Companion perks, as their name suggests, are granted by the player's companions. For example, Enhanced Sensors is only in effect while the Courier is accompanied by ED-E. The perk remains in effect so long as the companion is currently following the player. Unless the companion is dismissed, the perk will remain in effect regardless of the distance between the player and their companions. Companions told to wait are still counted as active companions.
Special perks are granted from other sources, usually through actions in the game world. Completing quests and performing certain actions unlock them. For example, the effects of surgical implants are counted as special perks, which are unlocked once the implant is purchased.
Many of the perks not originally intended to be used in New Vegas remain from the conversion from Fallout 3. This means that some of the Fallout 3 perks can be added to the characters in New Vegas eventhough the associated quest does not exist in the game. Like Barkskin, or Wired Reflexes.
| Name
| Level req
| Other requirements
| Ranks
| Benefit
| Base ID
|
Black Widow Lady Killer
| 2
|
| 1
| +10% damage to the opposite sex and unique dialogue options with certain characters.
| 00094eb8 00094eb9
|
Cherchez La Femme Confirmed Bachelor
| 2
|
| 1
| +10% damage to the same sex and unique dialogue options with certain characters.
| 001361b3 001361b4
|
| Friend of the Night
| 2
| PE 6, Sneak 30
| 1
| Your eyes adapt quickly to low-light conditions.
| 00165118
|
| Heave, Ho!
| 2
| ST 5, Explosives 30
| 1
| +50% thrown weapon velocity and range.
| 0014609c
|
| Hunter
| 2
| Survival 30
| 1
| In combat, you do 75% more critical damage against animals and mutated animals.
| 00135f18
|
| Intense Training
| 2
|
| 10
| You can put a single point into any of your SPECIAL attributes.
| 00044cb1
|
| Rapid Reload
| 2
| AG 5, Guns 30
| 1
| All of your weapon reloads are 25% faster than normal.
| 001377fd
|
| Retention
| 2
| IN 5
| 1
| Skill magazines last for 3 real-time minutes.
| 0010f09e
|
| Swift Learner
| 2
| IN 4
| 3
| You gain an additional 10% whenever experience points are earned.
| 00031dd3
|
| Cannibal
| 4
|
| 1
| When you're in Sneak mode, you gain the option to eat a human corpse to regain hit points, but lose Karma.
| 00094ebc
|
| Comprehension
| 4
| IN 4
| 1
| You gain one additional skill point for reading books and double the skill points for reading magazines.
| 00031de1
|
| Educated
| 4
| IN 4
| 1
| You gain two more skill points every time you advance in level.
| 00031dd8
|
| Entomologist
| 4
| IN 4, Survival 45
| 1
| You do an additional 50% damage every time you attack a mutated insect.
| 00031dd9
|
| Rad Child
| 4
| Survival 70
| 1
| +2 HP per second per 200 rads accumulated.
| 001656fd
|
| Run 'n Gun
| 4
| Guns 45 or Energy Weapons 45
| 1
| Halved spread with one-handed ranged weapons while walking or running.
| 0014609d
|
| Travel Light
| 4
| Survival 45
| 1
| While wearing light armor or no armor, you run 10% faster.
| 00146096
|
| Bloody Mess
| 6
|
| 1
| +5% overall damage, more violent death animations.
| 00094eba
|
| Demolition Expert
| 6
| Explosives 50
| 3
| +20% damage with explosives
| 00031dab
|
| Ferocious Loyalty
| 6
| CH 6
| 1
| When you drop below 50% HP, companions gain +50 DR.
| 00165180
|
| Fortune Finder
| 6
| LK 5
| 1
| Considerably more bottle caps will be found in stockpiles.
| 00031de3
|
| Gunslinger
| 6
|
| 1
| +25% accuracy in V.A.T.S. with one-handed weapons.
| 00094ebb
|
| Hand Loader
| 6
| Repair 70
| 1
| When using Guns, you are twice as likely to recover cases and hulls. You also have all hand load recipes unlocked at any reloading benches.
| 0016581b
|
| Lead Belly
| 6
| EN 5
| 1
| -50% radiation taken from food and water sources.
| 00044ca9
|
| Shotgun Surgeon
| 6
| Guns 45
| 1
| When using shotguns, regardless of ammunition used, you ignore an additional 10 points of a target's Damage Threshold.
| 0016578b
|
| The Professional
| 6
| Sneak 70
| 1
| Your sneak attack criticals with revolvers, pistols, and submachine guns (guns and energy weapons) all inflict an additional 20% damage.
| 00165aec
|
| Toughness
| 6
| EN 5
| 2
| +3 DT permanently.
| 00031de0
|
| Vigilant Recycler
| 6
| Science 70
| 1
| When using Energy Weapons, you are twice as likely to recover drained ammunition. You also have more efficient recycling recipes available at workbenches.
| 00165816
|
| Commando
| 8
|
| 1
| +25% accuracy in V.A.T.S. with two-handed weapons.
| 00099828
|
| Cowboy
| 8
| Guns 45, Melee 45
| 1
| +25% damage done by dynamite, hatchets, knives, revolvers, and lever-action guns.
| 00138562
|
| Living Anatomy
| 8
| Medicine 70
| 1
| Shows health and Damage Threshold of any target. +5% bonus to damage against humans and non-feral ghouls.
| 00146099
|
| Pack Rat
| 8
| IN 5, Barter 70
| 1
| Items with a weight of two pounds or less now weigh half as much.
| 0014609b
|
| Quick Draw
| 8
| AG 5
| 1
| Makes weapon equipping and holstering 50% faster.
| 001377fe
|
| Rad Resistance
| 8
| EN 5, Survival 40
| 1
| +25% radiation resistance permanently.
| 00031da9
|
| Scrounger
| 8
| LK 5
| 1
| Considerably more ammunition in stockpiles.
| 00031daa
|
| Stonewall
| 8
| ST 6, EN 6
| 1
| +5 DT against melee and unarmed attacks and cannot be knocked down during combat.
| 00165449
|
| Strong Back
| 8
| ST 5, EN 5
| 1
| +50 Carry Weight.
| 00031dde
|
| Super Slam
| 8
| ST 6, Melee Weapons 45
| 1
| All melee (except thrown) and unarmed attacks have a chance of knocking your target down. 15% for Unarmed or one-handed melee, 30% for two-handed melee.
| 0014609e
|
| Terrifying Presence
| 8
| Speech 70
| 1
| Can intimidate foes through dialogue; closing dialogue results in the foe fleeing for 5 seconds.
| 0010c6cd
|
| Here and Now
| 10
|
| 1
| You instantly level up again.
| 00031dac
|
| Animal Friend
| 10
| CH 6, Survival 45
| 2
| On 1st rank, hostile animals become friendly. On 2nd rank they come to your aid against enemies except against other animals.
| 00031db5
|
| Finesse
| 10
|
| 1
| +5% Critical Chance.
| 00094ec1
|
| Math Wrath
| 10
| Science 70
| 1
| Reduces all AP costs by 10%.
| 00135ec3
|
| Miss Fortune
| 10
| LK 6
| 1
| 10% chance that Miss Fortune will incapacitate a target in V.A.T.S.
| 00137800
|
| Mister Sandman
| 10
| Sneak 60
| 1
| Can instantly kill a sleeping non-player character, and earns bonus XP.
| 00031dad
|
| Mysterious Stranger
| 10
| LK 6
| 1
| 10% chance that the Stranger will finish off a target in V.A.T.S.
| 00031dbc
|
| Nerd Rage!
| 10
| IN 5, Science 50
| 1
| +15 DT and Strength increased to 10 whenever health is 20% or lower.
| 00044ca7
|
| Night Person
| 10
|
| 1
| +2 Intelligence and +2 Perception between 6:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.
| 00094ebd
|
| Plasma Spaz
| 10
| Energy Weapons 70
| 1
| AP costs for all plasma weapons are reduced by 20%.
| 00165aef
|
| Fast Metabolism
| 12
|
| 1
| +20% Hit points restored with stimpaks.
| 00094ebf
|
| Ghastly Scavenger
| 12
| Cannibal perk
| 1
| When you're in Sneak mode, you gain the option to eat a super mutant or feral ghoul corpse to regain hit points, but lose Karma.
| 00135ec9
|
| Hit the Deck
| 12
| Explosives 70
| 1
| +25 DT against explosives.
| 001651b6
|
| Life Giver
| 12
| EN 6
| 1
| +30 hit points.
| 00031db1
|
| Long Haul
| 12
| EN 6, Barter 70
| 1
| Being over-encumbered no longer prevents you from using fast travel.
| 00146098
|
| Piercing Strike
| 12
| Unarmed 70
| 1
| All your unarmed and melee attacks negate 15 points of DT.
| 0014609f
|
| Pyromaniac
| 12
| Explosives 60
| 1
| +50% damage with fire-based weapons.
| 00031db2
|
| Robotics Expert
| 12
| Science 50
| 1
| +25% damage to robots, can shut down robots by sneaking up on them.
| 00031dc2
|
| Silent Running
| 12
| AG 6, Sneak 50
| 1
| Running no longer factors into a successful sneak attempt.
| 00031db3
|
| Sniper
| 12
| PE 6, AG 6
| 1
| 25% more likely to hit the target's head in V.A.T.S.
| 00031db4
|
| Splash Damage
| 12
| Explosives 70
| 1
| Explosives have a 25% larger area of effect.
| 00165af0
|
| Unstoppable Force
| 12
| ST 7, Melee Weapons 90
| 1
| x4 normal damage through enemy blocks with melee and unarmed attacks.
| 00165447
|
| Adamantium Skeleton
| 14
|
| 1
| Damage taken by limbs reduced by 50%.
| 00094ec4
|
| Center of Mass
| 14
| Guns 70
| 1
| In V.A.T.S., you do an additional 15% damage when targeting the torso.
| 00165182
|
| Chemist
| 14
| Medicine 60
| 1
| Chems, food, and stimpaks (in Hardcore) last twice as long.
| 0009982d
|
| Jury Rigging
| 14
| Repair 90
| 1
| Repair any item using a roughly similar item.
| 00165815
|
| Light Step
| 14
| PE 6, AG 6
| 1
| Floor traps or mines will not be set off.
| 00031db7
|
| Purifier
| 14
|
| 1
| You do 50% extra damage with melee and unarmed weapons against centaurs, night stalkers, spore plants, spore carriers, deathclaws and super mutants.
| 00135f75
|
Action Boy Action Girl
| 16
| AG 6
| 2
| +15 Action Points.
| 00031dba 0007b202
|
| Better Criticals
| 16
| PE 6, LK 6
| 1
| +50% damage with critical hits.
| 00031dbb
|
| Chem Resistant
| 16
| Medicine 60
| 1
| Half as likely to get addicted.
| 00099827
|
| Meltdown
| 16
| Energy Weapons 90
| 1
| Foes killed by your Energy Weapons emit a corona of harmful energy.
| 0014609a
|
| Tag!
| 16
|
| 1
| Fourth "tag" skill: +15 points to that skill.
| 00031dbd
|
| Weapon Handling
| 16
| ST < 10
| 1
| Weapon Strength requirements are now 2 points lower than normal for you.
| 00146097
|
| Computer Whiz
| 18
| IN 7, Science 70
| 1
| Can hack a locked down terminal with four more chances.
| 00031dc4
|
| Concentrated Fire
| 18
| Energy Weapons 60, Guns 60
| 1
| +5% accuracy in V.A.T.S. with every attack on a given body part queued.
| 00044caf
|
| Infiltrator
| 18
| PE 7, Lockpick 70
| 1
| Can pick a broken lock with one more bobby pin.
| 00044cb0
|
| Paralyzing Palm
| 18
| Unarmed 70
| 1
| Can paralyze an enemy for 30 seconds with a V.A.T.S. unarmed attack.
| 00044caa
|
| Explorer
| 20
|
| 1
| All locations are marked on your map.
| 00031de5
|
| Grim Reaper's Sprint
| 20
|
| 1
| A kill in V.A.T.S. restores 20 AP immediately.
| 00099834
|
| Ninja
| 20
| Melee Weapons 80, Sneak 80
| 1
| x1.15 (instead of +15 luck due to a bug) critical chance with melee and unarmed weapons, +25% damage with melee/unarmed sneak attack criticals.
| 00031dcc
|
| Solar Powered
| 20
| EN 7
| 1
| +2 Strength and +1 HP per second while outside, from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
| 00031dc5
|
| Laser Commander
| 22
| Energy Weapons 90
| 1
| You do an extra 15% damage and have a 10% extra chance to critically hit with any laser weapon.
| 00165789
|
| Nuka Chemist
| 22
| Science 90
| 1
| Unlocks special Nuka-Cola recipes at the workbench.
| 00165ae6
|
| Spray ‘n Pray
| 22
|
| 1
| Your attacks do 75% less damage to companions.
| 00165181
|
| Slayer
| 24
| AG 7, Unarmed 90
| 1
| The speed of all your melee and unarmed attacks is increased by 30%.
| 00165446
|
| Nerves of Steel
| 26
| AG 7
| 1
| 20% faster AP regeneration.
| 000e2c49
|
| Rad Absorption
| 28
| EN 7
| 1
| -1 Rad every 20 seconds.
| 000e2c4a
|
| Name
| Unlock conditions
| Ranks
| Benefit
| Base ID
|
| Abominable
| Kill 50/100/150 abominations
| 3
| Deal +3%/+6%/+10% damage to abominations.
| 0015eadb
|
| Animal Control
| Kill 50/100/150 mutated animals
| 3
| Deal +3%/+6%/+10% damage to mutated animals.
| 0015eae0
|
| Beautiful Beatdown
| Make 42 kills with unarmed weapons. After that inflict 10,000 damage with unarmed weapons.
| 1
| AP costs for unarmed attacks are reduced by 10%.
| 0015eadf
|
| Bug Stomper
| Kill 50/100/150 mutated insects
| 3
| Deal +3%/+6%/+10% damage to mutated insects.
| 0015ead7
|
| Camel of the Mojave
| Drink 100 water items
| 1
| Water items hydrate and heal you 15% better.
| 00167e26
|
| Day Tripper
| Use 25 addictive Chems.
| 1
| The effects of addictive Chems last 33% longer.
| 0015ead8
|
| Dine and Dash
| Eat 25 corpses with Cannibal perk.
| 1
| Get option to take Human remains when using Cannibal.
| 0015eae1
|
| Fast Times
| Use turbo 20 times
| 1
| Turbo's effects last +50% longer.
| 0015ead9
|
| Free Radical
| Use 20 RadAway
| 1
| 10 additional rads removed upon each RadAway usage.
| 0015eada
|
| Friendly Help
| Receive 15 Mysterious Stranger or Miss Fortune visits.
| 1
| Mysterious Stranger and Miss Fortune are twice as likely to appear in V.A.T.S.
| 0015eae3
|
| Lord Death
| Kill 200/700/1000 enemies
| 3
| Deal an extra +1%/+2%/+4% damage to all enemies.
| 0015eae4
|
| Machine Head
| Kill 50/100 robots (glitched; rank is misreported to player, rank 3 is unachievable).
| 3
| Deal +3%/+6% damage to robots.
| 0015eadc
|
| Meat of Champions
| Cannibalize Mr. House, Caesar, The King and Aaron Kimball.
| 1
| +1 Luck, Strength, Charisma and Intelligence for 60 seconds each time a corpse is consumed.
| 00164afb
|
| Melee Hacker
| First kill 125 enemies with melee weapons. For one rank, deal 10,000 damage with one-handed melee weapons. For another, deal 10,000 damage with two-handed melee weapons.
| 2
| Level 1: +5% melee weapon attack speed. Level 2: +10% melee weapon attack speed.
| 0015eade
|
| Mutant Massacrer
| Kill 50/100/150 super mutants.
| 3
| Deal +3%/+6%/+10% damage to super mutants.
| 0015eae2
|
| Power Armor Training
| Complete Still in the Dark or For Auld Lang Syne.
| 1
| Ability to wear all power armor variants.
| 00058fdf
|
| Set Lasers for Fun
| Deal 16,000 damage with pistol grip energy weapons for one rank and 25,000 damage with rifle grip energy weapons for the other.
| 2
| ALL energy weapons gain an extra +2%/+4% chance to get a critical hit.
| 0015eadd
|
| Tough Guy
| Become crippled 50 times.
| 1
| Take 20% less limb damage.
| 0015ead6
|
Special unarmed moves can be learned from various characters in the Mojave.
| Name
| Unlock conditions
| Ranks
| Benefit
| Base ID
|
| Brainless
| Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the think tank (optional to keep after completion of OWB if you keep your artificial brain)
| 1
| Head can no longer be crippled, +25% resistance to chem addiction, +5% DT (min +1)
| xx0098be
|
| Heartless
| Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the think tank (optional to keep after completion of OWB if you keep your artificial heart)
| 1
| Cannot be poisoned, healing items are boosted +25%, robots have -50% crit chance.
| xx0098c2
|
| Spineless
| Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the think tank (optional to keep after completion of OWB if you keep your artificial spine)
| 1
| Strength+1, DT+1, torso can no longer be crippled.
| xx0098bc
|
| Big Brained
| Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished (optional to get if you take your organic brain back)
| 1
| Head cannot be crippled, +10% resistance to chem addiction, +10% DT (min +1).
| xx015bba
|
| Cardiac Arrest
| Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished (optional to get if you take your organic heart back)
| 1
| -50% poison resistance, healing items boosted by 50%, robots have -25% crit chance.
| xx015bbb
|
| Reinforced Spine
| Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished (optional to get if you take your organic spine back)
| 1
| Strength+2, Damage Threshold+2
| xx015bbc
|
| DNAgent
| Completion of X-8 Data Retrieval Test
| 1
| All damage done to night stalkers is increased by 10%.
| xx009617
|
| DNAvenger
| Kill two cazadores for rank 1, three more for rank 2, and another five for rank 3 of this perk. All kills must be made in the Big MT; cazadores outside the Big MT do not count.
| 3
| All the damage done to cazadores is increased cumulatively by 10% by rank.
| xx00da28
|
Doesn't count against the Endurance limit of original implant perks.