I just recently got this game to work flawlessly for the PC thanks to the d3d idea and i started to create my toon.
Charisma has always been a dump stat for me and luck semi-dump. But after a few dialogues i noticed that barter - a charisma related skill - is actually of really great importance now.
Furthermore i've noticed that shooting at various bodyparts without using vats, results in crippled limbs at the same rate as when using vats. And with the new iron sights feature, this is really a viable option.

I started out playing on very hard w. hardcoe settings from the beginning, noticing that "very hard" is not hard at all (currently lvl 5) and i haven't used VATS once simply because i love the new aiming option. And this made me rethink my build.
Since VATS is far from as "needed" in F.NV as it was in F3, and barter directly influencing dialogues, could agillity be a dump stat?
My main reason for this is basically; Not using VATS = AP being useless = Agi not being important. Gun skill can be increased by skill points anyway and i'm not opting for a sneaky character.

The only thing holding me back, is my lack of experience from the later stages of the game. Like i said i'm only lvl 5 and allthough i haven't used VATS once yet, i don't know if it becomes more necesarry later on.
Does it?

Spoiler: If you side with the NCR, you have to take out a whole Brotherhood of Steel base w/o help. And, I believe it is very necessary there, especially if playing on anything higher than hard.

You'll need it if you try going up Route 15... Soo many Deathclaws... but VATS isn't as useful as it was, because of he wonderful new iron sights

If stealth is still agility based its not completely useless. I believe it also affects your run speed to a degree

Oh you will use VATS in time. For me the role of VATS has been greatly reduced when compared to FO3. Yet when I need it I really "I'm-about-to-get-owned" need it.

With how important sneak is, the fact skill points no longer grow on trees, and the "Silent Running" perk, the agility stat shouldn't be ignored. Five points and the "Small Frame" trait will do the trick.

5 points was about the max i'd use aswell if i wanted to not dump agi, Never used the stealth perks unless i made a sneak based character.

Not using small frame either. I simply find that the con is not worth it in hardcoe. I'm more of a Good Natured character, since i gain 25 usefull skillpoints but only lose 5-10.

But when you think about it. Unless things have changed since F3, we start of with 65 base APs and the hardest hitting riffles - be it energy or real weapons - can require a max of 65, so you're always guarantied 1 shot and with those weapons its usually enough if you hit the right spot.
Sneak can be brought up by skill points despite a low Agi.
The only tradeof are perks that require a certain agi level.

Go to Rocket test site or Vault 34 or Camp Searchlight, you will LOVE your iron sight and nerfed VAST

Allready loving iron sights m8 The thing about puts me of about VATS, is it's abillity to slow down tense situations to a standstill. You move through a vault or ruin or something like that, you get jumped by a feral ghoul, you nearly crap yourself but fortunately you can "pause" the tension by entering VATS. Not to forget that Grimreaper perk = godmode. It simply kills the immersion for me


Going through the different perk requirements for F:NV, it looks as if Agi effects guns/sneak skills and AP in VATS. Run speed is not mentioned as a derived stat. The only really strong perk that's related to agi is Silent Running with sniper comming in 2nd. But to me, silent running was always offset by the fact that you can just walk instead of running ei. actually sneaking and as i've said, VATS just ain't me unless i'm in really really REALLY deep *beep.* And in these situations you get 1-2 shots with strong riffles and a few more with smg's anyway with 1 agi.

Think i'll start over from scratch with such a build. It'll be more fitting anyway, seing as i'm a big bulky guy IRL and hardly what you would consider agile

Totally off topic (damn kids and their spoilers), but how the hell do you get more quests for BoS after getting the Power Armor Training, and is it possible to complete the game with them as the "leader" faction?

VATS accuracy has been toned down it seems, although according to the guide it still gives a plus 15% chance of critical. I picked all the VATS accuracy perks for my outlaw gunslinger build, like I would have in any build in Fallout 3. In NV however it seems that when shooting at enemies far away iron sights accuracy is far superior to VATS. An enemy can be 50 yards away and Ill have like a 15 percent chance of a head shot even with Sniper perk. If I take the shot in real time though its an instant hit. Granted my role play uses cowboy weapons exclusively, the La Longue rifle has a friggin scope on it and I still do 10 times better with real time distance shots.

I totally agree with this.

Both in FO3 and in this game so far I've preferred to take out hostiles with a headshot in real time rather than using VATS - I guess my good aim compensates for my slightly less than stellar reaction time! I haven't come across any of these iron sights yet though, nor a sniper rifle (which in FO3 was my weapon of choice), so I have been using VATS a bit more in New Vegas so far. One thing I've found in both games is that if I use VATS to target a hostile and it only gives me a small percentage chance to hit, I'm much more likely to be able to hit it in real time combat than in VATS. I'm playing on normal difficulty for my first game, I'm not a masochist

Just made a 1 agi character and timed the running between 2 telephone poles.
Changed him to a 10 agi char and time the same distance.

there was no difference at all in speed.

Either you are really good or I'm really bad.
I'm playing an energy weapons character and I have one hell of a time killing stuff because I have to conserve my ammo.
And with the over time healing I often go "OH [censored] OH [censored] OH [censored] OH [censored] OH HOLY [censored] [censored]!!!!" and instantly nom every healing item I have in the inventory.

I have noticed that ammo is alot more scarce in this game than in FO3, atleast in my below 10 hours played. I actually had to travel to new vegas to buy some ammo, couldnt find it in houses/goodsprings merchant. Good thing that there isn't a surplus of ammo in this game.

I don't think i'm anything special to be honest. I find that shooting enemies "cleverly" makes a world of difference. For instance; fast paced enemies that fights in melee = shoot them in the legs until they're crippled. Enemies with dynamite = shoot the dynamite, enemies that shoot at you = shoot them in the head or at the gun so they drop it.


Using cover when loading your weapon makes a huge difference aswell. So does utilizing high ground. If you know a group of enemies are comming after you, try to tunnel them through a narrow space and throw some dynamites or set mines.

So, i've made my agi dump character:

Meet Brage Jonhson.
A well-liked and intelligent sturdy long range fighter, with a tendency for being abit clumsy

Str: 5
Per: 6
Endurance: 9
Charisma: 5
Int: 9
Agi: 1
Lk: 6

Traits: Wild Wasteland + Good Natured.
Tag: Guns, speech, lockpick.


The only speed ingame that seems effected by the low agi, is weapon loading speed + weapon draw speed. But not at all to such a degree that it hinders your gameplay in any way. Moving speed is not effected at all.
The high endurance is because i've read about the implants and i want all of them! Not to mention that i'm playing on very hard + hardcoe settings, so the extra health/survival skill comes in handy.
The high intelligence is because of the extra skill points. Setting it to 9 allows me to get the implant aswell.


It's working wonders so far

Well I try to not use VATS so to aim towards someone's legs, dynamte or head with an anologue stick with a plasma pistol isn't the easiest thing to do.

Even with a mouse it is a nightmare consider NPCs do their little bullet dodge dance.

VATs in many parts of this game gets you owned fast. Have had one to many Radscorpions get me that way.