Build Advice: Traits

Build Advice
Forget the builds you used in Fallout 2. The builds in this game are different.
Season	3
Status	Build template added
Completion	95%
Authors	Henry
This Chapter	Optional TRAITS
More Chapters	Build Advice: Title Page Build Advice: SPECIAL Build Advice: Traits Build Advice: Perks Build Advice: Skills
Notes	Builds: Strong Explorer Builds: Universal Soldier Builds: Turbo Miner Builds: A Leveling Build Builds: Fire Leader

NOTE: Small Frame and Chem Resistant were removed for Season 3.

Fast Metabolism

Fast Metabolism is not popular. It cuts your drug duration in half to 15 minutes. Since most all serious characters use some drugs, this is highly inconvenient.

• PLUS: Speeds up Healing Rate (not much, and does not compare with simply using stims).
• MINUS: Cuts drug duration in half

Bruiser

Very few people use this Trait anymore because it slows you down too much. Half of the +4 to ST can be obtained by using Buffout, and 1 more ST from using Psycho. Yet, this Trait is still chosen by a few experienced people who like specialized pugilists.

• PLUS: Bonus to HtH damage, and +4 to ST
• MINUS: -2 AP! Ouch!

One Hander

Other than a few rare specialist builds (like a Sneak assassin), very few people use One Hander because the benefit is so minor considering a character only needs a higher gun skill to get more Hit Chance, and NOT having this Trait means no restriction on what gun you use.

• PLUS: 20% boost to Hit Chance when using a one-handed weapon.
• PLUS: Adds 5 points to damage from single-handed ranged weapons.
• MINUS: 40% penalty to Hit Chance when using two-handed weapons.

Finesse

This is a tricky one. If you want to cause a lot of crits, and don't need to do as much damage, then Finesse might be for you. If you're running with a team of friends who do serious damage, then okay. But if you're running solo, it's tougher to actually kill an opponent; you'll do crits sometimes but you'll do less damage almost every time.

• PLUS: 10% bonus to Critical Chance but see Finesse page for details.
• MINUS: 30% bonus to target's DR but see Finesse page for details.

Kamikaze

In the past, very few veterans used Kamikaze except on highly unusual characters, but this Trait is now taken more seriously in Season 3, for its damage boost. There is, however, the painful penalty of a reduced DR.

• PLUS: You do 10% more damage to all enemies!
• MINUS: 10 point penalty to your Damage Resistance Ouch!

Heavy Handed

Heavy Handed is an awesome Trait for a pugilist. When combined with ST 10 and a Mega Power Fist, a fist-fighter will have amazing successes knocking down enemies. Opponents have to spend AP to stand up. Meanwhile, you knock them down again. Not the best choice for doing crits, but then again a knockdown is a crit. This Trait works the same even on a low Luck character.

• PLUS: +5 to Unarmed damage, and you can have a high chance to knock down your opponents.
• MINUS: -20 to crit power (see Critical Hit tables)

Fast Shot

Fast Shot is popular for both PvE and PvP characters, but it does not reduce the AP cost of firing bursts (only single shots), nor does it give fist-fighters a punching speed advantage.

• PLUS: 1 less AP to single-shots and Throwing.
• PLUS: Your bullets can randomly hit different body parts.
• MINUS: Unable to do any targeted attacks, so you cannot "aim eyes" or "aim head" etc.

Bloody Mess

Bloody Mess is fun. First of all, it gives you more violent death animations. And...

• PLUS: Always kill target when your damage takes them to negative Hit Points
• MINUS: Works both ways! You always die when receiving damage that takes you to negative HP.

Jinxed

Jinxed is a weird one. You cause more crit fails, but some of them are yours! Who wants a character prone to critical failures? Still, with a unique plan, you could run him through an enemy Town Control and maybe cause them some trouble. A Jinxed Sneak scout? Maybe, but your own team can get frustrated with crit failures caused by you too. Experiment first.

• PLUS: All enemies around you are constantly prone to critical failures.
• MINUS: Everyone around you is constantly prone to critical failures, including your friends, and even you!

Good Natured

Even with Charisma 1, Good Natured is perfect for anyone who wants 3 companion followers, instead of only 2.

• PLUS: +50 Party Points
• MINUS: Cannot have slaves.

Chem Reliant

At first it just sounds bad to be "Chem Reliant", but the truth is, some characters have this Trait because it doubles the length of time your drugs work. That usually means your Drugs last a full hour rather than only 30 minutes. If you're doing work like mining or gathering Junk, or even fighting easier fights, this Trait is fine. However, most combat-intense players do not like this perk since it reduces how well stimpaks work; in the heat of battle, when you need to restore Hit Points quickly, you need your stims to give you as many HP as they can.

• PLUS: Drugs last twice as long. Usually that means 60 minutes instead of only 30.
• MINUS: You regain only 2/3 of Hit Points gained from using medicines, like Stimpaks.

Bonehead

Bonehead gives you better crit hit resistance to eyes and head. It does not reduce the chance your enemy has to do a crit on you, but it reduces the crit power against your eyes and head only. This benefit is considered a good combination with the Man of Steel perk. A lot of PvP fighters have this Trait.

• PLUS: 10% boost to head/eye crit hit resistance.
• MINUS: -1 Intelligence so you lose a SPECIAL point, which can be balanced with more levels.

Skilled

Skilled looked good in Fallout 2, but it's not good in this game, mainly since Perks are so important. Nearly everyone else will have 8 perks. How competitive do you expect to be with only 6?. You cannot afford to have 25% less perks than your enemies in a game this brutal, and expect to remain combat-competitive. Plus, there is no leveling cap so more Skill Points are always available with or without this Trait.

• PLUS: 2 more Skill Points per level - big deal - seriously do not get this Trait
• MINUS: You only get 6 perks instead of 8!

Loner

Loner is one of the important elements of a leveling build, leading to a Reroll. It stacks with Swift Learner so if you have both, you get 20% more XP whenever XP is earned.

• PLUS: +10% XP whenever XP is earned.
• PLUS: 10% stacks with 10% from Swift Learner.
• MINUS: Cannot have Companion followers or slaves.

Chapters

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