A character build is any one of thousands of possible fallout 3 maxed level (20) characters. Strategic planning on the part of the player to develop a set of traits to their fullest potential, creates a "type" of build. Its hard to quantify a character build as they all have their own merits and sacrifices. In this list the only judgments are playstyles: Diplomat, Sniper, Brawler, Thief, ect.
Character Build Format
- List your character from lvl 1-20 and give as much detail per level as to which perks and skills to select
- Please also list your initial, and end-game SPECIAL stats.
- Users can take advantage of the specialized character template: Template:FO3 user generated character build.
Opinions
- Note that the character builds listed here are various people's opinions of what makes a good character.
- Please don't edit them, just add your own.
Character Build: Bloodwars' Non-VATS General-use
Melee/Ranged General-use
- In case there are questions about my builds having low intelligence, I've done some research into why 3 Intelligence is a good idea©.
- Important information on skill point increases
- Note: the 10 Agility in this build is for alternative AP use mods like Sprint Mod and Bullet Time. Agility also affects Sprint Mod run speed.
Class: | Sniper/Ninja | A good semi-stealth, non-VATS general use character |
---|
Perk | Requirements | Items | |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 7 PE 4 EN 9 CH 3 IN 3 AG 9 LK 5 | None | Bobblehead: Medicine |
Tag Explosives, Repair, Lockpick | None | ||
Level 2 | Lady Killer/Black Widow | None | IN / ST Bobblehead |
Level 3 | Intense Training (ST) | None | |
Level 4 | Comprehension | IN 4 | CH Bobblehead |
Level 5 | Child at Heart | CH 4 | |
Level 6 | Toughness | EN 5 | |
Level 7 | Bloody Mess | None | |
Level 8 | Scrounger | LK 5 | |
Level 9 | Strong Back | ST 5, EN 5 | |
Level 10 | Finesse | None | LK Bobblehead |
Level 11 | Rad Resistance | EN 5 | |
Ant Sight | Those! (Quest) | ||
Level 12 | Silent Running | AG 6, Snk 50 | PE Bobblehead, Ant Sight |
Level 13 | Pyromaniac | Exp 60 | |
Level 14 | Cyborg | Med 60, Sci 60 | |
Level 15 | Adamantium Skeleton | None | |
Level 16 | Better Criticals | LK 6, PE 6 | |
Level 17 | Life Giver | EN 6 | |
Level 18 | Intense Training (ST) | None | |
Level 19 | Robotics Expert | Sci 50 | |
Level 20 | Ninja | MeW 80, Snk 80 |
Gear: |
|
Important Quest Perks: |
---|
Notes: This is a purely non-VATS build that works well with mods like Mart's Mutant Mod,
- and alternative AP use mods like Sprint Mod and Bullet Time.
Final Stats: | ST 10 PE 6 EN 10 CH 5 IN 4 AG 10 LK 10 | 59% Rad Resist, 25% Fire resist, 18% Crit, 67% DR, 115 AP |
---|---|---|
From Gear: | +4 LK, +1 CH, +5 AP, +10 Small Guns |
Character Build: Bloodwars' Ninja
Ninja/Unarmed
- In case there are questions about my builds having low intelligence, I've done some research into why 3 Intelligence is a good idea©.
- Important information on skill point increases
Class: | Ninja/Unarmed | Deathclaw Gauntlet / Paralyzing Palm Specialist |
---|
Perk | Requirements | Items | |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 7 PE 4 EN 9 CH 1 IN 3 AG 8 LK 8 | None | Bobblehead: Medicine |
Tag Explosives, Lockpick, Repair | None | ||
Level 2 | Intense Training(ST) | None | IN / ST Bobblehead |
Level 3 | Intense Training(AG) | None | |
Level 4 | Comprehension | IN 4 | CH Bobblehead |
Level 5 | Iron Fist | ST 3 | |
Level 6 | Iron Fist | ST 3 | |
Level 7 | Iron Fist | ST 3 | |
Level 8 | Toughness | EN 5 | |
Level 9 | Strong Back | ST 5, EN 5 | |
Level 10 | Mister Sandman | Snk 60 | LK Bobblehead |
Level 11 | Mysterious Stranger | LK 6 | |
Ant Sight | Those! (Quest) | ||
Level 12 | Silent Running | AG 6, Snk 50 | PE Bobblehead, Ant Sight |
Level 13 | Finesse | None | |
Level 14 | Cyborg | Med 60, Sci 60 | |
Level 15 | Lawbringer | None | |
Level 16 | Better Criticals | LK 6, PE 6 | |
Level 17 | Action Boy/Girl | AG 6 | |
Level 18 | Paralyzing Palm | Ua 70 | |
Level 19 | Concentrated Fire | SmG 60, EnW 60 | |
Level 20 | Ninja | MeW 80, Snk 80 |
Gear: |
|
Important Quest Perks: |
|
---|
- You lose out on Child at Heart, Robotics Expert, and Adamantium Skeleton for Rank 3 Iron Fist...
- Paralyzing Palm Works best with Plunkett's Valid Points due to the VERY low AP, Unfortunately a
- perk has to be thrown away to obtain them, but at least you get some caps for your trouble.
Final Stats: | ST 9 PE 6 EN 10 CH 2 IN 4 AG 10 LK 10 | 66% Rad Resist, 25% Fire resist, 33% Crit, 85% DR, 110 AP |
---|---|---|
From Gear: | +1 LK, +1 CH, +32 Rad Resist |
Character Build: Bloodwars' Tank
Tank/Demolitions
- In case there are questions about my builds having low intelligence, I've done some research into why 3 Intelligence is a good idea©.
- Important information on skill point increases
Final Stats: | ST 10 PE 6 EN 10 CH 5 IN 4 AG 7 LK 10 | 85% Rad Resist, 25% Fire resist, 15/30% Crit, 85% DR, 104 AP |
---|---|---|
From Gear: | +1 LK, +1 CH, +32 Rad Resist |
Character Build: Bloodwars' Sniper
Stealth/Sniper
- In case there are questions about my builds having low intelligence, I've done some research into why 3 Intelligence is a good idea©.
- Important information on skill point increases
Class: | Stealth/Sniper | Long range semi-stealth pistol (damage) or rifle (accuracy) class |
---|
Perk | Requirements | Items | |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 7 PE 4 EN 9 CH 3 IN 3 AG 9 LK 5 | None | Bobblehead: Medicine |
Tag Explosives, Repair, Lockpick | None | ||
Level 2 | Lady Killer/Black Widow | None | IN / ST Bobblehead |
Level 3 | Intense Training (ST) | None | |
Level 4 | Comprehension | IN 4 | CH Bobblehead |
Level 5 | Child at Heart | CH 4 | |
Level 6 | Toughness | EN 5 | |
Level 7 | Bloody Mess | None | |
Level 8 | Commando | None | |
Level 9 | Strong Back | ST 5, EN 5 | |
Level 10 | Finesse | None | LK Bobblehead |
Level 11 | Mysterious Stranger | LK 6 | |
Ant Sight | Those! (Quest) | ||
Level 12 | Silent Running | AG 6, Snk 50 | PE Bobblehead, Ant Sight |
Level 13 | Sniper | AG 6 PE 6 | |
Level 14 | Cyborg | Med 60, Sci 60 | |
Level 15 | Adamantium Skeleton | None | |
Level 16 | Better Criticals | LK 6, PE 6 | |
Level 17 | Action Boy/Girl | AG 6 | |
Level 18 | Concentrated Fire | SmG 60, EnW 60 | |
Level 19 | Robotics Expert | Sci 50 | |
Level 20 | Grim Reaper's Sprint | None |
Gear: |
|
Important Quest Perks: |
---|
Notes: You can switch Commando with Gunslinger and use Blackhawk, Dart Gun or unique energy pistols -
- or stay with commando and use Lincoln's Repeater, The Terrible Shotgun, or a Scoped Gauss Rifle.
Final Stats: | ST 9 PE 6 EN 10 CH 5 IN 4 AG 10 LK 10 | 34% Rad Resist, 25% Fire resist, 18% Crit, 67% DR, 115 AP |
---|---|---|
From Gear: | +4 LK, +1 CH, +5 AP, +10 Small Guns |
Character Build: AshRandom's Rambo
Template:FO3 user generated character build Grenadier, Sniper, & Bruiser
- --start--
- Intense Training(2):+1ST
- Intense Training(2):+1AG
- Comprehension(4), IN 4
- Intense Training(2):+1PE
- Gunslinger(6)
- Toughness(6), EN 5
- Commando(8)
- Demolition Expert-I(6), Explosives 50
- Demolition Expert-II(6), Explosives 50
- Demolition Expert-III(6), Explosives 50
- Silent Running(12), AG 6, Sneak 50
- Sniper(12), AG 6, PE 6
- Cyborg(14), Medicine 60, Science 60
- Finesse(10)
- Action Boy(16), AG 6
- Better Criticals(16), PE 6, LK 6
- Concentrated Fire(18), Small Guns 60%, Energy Weapons 60%
- Intense Training(2):+1LK
- Grim Reaper's Sprint(20)
- Beginning Stats: 6,3,7,1,9,8,6 -- 81AP, 6% crit
- Final Stats: 8,6,8,2,10,10,10 -- 140AP, 18% crit, +50% crit-dmg, +60% frag-dmg, +31DR
- bobbleheads:+1ST,+1PE,+1EN,+1CH,+1IN,+1AG,+1LK
- intense training: +1ST, +1PE, +1AG, +1LK
- ant sight:+1PE
- Ranger Battle Armor:+1LK
- Lucky 8 Ball:+1LK
- Ledoux's Hockey Mask:+25AP
- Survival Guru:+3% crit / +6DR
- Barkskin:+5DR
Character Build: AshRandom's Kenshiro
Template:FO3 user generated character build Ninja Warrior
- --start--
- Intense Training(2):+1PE
- Intense Training(2):+1AG
- Comprehension(4), IN 4
- Iron Fist-I(4)
- Iron Fist-II(4)
- Iron Fist-III(4)
- Gunslinger(6)
- Commando(8)
- Finesse(10)
- Toughness(6), EN 5
- Silent Running(12), AG 6, Sneak 50
- Sniper(12), AG 6, PE 6
- Cyborg(14), Medicine 60, Science 60
- Intense Training(2):+1ST
- Action Boy(16), AG 6
- Better Criticals(16), PE 6, LK 6
- Paralyzing Palm(18), Unarmed 70
- Intense Training(2):+1LK
- Ninja(20), Melee Weapons 80, Sneak 80
- Beginning Stats: 6,3,7,1,9,8,6 -- 81AP, 6% crit
- Final Stats: 8,6,8,2,10,10,10 -- 140AP, 18% crit, (33% hth-crit), +50% crit-dmg, +15 hth-dmg, +31DR
- bobbleheads:+1ST,+1PE,+1EN,+1CH,+1IN,+1AG,+1LK
- intense training: +1ST, +1PE, +1AG, +1LK
- ant sight:+1PE
- Ranger Battle Armor:+1LK
- Lucky 8 Ball:+1LK
- Ledoux's Hockey Mask:+25AP
- Survival Guru:+3% crit / +6DR
- Barkskin:+5DR
Character Build: Riff Raff's Sniper Bitch
- Gender: Female
- Karma: Evil - Very Evil
- SPECIAL | Start | Final
- Strength | 8 | 10
- Perception | 7 | 10
- Endurance | 5 | 6
- Charisma | 1 | 2 --> She's a bitch, remember.
- Intelligence | 8 | 9
- Agility | 6 | 8
- Luck | 5 | 9
Level. Perk
- NA
- Intense Training (+1 ST)
- Black Widow
- Educated
- Comprehension
- Toughness
- Intense Training (+1 AG)
- Strong Back
- Commando
- Finesse
- Intense Training (+1 LK)
- Silent Running
- Sniper
- Bloody Mess
- Cyborg
- Action Girl
- Better Criticals
- Demolition Expert
- Pyromaniac
- Grim Reaper's Sprint
- Bobbleheads:+1ST,+1PE,+1EN,+1CH,+1IN,+1AG,+1LK
- Intense Training: +1ST, +1AG, +1LK
- Ant Sight:+1PE
- Ranger Battle Armor:+1LK
- Lucky 8 Ball:+1LK
- Various Head Gear:+1PE
- Survival Guru:+3% crit / +6DR OR Dream Crusher if you want to keep in character
- Barkskin:+5DR
Character Build: Nux's Maximum Build
Maximum SPECIAL/Skills Template:FO3 user generated character build
- This is my attempt to build a Fallout 3 Character that has maxed out Skills and nearly maxed out SPECIAL based on the research done in Talk:Fallout 3 SPECIAL#Maximum build
- Once your skills are maxed out, you can play this character in nearly every play style, but the equipment and perks lend itself to rifles or Big Guns. Any "two handed Weapon" used in vats will be phenomenally successful.
- The crucial thing to remember with this build is that it relies of collecting all the skill books in the game, and read them all after getting the Comprehension perk at level 4
- If you collect every book and bobblehead in the game, you only need to allocate 45 points to each of your skills.
- After reading User:Bloodwars#Skill Points & The Case For Stupidity I've reduced the builds Intelligence to 4, which is the bare minimum, in favor of some more Endurance
- I've been debating switching out Scrounger for Bloody Mess. Having extra ammo is always useful, especially if you're playing on a higher difficulty level. Also, the wording behind Bloody Mess is a bit unclear. If it is simply a base 5% damage modifer, then it's worth having, but if it is actually a +5 to all weapon skills (Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Explosives, Melee Weapons, Small Guns and Unarmed), it's not worth taking.
- In future Fallout 3 downloadable content, the level cap may be raised. In that case, this build will become even more powerful, allowing for more perks, and possible maximization of SPECIAL
- This build is a work in progress. Any help improving it would be much appreciated.
Class: | Maximum Build | High AP, High Critical |
---|
Level | Perk | Requirements | Items |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 8 PE 7 EN 8 CH 4 IN 3 AG 5 LK 5 Tag Medicine, Repair, Science |
None | Bobblehead: Medicine Pick up Grognak the Barbarian but do not read it. |
Level 2 | Intense Training (ST) | None | IN / ST Bobblehead |
Level 3 | Intense Training (PE) | None | |
Level 4 | Comprehension | IN 4 | Read all books that you have collected at this point |
Level 5 | Intense Training (PE) | None | Begin collection of all other books and Bobbleheads |
Level 6 | Intense Training (EN) | None | |
Level 7 | Intense Training (CH) | None | |
Level 8 | Scrounger | LK 5 | |
Level 9 | Commando | None | |
Level 10 | Finesse | None | |
Level 11 | Intense Training (CH) | None | |
Level 12 | Intense Training (AG) | None | |
Level 13 | Sniper | PE 6 AG 6 | |
Level 14 | Action Boy/Girl | AG 5 | |
Level 15 | Intense Training (AG) | None | |
Level 16 | Better Criticals | LK 6, PE 6 | |
Level 17 | Intense Training (AG) | None | |
Level 18 | Concentrated Fire | SmG 60, EnW 60 | |
Level 19 | Intense Training (AG) | None | |
Level 20 | Grim Reaper's Sprint | None |
Gear: |
|
Important Quest Perks: |
---|
Final Stats: | ST 10 PE 10 EN 10 CH 8 IN 4 AG 10 LK 10 | Bonuses yet to be calculated |
---|---|---|
From Gear: | +3 LK, +1 PE, +10 Small Guns, +10 Speech |
Here's the boring math behind the build
Skill | Original | Bobblehead | Equipment | Books | Skill points | total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barter | 13 | 10 | 0 | 46 | 31 | 100 |
Big Guns | 21 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 19 | 100 |
Energy Weapons | 19 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 21 | 100 |
Explosives | 19 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 21 | 100 |
Lockpick | 19 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 21 | 100 |
Medicine | 26 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 14 | 100 |
Melee Weapons | 21 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 19 | 100 |
Repair | 26 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 14 | 100 |
Science | 26 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 14 | 100 |
Small Guns | 15 | 10 | 10 | 50 | 15 | 100 |
Sneak | 15 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 25 | 100 |
Speech | 13 | 10 | 10 | 50 | 17 | 100 |
Unarmed | 21 | 10 | 0 | 50 | 19 | 100 |
total | 254 | 130 | 20 | 646 | 250 | 1300 |
Skill point Calcucation:
Level | Points |
---|---|
1 | 13 |
2-20 | 17 |
Total | 310 |
Points Need: 250
Excess Points: 60
Goal Reached by level 14
Character Build: Ashran's Gun Guy
Gun Guy
Class: | Gun Guy | Flexible |
---|
Perk | Requirements | Items | |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 6 PE 6 EN 6 CH 1 IN 6 AG 8 LK 7 | None | Bobblehead: Medicine |
Tag Science, Repair, Lockpick | None | ||
Level 2 | Lady Killer/Black Widow | None | IN / ST Bobblehead |
Level 3 | Intense Training (IN) | None | |
Level 4 | Educated | IN 4 | CH Bobblehead |
Level 5 | Comprehension | None | |
Level 6 | Gunslinger | EN 5 | |
Level 7 | Bloody Mess | None | |
Level 8 | Commando | None | |
Level 9 | Toughness | ST 5, EN 5 | |
Level 10 | Strong Back | None | LK Bobblehead |
Level 11 | Finesse | LK 6 | |
Ant Sight | Those! (Quest) | ||
Level 12 | Silent Running | AG 6, Snk 50 | PE Bobblehead, Ant Sight |
Level 13 | Mysterious Stranger | LK 6 | |
Level 14 | Sniper | AG 6, PE 6 | |
Level 15 | Cyborg | Medicine 60, Science 60 | |
Level 16 | Action Boy/Girl | AG 6 | |
Level 17 | Better Criticals | AG 6 | |
Level 18 | Concentrated Fire | SmG 60, EnW 60 | |
Level 19 | Pyromaniac or Demolition Expert | ||
Level 20 | Grim Reaper's Sprint | None |
Gear: |
|
Important Quest Perks: |
---|
Notes: This build uses higher intelligence to allow for more skill point early on, and makes it so finding ALL the books is unnecessary (Let's be honest, you'd rather be doing something else). You don't need to carry a lot of weapons because you're good at everything (Both rifles and pistols, energy and small guns). By level 14 you are incredibly powerful.
Final Stats: | ST 7 PE 8 EN 7 CH 2 IN 8 AG 9 LK 9 (If you include the lucky 8 ball) | |
---|---|---|
From Gear: | +2 LK, +30 AP, +10 Small Guns |
Character Build: Some Sort's Swashbuckler
Swords, stealth, and pistols
Class: | Swashbuckler | Shishkebab / Gunslinger Specialist |
---|
Perk | Requirements | Items | |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 9 PE 4 EN 6 CH 1 IN 9 AG 5 LK 6 | None | Bobblehead: Medicine |
Tag Speech, Repair, Lockpick | None | ||
Level 2 | Intense Training(EN) | None | IN / ST Bobblehead |
Level 3 | Intense Training(EN) | None | |
Level 4 | Educated | IN 4 | CH Bobblehead |
Level 5 | Comprehension | IN 4 | |
Level 6 | Toughness | EN 5 | |
Level 7 | Gunslinger | none | |
Level 8 | Scrounger | LK 5 | |
Level 9 | Strong Back | ST 5, EN 5 | |
Level 10 | Finesse | none | LK Bobblehead |
Level 11 | Mysterious Stranger | LK 6 | |
Ant Sight | Those! (Quest) | ||
Level 12 | Pyromaniac | Exp 60 | PE Bobblehead, Ant Sight |
Level 13 | Silent Running | AG 6, Snk 50 | |
Level 14 | Cyborg | Med 60, Sci 60 | |
Level 15 | Sniper | AG 6, PE 6 | |
Level 16 | Better Criticals | LK 6, PE 6 | |
Level 17 | Action Boy/Girl | AG 6 | |
Level 18 | Lifegiver | EN 6 | |
Level 19 | Intense Training(EN) | none | |
Level 20 | Ninja | MeW 80, Snk 80 |
Gear: |
|
Important Quest Perks: |
|
---|
- I love overpowering characters, but despise the tedium of min/maxing and book hunting- this build is designed to achieve the former without resorting the latter. Divide your skills into primary, secondary, and tertiary categories. Your primary skills are your bread and butter- either Small Guns, Energy Weapons, or Melee (pick one of the three), Sneak, Lockpick, and Speech. Your secondary skills are nice skills you use a lot, but not quite as frequently as your primaries- whichever two damage skills you didn't choose for your primary, Big Guns, repair, medicine, explosives. Tertiary skills are the skills you couldn't possibly care less about- Barter, Science, and Unarmed.
- The goal is to get all of your primary skills to 70 without bobbleheads or books and all of your tertiary skills to 40. This will enable you to max out your primaries with very little effort (1 bobblehead and 10 books), while still allowing you to max out your tertiaries if you decide it's suddenly important to you (1 bobblehead and 25 books).
- For your secondary skills, season to taste. The more you use it, the closer to 70 you should develop it. The less you use it, the closer to 40 you should leave it.
- There is a lot of flexibility in perks at levels 2, 3, 8, 9, 18, and 19. There simply aren't any standout perks at those levels that are a must for the class. I posted what my personal preferences are, but there's nothing wrong with getting perks like Ladykiller/Black Widow, Child at Heart, Bloody Mess, Demolition Expert 1-3, Animal Friend, Mr. Sandman, or really anything else that floats your boat.
- If you're really the impatient type, take Swift Learner at levels 2 and 3 and take Here and Now at level 19.
- The level 20 perk is also up for discussion. If you're having more fun with the Shishkebab than your guns, go with Ninja. If you prefer your guns, go with Grim Reaper's Sprint.
- Just because I never take Commando doesn't mean I never use 2-handed guns. I just never use them in VATS. The flamethrower/Burnmaster and Eugene provide awesome crowd control, Xuanlang's Assault Rifle chews through enemies, and The Reservist/Victory Rifle give a crushing advantage on the open plains of the wasteland. And best of all, they all shine outside of VATS as much or more than they shine in VATS.
Final Stats:
ST 10 PE 6 EN 10 CH 2 IN 10 AG 6 LK 9
520 HP, 107 AP, 77% DR
Character Build: Dcruze's Pacifist
Class: | Pacifist | Dovish / Kills only one creature in the entire game |
---|
Perk | Requirements | Items | |
---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | ST 1 PE 1 EN 9 CH 9 IN 9 AG 1 LK 10 | None | Bobblehead: Medicine |
Tag Barter, Medicine, Science | None | ||
Level 2 | Daddy's Boy | None | |
Level 3 | Swift Learner | IN 4 | IN Bobblehead |
Level 4 | Child at Heart | CH 4 | |
Level 5 | Intense Training(EN) | None | |
Level 6 | Toughness | EN 5 | |
Level 7 | Intense Training(CH) | None | |
Level 8 | Swift Learner II | IN 4 |
The point of this character is to get through the game without killing anything except the one Radroach you have to kill at age 10. The only important things are to get Barter and Science up to 50% and to pick the Child at Heart perk, the rest is arbitrary. On my user page I have a walkthrough on what I did, which I didn't post here due to extensive spoilers.
Final Stats: | ST 1 PE 1 EN 10 CH 10 IN 10 AG 1 LK 10 |
---|
See Also
- External Link: Fo3 Online Character Builder
- S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system Primary statistics information pages.
- A complete list of Fallout 3 Perks.
- A complete list of Skills description pages.
- A complete list of all SPECIAL points modifiers (including items, perks, and edibles).
- Bloodwars page with EXTENSIVE notes on character planning (Min/Maxing) and condensed information on useful perks and items.