All,

I'm trying to make about as high of an AP build as I can, just for giggles. I also kinda want to be effective in close with a Shotgun. I'll be a little fragile (END 6, Kamikaze, no Toughness) but I hope that I'll be OK on Normal / softcoe. It pains me that my INT will be only average, but with an early (level 2) stat pump I will *eventually* max all the skills I care about, pick up all the skills I have to have for perks, etc. Well, as long as I collect all the skill books. Hey, its good to have goals.

My problem is that I have too many perks I want. I cant quite fit them all in. Here is the list. Which one should I drop?

Remember the goal is Action Points. I want max values, high recovery, max efficiency.

SPECIAL 5 5 6 1 5 9 9
SPECIAL AFTER PERKS AND CYBER: 7 6 6 1 6 10 10

Initially I wasnt going to take Shotgun Surgeon and Cowboy but they stack so well together (I assume) that I'd really like to take both. Otherwise I'll have to drop one or the other (or both and take 1 rank of toughness). I am leaning towards dropping Commando, in the hopes that my accuracy will probably be adequate with my high agility and my sniper (I'll take head shots when possible). But I'm not sure.

Your thoughts?

Thanks!

Kamakaze
Built To Destroy
Intense STR
Educated
Shotgun Surgeon
Commando
Finesse
Silent Running
Sniper
Better Criticals
Jury Rigging
Action Boy
Action Boy
Grim Reaper Spirit
Nerves of Steel
Math Wrath
Hand Loader
Cowboy

I would take out Commando because (I'm not certain) I believe Sniper overlaps this perk.

I'd drop the Intense Training personally. But then I'm guessing you have that there to meet a weapon requirement? Either that or I'd drop Cowboy, but that depends on what weapons you intend to use. One thing I can tell you is that even with that perk the Riot Shotgun still out trumps the Lever-action in terms of DAM and DPS at 100 Guns.

@Intact Garden Gnome, There are two ranks to the Action Boy perk now. For some reason lol.

The most effective AP build would use Plasma weapons for Plasma Spaz

Ok thanks. I personally don't touch the AP perks because I don't tend to use VATS very often. Will edit now.

Well, I cant drop the Intense Training, in that none of the other perks I want are available at level 2. Basically, dropping it won't make room for me. Also, with the +1 from the cyber doc and +1 from intense training, I'll be able to meet the STR requirements of the Riot Shotgun. The only sniper weapon I won't be able to use will be the Anti-Material rifle (requires Str 8) but I was going to use the Gobi anyway. Str 7 gets me every weapon my build cares about.

If you are saying that the Riot Shotgun is so awesome that I'd never use another shotgun, and that it is a non-lever weapon, then I suppose I could consider dropping Cowboy, though I kinda did want Cowboy for concept, and also for actual leveling up, I'd be using Lever Action shotguns and rifles very often. Also I do enjoy using Pistols off and on, and I'd get a bonus from Cowboy there also.

I'm still leaning towards dropping Commando since I think AGI 10 and Sniper will be adequate for general VATS and Head Shots generally.

But I'm still listening if anyone has anything else to say.

Thanks to everyone for the replies!

As an aside, why do snipers need high PER? I'm not focused primarily on sniping exactly, but I found that I could snipe at really long range already, on a different character with only AGI 6 and PER 6 (after implants). Of course, my weapon had a scope. Does high PER actually help sniping, or is it more for red-dots-on-radar and character concept? Because I cant squeak out any more points there than I've got.

Thanks!