Best Hardcore Builds In Fallout New Vegas

Highlights

• 
  Fallout
  
  : New Vegas offers a wide variety of builds for players to choose from, including barrel-chested brawlers, smooth talkers, and deadly marksmen, all viable in the game’s Hardcore Mode.
• Maximizing your build and knowing how to approach combat encounters is crucial in the brutal world of New Vegas, but Obsidian Entertainment has made the game accessible for players no matter their build, contributing to its popularity.
• Unique builds such as a master of trade focused on bartering, a hacking maestro who excels at unlocking terminals, and a skilled thief with high sneaking abilities offer players different playstyles and experiences throughout the game.

There are many different ways to play through


Fallout: New Vegas


. A player can hop in and be a barrel-chested brawler wielding a fire hydrant sledgehammer, a smooth talker with mountains of charm, or a deadly marksman with pinpoint accuracy. The possibilities are almost limitless and are viable in the game’s Hardcore Mode too. Players will need to be more careful and precise, however, when playing through

Fallout: New Vegas

‘ toughest difficulty. Thankfully, there are more than enough interesting


Fallout: New Vegas

builds

that players can make in their playthroughs that may prove to be very

useful

as they travel through the Mojave Wasteland.

Given how brilliantly Obsidian Entertainment crafted this game to make it accessible for players no matter what


Fallout: New Vegas

build

they pursue, it’s easy to see why so many people love this game to bits and can’t get enough of the Mojave and its many secrets. The world of

New Vegas

can be brutal at times, but players who maximize their build and know precisely how to approach certain combat encounters will be more than pleased with the wealth of options at their behest.

Updated October 27, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra:

Fallout: New Vegas is considered to be one of the greatest video games ever made, and it’s easy to see why this is the case. The game’s focus on role-playing is truly incredible, combining the best parts of old and new Fallout to make for an unputdownable experience that any RPG fan should check out for themselves.

While newcomers may opt for an action-heavy build to tackle the many threats in the Mojave, experts can try out more specialized

Fallout: New Vegas





builds

to tackle situations differently and have an entirely new experience with this gem of an RPG!

16


A Master Of Trade

Most people consider Barter to be one of the worst skills in the entire game. While it does have some unique skill checks of its own, there are so many caps that players will get while going through

New Vegas

normally that trying to get the best price for their goods won’t be a pressing concern after a point.

However, any person replaying this game may get a kick out of making Barter a major skill to focus on in

Fallout: New Vegas

. It’s a great way to pass some unique skill checks while also getting a ton of money early on in the game that they can invest in powerful weaponry, making their trek through the Mojave somewhat easier.

15


Hacking Maestro

Hacking is easily one of the most annoying aspects of modern

Fallout

games, with players having to pick out a phrase on a screen that is possibly the password of the terminal in question. It can be positively agonizing at times to perform this minigame over and over again… but there’s no denying that hacking is one of the easiest ways to gain access to caps, high-level loot, secret areas, and everything else along the same lines.

So, most people wouldn’t be surprised to know that the Science skill is one of the most important stats that players can invest some points in.

New Vegas

has many points where a high Science skill can let players hack more complex terminals. While this does mean that players will have to interact with a cumbersome minigame over and over again, it’s still far from the worst way players can experience

New Vegas

.

14


Skilled Thief

Thievery is frowned upon in any video game, but the penalty for the same in

New Vegas

is a bit too harsh for most people’s liking. There is a set Karma penalty whenever the Courier steals anything, regardless of the value attached to said item. As a result, compulsive hoarders will find their reputation tanking after stealing a few odd knick-knacks here and there in a settlement, which makes no sense whatsoever.

As a result, players who want to enjoy a positive Karma playthrough are dissuaded from thievery. However, if a person wants to become a master thief, then they can achieve the same by investing a lot of points in the Sneak stat. Not only will this help them be as stealthy as possible without drawing any unwanted attention, but pickpocketing also becomes a breeze.

13


Heavy Endurance

The “E” in the SPECIAL statistics system of the

Fallout

games stands for Endurance. The Endurance stat encompasses a lot of skills and perks in

Fallout: New Vegas

. The Endurance stat affects the number of hit points a player has as well as the strength of their radiation resistance.

It will be extremely helpful to increase this stat for a build in the game’s Hardcore Mode. Perks based on this stat that players should pick include Strong Back and Long Haul which increase a player’s carrying capacity and Toughness which adds an additional 10% to a player’s damage resistance.

12


Hand-To-Hand Combat

There are many different ways to handle a violent confrontation. Using one’s bare hands is a viable option in

Fallout: New Vegas

‘s Hardcore Mode. However, it is important to note that an unarmed combat build is a bit riskier than other builds given that players must approach closely to their enemies. The aforementioned Endurance stat has an effect on a player’s Unarmed skill. High Endurance and high Unarmed skills are good places to start. Acquiring a ballistic fist is also important for this build.

Talking to the various NPCs that can teach the player a few unarmed takedowns will greatly improve one’s chances of successfully playing this build. The Ballistic Fist is a weapon that players may want to have in their arsenal when running this build which is available at different merchants around the Mojave. Some of Caesar’s Legion Praetorian Guards wield Ballistic Fists.

11


Melee Combat

Similar to an unarmed combat build, a melee combat build forces the player to get up close and personal with their enemies. Unlike an unarmed combat build, there are more tools at a player’s disposal with a melee combat build. As expected, to increase one’s skill with melee weapons, improving the Strength stat of the SPECIAL system and the aptly named Melee Weapons skill is the way to go. Melee weapons that allow players to keep their distance are the safest option with this Hardcore Mode build.

These weapons include but are not limited to sledgehammers, shishkebabs, and fire axes. Some of the best choices for weapons for this build include but are not limited to the “Oh, Baby!,” which is a unique variant of the Super Sledge and can be found in Charleston Cave. The Chainsaw is another valid option that is available from a few merchants but is most commonly found on the leader of the Fiends, Motor-Runner, in Vault 3. “Knock Knock” is a unique variant of the fire axe which works very well with a melee combat build and can be found in the bathrooms of the Camp Searchlight fire station.

10


Explosives Expert

Explosives are a great way to keep your distance in the Hardcore Mode of

Fallout: New Vegas

. The Explosives skill is affected by the Perception stat of the SPECIAL system. Just like the other skills and stats, players should increase these at the beginning to increase the success of this build. Grenade rifles, missile launchers, and mini-nuke launchers are the best weapons for this build.

The Mercenary’s grenade rifle that’s available in the Courier’s Stash DLC is great for this build because it is offered right at the beginning of the game. Another option is Annabelle which is a unique variant of the

rocket

launcher. A nightkin at the top of Black Mountain possesses Annabelle. While Fat Mans which are mini-nuke launchers are only available through the Gun Runner’s Arsenal DLC, they are one of the best choices when running an explosives expert build.

9


A Big Iron On His Hip

If getting up close and personal when engaging in fights in

Fallout: New Vegas

isn’t a player’s cup of tea, then there is another option: guns. Arguably the most common way to play

New Vegas

and its Hardcore Mode, using firearms opens many doors for Hardcore Mode builds. The Agility stat of the SPECIAL system affects the usefulness of guns, specifically the draw and holster speed, the reload speed, and the overall Guns skill.

High Agility, high Guns skill, and small firearms will make a player the quickest gunslinger in the Mojave Wasteland, not giving their enemies a chance to react. Weapons like the 12.7mm submachine gun, Sleepytyme, and the 5.56mm pistol are all great weapons to purchase and use for this build and are available through the Gun Runner’s Arsenal DLC. Some unique guns are also viable like the All-American which is located in the armory of Vault 34.

8



Medicine

Man

Some players may not be the strongest fighters or quickest shooters, but being able to take a lot of damage and heal themselves fast is very important in

Fallout New Vegas

‘s Hardcore Mode… especially since recovery items have a weight value attached to them!

The Medicine skill affects the effectiveness of stimpaks, Rad-X, and Rad-Away. These tools are the most useful in healing oneself in the game. A medicine build in the game’s Hardcore Mode will also need the perks associated with the Medicine skill like Chemist which increases the duration of chem effects. Players should also seek out Arcade Gannon as a companion because he provides the perk Better Healing which adds 20% of healing to all consumables.

7


Secret Agent

One way to avoid confrontation altogether is by being stealthy and sneaking when traveling through the Mojave Wasteland. A sneak build is a viable Hardcore Mode build. The Sneak skill is affected by the Agility stat like the Guns skill.

One of the most useful perks made available by the Sneak skill is Silent Running which allows the player to sneak by while sprinting. Stealth Boys which are consumables that make the player completely invisible are very important for this build and should be sought after. The Chinese stealth armor found in Hoover Dam is a great way to improve one’s Sneak skill as well.

6


Survivalist

One of the skills that may often be overlooked on a normal playthrough of

Fallout: New Vegas

is the Survival skill. However, in the game’s Hardcore Mode, the Survival skill procures more importance amongst the rest of

New Vegas

‘s skills.

The Survival skill grants perks that players will need to hold out in the Mojave Wasteland. These perks include Animal Friend which will make hostile animals friendly to the player and Rad Resistance which as the name suggests grants the player an additional 15% radiation resistance. Those perks will be useful along with Rad Child which heals the player when they are being irradiated.

5


Energy Weapon Expert

There are many newcomers to the

Fallout

series who will stick to regular firearms, not understanding how viable energy weapons are. However, it won’t take long for these players to get their hands on a Laser Pistol, a Plasma Rifle, or anything else along the same lines to realize what they’ve been missing out on! Not only are these weapons pretty easy to use, but fatal hits can sometimes cause enemies to either burn to a crisp or melt in a puddle of goo.

Players need to invest some points in Energy Weapons if they wish to be as proficient with these kinds of weapons. However, the result is worth it, with players slowly but surely getting access to high-level weapons that can incapacitate enemies in no time flat!

4


Long-Distance Marksman

Distance can be a player’s best friend when playing through

New Vegas

‘s Hardcore Mode. A way to keep this distance between themselves and the enemies and monsters of the game is by using long-range firearms.

These include sniper rifles, assault rifles, and even shotguns. The previously mentioned Guns skill affects all guns in the game including long-range weapons. The anti-material rifle is one of the most powerful guns in the game, so it would be useful to grab that weapon from a merchant. Having Craig Boone as a companion is helpful as well because he gives the player the perk Spotter which allows them to spot enemies far away.

Along with the anti-material rifle, other weapons would serve this build efficiently. These include brush guns, hunting shotguns, and trail carbines which are all available at different merchants. Players should also seek out unique weapons as well such as the Gobi Campaign scout rifle which is located at Sniper’s Nest and the Medicine Stick which is a unique variant of the brush gun and is available through the Gun Runner’s Arsenal DLC.

3


An Expert In Everything…Aside From Combat

There’s no denying that combat is one of the biggest parts of

New Vegas

, with the majority of skills tailored to let players make the most of the many weapons they can obtain in the game. However, while being a combat expert in the game is pretty exciting as is, many players are replaying this game who may want to enjoy a different experience altogether.

For these people, the best course of action to take is to not prioritize any combat skills and focus on the other skill branches and perks instead. Doing so would spice up the gameplay, forcing players to figure out a different solution to tackle the many tough enemies in the Mojave. Gameplay becomes more nerve-wracking as players try to actively avoid any conflicts instead of goading foes into attacking them.

2


Silver-Tongued Devil

Most players will think that killing is an inevitable action that they must take when playing any of the

Fallout

games. However, that is not the case when it comes to

New Vegas

. Talking one’s way out of physical or deadly combat is most likely a safe bet when playing the game’s Hardcore Mode.

Having a high Speech skill as well as a Charisma score of at least six will start a player off on the right track to becoming a smooth-talker in the Mojave Wasteland. To assist with avoiding violent confrontations, clothing that resembles the faction with whom you’re interacting can be worn. The RPG mechanics in New Vegas are so amazing that players can avoid the final confrontation in the game if their Speech skill is high enough, which is a triumph for Obsidian Entertainment and its open-ended gameplay!

1


No Brains Whatsoever

Fallout: New Vegas

is a role-playing masterclass that many players will have a great time with indeed. In fact, pretty much every choice that players make in the game is reflected in the game somehow, and no decision personifies this best than playing as a character with low

Intelligence

. The entire game turns into a hilarious riot, with the Courier being so dumb that many characters react to just how stupid they are.

It makes for a hilarious time…and a pretty challenging one, with players receiving fewer skill points and not being able to pass many Intelligence checks. However, most people will deal with these negatives if it means that they can enjoy more of

New Vegas

‘ brilliant dialogue that will constantly entertain them every step of the way.