The wikia seems to indicate that the standard receiver/sights/barrel can all be built without perks. So it seems like you could strip the good mods off a gun


Darn work is getting in my way, otherwise I would test this using the console

Guys, yes, you will be able to build *some* of the basic gun mods needed to exchange for the better mods you find on looted guns... *but*, I know for a fact (because I just dealt with it on my last playthrough), that there are a number of mods you will find on looted guns that you CAN'T build a basic replacement for, until you put one point into gun nut. This may or may not be an issue for you, won't know until you run into it I guess. Just don't expect that you'll be able to recycle every nice higher level mod you find, with zero points in Gun Nut.

Do you remember an example? I am going to test it out some tonight.

I don't, sorry. And all my chars have points into it already. It's not a huge thing, at any rate- if you run into that issue ingame, all you have to do is add 1 point to the perk, and problem fixed. Or choose not to, if you truly want to be a minimalist.

I like to run naked and sneak kill everyone with my enraging deathclaw.

I have to agree that only maybe 1/3rd of the perks are for actual crafting so that really shouldn't be the argument (all it would do is limit those of us that actually do like crafting - don't forget the Science, Medical and Chemistry perks as they affect crafting in their own way). There should be plenty of others to go around.

It definitely sounds like a viable build to me. I have crafted the heck out of my armors and weapons, but, frankly, it really wasn't necessary. I have found the equivalent of most of my crafted items just out there in drops.

Beth has always been big on the crafting side of things (just look at the TES games) so I can't see them changing that, but, what would y'all suggest as other viable perks to replace them?

I don't think they were asking to replace them, just looking to ignore them.

Yes, but what do you like to do in Fallout 4?

I've actually never touched Locksmith and only took Hacker with one character, didn't feel like I was missing a thing. Crafting perks, I usually only take one or two of them - and as it happens you can find a lot of great mods in loot. Managed to fully spec out an automatic plasma rifle with a character that can't get even Science!, and fully modded combat armor with no Armorer. Don't know what people are talking about with "essential" perks.

you can do most of the upgrades to most of the weapons in the game with out moding perk, just rip off mods of the better weapons armor pieces you find... but spacial weapons like junk jet, alien pistol...etc you will have to play with out upgrades... if you want, you can do what I do, get "Legendary mod" mod for your game, get it in Nexus Mods, you can rip off legendary mods and put them on other weapons, good way to make interesting weapons!


PS* Rage SMG is OP, Bottomless DB shotty is OP, Explosive is OP, Instigate Rail gun is OP.... but they all fun as hell

There aren't too many crafting perks. There are, however, too many VATS perks. Not all of us use VATS.

No real need to do that. Assuming you're on PC since you have mods, you can just use the amod command to add the legendary effect to any uncustomized item. Just google for the list of mod codes.

I have dutifully ranked up both Gun Nut and Science! and can craft any mod for any gun.


As I've explored the wasteland, I have found or bought guns with mods and I have acquired every top end mod I needed that way long before I was able to make it myself.


Crafting perks are a convenience, but by no means essential - having learned my lesson, Armorer remains at 1 point for me with no ill effects.

For a truly challenging Fallout 4 experience how about survival difficulty and no allocation of perk points at all? Though use of the SPECIAL book and picking up bobble heads are allowed.

Should be pretty interesting....

Sounds too hard to be interesting to me personally.

armourer is needed if you want to use ballistic weave, no way round that one as unless i just havnt got high enough or lucky enough but a t level 55+ tinker tom still only sells lvl1&2 ballistic modded clothing

i sat on armourer lvl2 as thats all thats needed for the highest level mods i was interested in, highest dmg reduction and deep pocketed (theres no difference between a normal/sturdy/heavy mod so although you need say lvl4 armourer to build polymer mod on a sturdy combat armour you only need level 2 to put on normal combat armour, then take it off that one and put it on your heavy one) untill i unlocked that.

but yeah all others are not needed and yep even though i was investing in crafting perks as soon as i was required level i was finding tonnes of mods on weapons & armour well before i could make them myself

mainly is convenience, you can just do what ever mod you want when ever you want as many times as needed if you have the perks, for me thats mainly when going on an arm & armour settlers run.

Glad I invested. In Agatha's Dress and a paperboy cap along with my black rimmed glasses, not only is my armor at 220, but my charisma is at 15. Add Graqe Mentats and it's 20. I can pass any check! Of course, I don't usually dress like that, but I love Ballistic top tier!

My first and current playthrough is actually no mods so far. I have maxed lockpick/hack, waterboy and rad protection, so I can go anywhere I want without rads/locks keeping me from exploring locations I want to. Between finding and killing mutated legendary enemies, I have been doing just fine without crafting a single weapon or piece of armor.

I will eventually get into that, but knowing I was going to keep my first playthrough as my [censored] around sandbox forever one, I wasn't too concerned about making the best weapons and armor right away.


It's a fun, and not at all difficult, way to play.

but I consider console command "cheat"... I only do it when it's to fix Dev mistake... like Larry.... other than that... most mods are consider ok as long as it's not OP, I also consider bug abuse legit as well... example, dog fetching Cryo-gun... that seems more like Easter eggs than cheating...

I started my second Survival char with the plan not to take crafting perks, just use what I could find and buy. It does not make that much sense however if you want to restrict yourself. That's the case only for a certain time of leveling, later on you get mostly all mods you can craft from existing weapons. So I returned to taking crafting perks. If you liked to free points it could make sense to avoid carfting perks. But if you have settlements and want a certain protection, you need points in Gun Nut and/or Science.

Not sure I could do a no crafting play-through.

I could dispense with modding weapons because you find plenty of weapons already modded. But modding is the only way to improve your power armor, and getting a full set of shadowed combat armor would be a pain in the [censored] if I couldn't shadow it myself. Moreover, don't you need the crafting perks to build the appropriate trade stands for your settlements?

Thanks for all the replies! I am still on the fence with crafting. On one hand it would be fun to scavenge gear. On the other hand it may get tedious after 50+ hours.


I may just start out with no crafting, but insure that I have the SPECIAL to take the perks if I start to get annoyed waiting for a certain drop.


EDIT: And to whoever said there were too many VATS perks, I agree 1000% percent. I keep on wanting to build a high luck crit master, but that takes a ton of perks too!