In Fallout 4, using your SPECIAL attributes effectively is vital to unlocking specific perks for your build. While players might become engrossed in temptation, these are the 15 best early perks you should get for greater survival.
The popularity of the Fallout franchise has reached an all-time high, owing to the Amazon Prime series, which is being touted as one of the best on-screen video game adaptations. Furthermore, the next-generation update to Fallout 4 has fueled enthusiasm since its recent release, allowing the game to operate at 4K 60 FPS on newer consoles and PCs.
Aside from lifelong fans, numerous fresh players are joining in on the wasteland’s adventures by selecting their favorite Fallout game. However, if you’re one of them and choose Fallout 4, you’ll want to know the finest perks to obtain early on.
Best perks to unlock early in Fallout 4
These are 15 of the best perks you should aim to unlock early on in Fallout 4. These perks work well with a variety of builds and playstyles and are sure to enhance your experience as you journey through the Wasteland.
1. Locksmith – Our best perk to unlock early in Fallout 4 👑
Locksmith is the best perk to unlock early in Fallout 4 as you’ll easily be able to pick locks across the Wasteland with no trouble. As you explore The Commonwealth, you’ll come across plenty of locked safes, lockers, chests, etc. that may provide valuable loot to aid your survival.
Activating this Perception perk allows you to pick any level of lock in the game and protects your picks from breaking during the process. You can unlock the perk if you have 4 Perception points assigned to your character.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Locksmith in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Perception 4 | Your nimble fingers allow you to pick advanced locks. |
| 2 | Perception 4, Level 7 | You can pick Expert locks. |
| 3 | Perception 4, Level 18 | You can pick Master locks. |
| 4 | Perception 4, Level 41 | Your bobby pins never break during lockpicking. |
2. Fortune Finder
Fortune Finder is a Luck perk that allows you to find and collect hidden Bottle Caps around the Wasteland as you explore it. Bottle Caps are Fallout 4’s core currency that you’ll use to purchase resources and weapons in the game.
By unlocking this perk early, you’ll be able to find more Bottle Caps than usual in containers, trunks, dead enemies, and so on. Furthermore, once you’ve reached the highest rank, you’ll earn a 7% chance for the killing hit to explode an enemy into caps you can collect.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Fortune Finder in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Luck 1 | You’ve learned to discover the Wasteland’s hidden wealth and find more bottle caps in containers. |
| 2 | Luck 1, Level 5 | You find even more bottle caps in containers. |
| 3 | Luck 1, Level 25 | You find even more bottle caps in containers. |
| 4 | Luck 1, Level 40 | You find even more bottle caps in containers, and there is a chance of enemies exploding into a shower of caps when you kill them. |
3. Cap Collector
Since Bottle Caps are precious in Fallout 4, Cap Collector is a Charisma perk that comes in extremely handy if you unlock it early on. Once activated, you get a discount when purchasing products and a bonus when selling during bartering with merchants.
Higher ranks double these abilities and allow you to deposit a total of 500 caps to boost the merchant’s buying capacity for caps permanently. You can unlock this perk if you’ve assigned 1 Charisma point to your character.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Cap Collector in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Charisma 1 | Provides a 10% discount on buying and a 10% bonus on selling. |
| 2 | Charisma 1, Level 20 | Provides a 20% discount on buying and a 20% bonus on selling. |
| 3 | Charisma 1, Level 41 | You can now invest a total of 500 caps to raise a store’s buying capacity. |
4. Action Boy / Action Girl
Depending upon your character’s gender, Action Boy / Action Girl is an Agility perk that helps increase the rate at which Action Points are regenerated in Fallout 4. In the V.A.T.S. system, Action Points are used to attack opponents. Each weapon has its own individual cost per usage.
These points won’t accumulate at the end of a turn and instead are restored with time. Unlocking this perk early in the game helps you to sprint while using the V.A.T.S. system and perform a series of actions while attacking an enemy to stay ahead of them.
You can unlock this perk if you’ve assigned 5 Agility points to your character. Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Action Boy / Action Girl in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does | Seconds to regenerate 100% |
| 1 | Agility 5 | Action Points regenerate 25% faster. | 13.33 |
| 2 | Agility 5, Level 18 | Action Points regenerate 50% faster. | 11.11 |
| 3 | Agility 5, Level 38 | Action Points regenerate 75% faster. | 9.52 |
5. Toughness
Toughness is an Endurance perk in Fallout 4 that increases damage resistance independent of any bonuses from any armor you’re using during your gameplay.
While there are understandably many clothing and armor options in the game you can resort to, spending just 1 Endurance point early on might help you greatly and grant you the benefits of this perk with a thick skin of armor on you at all times.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Toughness in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Endurance 1 | Instantly gain +10 damage resistance. |
| 2 | Endurance 1, Level 9 | You now have +20 damage resistance. |
| 3 | Endurance 1, Level 18 | You now have +30 damage resistance. |
| 4 | Endurance 1, Level 31 | You now have +40 damage resistance. |
| 5 | Endurance 1, Level 46 | You now have +50 damage resistance. |
6. Scrapper
Scrapper is an Intelligence perk in Fallout 4 that helps you salvage components like screws, steel, etc. when scrapping weapons and armor in your inventory.
In addition to the usual components you gain during the scrapping process in the workshop, you’ll also get rarer components if you’ve unlocked this perk. You can then use these components to craft complicated structures and more powerful weapons in the game.
You need to have assigned at least 5 Intelligence perk points to your character if you want to access Scrapper.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Scrapper in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Intelligence 5 | You can salvage uncommon components like screws, aluminum, and copper when scrapping weapons and armor. |
| 2 | Intelligence 5, Level 23 | You can salvage rare components like circuitry, nuclear material, and fiber optics when scrapping weapons and armor. Items with favorited components are highlighted. |
| 3 | Intelligence 5, Level 40 | You get more from salvaging. |
7. Awareness
If you seek info about your enemy’s weakness and want to select an appropriate weapon to defeat them with ease, then Awareness is the perk you need.
This is a Perception perk in Fallout 4 that uses your V.A.T.S. combat interface to give you damage values across the enemy’s body as you use the weapons to eliminate them.
You need to have assigned at least 3 Perception perk points to your character if you want to access Awareness.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Awareness in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Perception 3 | Grants the ability to reveal an enemy’s Damage Resistances and Level when targeting them in V.A.T.S. |
| 2 | Perception 3, Level 14 | Grants +5% additional weapon damage and +5% increased hit chance while using V.A.T.S. |
8. Life Giver
Life Giver is an essential perk to unlock early in Fallout 4 as it increases your overall health in the game. It’s a great Endurance perk that increases max HP. It functions similarly to Toughness and is a great addition to any build.
Higher ranks in this perk grant additional HP increases and the ability to slowly regenerate lost health. You need at least 3 Endurance points assigned to your character to unlock Life Giver.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Life Giver in Fallout 4:
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| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Endurance 3 | Instantly gain +20 maximum Health. |
| 2 | Endurance 3, Level 8 | You instantly gain another +20 maximum Health. |
| 3 | Endurance 3, Level 20 | You instantly gain another +20 maximum Health, and slowly regenerate lost Health. |
9. Strong Back
Scavenging across the Wasteland in Fallout 4 can get tiresome as you collect items on the move and store them in your inventory. During scavenging, one can easily lose track of their inventory space before it fills up completely.
The more you carry, the slower you move, unless you have Strong Back perk unlocked. This perk helps you carry more weight on your back and needs at least 6 Strength points assigned to your character.
The higher you level up, the more weight you can carry while roaming around The Commonwealth.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Strong Back in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Strength 6 | Gain +25 to carry weight. |
| 2 | Strength 6, Level 10 | You now have +50 to carry weight. |
| 3 | Strength 6, Level 20 | When over encumbered, you can use Action Points to run. |
| 4 | Strength 6, Level 30 | (Normal mode) When over-encumbered, you can fast travel.(Survival mode) When over-encumbered, you will not become injured. |
| 5 | Strength 6, Level 40 | When over-encumbered, running costs 50% less Action Points. |
10. Scrounger
Collecting Bottle Caps is crucial for players in Fallout 4, and so is scavenging Ammo from containers spread around the Wasteland. While Cap Collector allows you to maximize your chances of collecting caps, Scrounger does the same job for you but with Ammunition.
Activating this perk early on allows you to keep the firepower going throughout your Fallout 4 playthrough. You’ll find more ammunition across The Commonwealth and always stay stocked when you need it the most for your survival.
You need at least 2 Luck points allocated to your character to unlock Scrounger.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Scrounger in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Luck 2 | You find more ammunition in containers. (40% chance) |
| 2 | Luck 2, Level 7 | You find even more ammunition in containers. (70% chance) |
| 3 | Luck 2, Level 24 | You find even more ammunition in containers. (100% chance) |
| 4 | Luck 2, Level 37 | There is a chance to gain ammo when firing the last round in your clip. |
11. Bloody Mess
When starting out your Fallout 4 adventure, you’ll wield some starter weapons that inflict lower damage. However, if you’ve got the Bloody Mess perk unlocked early on, you can increase the bonus damage of any weapon you’re wielding to eliminate those terrifying Wasteland creatures.
Furthermore, increasing bonus damage also boosts the level of dismemberment visuals you’ll see during combat. At least 3 Luck points need to be allocated to your character before you can unlock the Bloody Mess perk.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Bloody Mess in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Luck 3 | Gain +5% bonus damage, which means enemies will sometimes explode into a gory red paste. |
| 2 | Luck 3, Level 9 | You now inflict +10% damage in combat. |
| 3 | Luck 3, Level 31 | You now inflict +15% damage in combat. |
| 4 | Luck 3, Level 47 | When an enemy explodes, nearby enemies may suffer the same fate. |
12. Rifleman
When it comes to Fallout 4, Rifles are by far the strongest weapon you can equip in your inventory to rain hell upon your enemies. The Rifleman perk increases the amount of damage your Rifles deal while ignoring the enemy’s armor.
Gaining access to Rifles and unlocking this perk early on in the game can help you survive the toughest battles in the Wasteland. It’s a Perception perk that when used penetrates enemy armor and increases your chances of crippling a target’s limb.
You need to allocate at least 2 Perception points to your character to unlock the Rifleman perk.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Rifleman in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Perception 2 | Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 20% more damage. |
| 2 | Perception 2, Level 9 | Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 40% more damage and ignore 15% of a target’s armor. |
| 3 | Perception 2, Level 18 | Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 60% more damage and ignore 20% of a target’s armor. |
| 4 | Perception 2, Level 31 | Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 80% more damage and ignore 25% of a target’s armor. They also have a slight chance of crippling a limb. |
| 5 | Perception 2, Level 46 | Attacks with non-automatic rifles do double damage and ignore 30% of a target’s armor. They also have a slightly higher chance of crippling a limb. |
13. Chem Resistant
The Wasteland of Fallout 4 is ridden with chemicals you can find that improve your abilities during gameplay, whether it’s slowing time or gaining an extra strength and endurance boost. However, overdosing on these chemicals can easily get you addicted and decrease your health if not consumed regularly.
The Chem Resistant perk prevents you from being addicted to these chemicals and ultimately eliminates any chance of addiction. So if using a chemical boost is your thing during combat, then this is the perk you should unlock early on.
You need to allocate at least 4 Endurance points to your character to unlock this perk.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Chem Resistant in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Endurance 4 | You’re 50% less likely to get addicted when consuming Chems. |
| 2 | Endurance 4, Level 22 | You gain complete immunity to chem addiction. |
14. Nuclear Physicist
Radiation! Unlimited Radiation! In Fallout 4, radiation levels are high in the Wastelands and thanks to the inventions using atomic energy, Radiation weapons help players harness the power of atoms.
You can come across radiation weapons in the game, and activating the Nuclear Physicist perk early on helps you increase the damage count inflicted by these weapons.
You need to allocate at least 9 Intelligence points to your character to activate the perk.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Chem Resistant in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Intelligence 9 | Radiation weapons do 50% more damage and Fusion Cores last an extra 25% longer. |
| 2 | Intelligence 9, Level 14 | Radiation weapons now do double damage and Fusion Cores last an extra 50% longer. |
| 3 | Intelligence 9, Level 26 | Fusion Cores can be ejected from Power Armor like devastating grenades and Fusion Cores last twice as long. |
15. Demolition Expert
When it comes to Fallout 4’s gunplay, explosive weapons are extremely fun to use. If you like to blow things up, whether Ghouls or Raider bases are your target, then Demolition Expert is the right perk for you to unlock early on.
This perk increases explosive damage and area affected by explosive weapons. You need to allocate a minimum of 5 Perception points to your character to unlock it.
Here’s how you can unlock all the levels of Demolition Expert in Fallout 4:
| Perk Rank | Requirements to Unlock | What it does |
| 1 | Perception 5 | Your explosives do 25% more damage, and you can craft explosives at any Chemistry Station. |
| 2 | Perception 5, Level 10 | Your explosives do 50% more damage, and grenades gain a throwing arc. |
| 3 | Perception 5, Level 22 | Your explosives do 75% more damage and affect a larger area. |
| 4 | Perception 5, Level 34 | Your explosives now do double damage. Mines and grenades shot in V.A.T.S explode for double damage, too. |
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