STR - There are strength requirements for almost every weapon and there seems to be a significant loss of accuracy based on not meeting the strength requirement for a weapon (guns included) so anything lower than 5 is probably a poor choice. Anti-material rifle for example requires 8 to be fully effective but if you start with 5 get the implant to have 6 and then select the perk which lowers all strength requirements by 2 then you can use it with no problem.

PER - This one seems worth dropping low but remember 6 is a requirement for alot of nice perks (Better Criticals being chief among them)

END - Aside from cumulative HP gains based on how high your initial endurance is this stat also comes into play later in the game. I didn't take more than the initial five and it ended up working out just fine.

CHA - debateable really, if you're playing a speech/barter character this might be worth it but considering that all the speech/barter checks seem to be based solely on the skill level, not the amount of charisma you have, i think this stat is probably still worth sacrificing for other, better stats. I've not tested its significance in regards to how much better your companions will be and for that benefit alone when playing on "hardcoe" mode it might be worthwhile not to neglect this stat. Long story short, i think that dropping this stat to 1 and giving yourself 9 starting intelligence would probably way more than make up for the loss. This isn't to say that high charisma won't give you the benefit of dialogue checks but if you have speech/barter chances are you don't need a third option.

INT - This stat cannot be neglected, every aspect of the game involves skill checks. EVERY dialogue you have contains some skill check (there are stat checks but it seems that they are much less frequent) I tend to put this at 9 from the get go.

AGI - this stat can go either way but for Guns its pretty important. 1 agi = 3 AP (i believe, correct me if i'm wrong - i know it was 2 in FO3 but i think it changed) - problem is that you can't really neglect this stat if you want some of the better gun/melee/unarmed perks.

LCK - I never have this stat set low. Luck = 1% crit so giving yourself an automatic bonus to crit% is very nice, IMO. I shouldn't have to stress this but the fact that the game is set in Vegas makes luck beneficial for another reason and i've also had a number of other dialogue choices due to high luck.

Ultimately its your game but i'd say perception/charisma are the most expendable.

As to picking up everything in sight i think the commonly understood tradeoff is weight/cap amount. point being is that how many caps do you need? Coupled with general dead body pilfering my high luck amount at the tables in the casino's i've never dipped below 20-25k caps since level 8 or so. Especially since the best weapons in the game tend to be free because you have to find them.

FYI - perk selection has become extremely important. So perks that seemed no-brainers in the last game may be perks you don't even want to bother with this time around.

S - 8
P - 4
E - 8
C - 3
I - 5
A - 4
L - 8

Tags - Melee, Sneak, Medicine.
Traits - Built To Destroy and Heavy Handed.
Most important Perks - SuperSlam and Ninja


Basically a Ninja/CC build. It's funny seeing a Mother/Alpha-Deathclaw always on the ground as I easily kill it.

I did a luck of 10 (should've done 9 in retrospect) because it makes it almost comically easy to win caps playing Blackjack. I can then use those caps for things like implants etc. Crit % boost is nice too. Also, how awesome is it that casinos comp you?

It may. I still one shot most enemies with a headshot on Hard difficulty with no points in sneak, though. Deathclaws take more than one shot, but ED-E and Boone help me clean those up.

Not to say sneak is useless at all; I'm just saying as a guns expert I really haven't been missing it.

S-7
P-4
E-5
C-7
I-6
A-7
L-4

Tags: Barter, Guns, Speech
Traits: Good Natured and Trigger Discipline

I always have a play through where I try to talk my way out of everything, to see how far I can go without resorting to violence. Once civil diplomacy ends, then it's shotgun diplomacy.

S-7 I will get the implant b4 level 14 so i can weild the anti-material rifle ( REQ 8 STR)
P-7 (Im usually using the beret u get from boone that has PER +1 and +5 crit chance which is really nice)
E-5
C-1
I-9 I already got the implant so its 10 now ( I Enjoy getting as many points as possible every level up so i can put points into lockpick and medicine ect...)
***A-6 ( Again i will get the imlant to make it 8)
L-6 (at LVL 2 I get Intense Training to make it 7)

Traits-
*** Small frame ( thats why my AGI gets to 8 with the Implant
Trigger Disipline ( 20% more accurate for 20% less firing speed)

Im maxing out guns and sneak A.S.A.P also exlosives for land mines Im playing a Sniper that uses mines to hold off stratigic locations im also putting some points in medicine and survival when i get to about level 15 ill turn on hardcoe mode and see how this class does If i like it ill start a new one based on this with more survival options.

Because they learned to love their criticals.

I just hope these are not the same people who say the game is too easy to play.

I am surprised, I got a critical hit, and I am at Luck 1. Then again it was against a gecko, but still, I didn't think I would see it so soon.

I went with:

STR = 5
PER = 6
END = 6
CHA = 2
INT = 10
AGI = 6 (7)
LUC = 5 (6)

Traits: Kamikaze & Wild Wasteland

I took Intense Training AGI at level 2 because there wasnt anything better. I wanted to qualify for Nerves of Steel at level 26. However when I hit level 18 I realized I screwed up and didnt have enough Luck for Better Criticals. So I was forced to take Intense Training to get Luck (didnt know about the cybernetics options at the time) and slid all my perks down, and lost one. I decided to lose Bloody Mess, which I already wasnt taking until level 30 because I hate the bloody piles (hard to loot).

So my final build in terms of Perks will look like:

Intense AGI. Educated. Comprehension. Commando. Finesse. Silent Running. Sniper. Action Boy. Intense Luck. Better Criticals. Concentrated Fire. Grim Reaper Sprint. Nerves of Steel. Math Wrath. Center of Mass.

Between books and what not, at level 19, my skills currently are:

Barter 9, Energy 58, Explosives 25, Guns 69, Lockpick 100, Medicine 29, Melee 15, Repair 35, Science 75, Sneak 100, Speech 55, Survival 17, Unarmed 17.

At level 20 I will push repair to 50 so I can repair my All American and other items that I havent been able to repair so far. After that I'll flesh out my Energy and Guns to 80 each, then push Speech and Science to 100.

After that, I'll have 4 levels (68 points) to either throw at Barter, or throw at Guns and Energy just for the sake of maxing them, or whatever.

Based on my END of 6, with cybernetics and intense training, my final SPECIAL will be:

STR = 6
PER = 7
END = 6
CHA = 2
INT = 10
AGI = 8
LUC = 7

Does that sound OK? Seems OK so far at level 19.

For my first character I went with wathever seemed nice to me, having played Fallout 3 previously. While playing on Hard + hardcoe mode but with companions it felt a bit too easy though, so this second time around I'll keep the difficulty setting but loose the companions, thougher enemies basically just took more time to kill but where not really like a challenge, maybe I'll even have to lower it down to medium without the companions and it will still be a bigger challenge, I don't know. Anyway, went with guns primarly for the first character and planning on doing a 3rd Caesar's Legion guy with Melee / Unarmed (+Explosives, for that extra bit of fun) so I thought it to be a good idea to go with Energy Weapons on this guy.

S 7
P 5
E 7
C 1
I 9
A 7
L 4

I'm planning on getting all S.P.E.C.I.A.L. implants and also going for a Intense Training in Luck at level 2, giving me a total S.P.E.C.I.A.L. of S 8 / P 6 / E 8 / C 2 / I 10 / A 8 / L 6.
Tagging Medicine, Science and Repair.

Traits: Good Natured or Trigger Discipline but I'm lending more towards Good Natured since I went with Trigger Disciple last time and Wild Wasteland since I would like to see the differences.

Perks:
2: Intense Training (-> Luck)
4: Educated (I 4)
6: Comprehension (I 4)
8: Travel Light (Survival 45)
10: Finesse
12: Life Giver (E 6)
14: Adamantium Skeleton
16: Tag! (-> Energy Weapons)
18: Computer Whiz (I 7, Science 70)
20: Explorer
22: Weapon Handling
24: Jury Rigging (Repair 90)
26: Nerves of Steel (A 7)
28: Rad Absorption (E 7)
30: Laser Commander (Energy Weapons 90)

This is supposed to be a Sneaky Sniper Vats build (with High Luck for gambling and high crit chance)

SPECIAL
STR = 5 (+1 Implant)
PER = 5 (+1 Implant)
END = 7
CHA = 1
INT = 7 (+1 Implant)
AGI = 8 (+1 Implant)
LUC = 9 (+1 Implant)

+1 Armor Implant
+1 Health Implant
(40 Points + 7 Implants)

Traits
Kamikaze +10 AP
Built to Destroy +3% Crit Chance

Perks

Perk at lvl	PERK	Lvl Req.	NEEDS	Effect2	Bachelor 	2	-	+10% Damage against Male4	Educated	4	IN 4	+2 Skill6	Bloody Mess	6	-	+5% Damage8	Commando	8	-	2-H Guns VATS10	Finesse	10	-	+5% Critical Chance12	Sniper	12	PE 6, AG 6 	More % on Head in VATS14	Jury Rigging	14	Repair 90	Repair with Similar Item16	Better Criticals	16	PE 6, LK 6 	+50% damage with crits18	Action Boy	16	AG 6	+15 AP20	Living Anatomy	8	Medicine 70	+5% Damage (Human)22	Laser Commander	22	EW 90	+15% Damage / 10% Crit EW24	Weapon Handling	16	ST < 10	+2 Str for requirements26	Math Wrath	10	Science 70	AP costs -10% 28	Rad Absorption	28	EN 7	-1 Rad every 20 seconds. 30	Nerves of Steel	26	AG 7	+AP regeneration

Now that's what I'm going for, not having the game

I was considering Small Frame but decided against it and used Kamikaze instead.

With vats you get a Crit Chance of (3+5+15+10=33%) for Laser Weapons and (3+5+15=23%) for all other ranged weapons. (+5% from 1st Recon Baret=38%/28% in VATS)

Also 35% normal damage boost against human males with Lasers

Additionaly gambling should be easy.

I had INT at 9 (+1 for implant) but traded it for +2 LCK -> this way I get more %Crit chance (something you can't get otherwise). If I get the INT implant fast I should be getting ~ 470 Skill points without books.

Skill Points in Guns -> Repair -> filling others to 25 (lockpick, science, etc.) -> Science / Medicine to 70 @lvl 18 at the latest) and EW to 90 before lvl 22 - everything else perk wise is met with implants - and I get to use +8 STR guns with no panelty.
---
Any thoughts on how to increase the Critical chance anymore? Any other thoughts?

This looks like a very carefully considered build. The only suggestion I would make is that depending on how quickly you want to blow through the main quest, or whether you plan to generate massive amount of caps from playing Caravan/gambling, it might be relatively late in the game before you can afford implants. If this is the case, the only thing I can think of to improve your criticals would be to start with 10 luck. You only gain perks every other level, so it would be best to avoid using Intense training if you can save the slot for another perk. Also, there are some specific weapons that increase crit damage or crit chance.

If you will be playing on hardcoe + very hard, survival skill becomes helpful for getting perks with survival requirements, such as Entomologist (45 survival), Rad Child (70 survival), as well as crafting campfire recipes that reduce FOD, H20 and add lots of HP quickly.

Here is the build i always start my first characters off on

S-7
P-1
E-9
C-1
I-10
A-7
L-5

Only reason i dont put strength full is cuz theres perks for beign able to carry more.
Perception and Charisma are to things i never really cared for to much, I could care less to know when a enemy is coming up, i like the surprise! and i dont exactly TALK much in this game.. hehe..
intel high for extra skill points
Endurance at 9 so you can get the max implants when u get higher level
and agility for that extra power and luck stays the same cuz it never really plays to big of a role, for the way i play.

Yeah, in NV you actually have to have a certain level to have a successful speech challenge, where as in Fallout 3 it was a percent, and if you failed you could just reload a save. (Little Lamplight)

I have my smartypants EW user in play:

S P E C I A L
6 5 6 4 8 6 5
(i think :unsure:)

Traits:
Four eyes, Good natured

Tags:
Energy Weapons, Science, Repair

Minor Skills:
Barter, Medicine, Speech

Currently in Novac for the first time, level 7, equipped with Laser and Plasma Pistol and Rifle, Incinerator and Recharger Rifle. Killed five Giant Radscorpions and two Reavers on level five with the incinerator "Burn, baby, burn!" :flamethrower:

Next up will be my sneaky snipy assassin type:

S P E C I A L
4 7 3 7 4 6 6
(or something like that)

Traits:
Trigger Discipline, Small Frame

Tags:
Lockpick, Guns, Sneak

Minor Skills:
Explosives, Repair, Speech

And finally my Tank:
S P E C I A L
8 6 7 3 3 6 6

Traits:
(not planned yet)

Tags:
Guns, Explosives, Melee Weapons

Minor Skills:
Repair, Medicine

Exactly why theres no point in raising charisma the Special stat.. when u can just raise speech.. and the highest speech check in the game is like 80.. and that end game mission. the highest your gonna need it for non end game is like 65...

Highest speech check in the game is actually 100. It's crazy.

[posted this in a different thread, but thought it'd apply here]

-----------------
I don't think there really are many builds where you will just 'fail' at the game; I tend to try to think of a personality for my character first, and then pick everything to fit that personality, even if it isn't the most optimum.

My character is based on Doc Holliday - so he has low Str. and low End. (making it even harder in hardcoe mode) as he had Tuberculosis, and to help with the symptoms he drank a lot. So my character regularly downs beer and whiskey - which gives him a bit more Str. and Cha. He has a high Int., (Doc was a licensed dentist and knew several languages) Cha., Agi, (he was famed for being very fast with a pistol) Luck (Doc was a great gambler).

So for combat I just went with Guns, trying to stick with pistols, as that seems more his style. Rapid Reload works really well with him - it goes with the speed he is known for, and is actually useful in the middle of a firefight - since pistols tend to run out of ammo faster than larger guns, and some revolvers take longer to reload as it is. If he gets swarmed he is in trouble, as he has no other means of fighting really. But he has a high speech - very charismatic guy - so can talk himself out of situations.

So when it comes to what next perk to pick, or where to allocate skill points I just think of his personality, and go with that. However, I don't know how this game could be played without at least 50 lockpick or a decent repair skill. Speech helps get the most out of this sort of game, though sometimes your other high skills can play a part of conversation.

Oh, and I picked Good Natured trait - it pumped 4 or 5 skills I was going to use, and only reduced one skill I was planning on using.

I love 'That Gun' - it does alright dmg, but it fires very fast, reloads pretty fast, degrades very slowly (need repair kits to repair it since it's unique) and, well, I really like Blade Runner (the movie where the gun comes from). It is a really easy unique gun to obtain as well.
------------------------

[just to add some specifics to that general description]

S P E C I A L
3 6 3 7 8 7 6

Skills - focus on guns, speech, lockpick, repair first - with medicine, science, following behind.

Perks - rapid reload, educated, lady killer, gunslinger, hand loader, finesse (i'm level 13)

At the moment I use 'That Gun', 'Ratslayer', with a 10mm and a Cowboy repeater as backup. I'll probably use the repeater more once I get a decent mod for it.

Just started crafting things more - ammo (really bummed that you can't make AP ammo) and weapon repair kit (only way to fix That Gun without the jury rigging perk). I think I will get the weapon handling perk since The Gun's str requirement is 6! That, plus some booze and he'll have no problem using it (Although he doesn't seem to have much trouble at the moment, but I guess it must be less accurate, right?)

And I know the high charisma is almost useless, but it really fits his personality, and I was hoping it would affect some interactions on it's own, but maybe it is just speech based.