Just got Fallout 1, 2, and Tactics bundle - Need Tips!

[AMMO Kid]

Hey guys, I am a HUGE Fallout 3 fan (all add-ons and all, and I'll be getting NV soon too), and I heard that the original fallout games were better and different at the same time. So I was in Future Store today and I saw a bundle for $20. I instantly decided to buy it and before I install it I was wondering if you guys have any tips for me on how to play this new game

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I tried playing Fallout 1 but I just couldn't get into it, I suppose CRPGs just don't grip me.

 

[lacktheknack]

Gambling (in the first game, at least) is a key to money. If you have a gambling skill of sixty or higher, you can clean up at any casino.

ALWAYS invest in at least one combat skill. Melee or small guns are great starters.

Skilled and Gifted traits are not worth it.

If necessary, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.

Intelligence is almost as important as agility.

Save, save, save.

 

[Pipotchi]

Throughout Fallout 2 Screw everything, men, women and Brahmin. Everything will work out for the best

 

[Nitpicker of the Wastes]

Don't even START Fallout 2 until you download Killap's Restoration mod. It fixes easily 1000+ bugs while also implementing all of the stuff the devs almost included.

 

[JoeBPlenty]

Sure dude, well... I assume you will be going with Fallout 1 first.

As far as character creation goes, I'll only suggest getting at least 1 reliable combat skill and also, AVOID Bloody Mess character trait. The reason for this is that when everyone dies in the most horrible way imaginable... well... looting becomes a pain and the same death animation for everything gets old when the novelty wears off.

As for the game itself I will suggest following the main quest chain at least as far as Shady Sands, as it will introduce you to some major characters and will also be a nice base for the first parts of the game. Even more importantly, it lets you pick up Ian, an NPC.

More then being your designated mule, he can take and dish out incredible amounts of damage in the early game. He also has some cool stuff you can 'trade' with him.

Also keep in mind that the only way to give your NPC's equipment is through use of the Steal skill. Don't worry though, they won't be upset even if they catch you once they are your official ally.

1 thing to keep in mind is that these NPC's use ammo same as you, unlike Fallout 3 and NV, so make sure to keep them stocked and preferably with a gun that uses dissimilar bullets from you.

Also, AVOID giving them any and all automatic weapons with a burst function. While this may be fun at times, they WILL critically empty a clip in your eyeballs and deal hundreds of damage at other times.

Other then that though? Just... save... often...

I guess that's off the top of my head... I could talk about this all day, but writing a FAQ/Walkthrough as a response to a topic might be overkill.

Good luck, and Have fun. You're about to embark on a wild ride.

Side-note... Fallout Tactics... not as much fun as it should be. Decent for some quick fun, but the replay value is awful. Also they do this thing with Deathclaws... eww... you don't wanna know. Imagine if Deathclaws went Furry Manga.... yeah.... steer clear.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

Get either Melee or Unarmed at first
Save often (and in different slots)
First Aid is useless
Gambling is useless
Throwing is mostly useless
Consider getting Gifted


As for Fallout Tactics, just play the tutorials and have fun. That game's a lot less demanding.

mostly this, except i'd upgrade Gifted to a necessity, rather than a consideration. First aid is definitely worthless, except in Tactics. throwing is mostly useless, though *slightly* less so in Tactics, due to your ability to arc attacks over cover to a degree. gambling is completely useless in all games. while i agree that melee and unarmed are both pretty nice in 1 and 2, i never tagged them and did just fine. unarmed is arguably much more useful in 2 than 1, but there are a lot of npcs who can teach you to help you raise your skill for free.

in Fallout 1, recruit Ian and Tycho as soon as you can, but get rid of Ian as soon as you hit Boneyard (LA), and get rid of Tycho as soon as you start encountering super mutants (in F1, your party members don't level up, so at endgame they do nothing but get killed and occasionally shoot you in the back). also, watch your calendar in Fallout 1. it's fairly time-sensitive, especially on your first playthrough where you don't know where everything is. this means less free-exploration.

in Fallout 2, get Sulik asap, even if you have to spend every last cap you have. he's totally worth it (actually, most of the party npcs are useful in Fallout 2). be sure to note your party control button when dealing with your companions. some of them are borderline suicidal by default, so be sure to correct that. on the other side of the coin, make sure to set any cowardly party members at their bravest possible settings. a party member running away is just a party member who will take a bullet in the back. also, as someone above noted, do not give your party members any automatic weapons. seriously. don't do it!

as mentioned, Tactics is pretty user friendly. i actually like the gameplay and combat in Tactics better than any other Fallout games, but the story is pretty dumb. be aware, though, that Big Guns is almost worthless at endgame in Tactics (to a lesser degree, this is an issue in all Fallout games...).

*edit* don't trust anyone who tells you to get Skilled. lower perk rate is brutal, while lower skill rate can easily be compensated for.

also, absolutely play through Fallout 1 first. it has the best story and atmosphere, but the worst gameplay. once you've played 2, you won't want to play 1, and it would be an absolute shame to miss that game.

 

[Nitpicker of the Wastes]

Also, AVOID giving them any and all automatic weapons with a burst function. While this may be fun at times, they WILL critically empty a clip in your eyeballs and deal hundreds of damage at other times.

That's only a problem in Fallout 1, mostly with Ian and Katja.

NPCs in F2 were really upgraded in terms of AI; they'll actually get right up next to somebody before firing a burst. Sulik and Cassidy, especially.

 

[JemothSkarii]

Always tag a combat skill (except throwing, ugh), Speech is VERY useful, and so is lockpick, but for me it's a toss up between steal and lockpick.
DON'T GO EVIL in 2, you'll get stuck in the main quest.
Don't kill children
Being a slaver is prety fun, but it doesn't last long and people won't like you much.
High Charisma and intelligence is important. Endurance and perception for gunslingers, Strength and Endurance for Brawlers.
Although Lenny has Nostalgic purposes for me, FUCK HIM.
Have at least one companion, if only for luggage.
Tycho is awesome, so is Cassidy.
I love Goris.
Brahmin Fries make you poisoned.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

Also, AVOID giving them any and all automatic weapons with a burst function. While this may be fun at times, they WILL critically empty a clip in your eyeballs and deal hundreds of damage at other times.

That's only a problem in Fallout 1, mostly with Ian and Katja.

NPCs in F2 were really upgraded in terms of AI; they'll actually get right up next to somebody before firing a burst. Sulik and Cassidy, especially.

not quite true. Marcus with a minigun = dead Cassidy for me in first round of combat, about 50% of the time.

 

[Nitpicker of the Wastes]

not quite true. Marcus with a minigun = dead Cassidy for me in first round of combat, about 50% of the time.

Probably because Marcus was designed to use the heavy energy weapons as opposed to big guns? Maybe?

He's a mutant, what did you expect?

 

[Raziel Paragorne]

General tip for Fallout 2 is to invest in small guns and pick up the Gauss Rifle near the end of the game. Thing packs enough wallop to castrate deathclaws and lobotomies aliens.
Also for all 3 games stealing is useful, in tactics particularly where you can rob people of everything but the shirt on their back out in the wasteland.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

not quite true. Marcus with a minigun = dead Cassidy for me in first round of combat, about 50% of the time.

Probably because Marcus was designed to use the heavy energy weapons as opposed to big guns? Maybe?

He's a mutant, what did you expect?

oh, trust me, i know. but he starts out with a minigun. when i first picked him up, the last time i played (which was the first time in over 10 years) i had forgotten to give him a new weapon (actually, i didn't have an extra energy weapon yet). eventually i got tired of reloading, and gave him a power fist and set him to melee mode. then i got him a turbo plasma rifle asap. ahhhh, good times

 

[BaronFelX]

Not sure where the melee/unarmed argument comes from. Melee is a lot of fun, but it's tough on a first play through. Easiest on the first run is probably small arms, since pretty much every gun in the early game counts as small arms. But, yes, throwing and first aid aren't really worth leveling. Honestly, neither is gambling, really. You'll quickly get more money than you can reasonably spend.

Don't get the Cult of Personality perk. It sounds cool but doesn't really work or help. Scout is pretty useless too, or really any perks dealing with the overworld/world map.

 

[Nitpicker of the Wastes]

2. get skilled and gifted.

3. remember that armor doesn't have DT, it relies on a damage-type scenario. use a flamethrower on metal armor, and EMP or guass on power armor.

4. if you have sex, make sure you wear a virtual condom. If you don't you get a special ending in fallout 2.

Skilled is HORRID. You lose a perk for a few skill points! D:

You're playing the wrong game, armor has both DT and DR. Use anything on anything, EMP only works on robots and not power armor.

And the condoms only matter with the Bishop girls, they don't do anything else.

 

[Nitpicker of the Wastes]

sure you can shoot a pistol at power armor but it wont do much good. That's why i said skilled and gifted. they counter balance each other and one without the other will only hamper you.

Gifted doesn't actually hamper you. You slightly lose out on skills in the beginning, but the SPECIAL you get restores some of that and you'll have way more points than you'll need anyway, because your skill rate isn't affected by Gifted like it should be.

And you should never ever EVER give up perk rate!

And while you're right about the pistol thing, flamethrowers are actually really bad against MKII metal armor. Nothing is good against power armor except critical hits.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

EMP only works on robots and not power armor.

just to clarify there, too, by EMP, that means only EMP grenades. the Pulse weapons, which are described as EMP weapons, are actually just electrical damage, and as such are good against everything.