When it comes to enduring the Wasteland in Fallout, you'll need every advantage to stockpile survival gear and combat the dangerous denizens of the wastes. Perks are your main source of upgrades in the Fallout universe, each offering unique benefits to make surviving and thriving that much easier.
Some perks are mainstays in the series, appearing with slight variations across multiple games. It is worth noting that some perk iterations are more powerful than others, so the specific game you are playing may determine exactly how convenient each perk is in comparison to other options. From Fallout: New Vegas to Fallout 4, careful perk curation will ensure an enjoyable Wasteland experience for your Vault Dweller.
10 Quick Hands - Faster Reload, Fallout 4
Also known as Rapid Reload in New Vegas, Quick Hands comes with three upgrade tiers in Fallout 4, making it superior to its Vegas version which only increases reload speed by 25 percent. In Fallout 4, Quick Hands increases reload speed for all guns, then, upon upgrade, it combines no Action Point (AP) cost for reloading in V.A.T.S, and gives ten additional AP for excellent gun-slinging synergy.
However, as a tradeoff for its improved power, you must first attain an Agility of eight or higher in order to select Quick Hands, whereas Rapid Reload is available to all players upon their first level-up. Despite being slightly more SPECIAL-build-restrictive, Quick Hands is easily worth the investment considering the multiple benefits it receives in Fallout 4.
9 Bloody Mess - Bonus Damage, All Games
Perhaps the most recognizable perk in the Fallout series, Bloody Mess earns its infamy for gruesome explosions upon death, but its real benefit is the flat five percent bonus damage it grants all attacks. The base version of the perk is uniform across games, but Fallout 4 and 76 offer unique buffs to this powerhouse perk.
Fallout 76's three-tier upgrade path bumps Bloody Mess' damage to 15 percent, making it a safe option for all builds. However, Fallout 4 takes this even further, granting the 15 percent bonus while tacking on additional death explosions for any enemies surrounding your initial kill. This modified AoE effect gives Bloody Mess even more gory utility than its standard version.
8 Swift Learner - Bonus XP, Fallout 3 & New Vegas
Swift Learner reigned over Fallout 3 and New Vegas playthroughs as a no-brainer selection. Upon selection, Swift Learner grants an immediate, flat 10 percent bonus to all experience earned by the player. This experience bonus includes quests, kills, and any experience earned from picking locks and other actions that pass a skill check.
Puzzlingly, this perk was removed from Fallout 4 and replaced by temporary XP boosting effects such as Lover's Embrace, which grants 15 percent extra experience for sleeping in the same bed as your romanced companion. Its replacement with temporal bonus serves as testament for just how useful Swift Learner is.
7 Toughness - Damage Resist, Fallout 3, 4 & New Vegas
Toughness has a bit of a spotted history, as its function fluctuates across the series to coincide with Bethesda's usage of Damage Resistance. In Fallout 3, Toughness saw its most simplified version, giving players 10 percent DR, while in Fallout 4 it increases the DR stat by up to 50 points. Lastly, in New Vegas, it bestowed a plus three to Damage Threshold (DT), a stat that was removed for Fallout 3, added back to New Vegas, then removed again in Fallout 4.
Despite varied effects and connection to the now-defunct Damage Threshold stat, Toughness provides an excellent boost to your survivability as all incoming damage will be reduced. Considering the many forms of damage you can receive, this general defensive bonus is exceptionally valuable.
6 Here And Now - Free Level, Fallout 3 & New Vegas
Another perk that has since been removed, Here and Now grants a free level-up, giving you a chance to boost your attributes again and select a permanent perk. While it sounds fairly straightforward, the number of benefits this single perk provides are surprising.
With Here and Now, you will receive enough XP for the level-up (which may be significant if you are higher level), be able to raise your SPECIAL, raise your skills, gain a perk, and access a later level's unlocked perk options. Though the immediate benefit seems small, the amount you can accomplish with this one perk places it squarely amongst the most useful for players short on time.
5 Scrounger - More Ammo, All Games
Despite its appearance across several games, Scrounger remains largely consistent as it allows players to discover more ammo in looted containers. While you traverse the Wasteland, ammo will almost always be in short supply, so even a few extra shells can spell the difference between life and death.
Fallout 4 added an extra degree of functionality to this series regular, giving you a small chance to find ammo every time you fire the last bullet in your magazine. Fallout 76 notably is the only game to enumerate the exact chances of finding ammo, capping out at an 80 percent chance at maximum level.
4 Strong Back - Carry More Loot, All Games
Strong Back's bonus varies, offering 10-50 additional carry weight across games, largely depending on the level of upgrade. With ammo and caps in such constant demand, carrying more loot will alleviate many burdens if you take the time to sell off your unwanted gear, exchanging it for lighter and more precious Stimpaks & bullets.
If you also find yourself hoarding guns and armor you may or may not use, this perk will help calm the creeping anxiety as you watch your carry weight edge closer to capacity. Unfortunately, only the Fallout 4 iteration includes the ability to fast travel while over-encumbered, so you still have to hoof it back to a vendor if you're playing one of the other games in the series.
3 Action Boy/Girl - Extra Action Points, All Games
While some perks become more complex with their different variations, you know what you're getting from Action Boy/Girl: more Action Points. Action Points govern several features, including how many shots you can fire in V.A.T.S and the duration you can sprint. This perk's effectiveness will change greatly from game to game, however.
Fallout 3 and New Vegas apply a flat bonus of 25 and 15 to your AP, respectively. On the other hand, Fallout 76 uses AP refresh speed, increasing by 15-45 percent depending on level. Similarly, Fallout 4 also uses percentage-based refresh boosts, capping at 75 percent at max level, continuing Fallout 4's trend of vastly improving upon the effects of existing perks.
2 Explorer - All Locations Marked, Fallout 3 & New Vegas
Serving as another example of Bethesda's fluctuating perk philosophy, Explorer can only be chosen in Fallout 3 or New Vegas as it became defunct with the introduction of Fallout 4. Explorer is exceptionally useful for players who prefer to remain focused on finding their destination without constantly referencing an outside source.
Although you will not be able to fast travel to them at first, Explorer will reveal every location on your map, allowing you to plot your course and have an idea of what sort of dangers you may encounter over the next ridge. While experienced players may recognize the series' iconic landmarks from a distance, others will be happy to avoid dangerous areas like Quarry Junction with the help of their map.
1 Gun Fu - Fast Firing Fury, Fallout 4 & Fallout 76
V.A.T.S users rejoice! This perk completely revolutionizes your quality of life when using V.A.T.S as switching targets between kills is no longer an issue. Debuted in Fallout 4, Gun Fu's initial version boasts instant target switching with a 50 percent bonus damage to your third target and upgrades to guarantee a critical hit on your fourth target and beyond.
While 76's version can only reach 30 percent bonus damage on your third target, even this downgrade more than serves its purpose, knocking down enemies like bowling pins. Gun Fu's wonderful combination of auto-aim and damage boosts make it one of the easiest perks to use in the series, and an absolute necessity for even the most casual V.A.T.S user.