Can anyone recommend the SPECIAL skills for a stealth build? Would it be possible to do both a build that is good at ranged and melee or would I have to pick and choose?

I think Stealth is more fun if you do it melee and you never ever use a gun. Because you actually have to think more, clearing areas take longer, and you have to be constantly moving as opposed to just sit waiting of the sniper builds. It's also more challenging and satisfying.

When it comes to stealth, the most important special is agility. You need to have 7 agility to be able to use the perks that improve your stealth.

Firstly, there is a level 3 agility perk called Sneak, which this makes you more harder to detect. There are 5 ranks in this perk, which the next rank makes it more difficult for the enemies to detect you. For example, the first rank makes you 20% to detect, the second rank 30%, third rank 40%, fourth rank 50%, and the last rank causes distant enemies to lose sight of you if you are crouching.

I think this is the only rank that improves your stealth, now the other perks improve your damage with weapons when engaging in stealth against enemies.

There is a level 7 agility perk called ninja, which this improves the sneak damage of your ranged weapons and melee weapons, 2x for range and 4x for melee. For each rank of this perk the sneak damage increases.

There is also a level 4 agility perk called mister sandman. which this improves your sneak damage with silenced weapons. In the first rank of this, you can also instantly kill a sleeping person.

So just to summarise the agility perks, if you had all of these, and did a sneak attack with an enemy (lets use a silenced weapon in this example), the level 7 ninja perk increases the sneak damage, then the level 4 agility perk also increases the sneak damage as well.

But if you're doing a melee sneak build and you're not focusing on weapons, then the mister sandman perk is not needed.

But basically, agility is the special stat that improves your sneak and sneak damage.

You could leave it here, but i think the next thing to do would be to unlock the perks that increase the damage of your weapons, which this depends on the weapons you are using. You said ranged and melee, which you can still use both in the sneak build.

To improve your melee weapon damage and ranged weapon damage, you need at least 2 strength and perception. There is a level 2 perk called big leagues which this improves your melee damage. To improve your ranged weapon damage, there is a level 2 perception perk called rifleman, which this improves your ranged weapons damage. But with this perk, it's for non automatic rifles, so if by chance you can make an automatic sniper rifle, then that sniper rifle won't get the extra effects from the perk. If you wanted to improve your automatic weapon damage, then you would need the level 2 agility perk commando.

But there is also a level 8 perception perk called sniper. The first rank improves your control with snipers, the second rank gives you a chance of knocking enemies down with a scoped non automatic rifle, and the last rank gives you a 25& increase to headshots in VATs.

Lastly, there is a level 5 endurance perk called aquaboy, which the second rank makes you undetectable underwater.

I think that's it.

So if you were going to have a stealth build with both melee and ranged weapons, then you would need at least 2 strength, 2 perception and 7 agility. In my opinion, the aquaboy perk isn't a necessity, but if you want it, then you need to have at least 5 endurance.

Also remember that not every rank is available straight away, you will need to level up of course until some are available.

At the start of the game when you choose your special, you will have 21 points, but if you were to choose to have 7 agility, 2 strength and 2 perception, then you would only 13 points between the other special points.

Which i guess that bit is up to you because all of the specials are very helpful. Also, you would have less points if you chose to have 8 perception.

But everything i've written here, i'm assuming you're planning on starting a new playthrough, and that you want access to the perks straight away.

But remember you can always improve your special when you're leveling up. But you know, it's your choice.

I hope this helps.

Also get Deacon's perk asap. With full ninja and his perk my sneak damage multiplier is 4.2x.

i play stealth, not sure if stealth build per say but its working for me

im level 45 now i think

without gear:

str: 4 (bobblehead)

per: 8 (bobblehead)

end: 1

cha: 8

int: 7 (bobblehead)

agi: 8

luck: 6

deliverer, overseers guardian, sniper rifle all suppressed then a combat shotgun for back up (actually not necessary against human sized targets overseers guardian is way better but damn does that shotgun wreck behemoths and other big targets)

id say only agility is important though, and perks far more important than special stats so just really build the specials for the perks you want. id guess strength is important for melee though

everything else is personal preference for other stuff like luck, i dont use vats much as dont need it, cant see my health bar in vats (stupid), and i hate the new crit mechanic (personal opinion) and i forget it all the time anyways

id prob not bother with much in luck for next build as theres no skills and i dont like/forget about crit mechanic

perception not really needed now with no skills/enemy detection/close you can get to mines etc so id say just 4 for lockpicking (what sort of stealth character doesnt pick locks?)

i kinda did this build just based on how i build in previous titles

more importantly is the "stealth perk set" ninja, stealth, mr sandman and deacons perk (i have a 6.3x mutiplier) which are agility based and then your weapon of choice perk.

i have rifleman perk nothing else but i still use deliverer all the time with no pistol perks and it wrecks house

if id go again id prob start

3,4,1,5,6,8,1

this is pure opinion cause for example i like my speech checks so id want a high cha and for local leader, you might not you could take points from that (and if you dont want local leader) and put into str for melee, i guess you may want more endurance too?

i dont care for the legendary system, i like fighting the legendary creatures but i dont like the magical legendary loot being in this game (personal opinion) so id drop luck for next build and have at minimum

you only need 7 points in agility for the highest cost stealth perk (ninja) so could save a point there but i like to sprint when theres nothing around so can sprint longer the more agility.

3 in str for armourer and 6 in intelligence for science

i dont use vats as its so clunky and i dont like not seeing my health bar so dont need high perception and stealth build shouldnt need vats or the never ending critical, cant miss crit hit, ap refill etc etc(also sniping is far faaaaaar superior at range out of vats) so only 4 for lockpick, also same for luck shouldnt need all the crit/ap refill stuff for stealth build

id use the special book to bump charisma to 6 so id finish

but is all personal preference and playstyle so go with how you play, so if you like vats and/or the new crit mechanic (and you dont constantly forget it!!) then luck will be very useful to you.