CHARACTER BUILD: THE DETECTIVE (FO4)
(gotta redo this)
Article one;
An Excerpt from “The Simple Art of Murder” by Raymond Chandler:
“In everything that can be called art there is a quality of redemption. It may be pure tragedy, if it is high tragedy, and it may be pity and irony, and it may be the raucous laughter of the strong man. Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid...
The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor -- by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. If he is a man of honor in one thing, he is that in all things.
He is a relatively poor man, or he would not be a detective at all. He is a common man or he could not go among common people. He will take no man's money dishonestly and no man's insolence without due and dispassionate revenge. He is a lonely man and his pride is that you will treat him as a proud man or be very sorry you ever saw him.
He talks as the man of his age talks -- that is, with rude wit, a lively sense of the grotesque, a disgust for sham, and a contempt for pettiness. He has a range of awareness that startles you, but it belongs to him by right, because it belongs to the world he lives in. If there were enough like him, the world would be a very safe place to live in, without becoming too dull to be worth living in.”
--
I finally got my hands on the GOTY edition, and wanted to experience Far Harbor with a new Detective build. So here we have my vision of the post-apocalyptic gumshoe, the best man in his old world and a good enough man for this new one. He’s an inquisitive and sneaky sort, armed with a loud gun. An infiltrator daredevil, he’d like to get in and out with all the information and no shots fired, but he’s a realist, getting loud and messy when things go wrong.
The deliberation needed to primarily use a six-gun revolver during firefights is really fun, as is pacifying enemies from rapidly diminishing semi-stealth status, while Nick Valentine rains down cover-fire. However, as any of the common-folk of the commonwealth will tell you, another great skill to have is the ability to Run Like Hell. He can always come back with a bigger gun from the armory at H.Q., if he survives this night...
Addendum to article one;
PERSONAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
We assume the Detective and spouse retain their in-game backstories with an ex-military man and lawyer wife. Waking up from cryo in 111, the man begins his journey preoccupied with the biggest mystery of all; the motivation for kidnapping and whereabouts of his son Shaun. Seeing the Minutemen and Brotherhood of Steel in apparent shambles, he will aid them minimally due to the high demands they would place on his time and efforts, and the little immediate aid they can offer in return. Bitter, violent, and in a rush to find Shaun but unprepared for the strangeness of the wasteland, we see him relying on his military experience to force his way to answers; until he meets Nick Valentine, synth detective.
The Detective dons the trench coat and fedora like a new identity, hoping to find his son and his own place in this new world, feeling glad to have met a strangely similar friend and partner in justice.
Ellie Perkins is obviously relieved she won't have to dress up and play partner for Nick anymore.
Article two;
(Down These Means Streets...)
Strength 2/(bobblehead to) 3:
The Detective is aptly fit for someone having recently been in active military service, but he is no powerhouse. Bobblehead will take this to 3, just enough to invest in Armorer to apply Ballistic Weave to your trench coats and other suits in the late-middle and late-game..
Perception: 5/6 :
The Detective’s greatest attribute. While deciphering meaning is another skill set altogether, this keen eyed gumshoe will at least never miss a clue. Awareness will allow profiling of weaker opponents and those to avoid, Lockpicking allows subtle entrances to places you shouldn’t be in, and Rifleman will keep your “Search Warrant” relevant when in those hard-to-be places. Demolition Expert will allow me personally for the first time in Fallout 4 to... make sure my molotovs don’t hit the door frame i’m taking cover behind. Night Person will allow faster leveling, as well as night vision to see you no longer relying on your pip-boy light (optional, but great for any ‘darker night’ type mod) Finally, Pickpocket is used purely to disarm opponents after they have been pacified with the charisma perk Intimidation; this was to make it less awkward to be in a room full of barely stable jet-addled raiders, while aggressively looting their dead compatriots as well the refrigerator…, and it makes things less dangerous should you leave them alive. Which the Detective always does if they have surrendered and aren’t Kellogg. However, don’t be so scrupulous as to kill every single enemy if you can just acquire evidence by stealing it from them, since the skill is so high. (I may or may not put a grenade in somebody's pockets just once, but only to finally test the perk in this game, and only For Justice!)
Endurance 2/ 3:
The Detective is not, I emphasize again, a powerhouse. However, like old Clint Eastwood westerns and Deckard in Bladerunner, when separated from their pistols the heroes likely endure a good physical thrashing. So in the early game and long before Armorer/Ballistic Weave, we will take Toughness. Like the perk descriptor says, if nothing else you can take a beating. However with just a faded trench-coat, you can really only take a bullet or two. I placed my “You’re Special” point in Endurance for the extra health while leveling, as the time spent in between having Toughness and getting Ballistic Weave may be trickier.
Charisma 7/ 11:
It may seem a little odd to have 11 charisma and only place one point apiece in only two perks. (Perks: Intimidation 1, Wasteland Whisperer 1.)
It isn’t. (Speech-check Passed)
Intelligence 6/8
The Detective starts out just above the average intelligence, and gains more through his working cases and surviving the problems and mysteries around the commonwealth and Far Harbor. We will be taking Gun Nut all the way from start to finish. The only other perk taken is Robotics Expert, just one rank. This will complement your pacification abilities, allowing the Detective to hack into and shut-down aggressive robots, excluding his partner Nick Valentine. This increase of the base intelligence stat will also allow a decent boost to leveling later in the game, especially when combined appropriately with Night Person rank 2, which adds another 3 points between 6pm-6am.
Agility 4/6:
The .44 pistol, and specifically Eddies Peace, is the thematic and primary weapon- the spirit animal if you will- of the Detective. Thus we go all out with Gunslinger. Once the Detective has obtained the Agility Bobblehead and trained for one point, Moving Target will be available. As stealth and cover are your best defense, and it will be endgame when have acquired all Toughness ranks for AP and Armorer ranks for your faded trench-coat and battered fedora, Moving Target will help the Detective when he needs to retreat from grenades and gunfights.
Luck 2:
That black cat probably turned out to be yao guai upon closer inspection. The Sole Survivor’s luck doesn’t really get better in this post- apocalyptic retro-future neo-noir incarnation. It’s hard work and hard luck in these end of times. I debated taking scrounger; I had planned on it, but forgot to perk it and still assumed I already had it. Now that I noticed I don’t have it, I’m not convinced it is needed even for a .44 build, (maybe due to high charisma prices?). With a supplementary shotgun, tommy gun or other thematically appropriate weapons available, I haven’t run out of ammo yet, mainly due to sneaking past most dire threats and careful shots.
Maybe he is lucky…
OUTFIT: Faded Trench-coat and Battered Fedora, Eye-Glasses, Wedding Ring.
Known Armaments: .44 revolver/ Eddies Peace, Combat Shotgun, Submachine-gun, all highly custom modified), various thrown and stationary explosives. Optional baton for backup and symbol monkeys.
Main Game Faction: (END GAME SPOILER/ SKIP PARAGRAPH TO AVOID!)
With Nick Valentine as partner, the Railroad’s focus on synths (and secrecy) seemed appropriate. Plus it allows the guilt-ridden Detective who feels somewhat directly responsible for the actions of his offspring to actively work against the Institute and the Director thereof. The Minutemen can be helped along the way, as should the ‘B.O.S.’. In fact, help anyone in need that is not asking for an epic-hero-job to be done. Save more epic stuff for later levels when the Detective’s most characteristic perks are unlocked. I was level 20 before I was confident in storming Fort Hagen. I ended Kellogg with one crit in vats, and a follow up normal hit in Vats, before taking cover and firing on his synth bodyguards. I haven’t played Far Harbor yet, but I’ll update this as necessary as I go through that DLC.
Followers: Nobody followed me, I made sure I wasn’t seen. However, the Detective does have a dedicated partner in justice and sleuthing, Nick Valentine. Journalistic Investigator Piper Wright is also a known acquaintance. Occasionally he is seen accompanied by a heavily armed and armored Super Mutant called Strong, seemingly for hired muscle in a world full of muscle.
Settlement: As of right now, just Sanctuary. Got a police station with armory setup. Plans to expand to various corners of the map. Hangmans Alley is a very likely personal spot. Even the name sounds noirish.
Bobbleheads:.
Gameplay & Combat Notes:
While I had zero compunctions about wearing power armor at the very beginning for anything combat-heavy I wanted/needed to do, once I met Nick Valentine and “became” the Detective it was a rarity. Walking your new beat in Boston may take some adjusting, but you’ll soon find all you need is your ballistic-weave coat against the wind, the hat to keep rain off your head, and your trusty revolver. In roleplay terms, see the PA as a bulky loud machine that’ll get you mini-nuked from afar if you just waltz the wasteland wearing it (even though you can sneak in them whenever you actually do take them on missions).
However going back to Headquarters to grab heavy or specific armaments for tactical purposes makes perfect sense. Sneak about the wasteland with just a .44, and when you need to clear an area, go back to H.Q. and grab your “Wasteland Search Warrant” (its a heavily modified combat shotgun with a barrel clip). If you need a SWAT team, you and Nick hop in Power Armors and break out the machine guns and whatever else.
I went so far, as I often do, as to keep a minimalistic inventory when setting out for the road. Start naked and build from there. “What will I need today?” My clothing, okay. Revolver, definitely. At most 60-72 bullets. A pack of cigarettes or two, never know when we’ll get back home. Oh, better grab a few stimpaks and counter-radiation meds on that note. And that’s just before stepping out the front door. “What am I doing today, what is my goal/destination?” Pushing south closer to Diamond City?, maybe crossing the Charles? Better grab that Stealthboy and and few tactical-retreat-landmines, ya never know.
It feels nice to play someone who forgets to bring their lunch occasionally, instead of playing someone surprised to find that old missile launcher and the accumulated missiles in their pockets along with every other problem-solver they hoard. Of course, bringing the loots home is an exception. Can’t go get the stealthboy from your armory for that big mission you’re preparing yourself for if you never bring one home. That meant roleplaying a more realistic schedule too, needing to drop off virtually all equipment after a mission and then getting some R&R.
This can be an especially fun way to manage inventory, as many random encounters leave you with immediate moral dilemmas: “Do I let this random wasteland violence proceed and let innocents die? Or do I intervene, even though I just have a .44 revolver and a batman like sense of justice?” I intervene or course, unless it’s three Deathclaws riding a Behemoth or something similar, then YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN, KID! These are optional suggestions obviously, but they fit the Detective quite well.
So what is combat like when it is planned? Our partner Nick often will be told to wait behind cover as the further interior of areas are scouted out, due to his clanky robot feet. Awareness can help identify visible enemies by their level, so you know who might be pacified and those that can’t, all while still on stake-out. Place mines at choke points if necessary. When ready to initiate combat, attempt to mass pacify clusters of enemies quickly by spamming that button as you move your pointer over them, as they will go on alert as soon as you first attempt an Intimidation regardless of result. Open fire on remaining aggressors, staying in stealth as long as possible (surprisingly long sometimes, even with a loud .44). Nick should take cover when possible and lay down suppressing fire while you can still approach enemies in stealth and attempt to intimidate them into surrender. Disarm those that concede defeat, and shoot the others in the face for that sweet stealth modifier..
Eddies Peace is a special .44 revolver you will want to acquire through Nick Valentines personal quest, so it’ll only be a matter of time until you come across it like most of the Detectives gear. This pistol will increase limb damage, which is perfect for slow firing revolvers- slowing down anything you can’t outright kill or run from is just logical. The other weapon I relied on when I had planned an official police raid was my “Search Warrant”: a custom highly modified combat shotgun with a drum clip. I wanted to break my compulsive reload habit for this game, so I never reload my revolver before firing all the shots while actually in combat, and the 32 rounds from a drum-clip shotty never had me sweating my bullets and made me feel hard-pressed to call the weapon “The Street Sweeper.”
Sticking with the default background of Nate told me it was logical this veteran would be at least passingly familiar with many types of weapons and combat styles, so improvise as you see fit. I’ve never met a post-apocalyptic detective but I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t turn down a suit of power armor and a sniper rifle whilst temporarily sojourning in the Glowing Sea. I also really think the Cleanroom Suit looks pretty cool.
DLC: The build as it is was inspired by having heard that Far Harbor was a detective/mystery themed DLC, and really good to boot. Having not played the DLC yet, I haven’t taken anything from it into consideration while building. This is subject to change until I finish Far Harbor :)
Roleplay: I think I covered the gist of this already, but I will say this. Keeping Nick Valentine around is a no-brainer, as his lines constantly keep you in the detective-y mood. Also, he does keep wilder Detectives in check. I told Elder Maxson that clearing super-mutants from the fort nearby the Prydwyn was a waste of my time. Nick gently reminded me of the damage a super-mutant armed with a board studded with nails can do, shuddering to think what a hoard of them might do with a stockpile of mini-nukes. Always doing the right thing, that guy.
Closing Notes:
I’m not done yet! I’ll be attempting to take decent screenshots on PS4 sometime soon, as well as touching up the perkspread image and probably doing a general rewrite to make things more concise wherever possible, and make certain I’ve done my best to share my vision for the Detective. Let me know what you think, and thank you for reading!
CHARACTER BUILD: THE DETECTIVE (FO4)
(gotta redo this)
Article one;
An Excerpt from “The Simple Art of Murder” by Raymond Chandler:
“In everything that can be called art there is a quality of redemption. It may be pure tragedy, if it is high tragedy, and it may be pity and irony, and it may be the raucous laughter of the strong man. Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid...
The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor -- by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. If he is a man of honor in one thing, he is that in all things.
He is a relatively poor man, or he would not be a detective at all. He is a common man or he could not go among common people. He will take no man's money dishonestly and no man's insolence without due and dispassionate revenge. He is a lonely man and his pride is that you will treat him as a proud man or be very sorry you ever saw him.
He talks as the man of his age talks -- that is, with rude wit, a lively sense of the grotesque, a disgust for sham, and a contempt for pettiness. He has a range of awareness that startles you, but it belongs to him by right, because it belongs to the world he lives in. If there were enough like him, the world would be a very safe place to live in, without becoming too dull to be worth living in.”
--
I finally got my hands on the GOTY edition, and wanted to experience Far Harbor with a new Detective build. So here we have my vision of the post-apocalyptic gumshoe, the best man in his old world and a good enough man for this new one. He’s an inquisitive and sneaky sort, armed with a loud gun. An infiltrator daredevil, he’d like to get in and out with all the information and no shots fired, but he’s a realist, getting loud and messy when things go wrong.
The deliberation needed to primarily use a six-gun revolver during firefights is really fun, as is pacifying enemies from rapidly diminishing semi-stealth status, while Nick Valentine rains down cover-fire. However, as any of the common-folk of the commonwealth will tell you, another great skill to have is the ability to Run Like Hell. He can always come back with a bigger gun from the armory at H.Q., if he survives this night...
Addendum to article one;
PERSONAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
We assume the Detective and spouse retain their in-game backstories with an ex-military man and lawyer wife. Waking up from cryo in 111, the man begins his journey preoccupied with the biggest mystery of all; the motivation for kidnapping and whereabouts of his son Shaun. Seeing the Minutemen and Brotherhood of Steel in apparent shambles, he will aid them minimally due to the high demands they would place on his time and efforts, and the little immediate aid they can offer in return. Bitter, violent, and in a rush to find Shaun but unprepared for the strangeness of the wasteland, we see him relying on his military experience to force his way to answers; until he meets Nick Valentine, synth detective.
The Detective dons the trench coat and fedora like a new identity, hoping to find his son and his own place in this new world, feeling glad to have met a strangely similar friend and partner in justice.
Ellie Perkins is obviously relieved she won't have to dress up and play partner for Nick anymore.
Article two;
(Down These Means Streets...)
Strength 2/(bobblehead to) 3:
The Detective is aptly fit for someone having recently been in active military service, but he is no powerhouse. Bobblehead will take this to 3, just enough to invest in Armorer to apply Ballistic Weave to your trench coats and other suits in the late-middle and late-game..
Perception: 5/6 :
The Detective’s greatest attribute. While deciphering meaning is another skill set altogether, this keen eyed gumshoe will at least never miss a clue. Awareness will allow profiling of weaker opponents and those to avoid, Lockpicking allows subtle entrances to places you shouldn’t be in, and Rifleman will keep your “Search Warrant” relevant when in those hard-to-be places. Demolition Expert will allow me personally for the first time in Fallout 4 to... make sure my molotovs don’t hit the door frame i’m taking cover behind. Night Person will allow faster leveling, as well as night vision to see you no longer relying on your pip-boy light (optional, but great for any ‘darker night’ type mod) Finally, Pickpocket is used purely to disarm opponents after they have been pacified with the charisma perk Intimidation; this was to make it less awkward to be in a room full of barely stable jet-addled raiders, while aggressively looting their dead compatriots as well the refrigerator…, and it makes things less dangerous should you leave them alive. Which the Detective always does if they have surrendered and aren’t Kellogg. However, don’t be so scrupulous as to kill every single enemy if you can just acquire evidence by stealing it from them, since the skill is so high. (I may or may not put a grenade in somebody's pockets just once, but only to finally test the perk in this game, and only For Justice!)
Endurance 2/ 3:
The Detective is not, I emphasize again, a powerhouse. However, like old Clint Eastwood westerns and Deckard in Bladerunner, when separated from their pistols the heroes likely endure a good physical thrashing. So in the early game and long before Armorer/Ballistic Weave, we will take Toughness. Like the perk descriptor says, if nothing else you can take a beating. However with just a faded trench-coat, you can really only take a bullet or two. I placed my “You’re Special” point in Endurance for the extra health while leveling, as the time spent in between having Toughness and getting Ballistic Weave may be trickier.
Charisma 7/ 11:
It may seem a little odd to have 11 charisma and only place one point apiece in only two perks. (Perks: Intimidation 1, Wasteland Whisperer 1.)
It isn’t. (Speech-check Passed)
Intelligence 6/8
The Detective starts out just above the average intelligence, and gains more through his working cases and surviving the problems and mysteries around the commonwealth and Far Harbor. We will be taking Gun Nut all the way from start to finish. The only other perk taken is Robotics Expert, just one rank. This will complement your pacification abilities, allowing the Detective to hack into and shut-down aggressive robots, excluding his partner Nick Valentine. This increase of the base intelligence stat will also allow a decent boost to leveling later in the game, especially when combined appropriately with Night Person rank 2, which adds another 3 points between 6pm-6am.
Agility 4/6:
The .44 pistol, and specifically Eddies Peace, is the thematic and primary weapon- the spirit animal if you will- of the Detective. Thus we go all out with Gunslinger. Once the Detective has obtained the Agility Bobblehead and trained for one point, Moving Target will be available. As stealth and cover are your best defense, and it will be endgame when have acquired all Toughness ranks for AP and Armorer ranks for your faded trench-coat and battered fedora, Moving Target will help the Detective when he needs to retreat from grenades and gunfights.
Luck 2:
That black cat probably turned out to be yao guai upon closer inspection. The Sole Survivor’s luck doesn’t really get better in this post- apocalyptic retro-future neo-noir incarnation. It’s hard work and hard luck in these end of times. I debated taking scrounger; I had planned on it, but forgot to perk it and still assumed I already had it. Now that I noticed I don’t have it, I’m not convinced it is needed even for a .44 build, (maybe due to high charisma prices?). With a supplementary shotgun, tommy gun or other thematically appropriate weapons available, I haven’t run out of ammo yet, mainly due to sneaking past most dire threats and careful shots.
Maybe he is lucky…
OUTFIT: Faded Trench-coat and Battered Fedora, Eye-Glasses, Wedding Ring.
Known Armaments: .44 revolver/ Eddies Peace, Combat Shotgun, Submachine-gun, all highly custom modified), various thrown and stationary explosives. Optional baton for backup and symbol monkeys.
Main Game Faction: (END GAME SPOILER/ SKIP PARAGRAPH TO AVOID!)
With Nick Valentine as partner, the Railroad’s focus on synths (and secrecy) seemed appropriate. Plus it allows the guilt-ridden Detective who feels somewhat directly responsible for the actions of his offspring to actively work against the Institute and the Director thereof. The Minutemen can be helped along the way, as should the ‘B.O.S.’. In fact, help anyone in need that is not asking for an epic-hero-job to be done. Save more epic stuff for later levels when the Detective’s most characteristic perks are unlocked. I was level 20 before I was confident in storming Fort Hagen. I ended Kellogg with one crit in vats, and a follow up normal hit in Vats, before taking cover and firing on his synth bodyguards. I haven’t played Far Harbor yet, but I’ll update this as necessary as I go through that DLC.
Followers: Nobody followed me, I made sure I wasn’t seen. However, the Detective does have a dedicated partner in justice and sleuthing, Nick Valentine. Journalistic Investigator Piper Wright is also a known acquaintance. Occasionally he is seen accompanied by a heavily armed and armored Super Mutant called Strong, seemingly for hired muscle in a world full of muscle.
Settlement: As of right now, just Sanctuary. Got a police station with armory setup. Plans to expand to various corners of the map. Hangmans Alley is a very likely personal spot. Even the name sounds noirish.
Bobbleheads:.
Gameplay & Combat Notes:
While I had zero compunctions about wearing power armor at the very beginning for anything combat-heavy I wanted/needed to do, once I met Nick Valentine and “became” the Detective it was a rarity. Walking your new beat in Boston may take some adjusting, but you’ll soon find all you need is your ballistic-weave coat against the wind, the hat to keep rain off your head, and your trusty revolver. In roleplay terms, see the PA as a bulky loud machine that’ll get you mini-nuked from afar if you just waltz the wasteland wearing it (even though you can sneak in them whenever you actually do take them on missions).
However going back to Headquarters to grab heavy or specific armaments for tactical purposes makes perfect sense. Sneak about the wasteland with just a .44, and when you need to clear an area, go back to H.Q. and grab your “Wasteland Search Warrant” (its a heavily modified combat shotgun with a barrel clip). If you need a SWAT team, you and Nick hop in Power Armors and break out the machine guns and whatever else.
I went so far, as I often do, as to keep a minimalistic inventory when setting out for the road. Start naked and build from there. “What will I need today?” My clothing, okay. Revolver, definitely. At most 60-72 bullets. A pack of cigarettes or two, never know when we’ll get back home. Oh, better grab a few stimpaks and counter-radiation meds on that note. And that’s just before stepping out the front door. “What am I doing today, what is my goal/destination?” Pushing south closer to Diamond City?, maybe crossing the Charles? Better grab that Stealthboy and and few tactical-retreat-landmines, ya never know.
It feels nice to play someone who forgets to bring their lunch occasionally, instead of playing someone surprised to find that old missile launcher and the accumulated missiles in their pockets along with every other problem-solver they hoard. Of course, bringing the loots home is an exception. Can’t go get the stealthboy from your armory for that big mission you’re preparing yourself for if you never bring one home. That meant roleplaying a more realistic schedule too, needing to drop off virtually all equipment after a mission and then getting some R&R.
This can be an especially fun way to manage inventory, as many random encounters leave you with immediate moral dilemmas: “Do I let this random wasteland violence proceed and let innocents die? Or do I intervene, even though I just have a .44 revolver and a batman like sense of justice?” I intervene or course, unless it’s three Deathclaws riding a Behemoth or something similar, then YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN, KID! These are optional suggestions obviously, but they fit the Detective quite well.
So what is combat like when it is planned? Our partner Nick often will be told to wait behind cover as the further interior of areas are scouted out, due to his clanky robot feet. Awareness can help identify visible enemies by their level, so you know who might be pacified and those that can’t, all while still on stake-out. Place mines at choke points if necessary. When ready to initiate combat, attempt to mass pacify clusters of enemies quickly by spamming that button as you move your pointer over them, as they will go on alert as soon as you first attempt an Intimidation regardless of result. Open fire on remaining aggressors, staying in stealth as long as possible (surprisingly long sometimes, even with a loud .44). Nick should take cover when possible and lay down suppressing fire while you can still approach enemies in stealth and attempt to intimidate them into surrender. Disarm those that concede defeat, and shoot the others in the face for that sweet stealth modifier..
Eddies Peace is a special .44 revolver you will want to acquire through Nick Valentines personal quest, so it’ll only be a matter of time until you come across it like most of the Detectives gear. This pistol will increase limb damage, which is perfect for slow firing revolvers- slowing down anything you can’t outright kill or run from is just logical. The other weapon I relied on when I had planned an official police raid was my “Search Warrant”: a custom highly modified combat shotgun with a drum clip. I wanted to break my compulsive reload habit for this game, so I never reload my revolver before firing all the shots while actually in combat, and the 32 rounds from a drum-clip shotty never had me sweating my bullets and made me feel hard-pressed to call the weapon “The Street Sweeper.”
Sticking with the default background of Nate told me it was logical this veteran would be at least passingly familiar with many types of weapons and combat styles, so improvise as you see fit. I’ve never met a post-apocalyptic detective but I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t turn down a suit of power armor and a sniper rifle whilst temporarily sojourning in the Glowing Sea. I also really think the Cleanroom Suit looks pretty cool.
DLC: The build as it is was inspired by having heard that Far Harbor was a detective/mystery themed DLC, and really good to boot. Having not played the DLC yet, I haven’t taken anything from it into consideration while building. This is subject to change until I finish Far Harbor :)
Roleplay: I think I covered the gist of this already, but I will say this. Keeping Nick Valentine around is a no-brainer, as his lines constantly keep you in the detective-y mood. Also, he does keep wilder Detectives in check. I told Elder Maxson that clearing super-mutants from the fort nearby the Prydwyn was a waste of my time. Nick gently reminded me of the damage a super-mutant armed with a board studded with nails can do, shuddering to think what a hoard of them might do with a stockpile of mini-nukes. Always doing the right thing, that guy.
Closing Notes:
I’m not done yet! I’ll be attempting to take decent screenshots on PS4 sometime soon, as well as touching up the perkspread image and probably doing a general rewrite to make things more concise wherever possible, and make certain I’ve done my best to share my vision for the Detective. Let me know what you think, and thank you for reading!
