I started on very hard (I still have the character). There weren't many areas I had any difficulty with. I found Abernathy Farm early and they served as my trader for awhile. Drumlin Diner was the next trader I found. I stayed around the NW area of the map for as long as possible, discovering every location there and levelling up as soon as possible. I then decided to start the main quest. Found Dogmeat, the Minute Men and then made a B-line to Diamond City in my new found power armour. Made it. Fast travelled back, dropped the power armour off and pretty much left it there to gather dust.

I then started completing my secondary quests and started exploring outwards. In a more circular fashion, starting Southward and moving North East, basically expanding the radius with every trip. Never had any problems with ammo, medical items or junk. I have a tendency to pick up everything that's not bolted down and then fast travel back to Sanctuary drop my junk off, do my trading rounds and then go back to whatever I was doing.

The new food system has made healing so much easier. So after getting to level 47 and barely starting the main quest I'm restarting. Moving to survival mode and going on from there. From what I know, I don't see the game getting much more difficult. The enemies might get a bit more spongy and healing might be a bit more annoying, but apart from the uncontrollable "one shots" I don't see it being harder.

Basically I'm going to prioritise gunnut, rifleman and gun nut. I've seen many people say how luck is OP, but I haven't seen it.

Just wanna say i like OP,s post and i will take it in consideration if im gonna do a survival run.

in my opinion idiot savant is 1 of the most Original perks in the game

Everything you've said here is a play style choice. Why draw the line at this one?

As far as Locksmith and Hacker go, I personally think that they are essential. You're right when you say that they don't directly increase your combat effectiveness, but they do help it indirectly. In fact, from a certain perspective, crafting perks are a consolation prize. "Oh, you haven't gotten an Advanced Receiver in 20 levels? That svcks. Tell you what: we'll let you make it yourself so you aren't too weak." It's not the best way to improve your weapon; it's a pity upgrade! It's giving you the ability to make what you should have already had!

Of course, from this point of view, the ability to open locked containers and areas is vital, as it means more chances for the game to give you the mods you need.

As for Idiot Savant, you're looking at it wrong. Dropping your Intelligence slows how fast you level. Idiot Savant is giving you three times the lower XP number. In other words, it's not keeping you ahead of the curve; it's ensuring that you don't fall behind it. The best way to make use of Idiot Savant is actually with higher, or even maxed, Intelligence. Sure, it won't trigger as often, but when it does, the gains are massive. That does put you ahead of the curve. After all, more XP means higher level, which means more perks, which means a better, more powerful character.

At least, this is what I think.

Don't mind if I do.

This thread is kinda pointless. The game isn't really hard even on survival. And you are almost forced to take combat perks either way, because lockpicking, hacking, stealth, scrapper are level locked. And even if you take all the combat perks from level one you still have trouble against a deathclaw without power armor. And the whole Minmax strategy that was in previous fallout's is gone, since there is no level cap. What you're are saying here is that the "scrapper" or "lockpicking" perks are bad if you engage in combat, whell no [censored]. Every perk has it's purpose. Even the rifleman perk, when maxed ignores 30% armor is a useless perk when playing a melee build.

I also used to play like this, to "get it done". Everything in the game became more or less a row of things to "tick off" as done. I still have a "problem" with this and shaking my completionist habits. As of late I have tried to adopt a different playstyle, now I have been playing Dead is Dead since the release of this game and it is really fun and gives a whole other thrill to the game.