I was just assuming that, since so many other perks were still listed "TBC", that the ones filled in were confirmed. I didn't read the disclaimer. My bad. (Seriously, why do they list multiple levels of perks when most of this stuff's pure speculation?)

I'm hesitant to lean into speech based on the way it was handled in Fallout 3. All the speech checks in that game were basically a way to complete a mission without actually doing the fun part. For example I'd rather go collect Three Dog's satellite dish than just pass a speech check the first time I meet him and get the info I need. New Vegas had some quests that could only be completed with Speech but that was made by Obsidian not Bethesda.

As for weaponry, I'll probably stick to regular guns for a first play through and see what the late game energy weapons are like. I never cared for the plasma weapons in Fallout 3 or New Vegas. I really liked heavy weapons in Fallout 3 with a minigun/flamer/rock-it launcher combo so maybe I'll try something like that.

People go stealthy in these games? What the hell?

I'm gonna be all shooty shoot and be able to do all the unlocking, hacking, and talky stuff.

shooty pew pew man

Think I'll focus on Perception, agility and luck - that would be a cool, ninja-esque, mystic character. Then I'd probably die a lot, give up and make a strength and endurance focused character

Lord punch punchington of punchinghamshire

you forgot the suffix

I have no idea, I'll find that out when I play it. He'll probably be a dude this time around, I've been playing as a lady in pretty much any game where you can choose your gender over the past few years and I'm ready to change that up a bit.

Like ever other Bethesda game, though, any character on the normal difficulty will probably be able to do almost everything without much of an issue. This is A-OK with me, as I'd rather do everything with one character than have to make a different character if I want to try something out. There are plenty of other games out there for people who want to think about how they want to build a character.

@frostyryan: I definitely prefer stealth to guns blazing in Fallout. Maybe that will change with better gunplay in 4, but I definitely had way more fun sniping people from afar or one shot stealth killing people than I ever did in a straight up gunfight.

I rarely went full on stealth build though, as it's not always the best option.

First character will be a gun user, not sure what else, perhaps a smooth talker as well.

My second character in these game is always melee focused which, if this game is like 3 and New Vegas, will be really fun and OP.

@zeik: I think I only go stealth in games with real emphasized and fleshed out stealth mechanics. I don't recall Fallout 3 doing that kinda stuff. Otherwise if you give me a gun, I go crazy. It's pretty liberating since I'd be a freak about stealth otherwise. (Quiet hand to hand takedowns is my first plan of action before even pulling out a gun in Metal Gear Solid for example)

I'd like to say I'm gonna break the mold with this one but I'll probably end up doing the same character I do in every game. Which is to say a Han Solo what sneaks and snipes and back stabs and will lock pick and steal all the crap you have.

See like on the one hand, I agree with what some others have said. If indeed this is going to be a "If you play for long enough, you will have 10 in everything and all perks unlocked" then..it doesn't matter?

Else the obvious answer is "Whatever the equivalent for 100 lockpick/hack/speech/guns is, so I don't miss any content. I.e. every character, again already said.

But then if the game works in a different way, with there ultimately being a limit to the stats/perks you can pick up. All I have decided for sure is, this time round I'm gonna max out luck. Cause its always been the dump stat and I wanna see if its not a viable build this time round with the systems changed so much.

Seeing everyone say they play as slick talking Rogue Jones like I do makes me want to change but I know I won't be able to when the game comes out.

@frostyryan: Yeah I did go stealthy in 3 and NV... until the first shot or two rang out. Not like I'm playing Metal Gear but you get nice criticals and keep enemies from rushing you by being a bit sneaky.

I assume that would take a really long time or you would have sacrifice taking any perks to do so. I don't think it will really be a problem, but an option if you want to really play for along time.

Like in every Fallout game, my first character will be a charismatic sharpshooter with a good head on her shoulders. :D

Being Irish I really want whatever that leprechaun perk is, if just to be offended. So I'm probably going to go luck heavy.

Depends if guns have a strength stat tied to them like in New Vegas (and 1 and 2) or no like in 3. I usually go for sneaky, shooty person in these games.

I tend to go projectile weapons (usually rifles) and science. I just kind of wing it though. I'm not pre building a character on paper beforehand or anything. Just go with whatever I feel like when I boot the game up for the first time.

RIFLES!

I've always used Medium Armor and Guns in every Fallout game since 3. Since I saw this in the E3 demo...

... I've been Power Armor all the way! I'll probably use Energy Weapons too since I've never really used those either.

always been a high charisma, stealthy type of character... probably will go with that again.

I generally play talker/scientist/medic and hang back in every Fallout since 1. Even in Tactics (as much as it allowed anyways). When possible add a bit of stealth/pick pockets.

I generally play talker/scientist/medic and hang back in every Fallout since 1. Even in Tactics (as much as it allowed anyways). When possible add a bit of stealth/pick pockets.

Well I know what mod I'll be waiting for before starting. Not that the game ever NEEDS more than 1.5 companions, but having grown up on the past FO's, I'm all about collecting a party.

Every first play-through of a Fallout game for me heavily focuses on speech, repair, and guns. So like a lot of other people I'll be a smooth talking gun wielder, so I'll be going high Charisma and Agility. May not be the most original to be sure but it makes for a fun first play-through since I like to talk my way out of most things and then draw the revolver if I can't.

I will definitely do a dumb melee focused character at some point. I remember playing through some of Fallout 3 again last year as a low intelligence and high strength character and used a sledgehammer to solve all my problems.

Always been sneaky, smart ass-ey, sniper-ey characterss.

I think it's time for melee & unarmed, hard-ass kinda guy in Fallout 4.

I remember having a lot of small arms points in Fallout 3 made almost everything die from one shot with a hunting rifle. I'm curious to try to go more for energy weapons and heavy armor now since I have never done it for any of the Fallout games. Surely gonna dump a lot of stats into charisma either way.

Bethesda combat in general sucks so I need armor, ammo and heavy damage.

S: 3

P: 5

E: 3

C: 4

I: 4

A: 5

L: 4

I'll start with these stats and then probably focus on endurance, agility, and perception, with a little charisma from time to time. I usually play gunslingers who are morally grey, so strength isn't really important in late game and that starting amount should last me a good bit.

In every Fallout game, the first character I started with had ST 4 PE 6 EN 5 CH 4 IN 9 AG 6 LU 6, mostly because I like having a lot of skill points to distribute. Where my first characters diverge somewhat is in strategy. High intelligence/low strength lends itself well to playing a scientist with energy weapons, particularly in New Vegas. In Fallout 3 I played more an assassin type, and all around nasty gal. I played some variation of these two in 1 and 2 respectively.

With the number of SPECIAL points changing, putting a 9 in intelligence doesn't give me more skill points anymore, so I might drop it to 4, for the Gun Nut and Hacker! perks. Similarly, I want at least 4 in Perception for Awareness and Lockpicking, not to mention Rifleman. Both Toughness and Lifegiver seem really good, so at least 3 in Endurance. I prefer to be a lone wanderer, and that lone Wanderer perk seems to make that much easier, so 3 in Charisma. I definitely want the armor mod perks in Strength, however, the Strong Back perks are really tempting. I might raise my Strength to get those around level 15-20. This leaves me 11 points to distribute on Agility and Luck, and I've always loved the Action Boy/Girl and Better Criticals perks, which require Agility 5 and Luck 6 respectively.

ST 3 PE 4 EN 3 CH 3 IN 4 AG 5 LU 6

A woman with a common name, so the characters actually say it, with 10 Charisma, 10 Intelligence and the rest dumped into Luck.

Was it ever confirmed that every character who learns your name will say it? I assumed it was just the robot and maybe another character or two. Would be a crazy task

Straight cheese. I'm assuming I'll will create my standard A/E, leather wearing, stealth-snipe until I need to assault rifle my way out of trouble. With a side of perception, and an army of scrounged and crafted junk at my back.

S'funny because I've been ignoring a lot of specific details so all of that could change, but I'm still super-duper-confident that sniper rifles and a hunt for a named sniper-rifle will be a big part of my experience.

I usually go for the Charismatic sneaky-type in these games and while I'll stick with the charismatic type, I think I'll drop the stealthy ways for a focus on endurance. I like the idea of a fast-talking money-minded man who, although not particularly strong or agile, can take one hell of a beating. Something like a seemingly indestructible, incredibly persistent and convincing salesman.

I like a high intelligence Luck 1 build. Being a complete badass is the only thing keeping the unluckiest man in the wasteland alive.

Fuck stealth. My first character will be into going in with big guns blazing and asking questions later!

I guess not. They just said they had recorded a thousand-ish of the most common names, including "easter egg" ones like Mr./Ms. Fuckface/Boobies, etc.

Codsworth is the only one that we know for sure right now, but I'm guessing the main characters would address you by name as well?

Edit: Appears it might actually only be Codsworth that does it, that one time. Not gonna go super generic with my character name just for one conversation.

S 10
P 1
E 10
C 1
I 1
A 1
L 4

Because I like it when art imitates life.

S 1

P 1

E 1

C 1

I 1

A 1

L 1

Because all I need to do is believe in myself.

I'll probably just pick something balanced so I can do and see the maximum amount of content.

@monetarydread

Man, I might just have to start basing my RPG characters on Han Solo. I played through THPS 3 as Han Solo, but in recent years I mostly play as female characters, so maybe it hasn't occurred to me. No reason I can't play as a lady Han Solo.

Same thing I end up doing for every Fallout: A sneaky type of woman named after a Civil War spy.

No really, I've done an Elizabeth Van Lew and a Charlotte "Charley" Hatfield in New Vegas. Now I'm feeling it's time for a Mary Bowser.

Same as in New Vegas. Revolvers and bolt-action rifles, all day, erry day.

@levio: I'm actually doing this. Probably have to use the console, but I don't mind.

I guess I'll start off with a 'science-y' guy in my first playthrough, with high intelligence and leaning towards skills like science, medicine & energy weapons with a little bit of charisma/speech going on too

Someone who'd rather think (or if that fails- talk) his way around a gunfight but who can still handle himself if it comes down to it. And who really likes robots and plasma guns and stuff.

I might first try making a bruiser: all melee, no intelligence. Basically Max Stone, but with maybe a bit more luck. Mostly want to see if they expand on the low intelligence dialogue options.

I love how in-depth the dialogue trees can get in these games, so I'll probably go deep on charisma. Not sure where I'll go from there.

My exact thoughts, i'm going to Terminator the whole of Boston.

I like to just make myself

I tend to make characters that can use every weapon a game has to offer with these kinds of games. I like playing around with each one to find out which weapon type I like then on another playthough I'll focus on that one weapon type.

Seems like most of the changes made to the game went into weapon variety, so i'm gonna have to mess with that.