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Fallout 4 Tips - Properly Preparing for Combat
This week in our Fallout 4 tips post, we look at how you can best prepare for combat in the wastes
Fast, fluid, and strategic combat plays a huge role in Fallout 4. So much so that when you’re taking on a pack of Mirelurks in real-time one wouldn’t be amiss for mistaking the on-screen action as a snippet from the latest Call of Duty. Except of course, for the part where the enemies are giant mutated crab-things instead of regular enemies. This means that battle strategy, enemy AI, enemy type, weapons, combat styles and more factor into the experience of playing Fallout 4. To quote a trailer for the game that doesn’t exist but probably should, “This ain’t yo mama’s Fallout!” Fallout 4 is not only a sandbox experience -- in the sense that the world is there for you to explore as you see fit -- but the combat fits nicely into this category, too.
But as this is also a series with a long and storied tradition of turn-based RPG combat and mechanics, there’s that stuff too. Which makes wandering out into the wasteland of future-Boston and stumbling upon a group of very angry Super Mutants chilling in the lobby of a collapsing hotel, a recipe for carnage. And as delicious as that carnage may be, its outcome rests a number of factors, not the least of which is basically being prepared for such an event, but thankfully, we’ve got you covered.
Conan, Rambo, or Shadow Man
Shades of Che
© Kosta Andreadis
A first-person shooter can be a lot of things. The sort of game where you need to use the environment; always ducking behind something. Or one where you go in guns blazing, jumping, strafing, and generally shirking most of the known rules of engagement. Then there’s the stealth approach; hiding in the shadows to sneak up on an unsuspecting foe only to heroically knife them in the back. Or something like that. Fallout 4 caters for all of these playstyles and more. You can also mix and match them as you see fit. In fact, like with earlier games in the series you can opt to go full-on melee, taking on enemies with swords, giant sledgehammers, and more. But in terms of combat if you decide to go one way it’s always good to have a backup. For melee users, shotguns and heavy guns work a treat for when you’ve had enough running around. Or just want to mix things up. And for the Rambos out there, a sniper rifle or long range weapon can turn an overwhelming situation into a far more manageable one.
Tip: Racking up the difficulty not only makes the enemies you come across tougher to beat, but it will also increase the number of Legendary foes you come across too. Which in turn, means more Legendary loot. But then again there’ll be more Deathclaws. So, when playing on Hard always have an exit strategy. The day that Deathclaws learn how to open doors, like those velociraptors in Jurassic Park, is the day we’re all screwed.
Tip: Fallout 4 features a natural cover mechanic that plays into combat. Simply standing next to what looks like a good place to shoot from means you’ll get a nice defensive bonus. Crouching is even better, not only will you be harder to hit but your weapons will get a nifty accuracy boost, to boot. When facing off against giant Deathclaws or the dreaded Mirelurk Queens, getting into cover will more often than not be the factor in deciding whether or not you live, or get squashed.
The Right Perk for the Job
Targeting a leg in VATS is strategy-plus
© Kosta Andreadis
One of the biggest changes from Fallout 3 is the absence of Skills, with just about everything put into equivalent perks. So, if you go the melee route then you’d definitely want to invest points into Strength-based perks like Big Leagues as soon as they become available. Mainly because they directly influence the amount of damage you can do with a metallic baseball bat with a stainless steel saw wheel strapped to the end of it. The same goes for the pistol damage Gunslinger perk and the automatic weapons-focused Commando perks. These are a couple of the more obvious examples, so even though you may feel like sticking to only a few perk trees, mixing it up can lead to the best outcomes. A lot of the Luck-based combat perks, like being able to save and bank multiple critical hits is useful across the board. As is the Bloody Mess perk, a staple for the Fallout series, that gives a nice 15% damage increase at level three. Plus, the ability to make enemies explode into a mess of squishy meat parts.
Tip: The Ninja perk, which affects how much damage you do whilst sneaking, is one that actually works well across all play styles. In most battles you’ll end up firing the first shot, so this is invaluable in getting a leg up on any group of enemies. This Agility-based perk even works wonders for melee builds, providing exceptional damage bonuses for sneaking up behind someone and giving them what’s for.
Tip: As you’ll need 10 points in either of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. categories to unlock their most valuable perks, try to decide which one you want early on as getting there will take quite a few levels. Probably the best perk on offer is Nerd Rage! (requiring 10 points in Intelligence), as it not only slows down time Matrix-style when you’re near death, but it also gives you superhuman strength and defence.
Weapon Variety is the Spice of Wasteland Life
A bridge never too far... for a sniper rifle
© Kosta Andreadis
Carrying more than one type of weapon not only makes you look cool (and makes many a Caravan Trader stop and say something along the lines of, “Dude is totally packing some sweet heat”), it’s also a must for general survival. That’s because everyone and everything in the wasteland has a resistance score for the three types of damage in Fallout 4. Those being: ballistic, energy, and radiation. How does this work? Well, it’s pretty simple: the number directly correlates to a % of damage reduction. And this is where damage in Fallout 4 is at its most RPG-y. Let’s say a Legendary Feral Ghoul has a Radiation resistance rating of 70, that would mean any radiation based weapon like the Gamma Gun, would lose about 70% of its intended damage. Of course it’s a little more nuanced than that but as a general rule of thumb you can think of it this way. This also means that different enemies and creatures you come across in Fallout 4 will react differently to the weapons you carry.
Tip: Okay, so trying to figure out what enemies are resistant to can get old quick so be sure to invest early in the Awareness perk (it’s in the Perception tree), as it will show you an enemy’s resistance numbers when targeted in V.A.T.S.
Tip: Power Armour not only makes you look like a giant robot, but it can also provide damage resistance across all three damage types. Taking on Children of Atom without Power Armor, or a Radiation Suit, is a sure-fire way to be turned into green goo.
The New V.A.T.S and Action Points
Not lying, the Mirelurk Queen is very scary
© Kosta Andreadis
V.A.T.S, or the Vault Assisted Targeting System, is a part of your Pip-Poy that, when engaged, slows down time to a virtual standstill (just about), giving you the opportunity to target a specific body-part of an enemy and queue up a handful of attacks. The number of attacks depends on a couple of things. Your currently equipped weapon and the number of Action Points (AP) you’ve got on-hand. As a general rule it’s best not to sprint headfirst into enemy territory as sprinting chews up AP like they’re going out of fashion. The numbers you see over each body-part are the chances you have of scoring a hit, in a percentage number, so it’s always best to aim for something above or at least 75. Using V.A.T.S as opposed to just running and gunning (or swiping) is not a case of either or, as strategically slowing things down when the action gets hectic is something you’ll need to get the hang of.
Tip: Using V.A.T.S to strategically take out the legs of a bunch of fast moving ghouls is a great way to thin out the herd and make them easy targets. As ghouls in Fallout 4 are more reminiscent of the zombies from something like Left 4 Dead, using V.A.T.S in these encounters is a must -- especially where Legendary or Glowing Ones is concerned.
Tip: Another great way to use V.A.T.S is to speed up the explosive potential of any grenade you throw. Not only that, but mines can also be targeted individually. Which also makes V.A.T.S double as a mine detector of sorts. And you know those Suicide Mutants carrying armed nukes that charge at you? Well, targeting their arms from a distance will in most cases make them go boom. Mushroom cloud style.
Critically Acclaimed Headshots
VATS Vs real-time is perfectly balanced
© Kosta Andreadis
Critical hits and RPGs go together like, err, two things that go together. Traditionally the way they work is that any hit has a chance to become critical, resulting in a nice little damage boost. Fallout 4 treats critical hits different in the sense that it has a separate Critical Hit bar that charges after each attack. Once fully charged and triggered it will ensure that your next hit is not only guaranteed to reach its target but also pack the relevant punch. Giving players direct control over Critical Hits adds a new layer to the combat in Fallout 4, namely in the ‘when’s the best time to use them variety’. Once charged a Critical Hit is there for you to use whenever you feel the need, regardless of how long ago it was banked. So naturally, saving them for the tougher, bigger enemies you come across is a sound strategy. As is using them on the body parts that provide the most damage potential, and because they’re guaranteed hits you won’t need to worry about accuracy at all.
Tip: When used correctly Critical Hits become a staple part of just about every intense encounter. This makes the Luck tree perks of particular importance. The Better Criticals and Critical Banker perks are especially useful for taking down the bigger and more Legendary foes.
Tip: Combining critical hits with additional stealth bonuses may sound like a good idea but it’s actually better than that, it’s a great one. If you invest in perks across critical and stealth damage, expect to end up one-shotting quite a few enemies.
