That was exactly my experience with FO3. For work reasons, I was unable to play it until it had been out for 2+ months, and I never did play the out of the box version. Not only that, but the specific mods you mention were literal game changers that vastly improved the base rules and look of the game.

I sort of knew that was probably going to be the way of it this time around, but this time I was able to play on launch day, and there was no way I was just going to sit on my hands. But playing a Bethesda game unmodded is a letdown.

Don't know for sure, but it doesn't seem so to me!

I share your hope.

It's a bethesda game, it's hardest difficulty is the easiest difficulty of other RPGs.

Wait for mods.

It's enemy dependant. Most human enemies cap at around level 50-60. BoS Paladins are the exception as they scale infinately to your level.

Others are assaultrons, Mr gutseys, deathclaw, mirelurk kings, radscorpions, ghouls, bloodbugs, stingwings, and there's more I'm forgetting.

Because they scale infinately their stats keep going up, and at a certain level outside of HP your damage and defense stays the same. So eventually enemies hit for incredible numbers and have high defense/health that ends up far exceeding any weapon you can get.

Now stealth may be the exception here due to being able to get a 10x multiplier and if you have dould damage at full health you may always one shot enemies.

But for most 80+ scalable enemies will be a challenge.

If you want make a seperate save and do a player.setlevel 200 and go to the Glowing sea and see how long you last against a mythic deathclaw or a group of charred ghouls.

Like I mentioned earlier at level 80 I had to pop 4 stimpacks at once(they stack) in T-60f just to survive 2 level 80 stingwings. If I hadn't have had my furious(+15% dame to each consecutive shot) Gatling Laser they would have decimated me as my 30% armor penetration laser rifle(115 damage) was basically pointless against 2 of them in CQB.

I have my T60e running and it's fast. Stingwings are easier if you can get away from them then turn and deal with them as they advance towards you. As well a sledge works very well against them. I have run into trouble doing this but it's effective as it forces them to line up as they chase you making a better target. I do most of them with an Assault rifle and a medium scope.

How did you learn that it is 15% each time? Not doubting you, just haven't seen it spelled out anywhere...

I have a Furious Power Fist, but wish it was on something else like my 10mm or shotgun.

By shooting up things with lots of health. You can see their health draining quicker and quicker the more you shoot them.

I use the standard barrels on my Gatling Laser for the RoF and it starts out not doing much damage but by 20 shots or so it just drains them.

From what I can tell each consecutive shot does an extra 15% and it stacks.

It's like hitting delete on their health bar. It starts slow but builds up to taking chunks off it lol. Only issue is since I got the weapon keeping a supply of fusion cores on hand is hard since I don't use anything else unless I'm low on ammo.