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Character Build: The Vagabond (FO4)

Tags: #Fallout 4 Build  #Character Build Sharpshooter  #Character Build Infiltrator  #Character Build Grenadier  #Mannatee Build 
  • Member
    March 2, 2017

              One thing I've found with RPG games is that gameplay is often too easy or just plain frustrating. Therefore what I'm always seeking is gameplay that is both unique and intense, which I believe I have thoroughly accomplished with this build. Through the use of guerrilla fighting tactics accompanied with certain limitations, I was able to create a build that truly requires the player to use both wits and strategy. But enough rambling,  allow me to present...

    The Vagabond

       

        Backstory

        When faced with the harshness of the wasteland, there is a choice to be made: band up with others and stick together, or hit the roads alone to avoid any liabilities. We see examples of the former with settlements like Goodneighbor and Diamond City, but wanderers like the Vagabond will choose the latter option. You see, upon exiting the vault, our hero just didn't seem to adapt to the wasteland as well as other vault dwellers have. Sure he knows how to survive what with all the military training he has under his belt; but befriending sketchy wastelanders and making friends just isn't a risk he's willing to take. In addition to this, the Vagabond has developed quite an eerie and unpleasant reputation among most settlers of the Wasteland; due to him being known not by a name or good deeds, but instead for all the destruction and bodies he leaves in his wake. Skills like his could land him plenty of mercenary jobs, but helping others just isn't something one can waste time on in this world. Keeping yourself alive is what's important. Besides yourself, only one other person matters to you: your baby boy. Will you find him? Who knows, but you sure as hell will wander across every inch of the Commonwealth in search of him; and maybe discover other truths about yourself along the way

    Introduction

    Vagabond: a person who wanders from place to place without a home or purpose

       As already stated, this build has a heavy focus on guerrilla fighting tactics and acts as a loner who doesn't help people, doesn't go to main settlements, and is all in all a pretty paranoid and selfish person. This allows for both great gameplay and roleplay. If you enjoy lots of sneaking, sniping(but not too much), explosives, and wandering the wasteland with only Dogmeat at your side, then this is the build for you!

     

     

    S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

      

    Strength(6): This build isn't heavily melee focused however a modified baseball bat is certainly a valuable asset and the Vagabond possesses the skills to use it effectively. Also having nowhere to stash items means that it's important to have as much carrying capacity as possible

    Perception(8): Pretty necessary for a sniper build, however vats is used only when situations are best suited for it. The high perception is primarily for the sake of having access to the Sniper perk

    Endurance(5): This build isn't necessarily very durable however this allows for the very helpful Life Giver perk early on and then later a bobblehead and a hard point investment will allow for the Aquaboy perk

    Charisma(9): While not exactly a reflection of the Vagabond's social skills, Charisma allows for him to tame and command the many different creatures of the wasteland that he comes across in his travels and allows for some more options when it comes to combat tactics

    Intelligence(6): As a tactician, intelligence is one of his strongest weapons. Also intillect allows for the Vagabond to use whatever items he scavenges to create and enhance his weaponry to best suite his needs all while staying on the go

    Agility(4): Stealth is a primary skill in the art of guerrilla warfare, from basic sneaking to special stealth take downs on unwary opponents; being agile is invaluable

    Luck(2): Though rather optional, Scrounger can be helpful when trading caravans aren't accessible within the area the Vagabond is wandering

     "Be wary of he who has nothing to lose"

     

     Level 45 Perks

                                                                      Combat Perks

    Rifleman 5/5

    Big Leagues 3/5

    Life Giver 3/3

    Sniper 2/3

    -Although the Vagabond usually prefers more tactical approaches or avoiding combat altogether, sometimes he is forced to pull out his Dragunov Sniper Rifle or Bladed Baseball Bat to take down his enemies. These perks allow him to be effective in these situations

                                                                                                               

      Tactical Perks  

    Demolitions Expert 4/4   

              Sneak 4/5

                   Pickpocket 4/5

                       Mister Sandman 1/3

               Hacker 2/4

                Aquaboy 2/2

    Night Person 2/3

     -The dangers of the wasteland have forced the Vagabond to adapt in how he approaches every situation; often times a little bit of creativity is required to get through obstacles. These perks allow for him to detonate, decieve, and silently eliminate his foes if circumstances allow it. Being able to see at night, hack robotics personell, and stealthily swim are all invaluable skills as well

                      

    Survival Perks

     Animal Friend 2/3 

     Lone Wanderer 3/4

     Scrounger 1/3

     Gun Nut 4/4

     Strong Back 2/4

     Wasteland Whisperer 2/3

     Blacksmith 2/4

     

    -When wandering the wastes day in and day out, it is crucial to have proper survival skills to maintain equipment, tame and command wildlife, and have the proper packing skills to keep every valuable item on hand without being weighed down. With these perks, the Vagabond need not fear the many miles of scorched land ahead

     

     "shits got ambush all over it..."

    -Jittery Raider before getting blown to bits by a Bottlecap Mine

    Gameplay

        The gameplay and combat of this build really helps to set it apart from some of the other stealthy/sniper type builds already on the site. Part of what makes it fun and enjoyable are the unique tactics to take down hostiles without sitting back and sniping. The primary way of doing this is through the use of explosives; strategically laying down mines, planting bombs on enemies, and throwing grenades. This is one of the go-to ways of eliminating enemies for this character. Why? Becase it incorporates the need for planning; and improper planning or lack of patience can cause this approach to fail thus leading to sticky situations (which are fun too). Other approaches of combat (that still entail the guerrilla combat tactic theme) include use of the syringer rifle (paralyzation, mind cloud syringe, endangerol syringe), hacking terminals to take advantage of robots and turrets(Total Hack magazines), taming and commanding wildlife to create distractions, disarming opponents through pickpocketing, etc. There are PLENTY of fun and effective ways to go about with gameplay, these are just the most obvious ones. 

     

     Roleplay

       A lonely man with no home, no friends, and a reputation of being a deadly "whisper" of the wasteland; that essentially sums up the guiding attributes of the Vagabond. Early game was almost strictly wandering around trying to survive with next to no armor and severly limited ammo and weapons. It was intense and immensely fun. The only time the Vagabond visits major settlements (Diamond City and Goodneighbor) is for the sake of the main quest and after he destroys the Institute; which is what finally earns him the trust and admiration of the city folk. This means that early on bartering and getting supplies is limited strictly to caravans and wasteland traders. This leads to every wandering caravan trader or visit to Bunker Hill  become an extremely pleasant surprise. 

        Along with this, having absolutely no home base or settlement to call your own means that crafting can only be done using what is carried on your back (and Dogmeat's) which, once again, makes the occasional discovery of a weapon workbench become so much sweeter than it would be in a normal playthrough. 

       Now just because he's selfish and a wanderer, doesn't necessarily mean he does no quests. Sometimes if he can get something out of helping others, like a place to sleep or a settlement to trade with, he will offer up his combat prowess in exchange for these boons. 

         After visiting Nuka World and picking up a Disciple sniper rifle and plenty of 7.75 ammo(all around level 15), the Vagabond will join the Railroad as kind of a new home and sense of purpose apart from searching for his stolen son. Although not necessarily caring of synths, the skills of the Vagabond make him a valuable asset to the Railroad and they will gladly hire him into their ranks. 

         As far as the search for Shaun goes, this is essentially the only driving purpose for the Vagabond. The last thing he cares about. After a long search and eventually getting lucky enough to come across a lone detective trapped in a vault, the Vagabond finds a sense of hope for finding his son. The sad part, though, is that his son is not what the Vagabond expected. Enraged and with nothing left to stand for except the friends he's made in the Railroad and his canine, Dogmeat, the Vagabond ultimately chooses to destroy the Institute. As well as put a bullet in Shaun's head to cut off the last thing that really mattered to him. Sad? Yes. But with this the Vagabond accepts his circumstances, settles down at Red Rocket, and even opens up to the idea of helping people besides himself. Certainly a change of character for him(For me, this was around level 35)

       What truly makes this build tick is exploring the wastes and making your own story. Quests are great and there are plenty available that would fit the Vagabond, but exploration is much more enjoyable for this build style

     

    Equipment 

         Early Game               End Game

    The early game gear gives next to no protection, which means early on the Vagaboond will need to rely heavily on sneaking and sometimes just plain avoiding combat. However, eventually when the Vagabond defends bunker hill from the Brotherhood and the Institute, he is rewarded with a MK II Railroad coat to better protect him in his travels. He then has the option of upgrading to the MK III Railroad Heavy Coat if he comes across it during other missions. The Vagabond is also always wearing a gas mask so that he doesn't get too affected by radiation during his long travels. Does he look menacing? Yes. Probably explains the lack of friends for this guy

     

    Weapons

      

    The handmade rifle, modded to resemble a Dragunov sniper rifle, is the primary weapon for the Vagabond. It is effective at practically all ranges(if the short scope is used), has a fast fire rate(couples well with the knockdown effect from the Sniper perk), and is certainly not lacking in damage. It can be obtained upon discovering Nuka World from the body of a slain Operator Raider. Ammo can be bought in bulk from the market in Nuka World. Only downside here is the ugly Shovel Stock that can't be replaced until level 39

     

     

    For heavily armored enemies such as Vertibirds or Power Armor clad foes, the .50 Caliber Rifle is used to pack an extra punch when explosives can't be effectively used

     

     

    Although for the most part the Vagabond doesn't use silenced weapon his "Scout Rifle", which is modded with a night-vision scope and a silencer, is used to eliminate foes who are out of reach but may alert their allies to the Vagabond's presence

     

     

    Early on, a baseball bat is used in conjunction with the Deliverer pistol in sticky situations; however as the Vagabond becomes more effective with modding and melee fighting,the Bladed Baseball Bat then becomes a more integral part of combat in different ways such as to execute enemies low on health, save ammo on those who have been crippled by the Vagabond's mines, or to stealthily knock out weak and unwary enemies. Both the Bladed and Weighted mods(with your choice of color) allow for the baseball bat to deal sufficient damage in one fell swoop

     

    While not necessarily used for dealing direct damage, the Syringer Rifle is one of the key utilities of the Vagabond. The main syringes used are Mind Cloud, Pax, Endangerol, and Lock-Joint syringes. By always having these available, the Vagabond is able to calm, confuse, and disorient foes to either open up a chance to plant a mine on them or to pass them without being detected. Also, decreasing enemies' damage resistance or completely immobolizing them is invaluable to open combat. Also, a glow reflex sight is used instead of a scope since most of the time it's used is in close range

     

    Utilities

       The Vagabond is no dummy when it comes to the wasteland, and he is fully aware that firepower alone is not enough to survive. Along with the aforementioned Syringer Rifle, the Vagabond utilises Stealth Boys, Berry Mentats, mines, and grenades to further be effective against hostiles. Stealth Boys are bought three at a time from his supplier, Tinker Tom, to ensure that even against impossible odds, the Vagabond can remain unseen. Berry Mentats are great in conjucntion with mines as to be able to see and plan out the most effective place to ambush any enemies. Speaking of mines, it is crucial to plant mines in strategic locations to either ambush tougher enemies or to ensure that alerted foes don't make it far enough to join the fight. As for other tactical options, Synth Relay Grenades (stolen from the Institute of course) open up the possibility to create quick distractions or lure enemies through a minefield. Get creative! Although traps were considered as a possible tool, an eight pound bear trap that only seems to occasionally work just isn't worth the hassle and therefor is not implemented

     

     

      Companions

       The Vagabond is a loner at heart, he just can't risk losing someone he cares about again. His only real friends are the Railroad, however Deacon is a tad bit too talkative for his forte. Ultimately, the Vagabond will choose to roll with Dogmeat as he can be rather effective in open combat and provides the small bit of companionship that the Vagabond sometimes needs. However, eventually Dogmeat just gets left at Red Rocket since he actually give away the Vagabond's position in the worst of times

     

     

    DLC

    Nuka World-

    This DLC isn't really very helpful to the Vagabond's character style; sure he's looking for a more wealthfull life but he has too strong of a moral compass to turn to being a raider king for that. The main benefit from this DLC is the Handmade Rifle and some unique grenades like the Smart Grenades

     Far Harbor-

    The foggy swamps and deep secrets of Maine are officially the perfect setting for this character. the Vagabond will happily

    repay Nick for his help by offering to investigate Far Harbor for him. What he really ends up finding is a whole new

    challenge that is just waiting to be conquered. Along with a great setting and many new quests, Far Harbor's creature offer

    up new foods and such that further benefit the Vagabond's guerrilla fighting tactics. They include:

    -Gulper Slurry: An alternative to the stealth boy for invisibility

    -Wolf Ribs: Night vision in case the "Night Person" perks have not been taken

    -Fried Fog Crawler: Additional protection in foggy and rainy conditions (the Vagabond's favorite kind of weather)

    -Poached Angler: Reduced fall damage for risky escapes 

     

    Conclusion

    Well besides a potential gameplay/tactics explanation video, that's about it for the Vagabond! I sincerely hope you enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed playing this build. Special thanks to Motty for helping me decide on the armor combo, as well as to Golden Fool for making an epic Special spread as usual. Take it easy wastelanders

     </

  • Member
    March 2, 2017
    I really like this build Madd! I love tool box characters and I really like the idea of nomadic character after all the settlement characters I have played. Might have to give this one a shot. ;-) A+
  • Member
    March 3, 2017

    We bless and name you Vagaborn. Vagrant of the North... Oh, wrong game. The Vagabond looks great, a blast to play with an awesome loadout. That bat is just insane! The font changes are a little strange but I think I quite like it, makes me think that the build is printed over time from various sources, adding to the wanderer vibe going on. A subtle touch, but a nice one if that is indeed the correct interpretation. I am glad this has been posted, from W/S to Fout CB - another success for the Workshop :)

  • Member
    March 3, 2017
    Awesome job man, getting a nice STALKER vibe from all this
  • Member
    March 3, 2017

    Amornar said: I really like this build Madd! I love tool box characters and I really like the idea of nomadic character after all the settlement characters I have played. Might have to give this one a shot. ;-) A+
     Much appreciated Amornar :) let me know if you decide to give it a go!

  • Member
    March 3, 2017

    Phil said:

    We bless and name you Vagaborn. Vagrant of the North... Oh, wrong game. The Vagabond looks great, a blast to play with an awesome loadout. That bat is just insane! The font changes are a little strange but I think I quite like it, makes me think that the build is printed over time from various sources, adding to the wanderer vibe going on. A subtle touch, but a nice one if that is indeed the correct interpretation. I am glad this has been posted, from W/S to Fout CB - another success for the Workshop :)

    Thank you for the chuckle Phil XD definitely one of the best comments I've seen on this site lol. Thank you for pointing  out the font change, that was actually not intentional for the most part :p I just seem to have the worst of luck with everything looking how I want it in the editor but then when it gets posted some fonts change and stuff. However for equipment and perks it was intentional. But thats actually not a bad idea for like having a font change to represent the character itself. Regardless I appreciate the feedback and nice words!

  • Member
    March 3, 2017

    Hey Madd, so I think I am going to give the Vagabond a go but to mix up more with my recent playthroughs I am going to play on survival and just tweak a few perks that are really useful for survival like lead belly and chemist for a little C loss. But I really like the template this provides and the gameplay is really inspiring for what I think will be a great character. :) Thanks!

  • Member
    March 4, 2017

    Amornar said:

    Hey Madd, so I think I am going to give the Vagabond a go but to mix up more with my recent playthroughs I am going to play on survival and just tweak a few perks that are really useful for survival like lead belly and chemist for a little C loss. But I really like the template this provides and the gameplay is really inspiring for what I think will be a great character. :) Thanks!

    That sounds awesome Amornar :) That makes me very happy that other people are willin to try out one of my creations, I hope you enjoy your playthrough! Btw I'm starting up the playthrough of my raider build, its about to be good :p

  • Member
    March 4, 2017

    Awesome! Enjoy enslaving the Commonwealth!

  • Member
    March 4, 2017

    DUUUDE! This is awesome. One of my favorites, period. Unique, awesome screenshots and presentation. Impressed MAdd! Keep em coming :D