Ok vats was put in to fallout 3 to compensate for a gun play game in a system that was designed for swordplay and bows and arrows. I enjoyed VATS as you could stack some cool combo attacks. But it's really nerfed in fallout 4.

IT can't be used at long range so sniping is out. It misses almost half the time regardless of percentage and even at point blank range you don't always get a kill shot.

I tried using it for sniping at range and after it missed 7 times in a row I gave up and one shot killed my target manually. 9 out of 10 times it misses a shot. As for limbs don't even go there.

I can snipe targets all day long without vats and hit head shots and limbs everytime with a scope. So what use it vats?

I use it for spotting only now but other than that I haven't found a use for it. Is this the same for everyone else?

What's your Perception? Mine is at 6 and I have no problem at least hitting the torso, or getting limbs and the head at close range. And why would you want to use VATS for sniping? That's when you get to line up a nice, careful shot in real-time - and now you can use all of that AP for holding your breath, it's actually useful for people that don't care about VATS.

I disagree. Though I generally use my sniper free-aiming, it works surprisingly well in VATS. Maybe it's because of the weapon you're using or the Perks you have?

I prefer to save VATS for close-quarters combat, when Bloatflies or ghouls are rushing around the screen!

Perception is low I think around 5 with no perks. But come on at point blank range you shouldn't miss.

The reason I used to like vats was it was cool to watch that perfect shot in super slow motion and for a nice string of close quarter kills clearing out a room. But I don't really want to waste perks low level on vats. My point is it should be linked to your aim in real time. If vats is pants then your arm should be less steady in real time or have more bullet spread so vats is at least equal if not better at hitting targets.

Hell even damage seems nerfed! Two bursts from my pray ň spray in real time to the body of a raider kills them but in vats only takes two thirds of their health.

Same here, both in New Vegas and FO4 I use vat a lot against moving enemies at closer range.

Its also nice against hard enemies on close range.

At long range you snipe, at long to medium you do aimed shots.

You want something like an semi auto gun who let you deal out multiple hard hitting shots.

With automatic you can just as well spray except then trying to do headshot on boss.

VAT has also saved me then I get jumped with an sniper rifle as they are hard to use at close range but no problem in VAT

I found VATS is perfect for groups of enemies at mid/short range, oh and it makes super mutant suiciders a cakewalk.

A tip for long range VATS usage. If your crit meter is full, use it on your first shot with a sniper in VATS. Activating a crit, will also vastly increase your chances at a hit. If you are stealthed, and using crit, it is nearly a 1 hit kill everytime.

I've been having no problems with my sniper rifle in v.a.t.s. in fact my 50.cal rifle is my favorite weapon. I thought they did a good job making that gun feel great to use, but most of these are stealthy kills. I have noticed you can't put the birds into v.a.t.s. but you can shoot them... I just had to try it.

Yes, VATS is making it easier to deal with some enemies, like ghouls bouncing around and molerats biting your behind

I use VATS mainly for executing criticals, which is great while fighting boss enemies. It doesn't take long to fill up the critical meter either, which means I don't have to use VATS often. Fighting only 2-3 average enemies in VATS usually fills up the meter. As soon as it's filled up, I go back to real-time FPS fighting (until the next boss fight), due to the much improved FPS mechanics.

I mostly use real-time shooting, as I initiate combat with a sniper rifle, and I tend to take most of the enemies in that encounter down by the time they get to medium-short range. Multiple enemies at close range, though, I have a hard time hitting in real time. I'm not a great FPS'er.

So, VATS is my go-to when there are either quick moving targets (bloatflies, ghouls, mole rats, etc) or a few raiders or whatnot have managed to sneak around and get real close. I like VATS in FO4 better than FO3 or NV, myself.

Edit: Not that VATS is better or worse in 4 than in 3 or NV, but the real time gunplay is good enough that I don't need to use it, and VATS is a great "Oh CRAP!" panic button. So I like using it more in 4.

Jet. Jeeeeeet. Psycho Jet. Mmmm.

Because it slows down time and lets you plan your attack, whereas real time requires precision and twitch skills.

I hardly use it for sniping, at least not the opening shot. Sometimes I target the arm or body to finish them off if the first shot doesn't kill them.

I tend to stay away from Jet unless it's a big-bad bullet sponge boss in my face. Certain bosses at certain places I'll try sneaky-sneaky-hide-n-shoot if I can keep 'em at a distance, but if they manage to close the range, I use up my AP in VATS with crits, then pop Jet if I need to. I've gotten hooked on the stuff on a couple of characters. It's not a huge deal to cure addiction, but it's enough of a hassle that I don't particularly care to risk it on mole rats

VATS is not good for distance. I see it as a last second bailout option when you need that headshot on the Suicide Super Mutant. Also VATS is notoriously bad with Sniper Rifles.

I just use it for the bullet time. And I have so much Psycho Jet and I use it a wee bit more than I should.

Kek. One of these days I need to just go whole hog and roll up a junkie, where I use Jet and Psycho at every opportunity, and hell with the addiction. Could be a fun playthrough...

just get the perk that makes you immune to addiction.

Yeah, I know, I could do that...but I like the limitations of potential addiction. Yeah, I'm a wierdo, but chems are sooooo good, that I think they should inherently be at least a little dangerous.

VATS was put into Fallout 3 so that players could make targeted shots that rely on their character's stats. Fallout and Fallout 2 have targeted shots. Bethesda wanted them too.

Not so much that, it was really more to add in an alternative gameplay styled after turn-based cRPGs. I used Fast Shot anyway lol

I rarely use VATS in F4. There's something not right about it. It almost never locks on to the target I am aiming at unless there's just a single target. It always automatically switches to someone else or the guy behind the one you are aiming at when there are multiplle targets, but rarely will it pick up on the enemy I have my crosshair on, even in close combat.

VATS is poor short range, but great medium range. My Sniper rifle can unload 4 shots in VATS,and if it's raiders I do 4 head shots and each one is am instant kill.

I have the Sniper attribute for +25% headshot accuracy & damage increase for silenced guns and rifles.

If you have the right Perks alongside VATS then it's quite lethal.

Personally I would never be able to headshot 4 people in 4 bullets within a split second. So VATS is great for me.