| I admit that this is not a character build for the first time player. Hmmm... for example, I never take the perk Awareness because I have played the game so many times, i know roughly the max hit-points of enemies and what weapons they are using by appearence, the sound they make and the damage they deal. Also, I play with combat looks Off, so I am not even told if things are "Unwounded" or "Almost Dead." But Awareness is very, very helpful if you are a new player; I prefer not to use it.
A point of interest: Without Awareness and without Combat Looks On, the game still tells you what weapons your opponents are using when they reload their weapons. Ex: "Caravan Guard reloads H&K CAWS."
I have not been power playing. I recieved my first powerfist for around 12K from a merchant in NCR (got the location from Vault City). And sadly I am still wearing combat armor - it weighs twenty pouunds and I can only carry 50!
Yes, this build relies on having many, many skill points. With intelligence of 10 and Skilled Trait, you recieve 30 every level. Not very hard to get secondary skills to a usable 90% when you get 30 points every level.
As for the begining of the game... I did every quest that I know of, except for getting into the church in the Den (and the subsequent quests). I did not kill the slavers or take on the guards at the church because I thought I couldn't handle the combat. You do have to pick your battles in the early game. You can take on most random encounters, but... if you're opponents are packing guns, it is best to run.
Everything else went as normal. Learn about Vault City from Vic, find Modoc, get a ton of experience for very little combat in Modoc, continue on to vault city and gecko, get a ton of experience in those towns for very little combat.
As for stealing ammunition... It is not needed (I like it for the role-playing element, and I usually don't reload if I was planning on attacking the person anyway).. It is helpful, but your character should be enough of a tank that they can handle punishment.
Example: With sneak at 111% and steal at 90%, I stole the drugs and ammunition from all of the guards in the 3rd level of vault 15 and I only had to reload once. I reloaded because I got to close to Darion (their leader with a flame-thrower) and he alerted everyone before I was done.
One reload for a serious combat advantage? sure!
Last thing - if you knock an opponent on the ground or unconcious, you can spend three AP to loot their body. While you are looting in this way you can see their equiped weapons. You may take them, or, as I do, unload these weapons and take the ammo. This is almost as helpful as stealing. slightly more so because it effectively makes your opponent helpless for 3 AP, slightly less so because you can't do it before combat.  |