» Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:12 am I have been working really hard sorting out various details and typing everything up, and there's still lot's more to do. But before I work on finishing the rest of the update, I thought I would give you all a little taster. And so, I now present to you, for the first time ever, my interpretation of the complete lineup of perks listed under Strength:
Below are detailed descriptions for every skill and perk under the Strength stat. Note that I have included a brief explanation of each icon, which will help you to 'see' them much better. These icons, showing Vault-Boy's various antics, offer great insight into what each perk actually does. I have also included a number of interesting references which tie the various icons to historical people and events, popular culture and more. When working out the finer details, I have looked at each skill or perk both individually and as part of a set, and have thoroughly researched every last one. I have also incorporated any details seen in the footage or described in official articles and interviews that tie in with the known or suspected function of any specific skill or perk. This way, the features and benefits as described here are far more balanced, and are much closer to what we can expect to see in the final release of the game. Note that when choosing the name of each perk, I have tried to put myself into the devs' shoes in order to see which names would best fit the game and the setting. I have also tried to avoid any obvious repetition of names, or similar sounding names, so that they all 'flow' better.
And so, without further ado, here are the skills and perks that can be found under...
STRENGTH
Affects total Carry Weight, Unarmed damage, and damage from Melee Weapons
Unarmed
Returning Skill, 4 Ranks, requires 1 Strength
VB is holding up his fists and is not wearing a shirt, giving him the appearance of a bare-knuckle boxer. This appears to be a reference to John Lawrence
Sullivan, an Irish-American boxer who was also known as the Boston Strong Boy. Sullivan is actually recognised by many as being the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring Rules.
This skill would affect both the speed and damage of attacks when using fists or weapons worn on the hands. Speed and damage would both increase with each rank. This skill would also be usable in conjunction with V.A.T.S. for improved targeting, but not for specific body parts. For more accurate targeting when in V.A.T.S, see the Martial Artist perk below. Note that there would also be a bobblehead hidden somewhere in the game world that would unlock the next available rank when found.
Melee Weapons
Returning Skill, 4 Ranks, requires 2 Strength
VB is holding up a baseball bat, and is about to strike an incoming baseball. This is clearly a reference to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, who won the first ever World Series in 1903. The location, which is now known in-game as Diamond City, would also appear to be a first, in that it is the first major settlement that we encounter, and so would be comparable to Megaton.
This skill would affect both the speed and damage of attacks when using hand-held weapons. Speed and damage would both increase with each rank. This skill would also be usable in conjunction with V.A.T.S. for improved targeting, but not for specific body parts. For more accurate targeting when in V.A.T.S, see the Martial Artist perk below. Note that there would also be a bobblehead hidden somewhere in the game world that will unlock the next available rank when found.
Projectile
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 3 Strength
VB is holding a boulder at the bottom of a ramp, and is about to launch it upwards. This would suggest a reference to the Physics Department at M.I.T, specifically pertaining to the Manhattan Project, which later resulted in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
This perk would allow us to throw heavy objects in front of us, turning them into projectiles. Throwing distance and overall damage caused would increase with each rank. Damage would also be affected by the size and weight of the projectile. This perk would also be usable in conjunction with V.A.T.S. for improved targeting, but not for specific body parts. For more accurate targeting when in V.A.T.S, see the Martial Artist perk below.
Crushing Blow
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 4 Strength
VB is standing next to the same ramp mentioned above which is now facing the other way, and which he has partially crushed using his fist. This is clearly a reference to the aftermath of the Manhattan Project, due to the sheer level of destruction caused when the bombs hit.
This perk would allow us to use fists or Unarmed weapons to break or destroy objects such as terminals, controls systems, turrets, wooden structures, damaged brickwork, locks, locked doors, and low-level robots including protrectrons and robobrains. Each rank would increase the total damage per hit, as well as the quality of locks affected. Note that in the case of robots, this perk would also be usable in conjunction with V.A.T.S. for improved targeting, but not for specific body parts. For more accurate targeting when in V.A.T.S, see the Martial Artist perk below.
Wrecking Ball
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 5 Strength
VB is holding a wrecking ball at the end of a long chain which is attached to a stick. This would appear to be a reference to a certain celebrity who used to attend Bethesda Elementary School, the location of which matches up with Bethesda Ruins as seen in Fallout 3. Note that the reference in this case is a little more tougue-in-cheek compared to many of the others, but is a clever addition nonetheless.
This perk would allow us to use Melee Weapons to break or destroy objects such as terminals, controls systems, turrets, wooden structures, damaged brickwork, locks, locked doors, and low-level robots including protrectrons and robobrains. Each rank would increase the total damage per hit, as well as the quality of locks affected. Note that in the case of robots, this perk would also be usable in conjunction with V.A.T.S. for improved targeting, but not for specific body parts. For more accurate targeting when in V.A.T.S, see the Martial Artist perk below.
Strong Back
Returning Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 6 Strength
VB is shown carrying a heavy object on his back. This appears to be very similar to the icon used for the equivalent perk in Fallout 3, but note the Mole Rat on the right-hand side of the image. This would actually suggest a reference to the rats that have plagued the streets of Boston since before the time of the Revolutionary War. The historical and present day impact of rats is especially high in the port area.
This perk would allow us to carry more items, and to move a little faster when encumbered. Total Carry Weight and rate of movement would increase with each rank. The increase in Carry Weight would be far greater than that resulting from levelling the Strength stat. Also, note that the Mole Rat in the perk icon would suggest that we are more easily able to engage in low-level combat when encumbered, due to our ability to move increasingly faster with each rank.
Fist of Fury
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 7 Strength
VB is shown throwing a series of rapid punches in front of him, and his fist has become blurred as a result. This seems to be a reference to Bruce Lee, and especially to the movie which shares the name of the perk. This is due to Mr Lee's ability to punch so fast, he was almost impossible to block. As a result, footage often had to be slowed down, much like the new effect seen in V.A.T.S.
This perk would allows us to deliver a flurry of blows when using fists or Unarmed weapons in V.A.T.S, but not for specific body parts. For more accurate targeting when in V.A.T.S, see the Martial Artist perk below. The flurry of blows would be triggered by holding down the 'attack' button, after which a 'special attack' would be lined up ready to unleash on the target. Note that this would use up far more Action Points than a single attack, but if used in conjunction with the perk below for a blow to the target's head, there would be a chance to knock the opponent to the ground. The target would then be unconscious for a short time, allowing us to quickly deal with the next target. With each rank, the number of Action Points required would decrease, and the speed and damage output of the attack would increase.
Martial Artist
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 8 Strength
VB is holding up his arm at a right-angle, as if ready to execute a martial arts move. This would actually seem to be a reference to Bruce Lee's son Brandon, who attended Emerson College in downtown Boston, and like his father was also the star of many action movies. In a bizarre related twist, Bruce Lee and his son both died under very mysterious circumstances, 20 years apart, and at a relatively similar age. Bruce Lee was 32 and his son was 28. This is strikingly similar to the in-game connection to the male protagonist and his son being of a similar age during gameplay.
This perk would allow us to target specific body parts when using V.A.T.S. in conjunction with fists, Unarmed weapons, or Melee Weapons. This would then open up a number of additional options for use with many of the above perks. Due to each armor piece now having it's own durability, this means that during close-quarters combat, we would be able to target individual armor pieces, or even cripple already damaged limbs. In addition to this we would also be able to target blows to the head, which would inflict far greater damage, and would include a knockdown effect as described above. The Action Point cost for each individual blow would decrease with every rank, allowing for a higher number of attacks.
Heavy Hitter
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 9 Strength
VB is standing on what appears to be an old fashioned 'weighing machine', and is also raising a dumbbell with one arm. The weighing machine actually seems like a reference to weigh-ins used before boxing matches, and the dumbbell would therefore suggest heavyweight boxing. If we look back at John Sullivan, as first mentioned in the description for the Unarmed skill, we can see that he later moved to a career in professional gloved boxing. His record of 34 wins by knockouts earned him a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Oddly enough, the two very different phases of Sullivan's career would once again suggest a connection to our male protagonist, whose transision from pre-war to post-war would appear to have many similarities.
This perk would allow us to throw a very focused and powerful punch that would do extra damage, with a high chance to knock the opponent unconscious if the blow is to the face. This would be similar to the effect described under the Fist of Fury perk. Note however that, in this case, we would be limited to non V.A.T.S. use. To execute the punch, we would once again hold down the attack button, and when unleashed, the resulting blow would be comparable to one of the many power attacks seen in Skyrim. Each rank would increase the power of the attack, and the final rank would carry a small chance to achieve a one hit kill.
Power Loader
New Perk, 4 Ranks, requires 10 Strength
VB is seen here inside a Power Loader, an exoskeleton suit much like the one featured in the Aliens movie. The movie's main protagonist, Ellen Ripley, could be compared to the female protagonist option in Fallout 4. Ripley is quite literally forced to become a warrior, fighting against an impossibly dangerous enemy. Her main focus throughout the movie is to ensure the survival of a child found alone in the abandoned mining colony. The child's name is Newt. I have a feeling that this will be reflected in one of the as yet unveiled companions, a child who may even end up having the same name. One other interesting connection. In the movie, Ripley spent 57 years in cryosleep, making her the previous record holder before our protagonist and their family.
This perk would allow us to lift very heavy loads when encumbered, and carry them forwards at relatively high speed for a short duration as determined by the sprint meter. The speed of movement as well as the maximum load would increases with each rank. This would actually be a very useful option for those of us who love to collect everything we find in the game, but do not like to use fast travel.
