma: I'd either skip Lone Wanderer or Attack Dog early on, and it will most likely be the latter unless the companion system is greatly improved, because it svcked Mirelurk eggs in the past two games...especially Fallout 3. Not interested in Party Boy, what a waste of a perk point. I'm also not too interested in either Animal Friend and Wasteland Whisperer, seems like a waste.

Intelligence: From what I've seen so far, it all looks worthwhile. Edit: wait, I was wrong... if Bethesda actually puts in clear and helpful instructions a la Morrowind style which would be very against how they do things lately, V.A.N.S. will be on the back burner.

Agility: Mainly Mister Sandman, I'd get it much, much later.

Luck: Fortune Finder isn't really worthwhile to me, I feel I'll be finding so much loot that I'll be swimming in caps... which is inherently part of the problem with Bethesda's track record in economy systems. There hardly is one. I absolutely hate Bloody Mess' gore effect, and will only take it if I can mod out the silly and unrealistic gore effects but keep the bonus. The Mysterious Stranger isn't worth a perk point to me, so that's much later.

But the description of local leader says "... between your workshop settlements". For me this sounds like this perk is useless until you have at least two settlements.

Yeah.. I'll definitely set up a base of operations. Doesn't have to start off fancy, just somewhere to store my things and run back and forth from while exploring. I'm figuring the settlements will each be set up in areas kind of like holds in skyrim. So a little starter base in each area, so you don't have to run all over the map to stash your gear is a good thing.

Never cared for animal friend in any of the older games so that perk is useless to me. All settlement perks are most likely my first perk choices or at least as soon as I can get them.

It all depends on one thing for me and that is the dialogue system that I have not seen anything substantial so far, which irritates me. If there are no such things as speechchecks (or Charisma checks for that matter) in dialogie, than I see little point in spending anything in Charisma at all. I always build my character around the speechchecks (and in Vegas around the perks/skill/stat-checks), so that I can avoid combat if I wanted to, or solve quests in a way that wa snot expected.

I agree that there were a lot of things wrong with the speechskill especially in Fallout 3, but removing this option, is not an option at all in an RPG.

So unless I know more about it I can only assume, but I would use the sneak and vats enhancing perks in agility first, followed by the more sniping perks in Perception, the AP enhancements and the better criticals in Luck.

The in-game description of Charisma outright says it improves your success to persuade in dialog, and the first rank of the Lady Killer perk says it improves your persuasion abilities towards the ladies - no reason for any of that to change because of the voiced protagonist.

Don't forget that a lot of those perks will have additional ranks that do new things... so maybe Party Boy isn't that handy off the bat, but after three ranks you'll become the Drunken Master, and so on with other perks.

Yes, but I do not know whether this is only tied to certain perks, like the ladykiller. Is this the only perk that effects dialogue? Does the intimadtion perk count towards persuasion? I do not know, yet. I guess as Strength increases the amount to carry, and Endurance increases your hitpoints the Charisma stat must do something as well, as all the other stats do. However, and this really bothers me, I yet do not know for sure. It is the biggest gripe I have with the gameplay seen so far, it was all about killing but nothing or close to enough information about things that make the RPG part stand out.

Tutorial quests and areas should be so easy not sure we will need any of the perks. Maybe I will increase one of the stats with my first point.

i'll prolly increase some stat points at first.

Useless perks to take first or early on?

1) Fortune finder - finding extra caps.. in my experience the extra is not that much and if you do alot of crafting and exploring you're more than likely never going to need it.

2) VANS - don't need navigational aid.

3) Iron fist - won't be using melee at all.. unless its like my ONLY alternative and running is not an option (i can imagine it being good for strenght builds not for my build atleast!)

Definitely getting life giver (HP), toughness (DR), gun nut (wep mods), armor/weapon crafter, commando or rifleman (not sure yet) and medic ASAP. Once i got a few levels under my belt ill start going for some advanced perks like local leader, better crits and sniper.

VANS for me, i dont have a issue with it, but the way i play i wont need it. i love exploring while trying to complete a quest.

True, but I'm just basing my choices off of what I know right now. Though, some perks I doubt I'll ever be interested in such as Cannibal even if it has other ranks... I can't imagine higher ranks being more interesting to me or swaying me.

And VincentNZ, I feel that your SPECIAL may still come into play here and there in speech/persuasion checks like they have in previous games, such as a perception check to point out that you've noticed something or an intelligence check where you're smart enough.

for all the guys dismissing unarmed...dont forget that powrfists, ballistic fists, death claw gauntlets, industrial hand, bear trap fist and paladin toasters are all considered unarmed weapons afaik... and those are pretty much the most fun weapons fo3/nv had to offer imo

in combination with ninja they could be interesting

of course if you KNOW exaclty what you want - big weapons - energy weapons - pistols - rifles - automatic weapons - melee - unarmed - you just go for those perks and are "optimized"... i just never know what weapons i find cool until i find them