Intelligence Perks

Unlock the secrets of Fallout 4's Intelligence perks! Learn how V.A.N.S., Medic, Gun Nut, Hacker, Scrapper, and Science! can boost your gameplay and settlement building.

Alright, let's dive into the Intelligence perks in Fallout 4. These can seriously change how you play, from making combat easier to helping you build up your settlements. We'll go through each one so you know exactly what you're getting into.

V.A.N.S.

Grade: ***

So, V.A.N.S. is basically an in-game GPS. It'll draw a nice little line on your screen showing you exactly where to go for your current quest objective. Honestly, if you've got a good guide like this one, you probably won't need it much. But hey, if you ever get a little turned around, it can be handy to clear up any confusion about where you're supposed to be heading.

Medic

Grade: ****

Medic is all about making your Stimpaks and RadAway work better. Rank four gives you a nice speed boost to healing, which is cool, but honestly, on the default difficulty, you'll find Stimpaks and RadAway pretty common. You'll likely end up with a ton of them if you're not too reckless. Plus, getting rank four means you're level 49, and by then, you've probably already got Ballistic Weave Mk5, which helps you avoid taking damage in the first place. The main reason to grab even one rank of Medic? You need it to build Clinics in your settlements. So, if settlement building is your jam, consider grabbing a point here.

Gun Nut

Grade: ******

Gun Nut is one of those perks that's pretty much essential in Fallout 4. Even if you're more into energy weapons, some mods just require this perk. Plus, the awesome Heavy Machinegun Turret needs it to be built. The real star of the show here is how much better you can make your regular guns, from basic pipe pistols all the way up to the powerful Gauss Rifle. Now, you *can* find all the mods out in the world, dismantle guns that have them, and slap them onto your favorites. But that relies on luck. Investing in Gun Nut means you'll always have access to the best weapon mods, making combat a breeze. Seriously, it makes the game almost too easy, right up there with Armorer and Ballistic Weave Mk5. If you like staying on top of your enemies, Gun Nut is a solid choice.

Hacker

Grade: *****

Just like Locksmith, Hacker lets you mess with those annoying terminals scattered around the wasteland. This is super useful for opening up mag-locked doors (which is how you'll snag some sweet Power Armor), controlling security systems, or just bypassing regular locks. Now, if you bring Nick Valentine along, he can handle all but the toughest 'Master' terminals for you. But honestly, relying on an NPC just because you haven't put points into Hacker feels a bit lame, right? And avoiding terminals altogether means missing out on info and loot. Putting three ranks into Hacker makes your life so much easier. That fourth rank, though? It's kind of a waste. Getting 'locked out' just means you wait a bit. Save your perk point and just be patient. Also, there are fewer terminals to hack than locks in the game, so Hacker isn't quite as crucial as Locksmith.

Scrapper

Grade: ***

Normally, when you break down weapons, you just get basic stuff like Steel, Wood, and Plastic. But if you invest in Scrapper (up to two ranks, or three with the Far Harbor DLC), you'll start getting way more materials, including some rarer ones. Energy weapons, in particular, become much more rewarding, spitting out Screws, Circuitry, Fiber Optics, and more instead of just Plastic. Pipe Rifles will give you Copper, and high-end guns like Assault Rifles will yield tons of Aluminum. Rank two is also super handy because you can tag specific components, making items and containers with those parts glow green in the world – a real lifesaver for targeted scavenging. The biggest wins are for uncommon but super useful materials like Aluminum, Copper, Circuitry, and Screws. Keep in mind that at higher ranks, you might actually get *less* Steel from some weapons. If you do a lot of crafting and building, this perk can be worth it, especially rank three. However, it's debatable if it's more profitable than just selling weapons and buying the junk you need. For most players, the benefit might not be huge, but if you love breaking down everything you find, it's an option.

Science!

Grade: N/A

Think of Science! as the energy weapon counterpart to Gun Nut. You absolutely need it to mod any energy weapon, build certain things at your settlements, and craft a few other mods, especially high-end scopes. If you're a fan of energy weapons, this perk is a must-have. While there aren't a ton of energy weapons in the game, the ones that are available can be heavily modified. For instance, your basic Laser Pistol can be upgraded into...