The BEST possible character start in Fallout2?

nøx · Post by **nøx** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:23 pm

Hi!
So what's the best possible start and stats (+perks) configuration in Fallout2?

With perks I think I will go for Finesse and Gifted. And for stats... imo theres no need for a big strenght as later in a game I will get power armor and then advanced power armor which will just raise it to the max. So I will go for like 6... dunno about the rest tho. Any ideas?
Cheers,
x.

Mr. Pastorius · Post by **Mr. Pastorius** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:29 pm

It all depends on the way you want to play, but you must know that there's no such thing as the "best" character. Every build has its pros and cons, and it's up to you what you'll pick. So, my advice is to just start with whatever you think might be important and later on just make sure to work on your character's hardpoints. For example, if your character has high perception and agility, you could go with a sharpshooter, if he has high charisma and intelligence, a diplomat would be a good choice.
I know this didn't directly answer your question, but I hope it helped in a way.

nøx · Post by **nøx** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:53 pm

Yea, I gues you're right. I just wanted to know if there are some basic rules that are applying to every type of character. Like the best start-off ST,CHA,AG,EN... and all the other stats.

Btw when I was in the Temple of Trials I ate that health bag and I lost one point of perception. Is that permanent? I played Fallout2 last time like few years ago, so I don't exactly remember.

Mr. Pastorius · Post by **Mr. Pastorius** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:54 am

Well, if you want a normal game, just make sure to keep your intelligence over 3, no other stat, when lowered, has such a great impact on the gameplay.
Also, the -1 to perception is temporary, so no need to worry.

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 3:06 am

nøx wrote:Yea, I gues you're right. I just wanted to know if there are some basic rules that are applying to every type of character. Like the best start-off ST,CHA,AG,EN... and all the other stats.

No, there is no "ideal" stats in Fallout, as different kind of characters may rely on totally different stats.
[/QUOTE]
Btw when I was in the Temple of Trials I ate that health bag and I lost one point of perception. Is that permanent? I played Fallout2 last time like few years ago, so I don't exactly remember.

[/QUOTE]
Powder of Healing is considered as drug in the game, and that's why it it lowers your perception. As the shaman says, "It clears your body while fogs your mind..."

Blumpkin · Post by **Blumpkin** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 11:24 pm

i guess this is spoiler material.. prolly not the best guy ever but he was pretty unstoppable after 9th. you can do everything in the game, it was fun as hell but tough early on and naturally the fights are generally always going to be tough. i had to use drugs to get the stats needed, kill metzger etc and steal things to sell to get by, but thats most characters early game.

Spoiler

st 4 later +1 from chip & +4 from power armor, pe 7 (later +1 from chip), en 4, ch 4 (later +1 from chip and +1 mirror shades), in 8 (later +1 chip and +1 san fran zeta scan), ag 6, lk 8 (later +1 San fran zeta scan), small frame & kamikazee, tag: doctor, lockpick, speech
perks/lvl; 3 = awareness, 6 = toughness (use buffout), 9 = better criticals, 12 = tag! Science to get skynet (or just small guns if you dont want to mess with SAD stuff, but then you wont get the +1 IN chip either), 15 = Bonus rate of fire (use jet or psycho), 18 = living anatomy (have doctor @ 60%, 21 = Toughness or magnetic personality (you will prolly want this after getting the assault enhancements), 24 = sniper

by the end of the game you will be badass having done everything there is to do, assuming you didnt kill randomly or become a slaver.. should have skynet, vic, and cassidy

have phun

Rachskald · Post by **Rachskald** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:50 am

I think the best is a matter of opinion, but my character build was quite awesome throughout the game... it had some flaws but I anticipated those...

I chose the following stats:

str 5 + 1 from chip (enough to use all small guns, and with power armor I could carry more than enough)
8 perception +1 from chip (perception alters many things, including random encounters, and since this was a hybrid sniper build, also one of my most important battle stats)
4 endurance (ok, this could be better, but I always seemed to have enough hit points, and resistances to poison and radiation seemed to play a really small part, only problem was I couldn't choose perks like toughness, but this gave me room for other usefull perks)
4 charisma + 1 from chip (I played this game solo, and charisma seemed to have way less influence than intelligence and karma on conversations)
9 intelligence + 1 from chip (THE single most important stat in fallout? skill points for obvious purposes and to ofset gifted, rules conversations)
10 agility (action points, what else do I need to say? also a nice armor bonus)
7 luck +2 from brain allignment (to get better criticals, luck also plays a small role in almost everything, and to make sniper totally awesome, also to dump rest points, endurance and charisma seemed unimportant)

I chose gifted and fast shot as traits

perks:

I forgot exactly what perks I had, for lvl 3 I chose comprehension, for lack of better. I remember having the ranged damage increased perk, better criticals, living anatomy, action boy 2 times, sniper...

tag skills:

small guns, speech, lockpick

The good:

I chose this build, because it is both allround and specialized...
I chose to go solo for a little more challenge
Same reason I chose to finish with only small guns, and even without big guns or energy weapons, I totally ruled combat... especially with 12 action points, fast shot AND the perk that decreases action points needed with ranged weapons
Also, this gave me skill points to spare on usefull things like docter, science, repair and outdoorsman

The bad:

none at all, except one:

because I had so many skill points to spare, I couldn't get much out of the skill increasing books, and my comperhension perk, because my only used skills where at 100% very very soon... But hell, I didn't NEED those books either, so this is a minor flaw

I don't think there is a build that owns more in so many areas, and also to get the most out of the game

Rachskald · Post by **Rachskald** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:01 am

of course, there are many other builds that would own as well (I remember having a pure sniper, pure diplomat and pure melee character in fallout 1 that all went through the game quite easily)

But I would like to point out never to pick bruiser, heavy handed, kamikaze or skilled as traits

The bad outweighs the good with these imho

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:00 am

First, welcome to GameBanshee

Secondly, you know you can edit your post? Use that, especially if your posts has only short time between, to avoid doubleposting.

Thirdly, well, it's matter of opinion, but I would change Speech skill away from taggets and select Big Guns or Energy Weapons instead. You would need it more badly than Speech skill, as opponents in the later game are harder to kill with small guns...

Oh, and there is one flaw you didn't mention... Skilled -trait gives you one perk every four level, not every three... So, you miss couple of perks in that way...
Also, you couldn't be able to take the Comprehension perk in third level if you had Skilled -trait...

Also, I would take two points away from Charisma, as you said, it has hardly any serious use in the game, and put those two points to Perception and either Strength or Constitution...

Rachskald · Post by **Rachskald** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:12 am

Thanks for your welcome

I couldn't find the edit button? Could this have to do with my browser, or am I missing something?

I chose, gifted, not skilled

Skilled would be one of my personal no-no's

Only 2 points in charisma? Are you sure that won't make npc reactions so low, that even my speech and intelligence won't be any good? I'm not sure exactly how much influence it has...

And I am well aware big guns and energy weapons are a valuable skill in the late game, but I like a challenge... the reason why I solo'd all Baldur's Gate and Icewind games

Thanks for your well-ment advice anyway

p.s. so strange, right after posting this the edit button appeared next to quote, I am 100% sure it wasn't there before...

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:53 am

Rachskald wrote:Thanks for your welcome

I couldn't find the edit button? Could this have to do with my browser, or am I missing something?

I chose, gifted, not skilled Skilled would be one of my personal no-no's

Sorry, my misread

Though, I would also advice against GIfted as well, as it makes the early game rather hard, though it's only my opinion, and with carefull character planning and development you can surely overcome that obstacle...

Only 2 points in charisma? Are you sure that won't make npc reactions so low, that even my speech and intelligence won't be any good? I'm not sure exactly how much influence it has...

Questwise, there is hardly any difference. Yes, there may be some quests which would be harder to either get or complete, but not so many. I have never had any problems on getting quests whit Charisma of 2... Of course, if you want to do EVERY single quest in one run, then probably higher charisma could help in that.

And I am well aware big guns and energy weapons are a valuable skill in the late game, but I like a challenge... the reason why I solo'd all Baldur's Gate and Icewind games

Yeah, I know that. Though, as this thread was about BEST possible character, I just decided to mention that small point...

Of course, there is nothing wrong in challenges. I do tend to find ways to make Fallout 2 more difficulty nowadays, as I have beaten it so many times already...

Blumpkin · Post by **Blumpkin** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:03 pm

I Agree many combinations are just badass. Of the many times Ive played through I had the most fun doing everything possible in the game with that character. While the BEST possible character isn't always the most fun, I would say a character that is extremely versatile and capable of accomplishing every quest in the game is more entertaining... than, say, taking steal, speech, barter and beating the game in 30 minutes with a handful of super stims and a dose of psycho.

Gifted is neato if you have the IN for skill points, I had to break myself of taking gifted/fast shot (or gifted/small frame) every time I made a character. If you are tagging a weapons skill that isn't Big Guns, you don't really need fast shot. Being able to crit someone in the head or eyes is very awesome, and with a tagged weapon skill, chances are your Small Guns will be high enough to shoot the dust off a flys ear. If you can't get Sniper then you can take a few Actionboy or a Bonus Rate of Fire.

Thirdly, well, it's matter of opinion, but I would change Speech skill away from taggets and select Big Guns or Energy Weapons instead. You would need it more badly than Speech skill, as opponents in the later game are harder to kill with small guns...

Actually, a M72 Gauss Rifle blows through armor and the very soul of any NPC in the game (esp. if you can target the head or eyes... good night).. I should say almost because the bridgekeeper owns. The only energy weapon I think is efficient and effective for the massive action point costs is the Pulse Rifle from the brotherhood/cave encounter. Big Guns are a pain, so dare I say, do not replace the best skill in the game (Speech) with a skill that will not even be usable until 3/4 through the game (energy weapons or big guns). That is unless you want to just have fun with those weapons, in which case, you could just save up skill points and take TAG! later on..

Questwise, there is hardly any difference. Yes, there may be some quests which would be harder to either get or complete, but not so many. I have never had any problems on getting quests whit Charisma of 2... Of course, if you want to do EVERY single quest in one run, then probably higher charisma could help in that.

Intelligence practically makes up for low charisma in dialogue, but there are some quests that wont finish or work without the proper charisma roll.. and with a two you may have to bug the gosh golly heck out of Tyler for him to let you in to the church to check the chemicals or find out thier "weakness".. There's some quests you just can't get without a decent CH/IN roll or good speech. 4 or 5 CH is ideal, more than that is just 'charisma boy' bound anyway.

Anyhow, I reverberate my point that he is meant to do all and still fight with any combat skill you hold back a few points per level for. The fact that very few characters can fight off a band of slavers encounter or actually kill the geckos and rescue smiley etc etc in the early game WITH NPC's; let alone solo, makes it pretty silly early game to take any combat related skills. High perception makes up for a lack of points in combat related skills anyhow. Just my opinion though and it's really all about how you play. I have made a char that had Energy, Small and Big guns tagged and kicked ass... but he beat the game at 19th cuz he hardly got any quests to do, I just ran around west of new reno and did xp grind... NOT FUN

This aside.. try Unarmed through the whole game without wearing armor (until the Enclave) for a challenge..