Top 5 Survival Mode Tips for first timers

[Shikabane屍]

Fallout 4 is my first fallout game and it was fairly enjoyable... however...

Survival Mode is actually incredible, and i've done 3 play-throughs on survival mode each with different challenges and its fun every single time. So I'm going to give you my tips on how to play through Fallout 4 Survival Mode.

1. High Strength, High Charisma
This is a MUST for me, 6 Charisma Minimum so you have access to Local Leader right off the bat, i cant stress how important Local Leader is, in Survival Mode you need to eat, drink, sleep, and have access to doctors unless you like running around with 3 diseases all the time, there is no better counter for that than to build settlements, establishing supply lines and building a level 1 doctor in each settlement along with the decontamination archs to cure rads for no cost, along with the frequent Food and Water settlements provide, not to mention the beds makes it so you never feel too far away from a doctor, a nice bed, or just a freaking sandwich, on the same note all that settlement building means you need to scavenge a lot, i go for 8 strength so i start off with good carry-weight and am quick to add "Pocketed" and later "Deep Pocketed" to all my armor pieces to make things efficient when scavenging

2. Go Slowly,
Don't take it like you would a normal play-through, in survival mode i learned quick to scavenge every nook and cranny of every location so i could get all the materials i needed and more exp in the long run, in my opinion taking on Lexington/Corvega should be your first long term goal, its a location full of ghouls, Raiders, and even a bloke or two with a fat man, and is not to be taken lightly, i suggest going and getting the Combat Rifle from the blood clinic south of Fort Hagan and leveling up to ATLEAST to the point where you get gun nut 2 before attempting it.

3. COVENANT
My god, don't ignore Covenant, its just to the East of Starlight Drive in across the water and is an AMAZING early game settlement, you don't even need to do the quest to access the doctor but if you do decide to do so, simply play the quest as normal but when you talk to the Mayor before leaving covenant to take on the compound, make sure you pass the Orange Speech Check, and then later pass the Yellow Speech Check with Manny in the compound to get things rolling, then simply agree to let Doctor Chambers continue her work, kill Honest Dan, and speak with the Mayor Again and you have access to the only settlement in the game (that i know of) that comes with a doctor which is SUPER important early game as its the only doctor you'll have access to, along with a Store!, just make sure to connect that supply line and your good to go!

4. Lone Wanderer
Possible the most important perk in Survival Mode, is lone wanderer, it gives you such an elevated carry-weight and a nice damage reduction that I cant stress it enough, companions are tedious in Survival Mode and are a waste of stimpacks and ruin all your great stealth plans, i prefer abandoning them and going in on Lone Wanderer for all the amazing perks it provides, i will note that if you INSIST on having a companion, go with Dogmeat as he does not take away the effects of Lone Wanderer.

5. Start a Water Farm
Once you have access to covenant (and hopefully a few shops of your own) setup 100 Water at minimum at Sanctuary Hills, and begin to sell it, you will find the money you make will be exponential and once you have a good amount of shops in Sanctuary i find i can just collect all the water, sell it to all my shops and make a couple thousand caps on the daily, even level 1 shops are perfectly acceptable for this, and will provide you all the early game money you need.

6. BONUS, (Nuka World DLC users only)
Nuka World gives you access to the Handmade Rifle and some very good armor pieces (The Disciples Armor is my favorite) and can be accessed at any level, its very dangerous but if you can beat the gauntlet, acquire that sweet sweet AK and some early ammo for it you'll be set to take the commonwealth by storm. It's High Risk, High Reward but since the reward is very high damage protection armor and one of the best guns in the game, i think its well worth it.

I hope you kids enjoy your Fallout 4 Survival Mode experience

[Out Of Bubblegum]

Meh. So all your tips except one are: Exploit the game. Use any/every trick to make it easier. Only your go slow tip is good. This game is designed to be very easy. After about level 10, even survival is easy. There are some annoying limitations but they do not make anything harder. None of these things are needed. Anyone who really wants a hard time on survival has to work at it. Either by using mods or by limiting the exploits you use.

[Justin Sellers]

My tip is to find and note the location of every bed you can. There are a lot of them outside of settlements.

[Grendalcat]

Someday, when I am brave enough to try Survival Mode, I could find the OP's hints helpful.
As I am < L33t.

Except I will not be going to Nuka World. :P

[Shikabane屍]

Originally posted by Out Of Bubblegum:

Meh. So all your tips except one are: Exploit the game. Use any/every trick to make it easier. Only your go slow tip is good. This game is designed to be very easy. After about level 10, even survival is easy. There are some annoying limitations but they do not make anything harder. None of these things are needed. Anyone who really wants a hard time on survival has to work at it. Either by using mods or by limiting the exploits you use.

I didnt mention ANY exploits at all, except maybe buying and selling water, using Settlements and buying perks to make survival mode easier is definitely not an exploit? if using game features like settlement building is considered exploitative to you then have fun lol

I like the challenge survival mode has, if its too easy go play a hardcore survival game like Long Dark, but i personally like a nice balance of Survival AND gameplay not just making my self struggle the whole way cause thats not fun to me. This guide is meant for people on their 1st run of Survival mode who wants what the game provides but might be struggling like i did the first time through. personally Fallout 4 is my favorite Survival game for its balance between fun and challenge

[The Inept European]

I agree with the Charisma / Local Leader although I would say that's a play style, one way to do it, not mandatory.

I agree with go slow.

I agree you want to find a doctor somewhere, as soon as you can.

The rest - not so much.

[The Inept European]

Water farming is an exploit. No game is going to be challenging if you are water farming. You might as well just use the console to give yourself caps.

[Chaosium]

1. Secure Hangman's alley
2. Buy Overseer's guardian
3. Gg wp

[The Inept European]

Works for me. 😁

[red255]

exploit is a very strong word.

but people play survival mode for the challenge, the game is far easier in power armor than not in power armor, so survivalists might forgo power armor, not because power armor is an EXPLOIT, but it ruins their point of doing survival mode.

Tips for survival are a sticky wicket there. Go to a high level area, get an easy to get gun and use it to dominate the wasteland however does not seem like an approved strat for a survivalist.

it would probably work, but you might as well have posted in your tips, go to the game difficulty and drop it down to normal and wander around the wasteland with ease.

its just not part of the survival lifestyle.

a proper tip in survival is settlement setup, where to stick your base.

perk priorities (some survivalists will not take aqualad due to its somewhat over powered nature making transport to a variety of locations trivial)

etc.

[The Inept European]

Off the top of my head here are some starter tips for Survival:

Only do one risky thing per day (that includes exploring). Do it right after you wake up (after you autosave). Take more food and water than you expect to need. Then spend the rest of that day back at base crafting, etc, low risk stuff.

Make sure you always get at least 8 hours sleep, fully hydrated, well fed. Don't stay up late, don't keep working when you are tired/hungry/thirsty. This goes double if you get nicked by a radroach or anything unhealthy.

Establish settlements with water supply and a full size bed as quickly as you can. Don't range too far from these bases.

Record the locations of any beds, mattresses, sleeping bags, etc you come across. But it's always worth trying to make it to a full bed rather than a sleeping bag or mattress. There are a surprising number of full beds out in the Wasteland.

Even more important, know where you can find a doctor. Learn how to avoid encounters on your route to a doctor.

If you get sick and don't have access to a doctor, you will probably be fine if you have a lot of food and water available and just sleep nearly 24 hours a day. Plan ahead with food and water for your base / settlement. Have more than you need. If stocks are getting low, make that your priority.

Don't be afraid to take missions in stages, sleeping in-between or heading back to base in between to rest, heal, re-arm, re-supply.

Be prepared do multiple runs to mule loot back from mission areas after you finish each mission. Companions and power armour are helpful here. Or cheat, because this is probably the dullest aspect of Survival. 😀

[The Inept European]

red255 is right, it's all about the challenge

[Out Of Bubblegum]

Water farming is an exploit.
Going to Covenant or Nuka World or Hangman Alley early for the items and a home base and access to a doctor is an exploit. Your character in the game has no way to know these things exist.
Making a special build by tweaking your stats is an exploit. A very very common one but ...

You already have VATS and immortal companions to make the game easy on any difficulty.

My starter tip for survival is to build up Sanctuary first. Get a couple more settlers. Grow some razorgrain. Pick up all empty bottles. Make noodle cups. I only add enough wells to equal the number of settlers. I have plenty of water to sell and to make glue. There ain't that much to buy unless you want supplies to create cities.

Also +1 to IE's tips.

[Shikabane屍]

So playing the game smart is an exploit to you? lol okay,

Who cares what your character is "Supposed to know" thats irrelevant, this is a video GAME and i play it for gameplay, idgaf who my character is or the story (Fallout 4 story is ♥♥♥♥ anyways) i just get to BOS for vertibird access then abandon it, callling playing the game an exploit is stupid, an exploit is abusing game mechanics for some impossible to reach means, not just "Playing the game?"

[The Inept European]

Question for you OP - do you play Survival to make it challenging for yourself, or to make it easy?

[Shikabane屍]

I play for results, like anything. These tips are meant to make survival mode easier to do and make it a more fun experience