Build your character to survive in The Commonwealth.
Screenshot via Bethesda Game Studios
Fallout 4 overhauled the franchise's RPG mechanics by merging perks with the skills system. Knowing the perks and what they do is vital to building your character. When I played the game blind, I had to discover which ones were relevant to get my character to where I wanted them to be. This guide will cover all the perks in Fallout 4 and what they do.
In this guide, we will list all Fallout 4 Perks in a chart, sorted by their relevant stat. The perk system does not strictly follow the traditional skill tree-type progression, which we all know from classic RPG games. Instead, it allows us to select any perk in any order as long as its base SPECIAL requirement is met. Note that only the base game perks are in this list; we didn't include any perks that modding Fallout 4 may give.
Agility Perks
Name
Attribute Rank
Base Perk Description
Action Boy/Action Girl
AGI 5
There's no time to waste! Action Points regenerate 25% faster.
Blitz
AGI 9
Find the gap and make the tackle! V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased significantly.
Commando
AGI 2
Rigorous combat training means automatic weapons do 20% more damage
Gun Fu
AGI 10
You've learned to apply ancient martial arts to gunplay! Do 25% more damage to your second V.A.T.S. target and beyond.
Gunslinger
AGI 1
Channel the spirit of the old west! Non-automatic pistols do 20% more damage.
Mister Sandman
AGI 4
As an agent of death, you can instantly kill a sleeping person. Your silenced weapons do an additional 15% sneak attack damage.
Moving Target
AGI 6
They can't hurt what they can't hit! Get 25+ Damage Resistance and 25+ Energy Resistance when you're sprinting.
Ninja
AGI 7
Trained as a shadow warrior, your ranged sneak attack do 2.5x normal damage and your melee attacks do 4x normal damage.
Quick Hands
AGI 8
In combat, there's no time to hesitate. You can reload all guns faster.
Sneak
AGI 3
You are now 30% harder to detect while sneaking, and no longer trigger floor-based traps.
Commune with beasts! With your gun, aim at any animal below your level and gain a chance to pacify it.
Attack Dog
CHR 4
Your faithful canine companion can hold an enemy, giving you a greater chance to hit them in V.A.T.S.
Black Widow / Lady Killer
CHR 2
You're charming… and dangerous. Men/Women suffer +5% damage in combat, and are easier to persuade in dialogue.
Cap Collector
CHR 1
You've mastered the art of the deal! Buying and selling prices at vendors are better.
Inspirational
CHR 8
Because you lead by example, your companion does more damage in combat, and cannot hurt you.
Intimidation
CHR 10
Time to show everyone who's boss! With your gun, aim at any human opponent below your level and gain a chance to pacify them.
Local Leader
CHR 6
As the ruler everyone turns to, you are able to establish supply lines between your workshop settlements.
Lone Wanderer
CHR 3
When adventuring without a companion, you take 30% less damage and carry weight increases by 100
Party Boy/Party Girl
CHR 7
Nobody has a good time like you! There's no chance you'll get addicted to alcohol.
Wasteland Whisperer
CHR 9
Master the post-apocalypse! With your gun, aim at any Wasteland creature below your level and gain a chance to pacify it.
Endurance Perks
Name
Attribute Rank
Base Perk Description
Adamantium Skeleton
END 7
Your skeleton has been infused with indestructible metal, reducing limb damage by 30%.
Aquaboy/Aquagirl
END 5
Water is your ally. You no longer take radiation damage from swimming, and can breathe underwater.
Toughness
END 1
If nothing else, you can take a beating! Instantly gain +10 damage resistance.
Cannibal
END 8
Feast on mortal flesh to heal your wounds! Eating human corpses restores Health.
Chem Resistant
END 4
All the rush without the hassle! You're 50% less likely to get addicted when consuming Chems.
Ghoulish
END 9
Sure, you're still human - on the outside! Radiation now regenerates your lost Health.
Lead Belly
END 2
Your digestive tract has adjusted to the weirdness of the Wasteland! Take less radiation from eating or drinking.
Lifegiver
END 3
You embody wellness! Instantly gain +20 maximum Health.
Rad Resistant
END 4
All the rush without the hassle! You're 50% less likely to get addicted when consuming Chems
Solar Powered
END 10
Catch some rays! Gain +2 to Strength and Endurance between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Intelligence Perks
Name
Attribute Rank
Base Perk Description
Chemist
INT 7
Any chems you take last 50% longer. Far out.
Gun Nut
INT 3
Shoot first, kill first, with access to base level and Rank 1 gun mods.
Hacker
INT 4
Knowledge of cutting-edge computer encryption allows you to hack Advanced terminals
Medic
INT 2
Is there a doctor in the house? Stimpaks restore 40% of lost Health, and RadAway removes 40% of radiation.
Nerd Rage
INT 10
Genius. Is. ANGRY! When your Health drops below 20%, time slows and you gain +20 Damage resistance and do 20% more damage while the effect lasts.
Nuclear Physicist
INT 9
You've learned to split the atom… and command it. Radiation weapons do 50% more damage and Fusion Cores last an extra 25% longer.
Robotics Expert
INT 8
Machines will always serve humans, if you have anything to say about it. Hack a robot, and gain a chance to power it on or off, or initiate a self-destruct.
Science
INT 6
Take full advantage of advanced technology with access to base level and Rank 1 high-tech mods.
Scrapper
INT 5
Waste not, want not! You can salvage uncommon components like screws, aluminum, and copper when scrapping weapons and armor.
VANS
INT 1
Let Vault-Tec guide you! The path to your closest quest target is displayed in V.A.T.S.
Luck Perks
Name
Attribute Rank
Base Perk Description
Better Criticals
LCK 6
Advanced training for enhanced combat effectiveness! Criticals do 50% more extra damage.
Bloody Mess
LCK 3
+5% bonus damage means enemies will sometimes explode into a gory red paste. Watch out for flying eyeballs!
Critical Banker
LCK 7
You're a patient battlefield tactician, and can save a Critical Hit, to be used in V.A.T.S. when you need it most.
Fortune Finder
LCK 1
You've learned to discover the Wasteland's hidden wealth, and discover more bottle caps in containers.
Four Leaf Clover
LCK 9
Feeling Lucky? You should! Each hit in V.A.T.S. has a chance of filling your Critical meter.
Grim Reaper's Sprint
LCK 8
Death becomes you! Any kill in V.A.T.S. has a 15% chance to restore all Action Points.
Idiot Savant
LCK 5
You're not stupid! Just… different. Randomly receive 3x XP from any action, and the lower your Intelligence, the greater the chance.
Mysterious Stranger
LCK 4
Who is he? Why does he help? Who cares! The Mysterious Stranger will appear occasionally in V.A.T.S. to lend a hand, with deadly efficiency…
Ricochet
LCK 10
What goes around comes around! Any enemy's ranged attacks will sometimes ricochet back and instantly kill them. The closer you are to death, the higher the chance.
Scrounger
LCK 2
You know just how to scavenge to keep the fight going, and find more ammunition in containers.
To defeat your enemies, know their weaknesses! You can view a target's specific damage resistances in V.A.T.S.
Concentrated Fire
PER 10
Stay Focused! In V.A.T.S every attack on the same body part gains +10% accuracy.
Demolition Expert
PER 5
The bigger the boom, the better! Your explosives do 25% more damage, and you can craft explosives at any chemistry station.
Locksmith
PER 4
Your nimble fingers allow you to pick Advanced locks.
Night Person
PER 6
You are a creature of the night! Gain +2 to Intelligence and Perception between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Penetrator
PER 9
There's no place to hide! In V.A.T.S you can target an enemy's body parts that are blocked by cover, with a decrease in accuracy.
Pickpocket
PER 1
Your quick hands and sticky fingers make picking pockets 25% easier.
Refractor
PER 7
You must be part mirror! Instantly gain +10 Energy Resistance.
Rifleman
PER 2
Keep your distance long and your kill-count high. Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 20% more damage.
Sniper
PER 8
It's all about focus. You have improved control and can hold your breath longer when aiming with scopes.
Strength Perks
Name
Attribute Rank
Base Perk Description
Armorer
STR 3
Protect yourself from the dangers of the Wasteland with access to base level and Rank 1 armor mods.
Basher
STR 8
Get up close and personal! Gun bashing does 25% more damage.
Big Leagues
STR 2
Swing for the fences! Do 20% more melee weapon damage.
Blacksmith
STR 4
Fire up the forge and gain access to base level and Rank 1 melee weapon mods.
Heavy Gunner
STR 5
Thanks to practice and conditioning, heavy guns do 20% more damage.
Iron Fist
STR 1
Channel your chi to unleash devastating fury! Punching attacks do 20% more damage to your opponent.
Pain Train
STR 10
Choo Choo! All aboard! While wearing Power Armor, sprinting into enemies hurts and staggers them. (Robots and oversized enemies are immune to the stagger.)
Rooted
STR 9
You're part tree! While standing still, you gain +25 Damage Resistance and your melee and unarmed attacks deal 25% more damage.
Steady Aim
STR 7
Stay on target! Hip-fire accuracy is improved when firing any gun.
Strong Back
STR 6
What are you, part pack mule? Gain +25 to carry weight
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About the Author
Luka Rakocevic works as a full-time staff writer at Pro Game Guides and is a new-generation gamer. Backed with old-school gaming knowledge, his oldest gaming memories are on SNES, trying to beat Super Mario. Games are his big inspiration, and he frequently draws from that well to create new art. He prefers narrative-driven games like God of War, Killzone, Half-life, Uncharted and similar.
Luka mainly writes science fiction in his free time. When he's not home banging away at his computer keyboard, you will most likely find him at a local pub or a metal concert in the middle of a mosh pit.
Luka Rakocevic works as a full-time staff writer at Pro Game Guides and is a new-generation gamer. Backed with old-school gaming knowledge, his oldest gaming memories are on SNES, trying to beat Super Mario. Games are his big inspiration, and he frequently draws from that well to create new art. He prefers narrative-driven games like God of War, Killzone, Half-life, Uncharted and similar.
Luka mainly writes science fiction in his free time. When he's not home banging away at his computer keyboard, you will most likely find him at a local pub or a metal concert in the middle of a mosh pit.