Tips

Gender choice in character creation has no impact on gameplay, only on companion dialogue (e.g., Parvati saying "ma'am" instead of "sir").

Don't overemphasize initial attributes; most bonuses can be replicated through skill investment and perks. For example, +35% critical hit damage from three points in Intelligence, or +50% from 40 skill points in Ranged. The only unique benefits are health regeneration from Temperament and unique dialogue options from low Intelligence.

Aptitudes are not important and have no lasting impact on the game.

Essential skill ranks for any build include Hack 20 (for selling to vending machines), Science 40 (for reduced tinkering costs), and Engineering 20 (for repairing weapons and armor without a workbench).

Unlock Inspiration 60 if you plan to use companions, as it doubles their skill bonuses.

Skill ranks beyond 100 (achieved through gear or companion bonuses) offer minimal to no benefit, as there are no skill checks above 100. Some skills offer minor exponential benefits up to 100, like critical hit chance or companion damage, which then increase only slightly.

Generally, refuse Flaws (negative traits) after unlocking the associated trophy, as the penalties often outweigh the benefits of the few available perks. Accepting a mild Flaw might be considered to unlock Armor Master two levels earlier, or for role-playing reasons.

After the initial cutscenes (brief narrative sequences), adjust settings in the menu. Consider hiding companion headgear to avoid seeing them in undesirable helmets, and change the item stat display to show bonuses from your skills and perks, not just base stats.

Status icons on your HUD (Heads-Up Display, showing game information) are explained in the Codex, found under the Journal. The Codex also records read log entries.

Plasma is the most useful overall damage type for weapons, as it deals high damage against most enemies and is boosted by any Science skill level. Shock damage is effective against automechanicals and other enemy types. Corrosion damage, rare and boosted at Science 60, is only best against manti-creatures found on Monarch. Mag-2-Power and Mr. Power mods are plentiful and cost-effective.

N-ray damage ignores armor and applies damage over time to nearby enemies. While poor on single-shot weapons, it's effective on automatic weapons with a Mag-2-Ray mod (a community-made modification that changes the game). The Mr. N mod on melee weapons can cause self-damage due to its Area of Effect (AoE) effect.

Tinkering increases weapon effectiveness but has exponentially increasing costs. At 40 Science, you can afford about 10-11 levels of tinkering; at 100 Science, about 12-13 levels. You will likely find higher-tier weapons before reaching these limits. Heavy Machine Guns are often better than Light Machine Guns due to their higher base level allowing more tinkering. Companions' starting equipment is already leveled; recruiting Nyoka at level 24, for example, gives her a level 24 LMG.

Most unique weapons are not cost-effective to tinker due to their fixed level and high costs; sell them unless you want a complete collection.

Science weapons are cost-effective to level up if your Science skill is at 100, capping tinkering at 200 bits per level. This makes builds centered around the Prismatic Hammer viable.

Armor provides flat damage reduction per hit. Weapons with high DPS but low single-shot damage are most affected. A gun skill of 100 allows critical hits to ignore enemy armor.

Unique armor often has useful skill bonuses (e.g., A Nice Hat, Safecracker's Jacket) beyond its protection.

Body armor receives most incoming damage. You can pair heavy armor with lighter headgear like Hemlock's Eyepatch for a stylish look and sneak attack boost without significant protection loss.

Carry spare outfits to boost Stealth, Tech, and Dialog skills. Heavy armor often reduces Stealth skills; swapping to clothing with +5 Stealth can provide a +10 boost to Lockpick effectiveness when picking locks.