Hi all, I just got into fallout 2, cuz i heard it was good, but I have a few questions and need some real advice..

I am a small guns guy, but I can't find a gun anywhere!? I just got out of the dungeon, killed the 2 plants, (very hard it was..) and I wanna get the dog in the wilderness now, but i really dont stand a friggin chance against those annoying asswipes.. really? how can I handle them? they kill me in no time, and yes I got the training from unarmed and meleeweps, and I use the unarmed strongkick.

please help?

EDIT: picked up this build form the forums..

* Initial stats: ST 5, PE 6, EN 4, CH 6, IN 7, AG 7, LK 6.

This is an older type of RPG, it works a bit different than a lot of more modern ones do.

You're not expected to be able to survive every combat you get into. You don't really get a decent gun until some time later in the game. Oftentimes the best solution is just to run away or at least avoid combat.

For the Geckos, for example - the oldest trick in the book is letting them waste all their AP coming to you - if you're far enough away, they won't have any points left once they get to you to do an attack. Hit them once and then run away again, and repeat. This can take some time, but again - you're not necessarily "supposed" to be able to kill everything you come across, either.

Also, for the Geckos - if you just use your sneak ability (doesn't have to be very high,) and just keep your distance from them - they usually won't bother you too much. It is possible to go in and get that dog out without ever initiating combat.

Thank you for your fast reply, also antoher question, When i go out of the village, I can't go anywhere? only back to that certain town?

EDIT: to clearafy, you get that "fast travel" menu, then I can't go nowhere.

You can go wherever you want. You probably just haven't discovered anywhere else, yet. Click on an empty area and you'll go there. (You'll see a little dotted line show where you're travelling, and then a triangle show up when you get there.) Click on the little green triangle, when you've found a city and gone there, and it'll pop you back into the exploration map for that area.

(Technically, you can do that on even an empty spot of land, but it'll just load you into an empty cell with nothing in there.)

You can go anywhere, by simply clicking on the map.

You don't have to use the buttons on the side, you can click anywhere on the map and go there. There are edges but they aren't anywhere close to the starting village. Also if you did everything in the village you should have klamath on your map.

Let me just add that if you survived the notorious temple and the 'gardening' quest then you're doing fine
Seriously... this game shows no mercy to the beginner but it will get more manageable soon.

+ I was too a bit annoyed that it takes a while before I could get my hands on a semi-decent small gun
yet when you find one it will pay off.
'Small guns' is arguably the most powerful (combat) skill for 90% of the game - so, even if the game seem to encourage you to give it up, don't.

Did you talk to the village elder? I believe she puts the first town on the map when she gives you the quest.

I've actually rescued the dog without a fight, by simply sneaking past them.
(there is also the option if you are on your way back... to simply use your AP's to run).

The biggest piece of advice is when your a low level save between every hit and reload if you miss. When you come across a caravan fighting something, such as raiders, stick around because the caravan will most likely win and there will be guns for the taking, always run if there fightin death claws.

That's terrible.. It makes the combat take "forever" and defeats the purpose of missing.

Not to mention that it is known to cause a number of bugs (from beneficial to game-breaking ones)

Steal will be a VERY good friend early on. Hell, you can get four Bozars in NCR with theft.

Steal, lock picking, speech, small guns are generally the skills that I use, and are also generally considered the best.

Uber cheap strategy early in the game:

Proceed far south to San Francisco

Talk to the man in metal armor next to the bunker in the lower southwest section of the first zone.
Get the quest from him and proceed to the base, get Enclave Power Armor and goodies, proceed back to San Fran. Collect payment and copy of plans. Give copy of plans additionally to chinese people. Receive payment from the shopkeepers in the first zone by stealing their money, and again once they get more money a week later. Level up several times in the process of all of this because you are at such a low level. The end.

Beware the enclave patrols and hordes of deathclaws, floaters, centaurs, push gangers, weird black things that shriek, ect. Travel to a spot on the map towards the southern center of world map in the process of the above actions. Save, continue farther. Save again after stopping again, reload game if necessary if you get obliterated by mutant freaks or enclave troopers, ect.

Early on save before every strike and reload until you hit. In the beginning just run like hell, however if you see a caravan fighting raiders sit on the sidelines because most likely the caravan will win and you will get some new guns.

Reliving your past chocolate456? Or is it that advise so good has to be given twice on the same page of the same thread?