Stealth builds in Fallout 4 take what was previously a straightforward shooter and give it a tactical and complex style of play. And while it is sometimes difficult to effectively play as a stealthy character, it is incredibly rewarding when it pays off.

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Whether you’re looking for a silent assassin operating under cover of night or a long-range sniper waiting for the perfect shot, these stealth builds are sure to make your next playthrough much more interesting.

Updated July 21, 2022 by Dan Christmann: Though many people play Fallout 4 with all guns blazing, sneaking around the Commonwealth is actually one of the most effective ways to play through the game. And while Stealth builds in Fallout 4 give the game the same pizzazz as, say, beating a super mutant to death with a hammer, it's difficult to overstate the satisfaction of going undetected.

Even with the release of Fallout 76, Fallout 4 never really went out of style. With the announcement that Fallout 5 is in the works, though, gamers have been lining up to revisit the world in anticipation of the next big release. Whether you're new to the game or nostalgic for the old, these stealth builds never go out of style. We've even added a list of important perks and stats, and expanded on perk explanations for those of you who are entering the Commonwealth for the first time.

13 Cowardly Scrounger

Fallout-4-Hoard-of-Items-1

Important Perks

  • Sneak
  • Scrounger
  • Idiot Savant
  • Ace Operator

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Luck

Fighting isn’t always the answer. Granted in the post-apocalypse it often is, but you’d be surprised what you can do without getting your hands dirty. As the Cowardly Scrounger, you'll sneak around, trying to avoid fighting the gigantic mutants, which is what any sensible person would do.

Instead of squaring off against impossible odds, your goal is to creep around the Commonwealth getting a stockpile of supplies and cap, which you'll use to buy even better supplies. Once you have a warehouse of Stimpaks and ammo you can fight if you want to, or keep sneaking around.

12 Synth Operative

Fallout 4 XPN-20A Synth

Important Perks

  • Sneak
  • Intimidation
  • Wasteland Whisperer
  • Animal Friend
  • Moving Target

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Charisma

Part role-playing build, part deadly manipulator, the Synth Operative is your choice if you want to champion the Railroad. Primarily, you'll be sneaking around enemies, only attacking when necessary. In town, you'll use your high charisma to get on people's good side. It will also help you avoid fights, get better deals on gear, or even turn enemies against each other.

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Because you're friendly with the game's sentient Synths, you'll probably want to equip a laser weapon to fit in. You'll want to talk first, but keep it humming just in case you need to carve your enemies up.

11 The Adjuster

Fallout 4 Killing Raider With Power Fist

Important Perks

  • Rooted
  • Iron Fist
  • Sneak

Essential Stats

  • Strength
  • Agility

The Adjuster is basically a Fallout 4 ninja build if the ninja decided it didn't like weapons anymore. Instead of slicing enemies with swords or putting two in the head with a silenced pistol, you’ll knock them out with your fists. It’s a trickier style of play but leaves more points open to spending on other SPECIAL stats.

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The Iron Fist perk is key here since at higher levels it can double your unarmed damage and lets you paralyze your enemies. Rooted synergizes well with sneaking up on someone and smacking them over the back of the head, and will give you extra defense and damage. To milk a few more damage points you could use a weapon like Deathclaw Gauntlet or Power Fist as they count as unarmed weapons.

10 Sneaky Fatman

Fallout 4 character holding the Fatman

Important Perks

  • Sneak
  • Demolitions Expert
  • Scrounger

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Perception

The Explosive Stealth build is a lot of fun and far from your traditional stealth character. Sure, you'll sneak around, but only to set your attacks up. Then, you'll go in loud. Basically, what you do is stealthily place mines in key areas, launch a mini-nuke, and the enemies will either die from the initial barrage or run into the mines.

High Agility and Perception are key for the perks you need. The critical perk Sneak should be as high as you can get it, and Demolitions Expert will raise the damage of your mines and mini-nukes. Scrounger is also important since it will help you locate more mini-nukes. From there, pick whatever else you want.

9 Ninja

Character in fog in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Sneak
  • Ninja
  • Mister Sandman
  • Big Leagues
  • Night Person

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Perception
  • Luck

There may not be any ninjitsu schools in the commonwealth, but you can sure take a stab at it. The Ninja is exactly what it sounds like: a sword-based melee assassin that relies on stealth damage multipliers to finish enemies off in one hit without getting noticed.

You’ll obviously want the Ninja perk to boost melee sneak attacks, Mister Sandman to kill people in their sleep, and Night Person to see better at night and improve your effectiveness. Big Leagues will raise your melee damage.

8 Puppet Master

Conversation in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Intimidation
  • Lady Killer/Black Widow
  • Animal Friend
  • Wasteland Whisperer
  • Robotics Expert

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Charisma
  • Luck

The consummate manipulator, being The Puppet Master lets you sit back and watch as your enemies fight each other instead of you. Instead of engaging, you'll start most encounters in the shadows with a syringer loaded with Berserk syringes. Tag the most powerful enemy you can see, and watch them go.

If the syringer fails, it's time to use your words. Intimidation, Animal Friend, and Wasteland Whisperer all allow you to turn your enemies against one another, and Robotics Expert will give you control over any machine you come across. Lady Killer/Black Widow will also boost your intimidation efforts. This build can be is difficult to use, but when it works, it's addictive enough to make you keep trying.

7 Spy

Character holding gun in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Hacker
  • Locksmith
  • Sneak
  • Mister Sandman
  • Gun Nut

Essential Stats

  • Perception
  • Agility
  • Intelligence

Part pacifist, part cold-hearted killer, the spy build is for people who want to use stealth to avoid conflict long enough to put a bullet into your target's skull. You can play it like an assassin, or only use your weapons as a last resort

Sneak will keep you invisible, Mister Sandman increases your silenced weapon damage, and Gun Nut will give you the ability to craft suppressors, all of which are essential for an espionage agent like yourself. Creep around enemies, turn security robots on if you need to, and take out your target they sleep. The idea is to never be seen while leaving as few bodies as possible.

6 Human Deathclaw

Character dressed in Deathclaw trappings in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Blitz
  • Iron Fist
  • Ninja
  • Action Boy/ Girl
  • Sneak

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Strength
  • Endurance

The Human Deathclaw answers the question of what it would be like to play as Fallout's most iconic creature. The answer? A whole lot of fun. You'll stealth around the Commonwealth wearing Raider or Leather armor for the aesthetics, a Deathclaw Gauntlet gripped in your hand, ready to pounce on unwary foes.

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To play the Human Deathclaw right, you'll need the Blitz perk, which lets you teleport to your opponent with VATS and gut them with your claws. Iron Fist increases damage with the Gauntlet, and Ninja vastly increases your sneak attack damage. Put enough ranks in them all, and you'll be able to leap in and tear your opponents apart before they even knew you were there.

5 Serial Killer

Zombie character in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Lady Killer/Black Widow
  • Night Person
  • Sneak
  • Ninja
  • Mister Sandman
  • Cannibal

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Charisma

Though it's largely a role-playing build Serial Killer has strong combat abilities making it viable. You can charm anyone with high charisma and perks like Lady Killer/Black Widow. Yet, at night, you turn into a killer using perks like Night Person, Sneak, Ninja, and Mister Sandman to kill people in their sleep with a knife or similar bladed weapon.

If you really want to get into the part, Cannibal is an absolute must, since it will allow you to feed on the flesh of your victims to gain health. Sure, with your high charisma you might not need it, but it's worth it for the flavor.

4 Black Ops Specialist

Character with hat in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Sneak
  • Commando
  • Gun Nut

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Perception

Hide in the bushes and surprise your enemies with a hail of gunfire: That's the name of the game for the Black Ops Specialist. You'll need a lot of perks for the build to be effective, but it'll be worth it. The build is more than viable if you’re discovered and get dragged into a typical gunfight.

Taking commando is essential for the Black Ops Specialist since it increases your accuracy and damage with the automatic weapons you'll be dragging around. Investing in Gun Nut, which gives you the ability to craft suppressors, is also important to make sure no one knows where you are after unleashing a barrage of bullets.

3 Stealthy Boy

Power armor in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Seak
  • Night Person
  • Ninja
  • Science

Essential Stats

  • Intelligence
  • Agility
  • Perception

Stealth? In a power suit? You'd better believe it! With a high enough science, it's possible to create a stealth boy mod for the insanely bulky power armor, which renders you invisible when you crouch. That means that traditional perks like Sneak, Night Person, and Ninja are all just as applicable when you're thumping around in your thousand-pound metal suit.

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Unlike other stealth builds, this one requires a lot of intelligence, and requires you to fully fill out your Science! perk. That means you'll have to be at least level 41 before you can don the stealthy suit, but it's worth it for the powerful protection and ability to smack your enemies upside the head with a giant metal gauntlet.

2 Sharpshooter

Character holding sniper rifle in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Rifleman
  • Gun Nut
  • Sneak
  • Ninja
  • Quick Hands

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Intelligence
  • Perception

The Sharpshooter is the quintessential sniper, hiding on rooftops or in bushes while you pick your enemies off from afar. Hunting rifles or any long-range weapon that can get you headshots will be your tool of choice, though you'll want to invest heavily in the Gun Nut perk, which will allow you to attach a long barrel, suppressor, scope, and so on.

Rifleman is also a great perk of choice since it can double your damage at range and lets your shots ignore armor. Sneak keeps you hidden, Ninja makes your headshots do even more damage, and Quick Hands will help you reload faster.

1 Infiltrator

Character holding silenced pistol in Fallout 4

Important Perks

  • Sneak
  • Locksmith
  • Ninja
  • Action Boy/Girl
  • Mister Sandman
  • Gun Nut

Essential Stats

  • Agility
  • Luck
  • Intelligence
  • Perception

Arguably one of the most powerful builds in the game, as the Infiltrator you'll spend most of your time in VATS, picking off enemies one by one with a suppressed pistol. If someone notices you, no problem! Just start blowing out legs to cripple your melee foes, or arms and heads if they’re packing a firearm.

Sneak and Locksmith are essential perks for a good infiltrator since they'll both allow you to get around unseen. Action Boy/ Girl lets you spend more time in VATS, and Ninja and Mister Sandman up your stealth damage. Gunslinger will also give your pistol more bang for its buck, meaning that together you should be able to take down most enemies quickly without a fuss. The Deliverer is a great weapon to pick up as well since it increases your chance to hit in VATS and consumes less AP than other guns.

NEXT: Fallout 4: The Best Things To Do Before Starting The Main Storyline