Tips/Advice for a Fallout 2 noob?

FalloutIsMyDrug

FalloutIsMyDrug

Fo3 Enjoyer(converted) Copium Junkie
I recently started a play through of Fallout 2 and am experiencing some difficulties. I have no problems with the UI since I have played through Fallout 1, but I am having a hard time in combat, mostly with random encounters. I often get swarmed by about 10 of various enemies(dogs/raiders/radscorpions) when traveling. My small guns skill is at 90% and I have a hunting rifle. I have Vic with a 10mm pistol and Sulik with his sledgehammer. I wear leather armor and my companions have leather jackets, as this is all I can afford for now. How can I better handle these kinds of situations?

I try to run usually, but a companion often dies before I can zig-zag my way off screen(burst fire crits are brutal). Also, enemies usually get 2 turns in a row because they get a reaction turn. This, coupled with the large amount of enemies, can be killer. Any advice would be appreciated.

I know there are perks to help with this, and I will probably try that as soon as I can. I am currently looking at a mod that will allow me to loot armor, but I don't want to have to concede to this unless I have no other option.

I couldn't find a thread for this, but if there is one please let me know.

Edit: Things are getting better now that I have a burst weapon.
 
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Right now, your best bet is to run. Fallout 2 starts rough. It's a borderline survival game, even with two companions. Also, you can hold "A" before loading an encounter to get a head start. If you sneak (hold shift to walk if you have run set to auto), you can even get out unscathed.

Enemies are getting two turns in a row due to sequence. The higher your sequence, the earlier you attack in a combat turn. It's really only useful for the first round, as after that it's a back and forth.

Fallout 2 has the toughest start of any of the Fallout games, imo, but by end game (or over level 21) you're back to regular "let me play a demi god" RPG style.
 
J_Fred said:
Right now, your best bet is to run. Fallout 2 starts rough. It's a borderline survival game, even with two companions. Also, you can hold "A" before loading an encounter to get a head start. If you sneak (hold shift to walk if you have run set to auto), you can even get out unscathed.

Enemies are getting two turns in a row due to sequence. The higher your sequence, the earlier you attack in a combat turn. It's really only useful for the first round, as after that it's a back and forth.

Fallout 2 has the toughest start of any of the Fallout games, imo, but by end game (or over level 21) you're back to regular "let me play a demi god" RPG style.
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Thanks for the advice. I'm into mid game now, and it's not as bad. I really need to get that earlier sequence perk. Two enemy turns in a row rustles my jimmies.
 
They'll only get two in a row for the first combat turns. What's really happening is you initiate combat and get the first attack, they fire back, then the next turn starts and lets the enemy go first since they have higher sequence. Each subsequent combat turn they will go first, then you. It will never give them two turns in a row other than the initial start up.

I would just put perception (which dictates sequence) to a decent amount (I usually aim for >7), and you won't have much issue.
 
J_Fred said:
They'll only get two in a row for the first combat turns. What's really happening is you initiate combat and get the first attack, they fire back, then the next turn starts and lets the enemy go first since they have higher sequence. Each subsequent combat turn they will go first, then you. It will never give them two turns in a row other than the initial start up.

I would just put perception (which dictates sequence) to a decent amount (I usually aim for >7), and you won't have much issue.
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I know, I'm just saying it's still annoying. I think I have 6 perception.
 
I always take the trait Kamikaze. gives that extra few steps to get away, also getting the
Highwayman
helps a lot too. I find personally that Sulik is good up until about the Den area, I never keep him past there or Reno. Don't forget you can change their combat style too, have them hang back if you need to run a lot. and make them heal up at each encounter.
 
DirtyOldShoe said:
I always take the trait Kamikaze. gives that extra few steps to get away, also getting the
Highwayman
helps a lot too. I find personally that Sulik is good up until about the Den area, I never keep him past there or Reno. Don't forget you can change their combat style too, have them hang back if you need to run a lot. and make them heal up at each encounter.
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Yes, that thing did help a lot. Also, I recently switched Sulik for Marcus. Kiss Grampy Bones goodbye for me, old friend. :cry:
 
Invest in the outdoorsman skill.

Also what's your ST stat? If you've got at least ST 5 ditch the hunting rifle for the always reliable super OP 10mm SMG. burst every time. And if none this shit works you could always move two squares, save and repeat. You may wanna pick up a pulse rifle depending on your energy skill stat. Its lighter than the plasma rifle so your character only needs to have a ST of... 3 iirc to properly wield it.
 
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R.Graves said:
Invest in the outdoorsman skill.

Also what's your ST stat? If you've got at least ST 5 ditch the hunting rifle for the always reliable super OP 10mm SMG. burst every time. And if none this shit works you could always move two squares, save and repeat. You may wanna pick up a pulse rifle depending on your energy skill stat. Its lighter than the plasma rifle so your character only needs to have a ST of... 3 iirc to properly wield it.
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Yeah, the game was 3x easier after I found an SMG. It works the other way around too, though. Enemies would get 2 turns because of sequencing and have time to run up and spray me down before I could respond.

You were critically hit for 100,000 damage.

latest
 
What was very useful for me was the Fast Shot trait. Sacrificing VATS aim isn't a big deal and -1AP Cost for attacks... It's a beast. Combine that, Fast Pockets and some more, a big AP pool and you'll have so many actions that you won't know what to do with them anymore.

It looks i'm a bit late, though :P

Also, Gauss Rifle. Bye
 
Does anyone know how exactly to find the back entrance to the Mercenary Cave? I can't pick the locks on the cave entrance even with lockpicks and I need to get in. I have acquired and used the Raider Map from Bishop's Safe in New Reno, but that didn't add the back entrance option for me. Wiki says that the map should reveal the back entrance. Am I doing something wrong? Some of you probably know better than the wiki, so I hope you have the answer. If not I'll just have to wait until I can level up my lockpicking skill some more(54% currently). I can't find a straight answer via google.
 
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FalloutIsMyDrug said:
Does anyone know how exactly to find the back entrance to the Mercenary Cave? I can't pick the locks on the cave entrance even with lockpicks and I need to get in. I have acquired and used the Raider Map from Bishop's Safe in New Reno, but that didn't add the back entrance option for me. Wiki says that the map should reveal the back entrance. Am I doing something wrong? Some of you probably know better than the wiki, so I hope you have the answer. If not I'll just have to wait until I can level up my lockpicking skill some more(54% currently). I can't find a straight answer via google.
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It sounds like a bug to me but iirc if your outdoorsman skill is high enough your character is able to find the back entrance of the hideout without the map.
 
R.Graves said:
It sounds like a bug to me but iirc if your outdoorsman skill is high enough your character is able to find the back entrance of the hideout without the map.
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Do you know at about what % my Outdoorsman will have to be at? I'm currently at 64.

If it is a bug, is there a way to hack the location into my save?
 
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FalloutIsMyDrug said:
Do you know at about what % my Outdoorsman will have to be at? I'm currently at 64.

If it is a bug, is there a way to hack the location into my save?
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http://user.tninet.se/~jyg699a/fallout2.html#raiders
In your case, it may be a bug that you got the cave entrance even after reading the Map.

You may be better off with getting a higher Lockpicking skill since you already got the cave entrance for the Raider Base rather than the manhole. I don't think the entrances reset.

The Restoration Project walkthrough mentions that the Outdoorsman skillcheck is fairly difficult as well:
http://hem.bredband.net/darek1/f2rp_wt.htm#raiders
 
The entrance to the Raiders Base is decided the first time you enter the map. Unless you have looked at Bishop's map before going there the first time, you will have to pass a outdoorsman roll check (31 skill will give you a 1% chance , 64 will give you a 34% chance) to get to the "manhole". Since you can just load your save and retry however many times you want, a higher outdoorsman skill than 31% is not required (although it is recommended). So, you have to read the map before you go there or pass a outdoorsman check the first time, to get the "manhole" map, and if you have already been there, looking at Bishop's map later wont change anything for you.
 
Darek said:
The entrance to the Raiders Base is decided the first time you enter the map. Unless you have looked at Bishop's map before going there the first time, you will have to pass a outdoorsman roll check (31 skill will give you a 1% chance , 64 will give you a 34% chance) to get to the "manhole". Since you can just load your save and retry however many times you want, a higher outdoorsman skill than 31% is not required (although it is recommended). So, you have to read the map before you go there or pass a outdoorsman check the first time, to get the "manhole" map, and if you have already been there, looking at Bishop's map later wont change anything for you.
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Okay, thanks. That clears things up. I suppose I will wait to level up my lockpick skill as it was forever ago when I first went into the location. It seems silly to me that the map would do nothing if you have been there before. :(

I did just get a set of advanced lockpicks, so maybe I'll have a chance soon.
 
I would also beef up the lockpicking skill, however it would be important to come across conventional not electronic but yet advanced lockpick set and it will add to the skill itself substantially then actually, so I would just roll with it.
 
Don't throw away Sulick. Always give him the best armor you get, a super sledge or a burst weapon, and the enemies will die like flies.

Otherwise, if it is your first time with Fallout 2.
- Do the location in sequence (Arroyo, Klamath, Den, Modoc, Vault City etc...) Don't try to skip steps. The enemies become increasingly stronger.
- Do a bit of early grinding. Kill the rat and geckos from Klamath, the geckos and plants from Arroyo, the geckos at the toxic caves, do some random encouters. Those pesty critters will give you a few levels.
- Do a bit of quest grinding. Talk with everyone, do all the quest you can. You can get even more XP than the previous grinding just by talking.
- You aren't the only one who level up. Your companions too. They get better as time goes on.
- Search every locker, every furniture, everything you can find could be directly used or sold for something more usefull.
- Save often and use more than one save file (that line should be mandatory for every rpg).
- Random encounter are based on stats, but also on real life luck. You can get destroyed once, reload, use the same path and have no encounter.
 
Sulik always gets murdered and left behind in the Enclave patrol random encounter when I'm no match to them D:
He is very squishy for a CQC companion though, it must be a weird leveling for him.
 
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