Fallout 2: First Playthrough - Questions

[Crenshinibon]

Mkay, well, after playing after the first Fallout and enjoying it immensely, I decided that my character for the second game would follow in the Vault Dweller's footsteps, so, here are some questions that I have for those of you that have knowledge of the game.

1.) Can a character with the Fast Shot trait use the secondary unarmed moves?
2.) Do Slayer and Silent Death stack - would the critical damage be doubled by Silent Death?
3.) Do characters receive benefits for ability points above ten?
4.) How easy or difficult is it to go through the game using only unarmed, or using the skill as primary and energy weapons as secondary?
5.) Assuming my character is fully unarmed and melee, do I need Perception at all for anything aside from being more observant, having an earlier attack sequence and sensing traps?
6.) Do unarmed characters receive any sort of penalties for wearing heavy armor?
7.) Am I allowed to save perks for a later time? Let's say I can pick a perk at level three, but nothing strikes my fancy, is it possible for me not to save that park and use it when I hit six along with the perk I would normally receive?

Mkay, thanks in advance for answering and I'd appreciate it if there were no spoilers were provided.

[Kipi]

Mkay, well, after playing after the first Fallout and enjoying it immensely, I decided that my character for the second game would follow in the Vault Dweller's footsteps, so, here are some questions that I have for those of you that have knowledge of the game.

1.) Can a character with the Fast Shot trait use the secondary unarmed moves?

You mean like jab and such? Yes, IIRC can. The Fast Shot trait only affects to the AP cost of attacking and disables the possibility to do aimed attacks.

2.) Do Slayer and Silent Death stack - would the critical damage be doubled by Silent Death?

I can't answer this, as I haven't used Silent Death perk in ages. But even if those do, the benefits would be rather minimal without extreme high sneaking skills. This is because actually making sneaking attacks is rather hard in Fallout 2, and in the stage of game where you get this perk, the situations where you would really benefit from those two perks stackied would be minimal without high sneaking skill.

3.) Do characters receive benefits for ability points above ten?

They do (or, at least that's how character generation screen claims), but there won't be any situations where you would be able to raise any of abilities beyond 10, except by using drugs . But yes, points beyond 10 gives your character still benefits.

4.) How easy or difficult is it to go through the game using only unarmed, or using the skill as primary and energy weapons as secondary?

By only using unarmed, very difficult, as there are lots of critters that just don't take much if any damage from unarmed attacks. Compined with energy weapons, yeah you should be able to beat the game. The game may be a bit hard till you get your first energy weapon, but definately not impossible.

5.) Assuming my character is fully unarmed and melee, do I need Perception at all for anything aside from being more observant, having an earlier attack sequence and sensing traps?

I would say that in melee and unarmed combat Perception has hardly any meaning. Yes, there are some situations, like fighting with spear in complete darkness against the enemy who is exactly at the end of the range of spear, so you can just hit him. In that case, Perception has MINIMAL affect to the chance of hitting.

But generally, high low perception goes fine with total melee/unarmed character. Though it may ease your game in other ways, as in melee/unarmed you are very dependant to get the first hit, especially if your enemy is carrying gun.

6.) Do unarmed characters receive any sort of penalties for wearing heavy armor?

Nope. There is no such penalties. Any character can use any kind of armor. Though I'm not 100% sure if the armor type has any affection to the sneaking, but as far as I remember it doesn't.

7.) Am I allowed to save perks for a later time? Let's say I can pick a perk at level three, but nothing strikes my fancy, is it possible for me not to save that park and use it when I hit six along with the perk I would normally receive?

No, at least no legal ways. This is due the fact that when you go to the character sheet -screen, the game brings automatically the list of perks to choose from if you have the possibility to choose one.

Mkay, thanks in advance for answering and I'd appreciate it if there were no spoilers were provided.

I hope this was as spoilerless as you wanted.

[Crenshinibon]

For traits, aside from Gifted, do you think there is anything else worth taking for an unarmed character? I was thinking Finesse perhaps, for the increased critical chance.

Thanks for the answers and thanks for making it spoilerless. XD

[Jeff_31]

4.) How easy or difficult is it to go through the game using only unarmed, or using the skill as primary and energy weapons as secondary?

By only using unarmed, very difficult, as there are lots of critters that just don't take much if any damage from unarmed attacks. Compined with energy weapons, yeshould be ah you able to beat the game. The game may be a bit hard till you get your first energy weapon, but definately not impossible.

I think it will be pretty difficult to finish the game without using other weapons... you will waste your time running after enemies, whereas they will be able to hit you from a long distance.

[Blumpkin]

:d

1.) Can a character with the Fast Shot trait use the secondary unarmed moves?

Yes, but the one less action point wont apply to melee weapons and unarmed like it did in Fallout 1

2.) Do Slayer and Silent Death stack - would the critical damage be doubled by Silent Death?

Yes, but it isn't worth the perk unless you only plan to use it occassionally to waste major people anonymously.. even that can be done in other ways

3.) Do characters receive benefits for ability points above ten?

Yes, but unless you later choose Mutate! to get Small Frame, Bruiser or Gifted then you wont have anything over 10

4.) How easy or difficult is it to go through the game using only unarmed, or using the skill as primary and energy weapons as secondary?

From personal experience, I've gone through it with a charisma and speech oriented character with Unarmed (and never equipping armor), getting NPCs along the way and it wasn't overly difficult.. But I think the first time through it may pose a problem. If you can't talk your way through things or have many NPCs to help fight you can get wasted. It's pretty difficult to make a worthless character, but you can make the game pretty hard if you forget that it's a fairly combat oriented game.

5.) Assuming my character is fully unarmed and melee, do I need Perception at all for anything aside from being more observant, having an earlier attack sequence and sensing traps?

Only if you plan on using Energy weapons later on as you mentioned before. High sequence only gives you that first turn jump on them when they initiate combat. But a high perception does start you farther away from the random encounter mobs (closer to exit grid), which is invaluable no matter what character you are playing.

6.) Do unarmed characters receive any sort of penalties for wearing heavy armor?

No, It is the ability to hit better using your fists and feet, It doesn't make you a D&D Monk and ruin your AC and whatnot if thats what you were thinking

7.) Am I allowed to save perks for a later time? Let's say I can pick a perk at level three, but nothing strikes my fancy, is it possible for me not to save that park and use it when I hit six along with the perk I would normally receive?

No, this made me sad too, You can save the level 3 perk up until the end of level 5 (or the level 4 perk til level 8 if you took Skilled), but at 6th level you lose the level 3 perk if you haven't used it yet.

[Tricky]

About Perception, I do find that having a lot of it is tantamount to being a good melee fighter. The downside of melee combat is the fact that you have to close in on your enemies. You'll generally want to give them a critical hit in their eyes before they have a chance to empty their guns on you, so you'll need enough to both cover that distance and at least one precision shot. That hit alone will cost you anywhere between 3 and 5 action points. Now, you can be all tactical and let them close in on you first while your still out of range or hiding behind a wall. That won't always fly though and even in the best case scenarios where you just killed someone in one hit you'll usually want plenty of action points left to quickly hide from the other four gunmen that are standing right behind him. I'd say max Perception.

[Blumpkin]

Unfortunately, you will spend the first 12 or so levels running from combat if you plan to use unarmed.. it will be a little more time after that when you'd see an energy weapon to make use of your secondary weapon choice. So, you will have difficulty rushing in critting people in the eyes until then anyway.. PE is not as necessary as AG and IN, skill points and action points are the most important for any character.. CH wouldnt hurt either.. then maybe EN and a mid LK for Slayer.. Just try and meet your Perk requirements and you'll have fun sir