Do I need to google a build?

[Ghostlight]

I am giving this another go after a half-assed attempt some time ago. Is this the kind of game I can just do what I like build-wise and still have a viable character, or is it easy to bork your char if you do not google your build etc?

Also, last time round I was put off by the game wanting me to build a town, almost wall by wall, which I have no interest in doing in this kind of game. However a friend told me you can completely ignore that aspect of the game. Is that true, and what will I miss out on if I do skip?

Many thanks.

[bshock]

You do not have to interact with the settlement building at all, outside a brief tutorial.

[Gamedoc]

The most thought you need to put into a build is taking a damage perk & a crafting perk for the same equipment, e.g. Rifleman & Gun Nut. Aside from that there are various perks that let you tailor your playstyle according to what you want from the game.

Townbuilding can be almost entirely ignored. There is a main quest where you need to construct a machine but it doesn't need to be in a developed settlement. The main thing you'll miss out on is the Minutemen questline which serves as the "default" ending, assuming you've failed every other one. There is at least one other quest where you're tasked with making a safehouse out of a settlement for the Railroad, but it isn't necessary.

[Zekiran]

If you continue leveling and playing past the main quest and do sidequests and such, you'll have more perk points than you know what to do with anyway. There's a sort of sweet spot where your level, your perks, and your 'build' all are relevant. After that point you just throw points into anything that looks good, because you've gone past that level.

[NecroMaster]

The only reason you would ever have to engage in the settlement system is if you are going for a minutemen ending.

You need 3 settlements to trigger the castle quest.

Then you need 5 settlements with artillery’s in order to start war with the institute.

Aside from that you do not have to mess with settlements at all.

[Ghostlight]

So the initial points when you "create" the character don't really matter?

[cswiger]

Originally posted by Ghostlight:

So the initial points when you "create" the character don't really matter?

Of course they matter. But there's no level cap, so you can keep getting more perk points and eventually get every skill and max stats if you want.

[Vororo]

average modern gamer

[BDK]

For my first playthough I went with a jack of all trades kinda build. Basically lets you experience everything without being too nerfed, and you get access to all the fun stuff and useful stuff as well.

Str: 3
Per: 4
End: 5
Cha: 5
Int: 7
Agi: 3
Lck: 1

Bobbleheads add 1 point to each, and the 'SPECIAL' book lets you add another point into whatever you like.

[Docsprock]

Experiment, try things. Put all points into strength and endurance and carry a big stick. Put all points into intelligence and charisma and charm your way through the game.

If you don't like how your character turns out, start over.

[Death Approaches]

nah, not really, I mean obviously the points matter, more strength better punching and weapon stability and carry weight, better perception see enemies farther and are more... well you get the idea....

but there's no level cap, you can eventually have every stat to 10(11) and every perk unlocked, so it's not even possible to mess up that badly, though you might make it hard on yourself for a little while, like you put all kinds of perk points into VATS skills and rifles, and then only use automatics and never VATS...

by the time you're 30th it isn't even an issue anymore, you have money, resources, enough drugs to throw a party, a variety of legendary and unique weapons, etc.

[ming84]

There are specific ways to build your character depending on what you want (vats gunslinger, sniper, heavy weapons power armour etc.), but it's designed so you can't mess up your character. Pick random points and you'll still be a god in the end.

[BDK]

I actually didn't know (or somehow forgot) that you can spend level up points to increase your SPECIAL levels. So yeah, doesn't matter apparently. I'd still go high intel as you'll get more xp and level up faster. 9 intel if I had to start a new game.

[IceMan PJN]

You don't need a specific build and I personally hate using builds. I prefer my own play style and builds my character how I like. It's one of the things I like about Fallout and Elder Scrolls. You play your character your way, not someone else's way.

I loved settlement building but I know it's not for everyone. You don't have to invest time in it if you don't want to.

[Shaken_Widow]

not really needed a build but for the specific perks that i always use i make sure my guy has at least 6 str 6 int and 4 perception.

that makes it so you get strong back, lockpicking, and science/hacking able to be leveled.

every other stat is just personal preference.

you can always add points to your special later on but for starting stats these are the only ones that actually matter for the most part.

also, as a survivor strategy i always recommend the gunslinger perk because it increases the amount of damage and range that semi auto pistols do, which makes them the best weapons in the game early on as you tend to only find pistol rounds, on top of the fact that pistols weigh the least in the game, making it much easier to carry more loot and do more damage.

[Lucus]

Originally posted by Ghostlight:

Also, last time round I was put off by the game wanting me to build a town, almost wall by wall, which I have no interest in doing in this kind of game. However a friend told me you can completely ignore that aspect of the game. Is that true, and what will I miss out on if I do skip?

Many thanks.

you don't really need to build up settlements. in the event you run into the tiny number of non-radiant quests that even interact with settlements you can do the bare minimum to progress at that time instead of meeting the requirements earlier.

personally at the very least i'd pick one uninhabited settlement and use it as a base. place a bed, water fountain on the wall (for early game healing with no rad gain) later when you have enough resources place down a decontamination arch to cure rads and a small generator to power it. red rocket is probably the best for this as it comes with 5 pre-placed crafting stations.

as long as a settlement has no population it will never get attacked.