Fallout New Vegas Builds

VATS group
--------------------
Math Wrath
Action Boy
Grim Reaper's Sprint
Nerves of Steel

Unarmed group
--------------------
Piercing Strike
Purifier
Paralyzing Palm
Slayer

Melee Group
--------------------
Super Slam

Stealth Group
--------------------
Silent Running
Ninja
The Professional

Explosives Group
--------------------
Demolition Expert x3
Pyromaniac
Hit the Deck

Ranged Group
--------------------
Commando
Sniper

Energy Weapons Group
--------------------
Meltdown
Laser Commander

Guns Only Group
--------------------
Hand Loader
Shotgun Surgeon
Pack Rat


Unarmed Builds

    Unarmed/Ballistic     Unarmed/Other

    S  P  E  C  I  A  L   S  P  E  C  I  A  L
St  6  5  6  1  9  6  7   6  5  6  1  9  6  7
Fn  7  6  7  1 10  7  9   7  6  7  1 10  7  9

T1  Kamikaze              Kamikaze
T2  Built to Destroy      Built to Destroy

2   Intense Training      Intense Training
4   Educated              Educated             
6   Comprehension         Comprehension         
8   Bloody Mess           Bloody Mess           
10  Finesse               Finesse
12  Piercing Strike       Piercing Strike
14  Jury Rigging          Jury Rigging
16  Better Criticals      Better Criticals      
18  Weapon Handling       Silent Running
20  Silent Running        Ninja
22  Ninja                 Math Wrath
24  Slayer                Slayer
26  Math Wrath            Grim Reaper's Sprint
28  Grim Reaper's Sprint  Nerves of Steel
30  Nerves of Steel       Action Boy
    0                     0             

These builds are almost exactly the same. The only difference is that one of
them includes Weapon Handling for use with the Ballistic Fist. Apart from that,
the assumption here is that (a) Unarmed and VATS love each other and (b) there
is never a reason to make a non-stealth unarmed character. You could, of
course. In fact, with Ninja still broken in vanilla New Vegas, that might be
understandable--in which case, just replace Silent Running and Ninja with
Purifier and Paralyzing Palm.

One might ask whether it is necessary to keep Strength so high if one does not
intend to use the Ballistic Fist, to which I reply: no. Without Ballistic Fist,
Strength can be a veritable dump stat, freeing up 4-5 attribute points for
Endurance, Agility, and Luck. However, Slayer requires a strength of 7. And
Slayer is worth it.

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    Melee/Typical         Melee/Shishkebab      Melee/Chainsaw

    S  P  E  C  I  A  L   S  P  E  C  I  A  L   S  P  E  C  I  A  L
St  7  5  6  1  9  5  7   7  5  6  1  9  5  7   9  1  6  1  9  7  7   
Fn  8  6  7  1 10  7  9   8  6  7  1 10  7  9  10  2  7  1 10  9  9            

T1  Small Frame           Small Frame           Kamikaze
T2  Built to Destroy      Built to Destroy      Heavy Handed

2   Intense Training      Intense Training      Intense Training
4   Educated              Educated              Educated
6   Comprehension         Comprehension         Comprehension
8   Super Slam            Super Slam            Super Slam
10  Finesse               Finesse               Math Wrath
12  Piercing Strike       Pyromaniac            Piercing Strike
14  Jury Rigging          Jury Rigging          Jury Rigging
16  Better Criticals      Better Criticals      Purifier
18  Purifier              Piercing Strike       Action Boy
20  Silent Running        Purifier              Grim Reaper's Sprint
22  Ninja                 Silent Running        Silent Running
24  Slayer                Ninja                 Slayer
26  Math Wrath            Slayer                Nerves of Steel
28  Grim Reaper's Sprint  Math Wrath            Ninja
30  Nerves of Steel       Grim Reaper's Sprint  Intense Training
    0                     0                     0                     

Your preferred weapon weighs considerably (pun intended) on your perk/trait 
choices in a melee build.

A Strength of 8 is required to fully utilize the Oh Baby!, but that is not the
only reason to keep it high. Slayer again requires at least 7, and it is too
valuable to pass up for any close-range build. Strength has a direct impact
(pun also intended) on melee damage (as opposed to unarmed damage). 

A Shishkebab weilder will want to trade in Nerves of Steel for Pyromaniac, and
for the heck of it might want to invest in Energy Weapons just for the flame
weapons--however, none of the Energy Weapons related perks will be helpful.

The Chainsaw is a whole different ball game. Interesting things happen when we
abandon critical hits. First, we dump all critical-related perks and traits.
Then we keep battle inside of VATS as long as possible. Finally, we use
Perception as a second dump stat and throw in a second Intense Training to
create a fearsome, albeit legally blind Leatherface.


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    Guns/Typical          Guns/Stealth          Guns/

    S  P  E  C  I  A  L   S  P  E  C  I  A  L   S  P  E  C  I  A  L
St  3  5  6  1  9  8  7   3  5  6  1  9  8  7   3  5  6  1  9  8  7
Fn  4  6  7  1 10 10  9   4  6  7  1 10 10  9   4  6  7  1 10 10  9   

T1  Small Frame           Small Frame
T2  Built to Destroy      Built to Destroy

2   Intense Training      Intense Training      Intense Training
4   Educated              Educated              Educated
6   Comprehension         Comprehension         Comprehension
8   Hand Loader           Hand Loader
10  Finesse               Finesse               Finesse
12  Shotgun Surgeon       Silent Running
14  Jury Rigging          Jury Rigging          Jury Rigging
16  Better Criticals      Better Criticals      Purifier
18  Commando              The Professional
20  Sniper                Gunslinger
22  Pack Rat              Sniper
24  Math Wrath            Pack Rat
26  Action Boy            Shotgun Surgeon
28  Grim Reaper's Sprint  Math Wrath
30  Nerves of Steel       Grim Reaper's Sprint
    0                     0                     0                     




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