Small Guns Sniper

Does the prospect of killing 6 Power Armored Enclave solders in 1 turn excite you?
Does the thought of laughing in the face of a wasteland Deathclaw as you annihilate their entire brood before they even touch you turn you on?

Then this build is for you!

This build abuses the Sniper perk to it's fullest. But that does not mean you're totally useless before you get to lvl 24! On the contrary, this build makes the game pretty much a cake walk (I'll be using that phrase a lot).

After almost 2 decades of playing Fallout 2, this is the most powerful build I've found so far (sorry Bozar!). So turn your game and combat difficulty up to max, strap in and let me take you for a ride.

Note:
I highly recommend using Killap's Fallout 2 Restoration project. Seriously, don't even play the game without it.

SPECIAL

Notes: These stats include the points you get from Gifted

ST: 5 (+1 Upgrade +4 Power Armor = 10)
PE: 7 (+1 Upgrade = 8)
EN: 4 (Trust me, this is enough)
CH: 4 (Sulik and Cassidy is really all you need. If you want 1 more, use the Mirrored Shades and some Mentats to pick up one more)
IN: 9 (+1 Upgrade = 10, sooo many skill points)
AG: 10 (Shoot more times per turn!)
LK: 8 (+2 Brain alignment (NCR) = 10, this needs to be 10 to get the most out of the Sniper perk)

Traits

Gifted - Because Duh!
Finesse - Crits! (This is what makes the game easy before getting Sniper)

Note:
You might say "Whaat? Not Fast Shot?! You must be an idiot", and I would say, "Astute observation! but please check out the Perks section of this guide"

Tagged Skills

Small Guns - Because Duh!
Speech - Lots of experience from quests.
Lockpick - Lots of containers need looting.

Perks

Level 3 - Awareness (PE5)

Level 6 - Quick Pockets (AG5)
Note:Use 100 Stims and reload your weapons at the cost of 2 APs. This is actually the best perk in the game, bar none.

Level 9 - Better Criticals (PE6, AG4, LK6)
Note: This perk enables the ability to insta-kill enemies with a critical hit

Level 12 - Action Boy (AG5)

Level 15 - Bonus Rate of Fire (PE6, IN5, AG7)

Level 18 - Action Boy (AG5)

Level 21 - Skip the perk selection until you get to Level 24

Level 24 - Mutate - Finesse to Fast Shot
Note: Not a typo, get this at level 24. Use the perk you saved from level 21 to get this along with Sniper. It's important to wait until level 24 to Mutate so that you won't lose aimed-shots before you get Sniper.

Level 24 - Sniper PE8, AG8, Sg80
Note: If you didn't get the PE upgrade yet, use Mentats to boost your PE to reach the requirements for the Perk

Level 27 - Living Anatomy Dc60
Note: Did your shot not crit insta-kill the enemy? Don't worry, the damage boost from this perk probably will)

Skill Progression

Level 2 - Put all points to SG
Level 3 - Put all points to Speech
Level 4 - Put all points to SG
Level 5 - Put all points to Lockpick
Level 6 - Put all points to Speech
Level 7 - Put all points to Speech
Level 8 - Put all points to SG
Level 9-27 - Keep points and use it on stats you need for your current situation
Options to put it in:
1. Small Guns - You'll want to get this to 150 ASAP to make fights easier. Eventually get it to 175 by the time you reach NCR. Up to 200 near the endgame.
2. Lockpicking - Makes it a bit easier to unlock doors and containers, but don't invest too much points because lockpicks and electronic lockpicks exist. Does not hurt to get it to 100% though.
3. Science - You can add points to this if you need to pass a skill check, but try to hold off putting in points until the Science Books can't raise it any longer. Note: Unlimited Science and Repair books in Vault City.
4. Repair - Same as Science
5. Doctor - You'll eventually want this to 76 to learn about combat implants. An item in New Reno gives you +10 Doctor.

Weapon Progression

1. 10mm Pistol (Klammath)
2. .44 Magnum Revolver (The Den)
3. .44 Magnum Revolver (Speed Load) (Free Upgrade at Gecko)
4. Red Ryder LE BB gun (Sierra Army / NCR Bazar / San Francisco)
5. PPK12 Gauss pistol (Mariposa / San Francisco)

General Strategy

Aim for the eyes! Your high Luck combined with Finesse (especially after you get it to 10 when you reach NCR) will make short work of enemies. You'll need to be almost point blank range while using the .44 Magnum, so make sure to use those corners in combat!

With LK 10 and the Better Criticals perk, aimed shots to the eyes can insta kill enemies!

Once you Mutate to Fast Shot and get Sniper, each shot, even if non-aimed, has a very high chance of insta killing your enemy.

To summarize, at Level 24, you'll be able to fire your Gauss Pistol 6 times per turn. With 10 Luck and the Sniper perk, each of those shots is an automatic critical hit. Each critical hit has a decent probability of outright insta-killing your enemy or do insane amounts of damage to kill them anyway. Getting Living Anatomy at level 27 just increases that chance even more.

Specific Strategies

Temple of Trials
Your early Unarmed will suck, but just do the punch-punch-run strategy and you should get through without a scratch. As for the final battle, you just need to talk your way out of it.

Arroyo
Killing the Spore Plants in the garden can be a pain. Just remember that Hakunin will heal you to full health every time. So when low on health, retreat, heal then charge back in. Lastly, there are 2 NPCs here that can raise your Unarmed and Melee Weapons skills by just talking to them.

Toxic Caves
When dealing with Golden Geckos, aim for their legs until it gets crippled. After that, they'll just run away and won't get very far since they can only walk 2 hexes. Sulik with a Combat Knife will make short work of any crippled Geckos. Still, try to aggro them one at a time.

Redding
Depending on when you choose to deal with the Wanamingos (weather you have the Red Ryder LE BB Gun or not), this can be a tough battle or a cake walk. Use the same strategy for the Golden Geckos, shoot the legs, cripple them then sweep them up when they try to run.

New Reno
Getting the Combat Armors and the Red Ryder LE BB Gun from Sierra Army Depot will make the fights here a cake walk.

New Reno and San Francisco Unarmed Fights
Make sure to do these fights BEFORE you Mutate to Fast Shot, because you'll need aimed shots to even have a chance of finishing these quests. It's easier to aim for the head instead of the eyes which can crit and cause a knockout earning you the win.

Suggested Town Progression

This is how I progress through the towns to keep things challenging. Because, sure you can go straight to Navarro from Arroyo to get yourself a suit of Power Armor then coast through the entire game, but where's the fun in that?

Note: This assumes you have the Restoration project installed
NoteNote: THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION! By all means, play the game the way you want to, that's the thrill of Fallout 2 after all.

1. Arroyo
2. Klamath and Toxic Caves
3. The Den (Don't kill Metzger Yet)
4. Modoc
5. Gecko
6. Vault City
7. The Den (Time to kill Metzger)
8. Slave Camp
9. Umbra Tribe
10. Redding
11. Broken Hills
12. New Reno and Sierra Army Depot
13. Abbey and EPA
14. NCR
15. Vault 15
16. Vault 13
17. Arroyo
18. Clean up open quests
19. Mariposa Military Base
20. San Francisco
21. Navarro
22. Enclave Oil Rig
23. New Reno (Miss Kitty) ;)

[leithold315]

Glad it's working out for you! I recommend hitting the head for boxing since the gloves don't do a lot of damage. Hitting the head knocks them out with a critical hit giving you the win :D

[jacobcrocker03]

Dude i’m level 18 on this build right now and holyyyy, got the SPECIAL upgrades and the extra crits + targeted eyes method works wonders even in unarmed combat, currently whooping ass in the boxing ring

[jecstir]

yea, this is a power spike at lvl 24. I took stonewall instead of living anatomy at 27. Pretty easy but I would get the .223 pistol and use the 2 extra ap for AC boost or reloading instead of trying to use every AP every round

[leithold315]

Notes:
Jinxed is surprisingly good for HtH combat. Your enemies get hilarious critical fails (knocking themselves out) while you lose a turn once in a while. The only real downside is your companions lose ammo once in a while. But keep them stocked with an extra weapon, and they should be fine.

Bonus Move?! Yep, the 2 AP you get is way better than 1 AP from Action Boy since you'll need to walk towards your target.

Why get the +1 INT Zeta Scan instead of +2 Luck? You don't really need to raise your Luck above the 6 required for Better Criticals. And the extra skill points you get from a high INT will let you raise your unarmed faster.

[leithold315]

Actually, Slayer does make each hit a critical, regardless of Luck. Meaning you can leave Luck at 6 to get Better Criticals and put your stats in Endurance and Charisma instead. Here's my stat breakdown for my Slayer Build:

Traits: Jinxed, Gifted

S 5 + 1 = 6 (take 1 Buffout for +2 to get Slayer)
P 6 for Better Criticals
E 6 - You'll need more HP since you'll be up close and personal
C 6 - Get 3 companions to back you up. I suggest Sulik, Vic and Cassidy
I 8 + 1 Upgrade +1 Zeta Scan = 10
A 10
L 6 for Better Criticals

Perks
3 Awareness PE5
6 Quick Pockets AG5
9 Better Criticals PE6, AG4, LK6
12 HtH Evade Un75
15 Bonus HtH Attacks AG6
18 Bonus Move AG5
21 Action Boy AG5
24 Slayer ST8, AG8 Un80
27 Action Boy AG5

[Demistari]

Sniper is one of the two core perks of the game allowing you to in essence one shot most enemies (eyes BAY BEE!), It is difficult but it melee counterpart, SLAYER can be on a pre-endgame character! Your Chr and End are utter crap but with the right build and the chips you have a 9 luck (NO its not an auto crit, its based off of LUCK) granting a 90% crit chance (95% is the limit) and your all around fighting (melee, guns) turns your PC into a storm of instant death, combined with bloody mess you can turn the streets of anytown USA (but not Redding, my hometown irl) into a charnel house alone.

[leithold315]

Hello! When you get to level 21 and open the character sheet, you can click cancel to skip selecting a perk. You can keep doing this until level 24, at which point you can pick 2 perks, Mutate then Sniper, one after the other. Hope this helps! :D

[*2009XboxLiveGamerTag*]

OK so regarding the Perk Progression part of the guide how are you supposed the get both Mutate! and Sniper by level 24 ? Can you choose when you swap the traits and to hold off until level 27 to get Sniper? If so then why get Living Anatomy at level 27 when you could get it at level 30? Please explain because you did write "Not a typo".

[Secret Weapon]

Thanks for the awesome guide!

[The Chef]

Been attempting multiple builds like this in fo1, this looks like it'll be the one for me to start fo2!