I shouldn't have to choose between something useful, like explosive resistance, and an actually decent paint job.

Then the paint shouldn't give you a real advantage. Which it now does as far as I know.

Most paint jobs only give +1 to a certain SPECIAL. Having both is hardly game breaking.

My biggest complaint is Faction Paint is only available to specific suits of Power Armor.

I'm sorry, if I'm a Minutemen, I want my Minuteman paint-job on my Power Armor ... and my normal armor too, while I'm at it.

Same for the Railroad, Brotherhood and Institute.

Why wasn't this done? It seems a very arbitrary decision given that the Hot-Rodder paint-jobs are available across the entire spectrum of Power Armors.

It's part of the reward, or disadvantage, of siding with any particular faction.

Agreed!

In theory you could paint those titanium plates.

This in no way explains why it's exclusive to specific armor models.

Yup, but that wasn't the question.

By the same token, if you truly need any of the non decorative coatings, then maybe you should rethink your plan of hunting 15 member packs of Legendary Mythic Deathclaws at level 6. Slap on the pink flames coat of paint and forget about the lead coating (or whatever), You will never miss it.

Fatmans hurt at any level without explosive shielding.

Makes sense that paint jobs and material mods should be separate. I also think, that paint jobs shouldn't give any extra, except for the charisma perk. How come for example, painting a PA in army green gives +1 strength. Magic paint that makes my actuators stronger, juhuu! (and why can't I use that paint on my normal armour?)

+1

Was about to say the same thing.

I always liked the system used in Dragon Age: Inquisition.

It was somewhat limited and the areas of armour effected by your paint job was a little wonky, but it was a cool system. Would give you an extra reason to go out and hunt for certain animals, and give extra uses for some of those plants you find which are underused such as glowing fungus...

Would be cool to see Bethesda take something like this and put it in one of the DLCs. In fact if a DLC came along exclusively allowing paint jobs for all armours, armours on all clothing (like some mods have allowed, but with Bethesda throwing in suitable models to make them seem fitting), and ideally throwing in paint jobs for any settlement item, I think it would justify a decent DLC price. I'd pay 9.99 GBP for it...

Also, I'm not sure if any of you have seen footage of the upcoming XCOM 2, but the system they have in place is also pretty cool. Would love to see something along those lines as well regarding patterns...