1 stength 1 luck character uses machette takes 60 attacks to kill a certain NPC, same stats in VATS it takes 20.

10 str 1 luck machette 20 attacks outside of vats, 10 in.


You will notice not only the blindingly obvious damage bonus for vats, but that low str benefitted much more than the high STR, trippling damage, while high STR doubled. So it's most likely a constant value being added.

For the hell of it:

10 str 1 luck with heavy handed perk added in 18 attacks without VATS, 9 in VATS.


And no, none of these scenarios were red shield damage.

I can only take a guess and say that maybe Vats causes more crits, though I would lean towards agreeing that you just do more damage in VATS (Melee or not).

Nah. negligble crit difference in these tests. Not unless some crits are "hidden". I doubt that highly.

I have noticed (Using my Plasma caster) that VATS is much slower than real time, maybe the extra damage is to compensate for this? Two shots in VATS will leave enough time for a deathclaw to be right on top of me, while real time will let me get 5+ shots before it reaches me.
Does melee work in the same way? I always use guns/energy weapons personally so I have no idea.

There is something horribly wrong with plasmacaster in VATs, or horribly right outside of it. In any event, your thought was that the damage would be increased to keep up with the "real time DPS". It doesn't seem likely. that wouldn't show up as a constant variable, but would be multiplied.

Isn't VATS supposed to be "easier/better?" Like that's why you only get limited usage of it through APs? That's my take on VATS... which frankly, I only use when somehow an enemy manages to get past my barrage of sneaky headshots.

No VATS isn't supposed to be easier/better. It's supposed to be situationally better. What good is VATs from 100 yards away? 0% for everything. I don't recally VATS getting a damage bonus in FO3, only a crit bonus.

I haven't seen any bonus damage with the energy weapons I've tried recently. Sneak critical that consistently leaves certain enemies at -1 HP in VATS still kills them outside of it.

With unarmed, I'm pretty sure there is a bonus, at least for the special moves. A "cross" would take long enough that it would mirror the shots of an enemy's 10mm pistol, whereas outside of it normal attacks would beat it by about 2 to 1, while doing roughly half damage. In fact, the in "cross" damage was more comparable to a power attack than anything.

Passive 15% crit chance buff when using VATS. Confirmed in the strategy guide.

Doesn't explain these results in the least. I already figured the the cirt increase was there, as it was there in FO3.

Right there with you using sniper often doh.