Just play it maybe and see what happens?

Those who say "Your build don't matter" are full of it. If you can't fight, you don't live. If you build your character around settlements from the get-go, you will be good at building settlements, but you will die since you're now level 25 and can't fight worth anything. Good luck with the Mirelurk Queen and Alpha Deathclaws coming after you if you take this route.

It's true that Stealth is king. But not in broad daylight. That only works if you're lucky enough to find a piece of Legendary Chameleon armor, which only functions when you're not moving in stealth. Stealth indoors is always good, and outside at night.

My personal favorite build is Unarmed, with Rooted and Blitz (and Stealth). You can also take Action Boy. You won't even need Ninja. At level 40 I was taking on Behemoths face-to-face and laughing as I tore their ugly throat out with my Deathclaw Gauntlet (as someone mentioned, the Museum of Witchcraft is how you get this weapon).

And if all else fails, stay calm . . . and take drugs. Psychojet is my favorite.

Here's the Idiot Savant version of this build:

Starting SPECIAL--S(6) P(1) E(4) C(5) I(1) A(6) L(5)

Use the "Your Special!" book to raise your Charisma to 6. Get a suit + glasses + hat with Charisma to boost it to 10 when doing conversations that require persuasion (or when selling/buying).

Take Idiot Savant rank 1 at level 2, and Idiot Savant rank 2 at level 11. Increase your Agility until it's 9, then take Blitz. Then increase your Strength until it's 9 and take Rooted. Then boost your Unarmed skill, find a pair of knuckles and upgrade it to "Sharp." At level 24 take Sneak, and the next 3 levels take it to rank 4.

There's one for the Quote Files...

And for one of those shirts that have become popular over the past few years. Keep Calm and Take Psychojet. Keep Calm and Take Stimpaks and Keep Calm and Take Mentats seems to exist already.

Or my favorite, when attending some screw up or other. "I'm the one that's on drugs.'".

AGILITY is the most important SPECIAL. Sneak 4/4 is mandatory. Strong is the best companion especially if you have 1 STRENGTH and don't use power armors. Scrounger 4/4 will make you rich.

Actually, I think I'm partial to ~ fov 90 110 . . . possibly 90 100 beyond 110 you get too much of a "fish-eye lense" effect.

But thanks for pointing out it takes two values to set it properly I was only changing one of them for the longest time

Yup, that's how things used to work before FO4, now you have to issue both the interface fov [1st value] and the world fov [2nd value]. They don't have to be the same value so you are free to tamper with either of them. In my opinion the best choice is to leave the interface fov to its default 75 value and extend the world fov to the value that suits you best. That way neither pipboy nor weapons are affected by the custom fov, meaning that they aren't zoomed out as it used to happen in FO3.

Yeah, if you're INSANE! Or suicidal.

Shoot 'em in the head.

Ballistic weave is your friend.

Romance all of them that you can and put all your companions in the same settlement (I use Hangman's).

Don't look at Cait's [censored].

Paint your power armor pink if you have a female character (or a guy if he's in to that kind of thing).

Don't bother going above 4 in perception. The only thing it's good for is lockpicking.

More points in Perception are a very good thing, if you want to use VATS much. Otherwise, yeah. But you can get 3-4 points in PER just from gear to help with that, pretty easy.

Sorry, I'm goin to hell in a handtruck for failing that first one.

I have 4 in perception and have never added any more since the start of the game and I use VATS all the time and never have an issue. Just haven't bothered. I find Intelligence and Charisma much more valuable, followed by Luck, Agility and Strength. I used to go Perception all the way, but figure out how worthless it was for my playstyle after my 2nd runthrough. (I'm the sneaky type )

That chameleon made it completely impossible for me to aim as I couldn't see myself, my gun or my crosshairs...I find it completely useless and obnoxious.

And amen, brother!

Also, this thread is pretty epic =)

Easiest way to get killed is to step on a mine or catch grenade to the face. Explosives are deadly and developers were found of them. Therefore explosive damage reducing mods on armor are way to spend your resources well. Third rank in sneak perk makes you walk over mines safely. Very good investment of skill points.

Jet and jet related drugs which you can craft, slows time for period of time. It's invaluable when you are in a tight spot or when legendary death claw pops at you from around the corner. Assign it to a hotkey and press it every time game make you to say f..k loud. Drugs in general are at their most useful from all Fallout so far. Don't ignore them.

Large creatures are usually dangerous. But they don't fit through most doors.

Small creatures are usually not dangerous. Unless they have skull, star or legendary prefix next to their names. Even flies kill when legendary. Cockroaches are exception. They are always harmless.

Beware robots with autoguns. Newer engage one at the close range. They will shred you to bits in seconds. Since there is no way to tell which robot have autogun until it start shooting, beware all robots. Keep your distance and fight them from afar.

Don't throw grenade unless there is absolutely nothing in front of you.

Ghouls have vulnerable legs.

Ghouls like to sneak in to buildings through windows.

Don't use weapons around protectrons on duty. Not even on enemy they engage.

Radscorpions and Molerats can tunnel underground. Faster then you can run. If you see one disappearing under the ground, he is going to surface right behind you in few seconds. Unless you stand on the rock.

Companions and settlers can use stimpacks.

Any NPC can enter power armour during combat as long as there is fusion core inside. Newer leave your power armor anywhere with fusion core. Especially not around your settlers.

Settlers need ammo to use the gun. But they don't expend ammo when firing it. Give them one bullet (or grenade) and they will be fine. Mini nukes and missiles are exception.

In build mode, place junk fences on a carpet, then move carpet to join them to other junk fences. Remove carpet (store).

You can walk "out" of dialogue, use charisma enhancing drugs or dress, then walk back to make passing dialogue checks easier.

Some quests are bugged. Save before starting one. If you think you have run in to bug, search wikia.

You have to assign settlers to work the plants and scrap stations. Assign settler to one plant and he will autoasign to all unassigned plants nearby up to value of 6 food units (with exception of mutfruit, all plants have value of 0.5). You have to assign settlers to guard posts too. They will auto assign to up to 2 additional unassigned guardposts nearby (for combined 3 posts). You can assign settlers to beds so they always sleep only there. You can build bell post in your settlement. When you ring it, all settlers will come to it. Dogs will use doghouse if any. Cows will stay around feed trough if you build one and stop visiting your bed room.

You can't swim in power armor. But you can't drown in it either.

You can jump down from skyscraqer when in power armor. It's perfectly safe. Unless you jump in to supermutant camp.

You can run out of fights. Opponents will give up after some distance.

If you somehow turn otherwise neutral NPCs against you (like inhabitants of Diamond city), leave and come back in one or two days.

Workstations seems to be safe for long term storage. Including those outside your settlements. If they aren't, do not blame me

You can order companions to enter power armor as long as there is core inside. They don't expend core while using it. Talk to them to get them out. Remove their headgear if you want them to use power armor helmet.

Further south and east you go, tougher enemies you will meet.

Fusion cores for power armor are fairly common. Don't hesitate to use your power armor if you feel like it.

Sprinting and using power attacks inside power armor expend your fusion cores faster. Auto travel does not expend fusion cores.

Most opponents are more vulnerable when shot to head. Deathclaws in to stomach. Mierlurks have very resistant shells, shoot them from the front or to the legs.

When you hear swearing and beeping sound coming close, run! It's super mutant suicider and he is going to detonate mininuke next to you.

Lot of dangerous enemies are not so dangerous if you cripple their legs. Sneak shot in to leg with a sniper is good way to start difficult fights. Those which you can't finish with one sneak shot in to the head that is. To cripple leg, you have to be able to do significant damage however. If you can only dent enemy health, it likely won't work since you can't cripple his leg fast enough.

Sometimes you can jump or climb places where melee enemies can't reach you. Utilize your environment.

You can command your companion to stay at some place from a distance. Just order him to go there and once he she is there, cursor will change to "stay" command which you can issue. You can recall them from a distance in similar manner. Just point cursor on them and it will change to "follow", then press.

Companions will compromise your stealth. Leave them behind when you want to sneak through building or cave.

You aren't only person in Commonwealth which can use Fat Man. Getting shot by that thing is insta death, so be careful. Especially if you see opponents in power armor as they are ones who have them more often.

When "hidden" status changes to "caution", enemies don't see you yet and they thus can's fire at you. But they will fire at the last location from which you have fired. Move a bit between the shots and you will be safe. This happens often when sniping at large distance. Once "caution" changes to "danger" however, they see you.

If you give your companions mini nukes or missile launchers, you will know pain.

True, generally avoid giving friendly NPCs any explosives (grenades including). Chance is, they will blow you up along with some raider or molerat.

You can't 'cook' grenades, unfortunately. You can shoot them in VATS, including ones you just lobbed. Lob a grenade at your enemy, go into VATS, wait for it to land by them, then shoot it. Doesn't always work 100%, damn satisfyingly when it does though.

Strange thing is: 1. The PA "first person" interface seems to do its own thing; and 2. Even with first person widened: I have sometimes seen my Pipboy get tiny and distant, and other times not.

I still haven't got the right .ini file configured. I guess I need to use either the Ultra or custom one . . .

Rather than preaching ("do this, don't do that"), I'll simply relate my own experiences over two playthroughs. YMMV.

~ I save often. REALLY often. Quicksave is one of the best things Beth put in the game. I keep one quicksave, three auto saves and one hard save.

~ I do not use (or need) Power Armor, ever (aside from one early-on quest that requires it). It felt more organic to wear regular clothes/armor.

~ I do not use (or need) companions ever, not even the dog (aside from one quest that requires you take both the dog AND a companion). I'm MUCH happier traveling alone.

~ I do not use (or need) chems or alcohol, ever. Stimpaks and Radaway don't count as chems, as far as I know.

~ I do not use (or need) energy weapons, big guns or automatic weapons, ever. Just don't need them.

~ There isn't much that you can't either make or find in the wild. I have pretty much no need for caps, except when/if I want to change looks.

~ I have no need to make water purifier factories or buy supplies (other than ammo) from vendors. Don't need the caps.

~ Not too long into the game, I was awash in bobbypins and stimpaks. No need to buy them.

~ There are a lot of unmarked locations in the Commonwealth. Look everywhere.

~ [CLEARED] doesn't necessarily mean all the enemies are gone. It means the boss is gone. Flunkies may still be lurking about.

~ [CLEARED] doesn't mean "forever" -- it means "for now".

~ The Lone Wanderer perk is essential for me, as well as getting stimpaks up to 60% (higher than that is unnecessary).

~ The first three perks in hacking and lockpicking are critical to me; the 4th on both of those is completely useless.

~ Other favorite perks include the one that allows for grenade arcs, the ones that allow for increased gun/rifle damage, critical banks (and better criticals) and deep pockets.

~ Did I mention that I Save Often?

Few more:

Don't bring knife in to gunfight. Don't bring sword or power sledge either.

You can choose which fusion core to add to your power armor when you enter "transfer mode" (R on PC). Otherwise game will choose the freshest one which can lead to your inventory being cluttered with half used cores.

Mining helmets have headlamp which you can turn on and off (like pip boy light). NPCs equipped with mining helmet will turn it on during night. Including settlers and companions.

If dead NPC have more then one set of clothes inside his her inventory, you can take away one he is dressed in and on cell reset, body will be dressed in the other one. Generally it does not work with clothes you give in to their inventory yourself.

Scavengers are displayed as hostile in VATS but they will ignore you unless you come close.

Some NPCs can become hostile during course of dialogue. Always be prepared for a fight. Beware robots becoming hostile ...see my other tip above. If you feel unprepared for a fight, your first instinct should be to run. You can almost always come back later and prepared.

Some NPCs (most wandering traders for example) will go to "wounded" posture if their health drops down. Enemies will ignore them in that state but stray bullet or nearby explosion of grenade can kill them.

You can remove mods from weapons and armor, sell or scraqe original weapon or armor and use mod on another one. Even mods which you can't create yourself. In case of weapons, you however have to replace mods with other ones (for example basic ones), with exception of muzzle mods. Armor mods you can remove without replacing. Armor mods are divided in to limb and body mods. limb mods are interchangeable, you can take mod from right shoulder and place it on left leg.

Collect overdue books.

During hacking, if you see string inside these symbols: () [] {} <> for example: [^#@*@*] click on it. You will know it's the right string if you hover pointer over first symbol and it highlights rest of the string.

You can't free imprisoned teddy bears.

Haha, that's a good idea. Each of your lovers can have their own private place where the two of you can elope to. >w>

(I might want to move Danse to Red Rocket for this current playthrough...)

The biggest thing that I learned after my first play-through:

You don't have to side with a single faction immediately.

This is not the spoiler board, so I don't want to go into too much detail. However, you can get access to a lot more content if you try the different factions for awhile. The game will alert you when you progress to a "point of no return" - where completing the next quest for faction X will make you hostile with faction Y.

Building things gives you 2XP each time

If you passify someone and holster your gun they attack you agian, annoying when you hack a terminal.