V.A.T.S. is (almost) useless

Sn1p3r187

Sn1p3r187

Carolinian Shaolin Monk
Im doing another cowboy build this playthrough and i think im gonna forgo any VATS related perks. Instead ill put strength into the area cowboy weapons need- Mainly Agility with ehanced critical chance. I acknowledge cowboys weapons are cheap in VATS cost. But theyre damn nearly always missing their shots even when you take notable perks to increase accuracy (Gunslinger, Commando, etc.) and that's bringing Fast Shot trait into the equation. And weirdly enough, I think the same can apply to Shotgun builds as well considering those builds are like sister builds- Similar traits, attributes, perks and leveling needed. In fact- so similar people normally multiclass cowboy with shotgun builds. Ill subplant any VATS related perks with Implant GRX, Chemist, and maybe Them's Good Eatin.
I only ses VATS as really being necessary if youre using an Automatic weapons build, and possibly melee and unarmed but I even bring that into question with melee and unarmed because even they do benefit from Implant GRX as much as cowboy does. Plus- it's easy to aim for a limb with melee and unarmed. VATS related perks like Math Wrath, Nerves of Steel, Grim Reapers Sprint, and both ranks of Action Boy/Girl works well with a Grunt character that has Trigger Discipline as a trait and uses Concentrated Fire and perks like Bloody Mess and Thought You Died to their absolute benefit. And that's not even counting Center of Mass or Hobbler when accounting for concentrating fire or using bursts on waves of enemies or specific parts to kick em out of the fight.
I even thought of VATS for an explosives build but Area of Effect damage is very dangerous in VATS, by the time theyre in range you're probably gonna be eating your own bombs. Any thoughts to this revelation in New Vegas?
 
Last edited:
About the only times I use V.A.T.S. are if I'm using throwing spears and axes or aiming for specific areas of a target's body without sniping. And I often multiclass melee/unarmed with shotguns or energy weapons.
 
WeissYohji said:
About the only times I use V.A.T.S. are if I'm using throwing spears and axes or aiming for specific areas of a target's body without sniping. And I often multiclass melee/unarmed with shotguns or energy weapons.
Click to expand...
I only really use VATS for automatic weapons. Sometimes i might do one handed melee and just use implant grx
 
Sn1p3r187 said:
I always wonder what a great two handed energy weapon build wpuld look like and what itd benefit from
Click to expand...

If I'm using two-handed energy weapons, it depends on my whim at the moment. Sometimes I use the holorifle (and I start Dead Money early on for that purpose), sometimes Tesla cannons. Sometimes other weapons that I modded in. As for melee, I downloaded and installed a plasma sword mod that adds a two-handed plasma sword into the game.

In any case, I'd go with at least the Commando and Meltdown perks. I also dump skill points into the melee and unarmed skills for the perks. And I build the explosives skill just enough to take Heave, Ho! if I'm using thrown weapons such as grenades and throwing spears/axes. I also take Vigilant Recycler as soon as I can. Energy weapons are already broken enough but Vigilant Recycler breaks that weapon class even more so. If you have that perk, you only need three spent cells of any energy ammo type to make one new cell of that type. And except for flamer fuel, all energy ammo types are interchangeable by crafting at a workbench or having ED-E or Veronica in your party. It becomes trivial to buy all of a vendor's energy ammo and convert whatever ammo you don't need into the type you do need. Much simpler than crafting bullets and shotgun shells at a reloading bench, where you have to juggle different types of primers, powders, and shell casings (the only thing you can recover by firing regular guns).
 
Vats is useful to an extent, still a poor choice to turn based.

If you can pull off multiple headshots with a high damage per shot weapon it can be useful for ending legion assassian squads before they fire the first shot if you see them coming, but especially in the lategame or mods that add large swarms, its utility dwindles and you need to use it more strategically.
 
V.A.T.S tends to work best with energy weapons like the LAER & a high crit chance build, in my personal experience. For melee, wouldn't bother using V.A.T.S so much. DPS for melee outside of V.A.T.S will kill enemies quicker than what you'll get from even special attacks like "Unlabored Flawlessness" with the katana.
PsychoSniper said:
If you can pull off multiple headshots with a high damage per shot weapon it can be useful for ending legion assassian squads before they fire the first shot if you see them coming
Click to expand...
Right. Granted that your chance of hitting from a long distance is high, V.A.T.S can be convenient.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top