*SPOILERS* At which level should I face the final boss? [SOLVED]

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This thread has been solved. I'm keeping it up for others to reference in the future. Thanks to everyone who took the time to post.

I'd like to start off by saying this is one of the most enjoyable RPG games I have ever played and I'm very excited to play Fallout 2 after I complete this one. Now for my question: So I've been stumped for a few months trying to figure out how to escape The Master's vault, I have multiple save files in many locations (one being before I entered the vault) so I'm not stuck. I managed to explain to him that his mutants are sterile causing him to trigger the self destruct sequence for the vault. I managed to sneak by most enemies in the vault (I'm level 11 with low strength and perception) but the hallway covered in flesh leading to the Master cripples my eyes and the mutants guarding the entrance to the vault kill me instantly. I figured my level just isn't high enough yet, I did many quests in the game already to name a few:

-"Borrowing" the water chip from Necropolis
-Killing Decker and his thugs with the Sheriff in The Hub
-Found and became a member of The Brotherhood of Steel
-Repairing the broken Power Armor in the BoS bunker
-Freeing the town of Adytum
-Small quests in The Hub (Guarding caravans, killing raiders on the farm, etc.)
-Killing Doc Morbid in Junktown
-Killing the Mother Deathclaw in between the Gun Runners and the Blades
-Other small quests I can't recall right now
-I also scouted out Mariposa for the Brotherhood but I told General Maxson he shouldn't attack yet and now the option won't show up anymore

I have also discovered all the main map locations. Any tips on where I should visit to get more XP and better gear? (if there is any better than Power Armor) Thanks for answers and sorry for the long post.

[J.Freeman, Saver of humens]

I beat the game on my first run at level 10. If you're playing with Speech, you might be able to do a bit of "Disguise work" to get into Mariposa and the Cathedral stealthily, and you'll be able to talk down the final boss instead of fighting him, one of the best moments in the game, though I won't spoil it. Just try to collect as much info on the mutants as possible. Try Vree in the Brotherhood and Zax in the Glow. And remember: You can do Mariposa and the Cathedral in any order you want. I prefer to do the base first.

As for gear, are you using Energy or Big Weapons? If you have a Luck value of 6 or higher, you may be able to get the Alien Blaster Energy Weapon, the strongest single shot gun in the game. It lacks the pure killing power of the Minigun, but makes up for it with actually being able to, y'know, aim.

What are your Tag skills? Have you put any points into Repair or Science? These skills will greatly, GREATLY help out in Mariposa.

Do you have any companions? If Dogmeat is still alive, you're probably going to lose him in Mariposa. Seriously, though, good ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ luck getting through that place without killing Dogmeat. It's so hard, that canonically, that's actually how he dies.

[⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻]

Originally posted by J.Freeman, Saver of humens:

I beat the game on my first run at level 10. If you're playing with Speech, you might be able to do a bit of "Disguise work" to get into Mariposa and the Cathedral stealthily, and you'll be able to talk down the final boss instead of fighting him, one of the best moments in the game, though I won't spoil it. Just try to collect as much info on the mutants as possible. Try Vree in the Brotherhood and Zax in the Glow. And remember: You can do Mariposa and the Cathedral in any order you want. I prefer to do the base first.

As for gear, are you using Energy or Big Weapons? If you have a Luck value of 6 or higher, you may be able to get the Alien Blaster Energy Weapon, the strongest single shot gun in the game. It lacks the pure killing power of the Minigun, but makes up for it with actually being able to, y'know, aim.

What are your Tag skills? Have you put any points into Repair or Science? These skills will greatly, GREATLY help out in Mariposa.

Do you have any companions? If Dogmeat is still alive, you're probably going to lose him in Mariposa. Seriously, though, good ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ luck getting through that place without killing Dogmeat. It's so hard, that canonically, that's actually how he dies.

Thanks for the response, I remember speaking to ZAX and getting the research tape from Vree, but I haven't visited Mariposa yet.

The gear I use is standard Power Armor, a combat shotgun, and plasma rifle but so far I have mostly used the shotgun since microfusion cells are hard to come by, my energy and big guns skills are fairly low (50% and 23%) I do have 6 luck but so far the only rare encounter I've had was the dino footprint. I have been putting most of my points into energy weapons so I can actually hit enemies.

My tag skills are small guns (101%), Doctor (71%), and Speech (102%) my repair is 76% and science is 78%. So far I've been able to complete most tasks that require these skills, should I put any more points into them?

I have completely forgotten about companions since Ian died, any hints where I may find one?

Here is my character sheet:

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198261120257/home/

[Dustin81]

You can get protected from the master's hallway efects if you cen find some special headgear that you place in an active weapon slot from the second floor people huddled in a room. Also the best small guns to use are either 223 pistol or a sniper rifle. With the rifle you can 1-2 hit kill things from across the room with an eye shot.

The other companions can be found in the junktown skum pit bar at night and the Followers of the Apocolypse building in the Boneyard, west of the blades area.

[⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻]

Originally posted by Dustin81:

You can get protected from the master's hallway efects if you cen find some special headgear that you place in an active weapon slot from the second floor people huddled in a room. Also the best small guns to use are either 223 pistol or a sniper rifle. With the rifle you can 1-2 hit kill things from across the room with an eye shot.

The other companions can be found in the junktown skum pit bar at night and the Followers of the Apocolypse building in the Boneyard, west of the blades area.

Thanks for the info, I have a .223 pistol and a sniper rifle but for some reason I have trouble with hitting enemies from far away. I have 101% in small guns and 5 perception should I put more points into small guns or increse my perception through surgery from The Brotherhood?

[Dustin81]

Both if you have enough caps and the deathclaws are still at the boneyard for xp farming. Around 125-130 is a good skill number.

[⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻]

Originally posted by Dustin81:

Both if you have enough caps and the deathclaws are still at the boneyard for xp farming. Around 125-130 is a good skill number.

Thanks again for the help.

[J.Freeman, Saver of humens]

Originally posted by Barclay:

Originally posted by J.Freeman, Saver of humens:

I beat the game on my first run at level 10. If you're playing with Speech, you might be able to do a bit of "Disguise work" to get into Mariposa and the Cathedral stealthily, and you'll be able to talk down the final boss instead of fighting him, one of the best moments in the game, though I won't spoil it. Just try to collect as much info on the mutants as possible. Try Vree in the Brotherhood and Zax in the Glow. And remember: You can do Mariposa and the Cathedral in any order you want. I prefer to do the base first.

As for gear, are you using Energy or Big Weapons? If you have a Luck value of 6 or higher, you may be able to get the Alien Blaster Energy Weapon, the strongest single shot gun in the game. It lacks the pure killing power of the Minigun, but makes up for it with actually being able to, y'know, aim.

What are your Tag skills? Have you put any points into Repair or Science? These skills will greatly, GREATLY help out in Mariposa.

Do you have any companions? If Dogmeat is still alive, you're probably going to lose him in Mariposa. Seriously, though, good ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ luck getting through that place without killing Dogmeat. It's so hard, that canonically, that's actually how he dies.

Thanks for the response, I remember speaking to ZAX and getting the research tape from Vree, but I haven't visited Mariposa yet.

The gear I use is standard Power Armor, a combat shotgun, and plasma rifle but so far I have mostly used the shotgun since microfusion cells are hard to come by, my energy and big guns skills are fairly low (50% and 23%) I do have 6 luck but so far the only rare encounter I've had was the dino footprint. I have been putting most of my points into energy weapons so I can actually hit enemies.

My tag skills are small guns (101%), Doctor (71%), and Speech (102%) my repair is 76% and science is 78%. So far I've been able to complete most tasks that require these skills, should I put any more points into them?

I have completely forgotten about companions since Ian died, any hints where I may find one?

Here is my character sheet:

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198261120257/home/

You probably wont need too much more for Repair and Science, just load before each roll in case of critical failure. Doctor is good, Small Guns is good, try dumping a half of a level into Speech for good measure. Try putting your points into Energy Weapons from now on. You can get energy ammo from killing Super Mutants and from the Gun Runners in the Boneyard.

Yeah, there are people who have played the game for years and don't know about some of these encounters. Funny enough, I got the TARDIS, the truck, and the Blaster all in my first playthrough.

Do you want to finish the game fighting or talking? If you want to do it the smart way, you could probably do it now. Might want to mess around a bit more for fun, though.

EDIT: The final boss is in the Boneyard cathedral, not Mariposa

[⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻]

Originally posted by J.Freeman, Saver of humens:

You probably wont need too much more for Repair and Science, just load before each roll in case of critical failure. Doctor is good, Small Guns is good, try dumping a half of a level into Speech for good measure. Try putting your points into Energy Weapons from now on. You can get energy ammo from killing Super Mutants and from the Gun Runners in the Boneyard.

Yeah, there are people who have played the game for years and don't know about some of these encounters. Funny enough, I got the TARDIS, the truck, and the Blaster all in my first playthrough.

Do you want to finish the game fighting or talking? If you want to do it the smart way, you could probably do it now. Might want to mess around a bit more for fun, though.

EDIT: The final boss is in the Boneyard cathedral, not Mariposa

Thanks for all the help, I actually beat Fallout 1 yesterday and have since moved on to Fallout 2 (Which I'm loving so far). Here is what I did: After massacring and blowing up Mariposa I managed to get some robes and sneak through the Cathedral I explained to the Master his mutants where sterile causing him to commit sucide, I was pretty happy with the ending I got. I love how detailed the classic games are, I may do another playthrough after I finish Fallout 2.

[The Analog Man]

If your albert cole your main weapon is words.But you can do that with any character. Whatever level you think your ready.

[Corporal Hellcat]

I have beaten Fallout around twenty times, and can honestly say that it entirely depends upon the character you play and the manner in which you play it. I would say the Master is very easily defeated with a bunch of super stimpacks and a major weapon skill maxed, but it won't be fun. I typically end up around 14 on Very Hard and find it to be a really fun battle. Fallout was always great for allowing a Big Guns guy, Laser Guy, Grenader, or Sniper to all hail in their own beautiful way. The only build that you might have trouble with is a fist fighter. I am not sure that he or she could do much in that battle, but would love to hear past experiences if some have tried.