A Minuteman Pistol/Melee Build

[RubrumCustode]

Gonna try a Minuteman Officer Build; maxing out Gunslinger, Big Leagues, Local Leader, and Fortune Finder for a start, probably all the smithing perks as well.

The whole idea is that this Minuteman uses the Flare Gun and Artillery in the open world, and in dungeons use his pistol/sword and his retinue of Dog Meat and (probably Preston, maybe Macreedy).

The problem is I don't know how to compliment such a build. Do I grab the Rooted and Moving Target perks (second rank) or skip them for Chemist and crank out all the drugs? I do intent to snatch up 2 ranks of Party Boy for the amazing strength buffs, so I'm kind of hesitant to waste perks for Chemist.

[wtiger27]

The MM use rifles also.

If you are going be focus on melee as one of your main perks, then Rooted is very valuable. I never picked Moving Target or Chemist for a melee build.

Chemist is very important however for any build in Survival.

Never picked Party Boy ether. Too many other perks which I felt where more valuable.

[RubrumCustode]

I actually wanted to stay away from Rifles and stick to Pistols/Melee like Calvary Officers during the Revolutionary War.

Party Boy is pretty good for a melee build and helps with carry weight. +6 Strength from Shine AND not getting addicted is pretty darn powerful.

[wtiger27]

Originally posted by RubrumCustode:

I actually wanted to stay away from Rifles and stick to Pistols/Melee like Calvary Officers during the Revolutionary War.

Party Boy is pretty good for a melee build and helps with carry weight. +6 Strength from Shine AND not getting addicted is pretty darn powerful.

Well, its your game. :)

But there are so many other ways to increase weight and melee damage than investing in Party Boy and relying on having booze all the time.

[Henry]

Doesn't seem very suitable for an officer to be reliant on supplements..

[RubrumCustode]

Originally posted by Henry:

Doesn't seem very suitable for an officer to be reliant on supplements..

Actually, continental soldiers were often issued a stipend of whiskey or some other sort of alcohol as part of their kit. It wasn't uncommon for soldiers and officers to carry small amounts on them as they marched.

[wtiger27]

Originally posted by RubrumCustode:

Originally posted by Henry:

Doesn't seem very suitable for an officer to be reliant on supplements..

Actually, continental soldiers were often issued a stipend of whiskey or some other sort of alcohol as part of their kit. It wasn't uncommon for soldiers and officers to carry small amounts on them as they marched.

Yeah. "Small" amounts. Not the amount you will want to carry with you as a alcoholic party boy melee fighter. :)

[The Inept European]

The primary weapon of a cavalry officer of that period (and the next 2 centuries) would have been a carbine (musket in the 18thC), in addition to a sword. Pistols were carried (again, single shot musket pistols) as backup. The era of cavalry with (musket) pistols as primary weapons was a hundred years earlier during the English Civil War and other European religious wars.

Having recently done a similar playthrough (laser musket and sword) I can give some hints:

Swords are hard to find until around 10th level, they don't drop or appear at vendors before that. There are some placed swords you can find. Revolutionary swords are less common than Chinese officer swords.

Chinese officer swords have better fully-modded mods than Revolutionary swords, and the placed legendaries have better legendary effects (arguably).

There is a short version of the laser musket that looks a lot like a pistol musket. But as far as I can tell it still uses the Rifleman perk not the Gunslinger perk.

Based on how random Minutemen patrols spawn, they typically get basic melee weapons and basic pipe weapons (pistol, rifle, SMG, sniper). The officers/NCOs would seem to have laser muskets.

The most powerful thing for a melee character is Yao Guai Roast but this is totally OP and probably a bug.

Otherwise, for a melee character you want strength, Blacksmith perk (gives massive damage increase on melee weapons), and Swing for the Fences of course. Swing for the Fences though you often pick last not first - other perks can be better.

Then it depends a lot on whether you are doing VATS melee or real time melee. If you are doing VATS you want Agility. If you spec Agility and use VATS many of the Agility perks are useful. If not using VATS, that will change your build.

[The Inept European]

If your MM Cavalry officer is going to have access to any kind of pistol, you will want to start with modded 10mms, in different flavours (long semi, auto, light). You will want to quickly pick up, in roughly this order:

.44 magnum available in Sanctuary lake and Hardware Town

.308 bolt action, suppressed, from the Donut shop.

Laser weapons including Legendaries in pistol configuration eg from Arturo and Danse.

Deliverer

Kellogg's Pistol

Plasma pistols

[wtiger27]

Originally posted by The Ex-ept European:

The primary weapon of a cavalry officer of that period (and the next 2 centuries) would have been a carbine (musket in the 18thC), in addition to a sword. Pistols were carried (again, single shot musket pistols) as backup. The era of cavalry with (musket) pistols as primary weapons was a hundred years earlier during the English Civil War and other European religious wars.

Having recently done a similar playthrough (laser musket and sword) I can give some hints:

Swords are hard to find until around 10th level, they don't drop or appear at vendors before that. There are some placed swords you can find. Revolutionary swords are less common than Chinese officer swords.

Chinese officer swords have better fully-modded mods than Revolutionary swords, and the placed legendaries have better legendary effects (arguably).

There is a short version of the laser musket that looks a lot like a pistol musket. But as far as I can tell it still uses the Rifleman perk not the Gunslinger perk.

Based on how random Minutemen patrols spawn, they typically get basic melee weapons and basic pipe weapons (pistol, rifle, SMG, sniper). The officers/NCOs would seem to have laser muskets.

The most powerful thing for a melee character is Yao Guai Roast but this is totally OP and probably a bug.

Otherwise, for a melee character you want strength, Blacksmith perk (gives massive damage increase on melee weapons), and Swing for the Fences of course. Swing for the Fences though you often pick last not first - other perks can be better.

Then it depends a lot on whether you are doing VATS melee or real time melee. If you are doing VATS you want Agility. If you spec Agility and use VATS many of the Agility perks are useful. If not using VATS, that will change your build.

Some excellent points, as usual. But I am thinking the sword Trudy sells is available once you get to meet her at the Diner. No matter what level your char is?

[The Inept European]

Yes that's one of the placed swords and probably the easiest to get. The others I know of are the Shem Drowne sword and Shishkebab.