Fallout 3 Best Perks

In Fallout 3, the player would be well-served to have every possible advantage at their disposal. With bandits, killer robots, and hungry predators all prowling the Capital Wasteland, it’s best to come prepared. Luckily, as the player improves their skills, useful perks become available that grant an even greater edge.

There’s no shortage of perks in Fallout 3. As such, it may be difficult sometimes to decide on which ones to choose. Depending on one’s build and playstyle, some perks are better than others. Broadly speaking, these perks are often great choices when deciding to revisit the Capital Wasteland one more time.

Updated November 06, 2024, by Gerardo Molina: Perks in Fallout 3 are very useful in combat and in the grand scheme of things, as they can not only make defeating enemies a lot easier, but also help players get items for a lot cheaper and convince people of things they might not otherwise agree to.

While Fallout 4 expanded on some of the perks of its predecessor, Fallout 3 still has a great range of options for players to take advantage of and design their playthrough in any way they like. To expand a bit more on the best perks in the game, here’s a detailed breakdown of the top performers.

22 Action Boy/Girl

• Requirement – Level 16, Agility 6

Players who’ve played either this title or Fallout 4 know very well how useful and necessary V.A.T.S. is. Not only does it allow for specific targeting to deal maximum damage, but also allows for a much-needed pause in certain combat scenarios.

The Action Boy/Girl Perk (depending on the gender players choose) in Fallout 3 grants an additional 25 Action Points to use in V.A.T.S. This is a great advantage to have and can give players an edge when they need it most.

21 Demolitions Expert

• Requirement – Level 6, Explosives 50

The Demolition Expert Perk in Fallout 3 grants players’ explosive weapons additional damage, ranging from +20% to +60% as the level of the Perk is increased. This is a great advantage to have when dealing with massive groups of enemies that are clumped together, as not only is the damage maximized by the explosion’s reach, but also by this modifier.

It should be noted, though, that weapons, such as the missile launcher and the Fat Man will not be affected by this Perk, as they’re classified as “Big Guns”. That said, it’s likely safe to assume that a mini-nuclear explosion doesn’t need an additional damage modifier to be effective.

20 Toughness

• Requirement – Level 6, Endurance: 5

Longtime fans of Fallout 3 don’t need to be told that the Capital Wasteland is an awfully dangerous place. The list of things that can kill the Lone Wanderer is extensive, so possessing some extra Damage Resistance is always a plus. The “Toughness” perk is thus highly recommended, particularly for beginners.

“Toughness” bestows a permanent +10% DR bonus to the player character. The fact that it can be taken relatively early at Level 6 makes surviving the early game that much easier. Being able to take more damage means fewer annoying reloads after a nasty death.

19 Better Criticals

• Requirement – Level 16, Perception: 6, Luck: 6

In a game that’s all about survival, being able to outlast one’s opponents in a fight is crucial. Dispatching foes quickly and efficiently is the ideal strategy, though that’s easier said than done. Scoring critical hits on enemies is a surefire way to end a fight early.

The aptly titled “Better Criticals” perk helps with this task immensely. It gives players an extra +50% damage with their critical hits. With this perk, attacks that hit a target’s weak points are even more devastating than they were before. For players who enjoy picking apart their enemies like a surgeon, “Better Criticals” is essential.

18 Gunslinger/Commando

• Requirement – Level 6 (Gunslinger), Level 8 (Commando)

Most of the weapons players encounter in the game are firearms of some sort. Depending on one’s playstyle, fans may choose to favor rifles, pistols, or both! When using these weapons with V.A.T.S., a little extra accuracy can help quite a bit.

“Gunslinger” is perfect for aspiring pistoleros. It grants a +25% increase to one-handed weapon accuracy in V.A.T.S. In a similar vein, “Commando” grants a +25% increase to two-handed weapon accuracy in V.A.T.S. Take one or both of these perks if planning to utilize projectile weaponry.

17 Entomologist

• Requirement – Level 4, Intelligence: 4, Science: 40

Unfortunately, humans aren’t the only enemies players need to worry about in Fallout 3. The Capital Wasteland’s mutated wildlife can pose a major threat if fans happen to wander into the wrong area. Insects, such as ants, can be plenty dangerous when attacking in a swarm.

To help with the pest problem, players may want to consider taking the “Entomologist” perk early in the game. It grants a respectable +50% damage increase to insects, which means getting swarmed is less of a problem. Besides, dealing more damage is never a bad thing!

16 Cyborg

• Requirement – Level 14, Science: 60, Medicine: 60

Players don’t need to be reminded that certain areas of the Capital Wasteland can be extremely dangerous. As such, perks that grant resistances are usually a safe bet, especially for newer players who may just be learning the ropes.

The Cyborg perk contains several useful bonuses. It grants +10% Damage Resistance, +10% Poison Resistance, +10% Radiation Resistance, and +10 Energy Weapons. Players will have to wait until Level 14 and be rather proficient in Science and Medicine. Fans may want to consider making Science, Medicine, and Energy Weapons their Tag Skills to get the most out of this perk.

15 Finesse

Players certainly don’t lack options when it comes to choosing a build for the Lone Wanderer. A stealth-based character or one who prioritizes sniping are viable choices, to be sure. Best of all, there are a handful of perks that can help make playing as an expert assassin a more dynamic experience.

For those who enjoy taking down their enemies with minimal fuss, “Finesse” is an ideal mid-level perk. Characters with a high Luck rating or who also plan on investing in “Better Criticals” will reap a noticeable reward when it comes to their offensive capabilities. The perk bestows an additional +5% Critical Hit Chance, equivalent to an extra 5 points of Luck.

14 Almost Perfect

SPECIAL stats serve as the player’s core attributes in the Fallout universe. During character creation, the player only has a limited number of points to spend on their SPECIAL attributes. The “Almost Perfect” perk, added in the Broken Steel DLC, can potentially make the player character a god among men.

This perk raises all SPECIAL attributes to 9 out of a maximum of 10. If the player is also diligent about collecting bobbleheads, it’s possible to attain perfect stats with this perk. The only drawback is that the player can’t receive this perk until Level 30. By that point, the Lone Wanderer will already be quite powerful.

13 Black Widow/Lady Killer

The majority of Fallout 3 consists of either fighting or talking. No matter what playstyle is chosen, the “Black Widow/Lady Killer” perk is always a solid choice. It’s worth noting that “Black Widow” is only available for female characters, while “Lady Killer” is for males.

This perk bestows a +10% increase in damage dealt to the opposite sex. This can come in handy, considering a lot of enemies in Fallout 3 will be human. In addition, this perk also unlocks unique dialogue options in conversation, which gives the player more flexibility when dealing with a particular situation.

12 Child At Heart

• Requirement – Level 4, Charisma: 4

In Fallout 3, players won’t be spending all their time running, gunning, and looting. A significant amount of time is going to be spent talking to NPCs. Quests can often be completed in several ways, sometimes even non-violently. In addition, extra information can be squeezed out of other characters if players possess the appropriate perk.

One of the biggest examples of this feature in action is illustrated by the Child at Heart perk. This perk grants unique dialogue choices when primarily conversing with children. With it, players can receive some surprising rewards as well as alternative conclusions to certain quests. It’s a fun perk for players who like to talk their way out of stressful situations.

At some point, the Lone Wanderer is going to get hurt. Stimpaks restore health and are going to be used frequently throughout a playthrough. Getting the most out of a single stimpak is economical in the long run, especially since tougher battles may require a lot of them in the course of a fight.

“Fast Metabolism” grants a 20% bonus to the amount of health restored with a stimpak. This perk is especially useful when playing on tougher difficulty settings, such as Very Hard mode. Being able to stay alive longer with fewer stimpaks is beneficial no matter the playstyle.

10 Mister Sandman

• Requirement – Level 10, Sneak: 60

There are a lot of builds and playstyles that players can experiment with in Fallout 3. Sometimes, it can be fun to sneak one’s way through the Capital Wasteland, sniping enemies from afar or silently backstabbing them. There are several perks that deal with stealth, but one of the most fun is Mister Sandman.

Mister Sandman allows players to silently kill any sleeping NPC and also receive bonus XP for doing so. This is a nice mechanic for roleplaying as an assassin character who enjoys dispatching enemies without ever being noticed.

9 Strong Back

• Requirement – Level 8, Strength: 5, Endurance: 5

Limited inventory space is a common factor in most RPG titles. Players can’t take everything with them. Oftentimes, difficult choices need to be made when deciding on what to take and what to leave behind. Possessing a high Strength attribute allows for a larger carrying capacity.

Regardless of one’s Strength rating, the “Strong Back” perk is never a bad choice. It grants an additional +50 Carry Weight as long as the player has at least a Strength and Endurance rating of 5, which is average. “Strong Back” is definitely recommended for players who like favoring heavy weapons and armor.

8 Bloody Mess

The Capital Wasteland isn’t a pretty place. The “Bloody Mess” perk makes it even less pretty. Bonuses to damage are always highly recommended, particularly for beginners or those playing on Very Hard mode. This perk does that while also turning everything into a gory spectacle.

“Bloody Mess” imparts a 5% bonus to overall damage for all weapons. This is useful since it benefits most playstyles as long as the Lone Wanderer is utilizing a weapon of some sort. Visually, the effects are impossible to miss. Limbs will explode in a bloody mess, hence the name.

7 Comprehension

• Requirement – Level 4, Intelligence: 4

Skill books offer a great opportunity to improve one’s stats without leveling up. They grant an additional +1 to a certain skill, depending on the book. Since higher skills make the player more effective, getting the most out of these books, in the long run, is very helpful.

The “Comprehension” perk tacks on an additional skill point when a book is read. This effectively allows skill books to bestow a +2 to a certain stat. “Comprehension” should be taken immediately at Level 4 to get the most out of its benefits. Just make sure one’s character has at least an Intelligence score of 4 to unlock the perk.

6 Animal Friend

• Requirement – Level 10, Charisma: 6

Humanoid enemies aren’t the only threats the player faces in the Capital Wasteland. Players will often be attacked by animals such as dogs, mole rats, yao guai, etc. Frequently, these tend to only be minor annoyances that players can overcome. In some cases, these situations can turn deadly if the player character is surprised or already weakened.

To prevent these pests from ever bothering the player again, the Animal Friend perk is an obvious solution. The first rank of the perk stops animal attacks completely. The second perk actually turns these animals into allies who will help players in a fight, though not against other animals. If fans are tired of getting interrupted by animal attacks throughout their travels, this perk is pretty convenient.

5 Intense Training

Barring character creation, SPECIAL stats can only be improved under specific circumstances. Collecting the various bobbleheads is one such method. However, the most direct way to increase one’s SPECIAL attributes is through the “Intense Training” perk.

If the player left some attributes below average during character creation, then this perk is doubly important. Available from Level 2 onwards, “Intense Training” grants a +1 increase in any SPECIAL stat. It also possesses 10 ranks, meaning players can select this perk up to 10 times throughout their playthrough.

4 Tag!

Choosing the player character’s three Tag Skills at the beginning of the game is an important decision. They bestow a +15 point increase in the chosen skills and essentially act as the primary skills that fans will focus on during a playthrough. Of course, players often rely on more than just three primary skills.

Tag! is a simple but useful perk for players who want to beef up a fourth skill that they tend to rely on significantly. This perk adds an immediate +15 point increase to any chosen skill that isn’t already a Tag Skill. This 15-point bonus is a great way to buff up a skill that is lagging behind the others by making it a fourth Tag Skill.

3 Grim Reaper’s Sprint

Targeting an enemy in V.A.T.S. is something all players will do at one point or another. Depending on one’s playstyle and build, V.A.T.S. will either be used a little or a lot. For those who rely heavily on this targeting mode, “Grim Reaper’s Sprint” is assuredly a must-have.

This perk completely restores a player’s AP pool when scoring a kill in V.A.T.S. If an enemy can be killed in V.A.T.S., the whole process can be immediately repeated with a full AP bar. As such, kills can potentially be chained together seamlessly if the Lone Wanderer plays his cards right. “Grim Reaper’s Sprint” can be acquired at Level 20, so be patient!