Fallout 4 Perk Chart: All Perks Explained

Fallout 4 has mastered the formula for creating an immersive RPG you can’t put down, and much of that has to do with its elaborate perk system. Whether you’re looking for a powerful juggernaut build that can withstand the dangers of the wastelands or leaning more toward a stealth-based RPG class, perks are an essential part of gameplay. 

However, with so many different perks, it can be difficult to know the best perks for your character. That’s why we created a comprehensive Fallout 4 perk chart so you can learn what each perk does in advance, plus how to unlock it. 

Below, discover every perk available in Fallout 4. This includes the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks available and those you can earn through companions, magazines, and additional content. 

Fallout 4 Perk Chart

Level	Strength	Perception	Endurance	Charisma	Intelligence	Agility	Luck
1	Iron Fist	Pickpocket	Toughness	Cap Collector	V.A.N.S.	Gunslinger	Fortune Finder
2	Big Leagues	Rifleman	Lead Belly	Lady Killer/Black Widow	Medic	Commando	Scrounger
3	Armorer	Awareness	Lifegiver	Lone Wanderer	Gun Nut	Sneak	Bloody Mess
4	Blacksmith	Locksmith	Chem Resistant	Attack Dog	Hacker	Mister Sandman	Mysterious Stranger
5	Heavy Gunner	Demolition Expert	Aquaboy/Aquagirl	Animal Friend	Scrapper	Action Boy/Action Girl	Idiot Savant
6	Strong Back	Night Person	Rad Resistant	Local Leader	Science!	Moving Target	Better Criticals
7	Steady Aim	Refractor	Adamantium Skeleton	Party Boy/Party Girl	Chemist	Ninja	Critical Banker
8	Basher	Sniper	Cannibal	Inspirational	Robotics Expert	Quick Hands	Grim Reaper’s Sprint
9	Rooted	Penetrator	Ghoulish	Wasteland Whisperer	Nuclear Physicist	Blitz	Four Leaf Clover
10	Pain Train	Concentrated Fire	Solar Powered	Intimidation	Nerd Rage!	Gun Fu	Ricochet

How Fallout 4 Perks Work

At its core, Fallout 4’s perks are the skill system for this fan-favorite title. The main perks in this game are known as S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks. These add attributes to your skill tree upon level up, which can dictate your gameplay as you flesh out your character’s advanced abilities.

However, S.P.E.C.I.A.L perks aren’t the only useful upgrades you unlock. As you explore the open world, you’ll also unlock magazine or bobblehead perks. You can even receive temporary perks by sleeping or sitting in certain places.

In all, Fallout 4 perks give you control over your gameplay. You can choose to build your character however you wish, picking which skill sets you prioritize over others. This high level of customization is what makes Fallout 4 one of the best single player games.

What Are S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks in Fallout 4?

S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks are the core perks in Fallout 4 that require points to rank up—these open up new buffs and skillsets for your character. However, while you may be familiar with skill systems in different games, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks don’t follow a traditional tree format. Instead, so long as you meet the requirements for a perk, you can invest your points into it. 

Below, discover each Fallout 4 S.P.E.C.I.A.L chart from strength to luck. Plus, learn more about the requirements for each perk.

Strength Perks

Strength perks in Fallout 4 focus on damage output for melee and heavy weapons. While most defensive qualities fall into the endurance category, strength also offers some perks to fortify you for battle, such as the damage resistance buffs in higher ranks.

Iron Fist  – STR 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Punching attacks do 20% more damage to enemies.
2	9	Punching attacks do 40% more damage to enemies and can disarm them.
3	18	Punching attacks do 60% more damage to enemies, and unarmed power attacks have an increased chance of causing crippled limb effects.
4	31	Punching attacks do 80% more damage to enemies, and unarmed power attacks have an increased chance of causing crippled limb effects.
5	46	Punching attacks deal double the damage, and criticals in V.A.T.S. have a chance to paralyze.

Big Leagues  – STR 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Melee weapons deal 20% more damage.
2	7	Melee weapons deal 40% more damage with a chance to disarm.
3	15	Melee weapons deal 60% more damage with an increased chance to disarm.
4	27	Melee weapons deal 80% more damage, and you hit all the enemies in front of you.
5	42	Melee weapons deal double the damage with a chance to cause crippled effects, plus the chance for a fatal finish.

Armorer  – STR 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You have access to base-level and Rank 1 armor modifications.
2	13	You gain access to Rank 2 armor modifications.
3	25	You gain access to Rank 3 armor modifications.
4	39	You gain access to Rank 4 armor modifications.

Blacksmith – STR 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You have access to base-level and Rank 1 melee weapon modifications.
2	16	You gain access to Rank 2 melee weapon modifications.
3	29	You gain access to Rank 3 melee weapon modifications.

Heavy Gunner – STR 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Heavy guns deal 20% more damage.
2	11	Heavy guns deal 40% more damage, and hip fire accuracy increases.
3	21	Heavy guns deal 60% more damage, and hip fire accuracy increases.
4	35	Heavy guns deal 80% more damage, with a chance to cause stagger.
5	47	Heavy weapons deal double the damage.

Strong Back – STR 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Gain +25 to carry weight.
2	10	Gain +50 to carry weight.
3	20	You can use Action Points to run while you’re overencumbered.
4	30	In Normal Mode: You can fast travel while overencumbered. In Survival Mode: You won’t become injured when overencumbered.
5	40	Running costs 50% less Action Points when overencumbered.

Steady Aim – STR 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Hip-fire accuracy is improved for all guns.
2	28	Hip-fire accuracy is improved.
3	49	Hip-fire damage is improved.

Basher – STR 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Bashing an enemy with your gun does 25% more damage.
2	5	Bashing an enemy with your gun does 50% more damage with a chance to cripple.
3	14	Bashing an enemy with your gun does 75% more damage with an increased chance to cripple.
4	26	Bashing an enemy with your gun deals double damage with an increased chance to cripple and the opportunity to inflict a Critical Hit.

Rooted – STR 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		While standing still, gain +25 damage resistance and have your melee and unarmed attacks do 25% more damage.
2	22	While standing still, gain +50 damage resistance and have your melee and unarmed attacks do 50% more damage.
3	43	While standing still, you can disarm enemies that attack you with melee weapons.

Pain Train – STR 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		While wearing Power Armor, you can damage and stagger most enemies by running into them.
2	24	While wearing Power Armor, you can deal more damage and a more powerful stagger to most enemies by running into them.
3	50	While wearing Power Armor, you can deal more damage and knock down enemies by running into them, and impact landing near an enemy also deals more damage.

Perception Perks

Players who want stealth-oriented gameplay should focus on perception perks. These can grant boosted pickpocketing and add ranged weapon buffs, helping you better navigate the world unseen. 

Pickpocket – PER 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Picking pockets is now 25% easier.
2	6	Picking pockets is now 50% easier, and you can place live grenades in someone’s inventory.
3	17	Picking pockets is now 75% easier, and you can steal equipped weapons.
4	30	Pickpocketing is twice as easy, and you can steal equipped items.

Rifleman – PER 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 20% more damage.
2	9	Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 40% more damage, plus ignore 15% of armor.
3	18	Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 60% more damage, plus ignore 20% of armor.
4	31	Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 80% more damage plus ignore 25% of armor and have a chance to cripple a limb.
5	46	Attacks with non-automatic rifles deal double the damage, ignore 30% of armor, and have an increased chance to cripple a limb.

Awareness – PER 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You can view a target’s specific damage resistances in V.A.T.S.
2	14	5% increase to hit chance and damage dealt to V.A.T.S. targets.

Locksmith – PER 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You can pick Advanced locks.
2	7	You can pick Expert locks.
3	18	You can pick Master locks.
4	41	While lockpicking, your bobby pin will no longer break.

Demolition Expert – PER 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Explosives do 25% more damage, and you can craft explosives at any chemistry station.
2	10	Explosives do 50% more damage, and grenades gain a throwing arc.
3	22	Explosives do 75% more damage and affect a larger area.
4	34	Explosives deal double the damage, as well as mines and grenades shot in V.A.T.S.

Night Person – PER 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		+2 to Intelligence and Perception between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
2	25	+3 to Intelligence and Perception between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and gain night vision when sneaking.
3	37	+30 health between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Refractor – PER 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		+10 energy resistance.
2	11	+20 energy resistance.
3	21	+30 energy resistance.
4	35	+40 energy resistance.
5	42	+50 energy resistance.

Sniper – PER 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Gain improved control and hold your breath longer while aiming down a scope.
2	13	15% chance non-automatic, scoped rifles will knock down enemies.
3	26	In V.A.T.S., non-automatic, scoped rifles gain +25% headshot accuracy.

Penetrator – PER 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		In V.A.T.S, you can target an enemy’s body parts that are blocked by cover, although accuracy is decreased.
2	28	In V.A.T.S, you can target an enemy’s body parts that are blocked by cover.

Concentrated Fire – PER 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		In V.A.T.S., every attack on the same body part gains +10% accuracy.
2	26	In V.A.T.S., every attack on the same body part gains +15% accuracy.
3	50	In V.A.T.S., every attack on the same body part gains +20% accuracy and damage.

Endurance Perks

The wastelands of Fallout 4 are filled with danger, and the Fallout 4 perk tree for endurance can help you prepare for it. At its core, endurance buffs your character’s survivability, whether you want to focus on damage resistance or health. You can even go as far as to take on the role of a cannibal who can heal from eating corpses. 

Toughness – END 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		+10 damage resistance.
2	9	+20 damage resistance.
3	18	+30 damage resistance.
4	31	+40 damage resistance.
5	46	+50 damage resistance.

Lead Belly – END 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Decreased radiation from eating and drinking.
2	6	Radiation from eating and drinking is decreased further.
3	17	You take no radiation from eating or drinking.

Lifegiver – END 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		+20 maximum Health.
2	8	Gain another +20 maximum health.
3	20	Gain another +20 maximum health, and slowly generate lost health.

Chem Resistant – END 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		When consuming chems, you are 50% less likely to get addicted.
2	22	You are immune to chem addiction.

Aquaboy/Aquagirl – END 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You gain the ability to breathe underwater and no longer take radiation damage when swimming.
2	21	Become undetectable while submerged in water.

Rad Resistant – END 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		+10 radiation resistance.
2	13	+20 radiation resistance.
3	26	+30 radiation resistance.
4	35	+40 radiation resistance.

Adamantium Skeleton – END 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Limb damage is reduced by 30%.
2	13	Limb damage is reduced by 60%.
3	26	You no longer suffer limb damage.

Cannibal – END 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Eating human flesh restores health.
2	19	Eating ghoul or super mutant flesh also restores human health.
3	38	You can eat human, ghoul, or super mutant flesh to restore a significant amount of health.

Ghoulish – END 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Radiation regenerates health.
2	24	Radiation regenerates more health.
3	48	Radiation regenerates more health, with a chance that some feral ghouls become non-hostile.
4	50	Rad damage heals slowly and restores health.

Solar Powered – END 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		+2 to Strength and Endurance between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
2	27	Sunlight slowly heals radiation damage.
3	50	Sunlight slowly regenerates health.

Charisma Perks

Even in a post-apocalyptic world, making (and spending) money is essential. Caps are the currency for Fallout 4, and the early stages of charisma revolve around getting better deals and earning more caps. However, as you advance through these perks, you’ll find that points in charisma make you more social, giving you a better synergy with your dog and negating the effects of alcohol. 

Cap Collector – CHR 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Buy and sell at vendors for better prices.
2	20	Buy and sell at vendors for even better prices.
3	41	Invest up to 500 caps to raise a store’s buying capacity.

Lady Killer/Black Widow – CHR 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Men/women suffer +5% damage and are easier to persuade.
2	7	Men/women suffer +10% damage and are easier to persuade and pacify with the Intimidation perk.
3	16	Men/women suffer +15% damage and are even easier to persuade and pacify with the Intimidation perk.

Lone Wanderer – CHR 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		When adventuring without a companion, take 15% less damage, plus carry weight increases by 50.
2	17	When adventuring without a companion, take 30% less damage and increase carry weight by 100.
3	40	When adventuring without a companion, deal 25% more damage.
4	50	When adventuring without a companion, gain 25 more Action Points.

Attack Dog – CHR 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Your dog can hold an enemy, giving a greater chance to hit them in V.A.T.S.
2	9	When your dog holds an enemy, there’s a chance he’ll cripple the limb he’s biting.
3	25	When your dog holds an enemy, there’s a chance he’ll cause them to bleed.
4	31	When adventuring with your dog, take 10% less damage.

Animal Friend – CHR 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Aim at any animal below your level with your gun and gain a chance to pacify it.
2	12	When you successfully pacify an animal, you can incite it to attack an enemy.
3	28	When you successfully pacify an animal, you can give it specific commands.

Local Leader – CHR 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Establish supply lines between your workshop settlements.
2	14	You can build stores and workstations at workshop settlements.

Party Boy/Party Girl – CHR 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		No longer become addicted to alcohol.
2	15	The effects of alcohol are doubled.
3	37	Your Luck is increased by 3 while using alcohol.

Inspirational – CHR 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Your companion does more damage in combat and cannot hurt you.
2	19	Your companion resists more damage in combat, and your attacks cannot harm it.
3	43	Your companion can carry more items.

Wasteland Whisperer – CHR 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Aim at any Wasteland creature below your level with your gun and gain a chance to pacify it.
2	21	When you successfully pacify a creature, you can incite it to attack.
3	49	When you successfully pacify a creature, you can give it specific commands.

Intimidation – CHR 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Aim your gun at any human opponent below your level and gain a chance to pacify them.
2	23	When you successfully pacify someone, you can incite them to attack.
3	50	When you successfully pacify someone, you can give them specific commands.

Intelligence Perks

Hack, salvage, and mod your way through the wastelands with the Fallout 4 skill tree for intelligence. When you invest your points into these skills, you can unlock new weapon modifications, salvage materials more efficiently, and gain more abilities for accessing terminals. 

V.A.N.S. – INT 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		The path to your closest quest objective is displayed in V.A.T.S.
2	36	+2 to Perception.

Medic – INT 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Stimpaks restore 40% of lost Health, and RadAway removes 40% of radiation.
2	18	Stimpaks restore 60% of lost Health, and RadAway removes 60% of radiation.
3	30	Stimpaks restore 80% of lost Health, and RadAway removes 80% of radiation.
4	49	Stimpaks and RadAway restore all lost health and radiation, and work much more quickly.

Gun Nut – INT 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Gain access to base level and Rank 1 gun mods.
2	13	Gain access to Rank 2 gun mods.
3	25	Gain access to Rank 3 gun mods.
4	39	Gain access to Rank 4 gun mods.

Hacker – INT 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Gain the ability to hack Advanced terminals.
2	9	You can hack Expert terminals.
3	21	You can hack Master terminals.
4	33	When hacking, you never get locked out of a terminal.

Scrapper – INT 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You can salvage uncommon components when scrapping weapons and armor.
2	23	You can salvage rare components when scrapping weapons and armor, plus items with favorited components will be highlighted.
3	40	You get more from salvaging.

Science! – INT 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Gain access to base level and Rank 1 high-tech mods.
2	17	Gain access to Rank 2 high-tech mods.
3	28	Gain access to Rank 3 high-tech mods.
4	41	Gain access to Rank 4 high-tech mods.

Chemist – INT 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Consumed chems last 50% longer.
2	16	Chems last twice as long.
3	32	Chems last 150% longer.
4	45	Chems last 200% longer.

Robotics Expert – INT 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Hack a robot, and gain a chance to power it on (or off), or initiate a self-destruct.
2	19	When you successfully hack a robot, you can incite it to attack.
3	44	When you successfully hack a robot, you can give it specific commands.

Nuclear Physicist – INT 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Radiation weapons deal 50% more damage, plus Fusion Cores last 25% longer.
2	14	Radiation weapons deal double the damage, and Fusion Cores last 50% longer.
3	26	Fusion Cores last twice as long and can be ejected from Power Armor as weapons.

Nerd Rage! – INT 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		When your health drops below 20%, time slows, and you gain +20 damage resistance. Plus, do 20% more damage while the effect lasts.
2	31	Nerd Rage tier 1 benefits are increased to +30 damage resistance and +30% damage.
3	50	Nerd Rage tier 1 benefits are increased to +40 damage resistance and +40% damage, plus health is restored from kills while in Nerd Rage.

Agility Perks

Agility impacts both your damage output for some weapons and your stealth. Earlier ranks increase the damage for non-automatic pistols, while later ranks make your character harder to detect when sneaking.

Gunslinger – AGI 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Non-automatic pistols do 20% more damage.
2	7	Non-automatic pistols do 40% more damage, and their range increases.
3	15	Non-automatic pistols do 60% more damage, and their range increases.
4	27	Non-automatic pistols do 80% more damage and can disarm enemies.
5	42	Non-automatic pistols deal double the damage, with a chance to cripple a limb and higher chance to disarm.

Commando – AGI 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Automatic weapons deal 20% more damage.
2	11	Automatic weapons deal 40% more damage, plus improved accuracy when firing from the hip.
3	21	Automatic weapons deal 60% more damage, and accuracy is improved when firing from the hip.
4	35	Automatic weapons deal 80% more damage with a chance to stagger.
5	49	Automatic weapons deal double the damage with an increased chance to stagger.

Sneak – AGI 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You’re 20% harder to detect while sneaking.
2	5	You’re 30% harder to detect while sneaking and won’t trigger floor traps.
3	12	You’re 40% harder to detect while sneaking and won’t trigger enemy mines.
4	23	You’re 50% harder to detect while sneaking and running no longer negatively impacts stealth.
5	38	When you engage in stealth, any distant enemies will lose you.

Mister Sandman – AGI 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Instantly kill sleeping targets, and silenced weapons do +15% sneak attack damage.
2	17	Silenced weapons do +30% sneak attack damage.
3	30	Silenced weapons do +50% sneak attack damage.

Action Boy/Action Girl – AGI 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Action Points regenerate 25% faster.
2	18	Action Points regenerate 50% faster.
3	38	Action Points regenerate 75% faster.

Moving Target – AGI 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Gain +25 damage and energy resistance while sprinting.
2	24	Gain +50 damage and energy resistance while sprinting.
3	44	Sprinting costs 50% fewer Action Points.

Ninja – AGI 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Ranged sneak attacks deal 2.5x the normal damage, while melee sneak attacks deal 4x.
2	16	Ranged sneak attacks deal 3x the normal damage, while melee sneak attacks deal 5x.
3	33	Ranged sneak attacks deal 3.5x the normal damage, while melee sneak attacks deal 10x.

Quick Hands – AGI 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Reload all of your guns faster.
2	28	In V.A.T.S., reloading guns no longer costs Action Points.
3	40	Gain +10 Action Points.

Blitz – AGI 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased.
2	29	V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased further, and damage scales with distance.

Gun Fu – AGI 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Deal 25% more damage after your first V.A.T.S. target.
2	26	Deal 50% more damage after your first and second V.A.T.S targets.
3	50	Deal a Critical Hit against your fourth target and beyond in V.A.T.S.

Luck Perks

Luck affects many parts of gameplay in Fallout 4, and investing in these perks makes it work for you. Lower ranks of luck perks focus on caps, which pair well with charisma perks if you want to maximize your income. However, as you advance through the ranks, you can instead pick up bonus damage and XP. Since it affects almost everything you do, luck is one of the top Fallout 4 skills to incorporate in your playthrough. 

Fortune Finder – LCK 1

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Discover more bottle caps in containers.
2	5	Discover even more bottle caps in containers.
3	25	Discover even more bottle caps in containers.
4	40	Discover even more bottle caps in containers, plus gain the chance of enemies exploding into caps upon death.

Scrounger – LCK 2

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Discover more ammunition in containers.
2	7	Discover even more ammunition in containers.
3	24	Discover even more ammunition in containers.
4	37	When firing the last shot in your magazine, there is a chance you can gain more ammo.

Bloody Mess – LCK 3

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Deal +5% bonus damage, and enemies will occasionally explode.
2	9	Deal +10% bonus damage.
3	31	Deal +15% bonus damage.
4	47	When an enemy explodes, there is a chance for other nearby enemies to explode as well.

Mysterious Stranger – LCK 4

Rank	Character level	Description
1		The Mysterious Stranger occasionally appears in V.A.T.S.
2	22	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often.
3	41	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often, and there’s a chance your Critical meter will be filled when he kills an enemy.
4	49	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often, and there’s an increased chance your Critical meter will be filled when he kills an enemy.

Idiot Savant – LCK 5

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Randomly receive 3x the XP from any action. The chance of this happening increases the lower your Intelligence is.
2	11	Randomly receive 5x the XP from any action. The chance of this happening increases the lower your Intelligence is.
3	34	When you receive random bonus XP, you also have the chance to trigger 3x XP for all kills for a short duration. The chance of this happening increases the lower your Intelligence is.

Better Criticals – LCK 6

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Criticals do 50% extra damage.
2	15	Criticals deal double the damage.
3	40	Criticals do 2.5x more extra damage.

Critical Banker – LCK 7

Rank	Character level	Description
1		You can save a Critical Hit to be used in V.A.T.S.
2	17	You can save 2 Critical Hits to be used in V.A.T.S.
3	43	You can save 3 Critical Hits to be used in V.A.T.S., and saving a Critical has the chance to save an additional Critical as well.
4	50	You can save 4 Critical Hits to be used in V.A.T.S.

Grim Reaper’s Sprint – LCK 8

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Making a kill in V.A.T.S has a 15% chance to restore Action Points.
2	19	Making a kill in V.A.T.S has a 25% chance to restore Action Points.
3	46	Making a kill in V.A.T.S has a 35% chance to restore Action Points.

Four Leaf Clover – LCK 9

Rank	Character level	Description
1		Each hit in V.A.T.S. has a chance to fill your Critical meter.
2	13	Each hit in V.A.T.S has a higher chance to fill your Critical meter.
3	32	Each hit in V.A.T.S has an even higher chance to fill your Critical meter.
4	48	Each hit in V.A.T.S. has an excellent chance to fill your Critical meter.

Richocet – LCK 10

Rank	Character level	Description
1		An enemy’s ranged attack may ricochet back and kill them instantly. The chances of this happening increase the closer you are to dying.
2	29	The chance of a ricochet shot increases.
3	50	When a shot ricochets and kills an enemy, there is a chance your Critical meter will be filled.

Bobblehead Perks

Some bobbleheads give points to boost S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute ranks when obtained. However, others have their own unique permanent buffs. As a result, they also have their own Form IDs.

Name	Description
Barter Bobblehead	Grants 5% better prices when buying.
Big Guns Bobblehead	Increases critical damage with heavy weapons by 25%.
Energy Weapons Bobblehead	Increases critical damage with energy weapons by 25%.
Explosive Bobblehead	Increases damage with explosives by 15%.
Lockpicking Bobblehead	Lockpicking is easier.
Medicine Bobblehead	Increases healing from stimpaks by 10%.
Melee Bobblehead	Increases critical damage with melee weapons by 25%.
Repair Bobblehead	Increases the duration of fusion cores by 10%.
Science Bobblehead	Grants you an extra guess when hacking terminals.
Small Guns Bobblehead	Increases critical damage with ballistic weapons by 25%.
Sneak Bobblehead	Makes your character 10% harder to detect.
Speech Bobblehead	Gives all vendors 100 bottle caps extra when bartering.
Unarmed Bobblehead	Increases critical damage with unarmed attacks by 25%.

Magazine Perks

The literature of Fallout 4 isn’t just for looks. Reading magazines in this title can unlock more permanent perks. Like S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes, some magazines can offer several ranks of perks. Others, however, provide only one.

Astoundingly Awesome Tales

Perk	Description
Astoundingly Awesome 1	Regenerate 1 point of health per minute.
Astoundingly Awesome 2	Do 5% more damage with scoped weapons.
Astoundingly Awesome 3	Take 5% less damage from robots.
Astoundingly Awesome 4	Deal 5% more damage with the Alien Blaster.
Astoundingly Awesome 5	Gain +5 Poison Resistance.
Astoundingly Awesome 6	Do +5% damage against Mirelurks.
Astoundingly Awesome 7	Do 5% more damage at night.
Astoundingly Awesome 8	Gain +5 Action Points.
Astoundingly Awesome 9	Deal 5% more damage with the Cryolator.
Astoundingly Awesome 10	Gain +5 Radiation Resistance.
Astoundingly Awesome 11	RadAway heals +5% radiation damage.
Astoundingly Awesome 12	Your canine companion takes 10% less damage.
Astoundingly Awesome 13	Do 5% more damage against Ghouls.
Astoundingly Awesome 14	Do +5% damage against Super Mutants.
Astoundingly Awesome 15	Your canine companion takes 10% less damage.

Magazine	Ranks	Perk	Description
Grognak the Barbarian	10	Barbarian	Critical Hits with unarmed and melee attacks do 5% more damage.
Guns and Bullets	10	Guns and Bullets	Ballistic weapons do 5% more critical damage.
La Coiffe	2	La Coiffe	Gain access to extra hairstyles.

Live & Love

Perk	Description
Live & Love 1	Companions gain +10 health.
Live & Love 2	Companions do 5% more damage.
Live & Love 3	Companions have +10 carry weight.

Magazine	Ranks	Perk	Description
Massachusetts Surgical Journal	9	Massachusetts Surgery	Inflict 2% more limb damage.

Picket Fences

Perk	Description
Picket Fences	Build picket fencing at settlement workshops.
Picket Fences	Build high-tech lights at settlement workshops.
Picket Fences	Build new statues at the settlement workshops.
Picket Fences	Build potted plants at settlement workshops.
Picket Fences	Build patio furniture at settlement workshops.

Magazine	Ranks	Perk	Description
Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor	8	Junktown Vendor	Get better buying prices from vendors.
Tesla Science Magazine	9	Tesla Science	Energy weapons deal 5% more critical damage.
Tumblers Today	5	Tumblers Today	Gain a lockpicking bonus.
U.S. Covert Operations Manual	10	Covert Operations	You are more difficult to detect when sneaking.
Unstoppables	5	Unstoppable	Gain a +1% chance of avoiding all damage from an attack.

Picket Fences

Perk	Description
Wasteland Survival 1	Heal 50% more from fruits and vegetables.
Wasteland Survival 2	Take 5% less damage from all insects.
Wasteland Survival 3	Heal 50% more from irradiated packaged food and drink.
Wasteland Survival 4	Gain access to new decorations in workshop settlements.
Wasteland Survival 5	Diamond City is now permanently marked on your map.
Wasteland Survival 6	Gain a 10% discount from food and drink vendors.
Wasteland Survival 7	Swim 25% faster.
Wasteland Survival 8	Take 5% less damage from melee attacks.
Wasteland Survival 9	Collect extra meat from animal kills.

Companion Perks

As you explore the wastelands, you can grow close to various companions. Perks in this category revolve around your relationship with different Fallout 4 companions. 
Once you reach the highest level of affinity with that character, you unlock a permanent perk. Getting to know each character to unlock their perks sets Fallout 4 apart from most other games, making it a special RPG.

Name	Associated Character	Description
Trigger Rush	Cait	The player character’s Action Points regenerate 25% faster if the Hit Points value is below 25% of its maximum.
Robot Sympathy	Codsworth	Gains +10 damage resistance against robots’ energy attacks.
Combat Medic	Curie	Your character can heal 100 Hit Points if their current number of Hit Points is below 10%.
Know Your Enemy	Paladin Danse	Deals +20% damage to feral ghouls, super mutants, and synths.
Cloak & Dagger	Deacon	Gains +20% sneak attack damage, plus the duration of the effects of Stealth Boys is increased by +40%.
Lessons in Blood	Porter Gage	The player character gains 5% more XP per kill and +10 damage resistance.
Isodoped	John Hancock	If your character has 250 or more Radiation value, your Critical Hit value increases 20% faster.
Killshot	Robert MacCready	In V.A.T.S., you have a 20% greater chance of hitting an enemy’s head.
Close to Metal	Nick Valentine	+1 guess at choosing passwords in terminals, plus 50% faster terminal cooldown at hacking.
Hunter’s Wisdom	Old Longfellow	Damage and energy resistance are reduced by 25% for animals and sea creatures.
Gift of Gab	Piper	Gain double the XP value when persuading other people or when discovering new places.
United We Stand	Preston Garvey	Gain +20 damage resistance and deal +20% damage when outnumbered.
Berserk	Strong	Deal +20% Melee Damage, if the number of Hit Points is below 25%.
Shield Harmonics	X6-88	+20 energy resistance.

Temporary Perks

Permanent perks can control how your character interacts with the world. Temporary perks provide short-term buffs that last only for a few in-game hours.

Name	Description
Well Rested	After sleeping in a bed not owned by an NPC, earn +10% Experience Points for 12 hours.
Lover’s Embrace	After sleeping in a bed near a romanced companion, +15% Experience Points for 12 hours.
Quiet Reflection	After sitting on the pew in All Faiths Chapel, +5% Experience Points for 8 hours.

Far Harbor Perks

Adding the Far Harbor DLC to your game doesn’t just add new content to play through: it also adds new perks. This includes S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks as well as perks gained through companions, magazines, and more.

Far Harbor S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks

Name	Attribute rank	Rank	Character level	Description
Strong Back	STR 6	5	40	Running costs 50% less Action Points while overencumbered
Night Person	PER 6	3	37	Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., gain +30 health
Rad Resistant	END 6	4	35	Gain +40 Radiation Resistance
Lone Wanderer	CHA 3	4	50	Gain +25 Action Points when adventuring without any companions
Scapper	INT 5	3	40	Get more from salvaging
Action Boy/Action Girl	AGI 5	3	38	Action Points regenerate 75% faster
Critical Banker	LCK 7	4	50	You can save 4 Critical Hits for V.A.T.S.

Far Harbor Quest- and Faction-Related Perks

Name	Description
Captain’s Feast	For 2 hours, earn +10% XP.
Crusader of Atom	Gain a weapon damage bonus. This increases the higher your radiation is.
Destroyer of Acadia	Do 4x damage for 30 seconds after your health falls below 20%.
Far Harbor Survivalist	Gain +5 for all resistances.
Inquisitor of Atom	Gain a weapon damage bonus. This increases the higher your radiation is.
Protector of Acadia	Gain 1000 damage and energy resistance for 30 seconds after your health falls below 20%.

Far Harbor Magazine Perks (Islander’s Almanac)

Magazine Issue	Perk
Pincer Dodge	Take 5% less damage from Mirelurk melee attacks.
Precision Hunting	5% higher V.A.T.S. chance against animals.
Far Harbor Sightseer’s Guide	Multiple locations are marked on the map.
Children of Atom Exposé	Take 10% less damage from radiation-based attacks.
Recipe Roundup	Gain access to sludge-based recipes at chemistry stations.

Far Harbor Companion Perks

Name	Associated character	Benefit
Hunter’s Wisdom	Old Longfellow	Animals and sea creatures have their damage and energy resistance reduced by 25%.

Nuka-World Perks

Nuka-World is another DLC available for Fallout 4, and, like Far Harbor, it gives you a variety of new perks to invest in.

Nuka-World S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks

Name	Attribute rank	Rank	Character level	Description
Steady Aim	STR 7	3	49	Improved hip-fire damage for any gun.
Awareness	PER 3	2	14	5% increased hit chance and damage for V.A.T.S. targets.
Ghoulish	EMD 9	4	50	Radiation damage slowly heals, restoring health.
Attack Dog	CHA 4	4	31	You take 10% less damage when adventuring with your dog.
V.A.N.S.	INT 1	2	36	Gain +2 Perception.
Quick Hands	AGI 8	3	40	+10 Action Points.
Mysterious Stranger	LCK 4	4	49	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often with a high chance that your Critical meters will fill when he kills an enemy.

Nuka-World Quest- and Faction-Related Perks

Name	Description
Ace Operator	While in the shadows, stealth is increased to 90% visibility, and silenced weapons deal 25% more damage.
Chosen Disciple	When you kill with a melee weapon, restore some of your Action Points.
Pack Alpha	Take 25% less damage and deal 25% more while unarmed or using melee weapons.
Wasteland Warlord	Rank 1: New structures unlocked at all Raider outposts. Rank 2: Unlocks more new structures at all Raider outposts. Rank 3: Unlock all Raider structures.

Nuka-World Magazine Perks (SCAV!)

Magazine Issue	Perk
#1, The Terrible Truce	Speech challenge success chance increased by 10%.
#2, Fear the Knife King	Combat Knife and Switchblade damage is increased by 25%.
#3, Mutant Fists of Stephie Knuckles	Hand-to-hand weapon damage increased by 10%.
#4, Nuka Brahmin Stampede!	Explosive damage increased by 5%.
#5, That No-Caps Rage	If you have… <10,000 caps: +1 Strength & +1 Endurance <1,000 caps: +2 Strength & +2 Endurance <100 caps: +3 Strength & +3 Endurance.

Nuka-World Companion Perks

Name	Associated character	Benefit
Lessons in Blood	Porter Gage	Gain +5% more XP per kill and +10 damage resistance.

Other Perks

Many of the perks explored thus far are available on the Pip-Boy in-game. However, this isn’t true for all perks available in the game. Here are the perks that work behind the scenes. Although the game engine uses these, you can also add some to your game permanently through console commands.

Name	Type	Description
Addiction Manager	–	–
BoS 100 Fight BoS Ghoul Invulnerability	Mission	–
BoS 100 Fight BoS Ghoul Vulnerability	Mission	–
BoS 100 Fight BoS Ghoul Invulnerability	Mission	–
BoS Initiate	Mission	Take 10% less damage (only from feral ghouls, super mutants, and synths).
BoS Knight	Mission	Smaller power armor core explosion.
BoS Paladin	Mission	When in power armor, recover health.
Carla Markdown	Mission	–
Chem Psycho Damage	Consumable	–
CIS Player Activate Event Sender	–	Sends Companion Interaction Scene events when players hover over certain object types.
Companion Inspirational	–	Inspirational.
Companion Prevent Limb Damage	–	Reduce limb damage by 100%.
Courser Commando 01	–	Commando
Courser Commando 02	–	Commando
Courser Commando 03	–	Commando
Courser Commando 04	–	Commando
Courser Commando 05	–	Commando
Courser Gunslinger 01	–	Gunslinger
Courser Gunslinger 02	–	Gunslinger
Courser Gunslinger 03	–	Gunslinger
Courser Gunslinger 04	–	Gunslinger
Courser Gunslinger 05	–	Gunslinger
Courser Accuracy	–	Accuracy
CR Bloodbug Damage Multiplier 01	–	–
CR Bloodbug Head Mod Melee Damage	–	–
CR Damage 075	–	–
CR Damage 125	–	–
CR Damage 15	–	–
CR Damage 20	–	–
CR Damage 25	–	–
CR Damage 30	–	–
CR Damage Kellogg	–	–
CR Deathclaw Nerf Plz perk	–	The deathclaw deals increased damage to non-player characters.
CR Deathclaw rage perk	–	The deathclaw deals increased damage when fighting multiple enemies at once.
CR Deathclaw Toughness perk	–	The deathclaw receives decreased damage when fighting multiple enemies at once.
CR Dogmeat Cripple	–	Cripple
CR Glowing One	–	Glowing One perk
CR Gorilla Reduced Damage	–	–
CR Mirelurk Spawn Damage 50	–	–
CR No Fall Damage	–	–
CR Ranged Dmg	–	CrAttack damage actor value is added to the melee damage done by creatures.
CR Set Ranged Dmg	–	CrAttack damage actor value is set to the melee damage done by creatures.
CZ Reduce Damage	Mission	Combat Zone Damage Reduction.
DN 017 Assault Synth Fall Damage Immunity	Mission	–
DN 017 Danse Synth Invulnerability	Mission	–
DN 049 Director Immunity	Mission	Director’s Immunity
DN 049 Gen Atomics Maddens Prices	Mission	Manager’s Sale.
DN 054 Atom Cats	Mission	Buy for 10% lower and sell for 10% higher with the Atom Cats.
DN 084 Descent Enemy Damage	Mission	–
DN 102 Frenzy Damage Immunity	Mission	–
DN 102 Frenzy Damage Reduction	Mission	–
DN 119 Invulnerability	Mission	–
DN 119 Mod Damage	Mission	–
DN 131 CR Swan	Mission	Swan Rad Heal.
Dogmeat Suppress Regen	–	–
Endangerol	Consumable	–
Fortify Buy Sell 10 Chem	Consumable	Buy for 10% lower and sell for 10% higher.
Fortify Crit Chance 25x Chem	Consumable	Increases the chance to score a critical hit with all attacks by 25%.
Fortify Melee Damage % Chem	Consumable	Melee weapons do 50% more damage.
Fortify Sneak Attack Bonus 2x Chem	Consumable	Deal and additional x2 damage when using sneak attacks.
Fortify VATS Accuracy Chem	Consumable	10% additional accuracy while in V.A.T.S.
Fortify XP Bonus Food	Consumable	+2% XP earned.
Generic Brawl Prevent Limb Damage	Generic Perk	Limb damage is reduced by 100%.
Hazmat Suit Rad Resistance	Armor Mod	Hazmat Suit Rad Resistance.
Idiot Savant XP Boost	–	–
Immune to Acid	–	–
Immune To Poison	–	–
Immune to Radiation	–	The player becomes immune to environmental radiation.
Inst M 02 Liams Algorithm	Mission	Liam’s Algorithm.
Legendary 2x Dmg	Legendary Weapon	–
Legendary Accuracy	Legendary Weapon	Accuracy.
Legendary Power Armor Rads Core Health	Power Armor Mod	–
Legendary Poison	Legendary Weapon	Poisoner’s legendary effect.
Legendary Radioactive	Legendary Weapon	Irradiated legendary effect.
Might Delete Silent Running	–	Run as quietly as you sneak.
Min 02 Mod Damage	Mission	–
Min Ronnie Shaw	Mission	Resistant to unarmed attacks.
Minutemen Health Bonus	Mission	MinutemenHealth Bonus.
Brawler	Armor Mod	Increased unarmed damage.
Explosion 1	Armor Mod	Reduces incoming explosion damage.
Explosion 2	Armor Mod	Reduces incoming explosion damage.
Ignore Armor	Armor Mod	Ignore armor with melee weapons.
Less Stagger	Armor Mod	Reduces incoming stagger.
Reduced Power Attack	Armor Mod	Weapon wobbles 5% less per mod piece.
Reduced Sprint	Armor Mod	Sprint drains 5% less Action Points per piece.
Stabilized	Armor Mod	Weapon wobbles 5% less per mod piece.
Stealth Move	Armor Mod	Move 5% faster while in stealth mode per mod installed.
Power Armor Explosive Shielding	Power Armor Mod	Explosive Shielding Perk.
Mod Armor Penetration	Legendary Weapon	Penetrating legendary effect.
Mod Chance Cripple	Legendary Weapon	20% chance to cripple limbs.
Mod Chem Magnitude Damage	Generic Perk	Hook actor value into chem potency.
Close Damage	Weapon Mod	–
Movement Detection Mod	Generic Perk	Hook actor value into detection system, which changes the effect of movement.
Disarm 25%	Weapon Mod	Weapon mod for the ripper.
Mod Extra Limb Damage	Legendary Weapon	25% extra limb damage.
Mod Falling Damage	Generic Perk	Hook actor value into the falling damage system.
Mod Kinetic Lining	Armor Mod	Kinetic Lining.
Legendary Common	–	–
Mod Legendary Weapons Damage Inverse Health	Legendary Weapon	Medic’s legendary effect.
Mod Legendary Weapons Damage Night	Legendary Weapon	Nocturnal legendary perk.
Mod Limb Damage	Generic Perk	Hook actor value into the limb damage system.
MQ 00 The Sight	Mission	Kellogg does 25% less damage.
MS 04 Calling Card	Mission	–
MS 04 Shroud Costume	Mission	Silver Shroud.
MS 04 True Hero	Mission	+1 Luck attribute.
MS 09 Lorenzo	Mission	–
MS 09 Lorenzo	Mission	Mysterious Serum effect.
MS 10 Outfit	Mission	–
MS 16 Protectron Defense	Mission	–
MS 17 Wired Reflexes	Mission	+15 Action Points.
MS 19 Disease	Mission	Vault 81 Molerat Disease.
Mysterious Stranger Damage	–	–
Power Armor Bleeding Damage	Power Armor Mod	Bleeding damage.
Power Armor Blood Cleanser	Power Armor Mod	When consuming chems, addiction takes longer to occur.
Power Armor Common Arm	Power Armor Mod	–
Power Armor Emergency Protocols	Power Armor Mod	50% less damage when health is below 20%.
Power Armor Optimized Bracers	Power Armor Mod	Power attacks cost 25% less.
Power Armor Optimized Servos	Power Armor Mod	Sprinting costs 20% less Action Points.
Power Armor Overdrive Servos	Power Armor Mod	Sprint 75% faster but drains your battery twice as fast.
Power Armor Rad Scrubbers	Power Armor Mod	–
Power Armor Shock Damage	Power Armor Mod	Bleeding damage.
Power Armor Subsystem Shielding	Power Armor Mod	50% reduction in damage dealt to battery.
Power Armor Tesla Bracers	Power Armor Mod	Energy damage added to unarmed strikes.
Power Armor Water Breath Time	Power Armor Mod	With a Power Armor helmet, underwater breathing time is increased.
Player Base Lockpick	–	–
Locksmith	Player Perk	–
Eleanor’s Friendship	Mission	–
Power Armor Cheaper Sprinting	Power Armor Mod	Run 30% farther.
Power Armor	Power Armor Mod	–
Power Armor	Power Armor Mod	–
Power Armor Rad Resist	Power Armor Mod	–
RE Checkpoint Less Damage 90	Mission	–
RE Checkpoint Damage Resist Boost	Mission	–
RE Checkpoint Prevent Limb Damage	Mission	Limb damage reduced by 100%.
RR 303 Blimp Buster	Mission	Blim

Customize Your Character in More Thrilling RPGs

Although Fallout perks don’t provide character customization in the traditional sense, they allow you to tailor your character to your preferred gameplay style. As a result, keeping a Fallout 4 perk chart on standby while playing can be a great way to ensure your character has the skills you want. With so much depth in character customization and gameplay, Fallout 4 has earned its title as one of the best RPG games on Steam.

However, if you’re looking for games that allow you to customize both your character and how you play, Fallout 4 isn’t the only option. RPGs come in various shapes and sizes, and, if you’re looking for your next virtual adventure, there’s no end to the RPG games you can play today.

Fallout 4 Perks FAQ

Fallout 4’s interactive storytelling and intricate perk system draw in beginner and expert gamers. If you still have some questions before diving into this must-try game, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Fallout 4 perks.

How Do I Unlock New Perks and Upgrade Existing Ones in Fallout 4?

To unlock and upgrade perks, you have to spend perk points, which are obtained every time you level up. Then, you can choose to add a point to your base S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute, such as boosting your strength by one or unlocking a perk.

What Are Some of the Best Early-Game Perks To Prioritize in Fallout 4?

The exact perks you want to prioritize depend on your preferred RPG class and gameplay style. However, investing points in a universal trait like luck can be a good choice regardless of your character. This is especially true given that luck perks give bonus XP, which leads to more level-ups and perk points.

Can You Reset S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perk Choices Later in the Game?

In the base game of Fallout 4, once you spend a point on a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute or perk, that point is gone forever. However, if you change your mind about your character, you can reset perk choices using console commands or some mods.