Discover the Best Gunslinger Build in Fallout 4 and how to create a powerful character with Perks, S.P.E.C.I.A.L., Stats, armor, and weapons.
This guide has been created during Game version 1.10.163 on PC and Patch 1.34 on PlayStation and Xbox.
Gunslinger Build Introduction in Fallout 4
The Gunslinger build in Fallout 4 uses high critical damage, focusing on wielding pistols with deadly precision. What makes this Gunslinger build unique is the emphasis on critical damage and the storage of critical hits for later use. While Pistols don’t produce the most damage, optimizing the build for high critical damage with on-demand crits makes it powerful compared to others in Fallout 4.
The Gunslinger will also use the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS) for aiming and will not require the player to aim down sights for targeting. This makes the build easy and fun, especially for solo players without companions. The downside of the Gunslinger is that it is mid to close range only and has limited crafting. You won’t be able to get high intelligence, but we’ve accommodated gun and weapon crafting to optimize the build further. Despite these drawbacks, the Gunslinger build offers a thrilling gameplay experience characterized by rapid-fire action and a distinct role-playing vibe, making it a favored choice among Fallout 4 enthusiasts.
| Gunslinger Pros | Gunslinger Cons |
|---|---|
| Critical Damage | Missing Long Range |
| VATS for Aiming | Limited Crafting |
| Lethal up Close | Reliance on VATS |
Features and Mechanics for Best Gunslinger Build in Fallout 4
The following list presents all the essential Gunslinger Features and Mechanics in Fallout 4:
- Damage – Ballistic
- Range – 28 meters
- Weapon – Pistol
- S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Stats
- Strength – 1
- Perception – 3
- Endurance – 1
- Charisma – 3
- Intelligence – 1
- Agility – 9
- Luck – 9
- Best Perks – Gunslinger, Lone Wanderer, Critical Banker, Gun Fu
- Companion – Dog Meat
Related:
S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Stats
The best S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats for the Gunslinger build are 9 Luck and 9 Agility. Luck is your primary stat because it allows for increased critical damage, critical hit storage, and critical hit production. Agility is essential for the Gunslinger pistol damage bonus, and Gun Fu increases damage while aiming in VATS. Combining these two high SPECIAL stats, you gain incredible burst damage and fast gameplay using Pistols.
Below is the best recommended S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Stats for the Gunslinger build in Fallout 4 videogame RPG:
- 1 Strength (S): influences your carrying capacity, melee damage, and the effectiveness of melee weapons.
- 3 Perception (P): affects your accuracy in VATS, the chance of detecting stealthy enemies, and the ability to pick locks and spot traps.
- 1 Endurance (E): It affects your maximum health, radiation resistance, and ability to withstand environmental hazards.
- 3 Charisma (C): influences your success in dialogue options, ability to negotiate prices with vendors, and effectiveness in leading companions.
- 1 Intelligence (I): affects the number of experience points earned, the quality of crafted items, and your effectiveness with high-tech weapons.
- 9 Agility (A): It affects your overall movement speed, ability to sneak effectively, and performance in VATS.
- 9 Luck (L): affects critical hit chance, the likelihood of finding valuable items, and the outcome of random events.
Additionally, consider collecting Bobbleheads throughout your Fallout 4 (FO4) adventure. Bobbleheads are collectible items scattered throughout the game world. Each bobblehead represents a particular attribute or skill, and when collected, it permanently increases your character’s corresponding stat or ability.
Best Perks
Gunslinger, Lone Wanderer, Critical Banker, and Gun Fu are the best perks for a Gunslinger build in Fallout 4 because they increase damage and survivability. Gunslinger gives a flat bonus for using a non-automatic pistol; it can disarm opponents once fully leveled. Lone Wanderer increases passive damage and reduces it when traveling without a companion, excluding dog meat. Critical Banker and Gun Fu combine to constantly give you criticals for using VATS and storing them when you need to burst down bosses or tough enemies.
Here is the list of the best perks for the Gunslinger Build in Fallout 4:
- Lone Wanderer – this reduces your damage, which is helpful with only 1 endurance and no damage reductions. However, you can still use Dog Meat and roam with a buddy to help support you in combat.
- Gun Fu – this perk allows you to do more damage to a second target and beyond. This acts as your multi-kill or damage shooting like an old western gunslinger. Most attacks should come from VATS to optimize damage rather than shooting from the hip.
- Critical Banker, Better Criticals, + Four Leaf Clover – these three perks synergize to give you higher damage criticals, storing criticals, and increasing critical chance. While Pistols don’t do the most damage in the game, having on-demand powerful criticals makes them lethal and a top damage contender.
- Gunslinger – when it comes to passive damage increases, gunslinger works the best. Once fully maxed out, you can disarm opponents, rendering them useless.
- Gun Nut – you will need to increase your base intelligence to craft and upgrade weapons with Gun Nut. You can do this through perks and one bobblehead. Make sure to keep the pistol non-automatic to ensure Gunsligher passive is applied.
Level Progression
In Fallout 4, perks are special abilities and bonuses that enhance your character’s skills, combat prowess, and survival capabilities. Perks are acquired by spending perk points each time your character levels up. Perks are divided into categories, each corresponding to one of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes. These perks offer a wide range of customization options, allowing players to tailor their characters to suit their preferred playstyles. However, there are no respecs or redoing of Perks, thus your selections are vital to increasing your characters overall power.
Level 1 – 10
Here’s a list of the best perks to select from levels 1 to 10 with the Best Gunslinger Build Guide in Fallout 4:
- Level 1 – Lone Wanderer
- Level 2 – Gunslinger
- Level 3 – Critical Banker
- Level 4 – Scrounger
- Level 5 – Four Leaf Clover
- Level 6 – Bloody Mess
- Level 7 – Gunslinger 2
- Level 8 – Scrounger 2
- Level 9 – Action Boy
- Level 10 – Better Criticals
Level 11 – 20
Here’s a list of the best perks to select from levels 11 to 20 with the Best Gunslinger Build Guide in Fallout 4:
- Level 11 – Intelligence +1 (and Intelligence Bobblehead)
- Level 12 – Gun Nut
- Level 13 – Four Leaf Clover 2
- Level 14 – Quick Hands
- Level 15 – Gunslinger 3
- Level 16 – Gun Nut 2
- Level 17 – Lone Wanderer 2
- Level 18 – Critical Banker 2
- Level 19 – Better Criticals 2
- Level 20 – Action Boy 2
Level 21 – 30
Here’s a list of the best perks to select from levels 21 to 30 with the Best Gunslinger Build Guide in Fallout 4:
- Level 21 – +1 Agility (or Bobblehead, take +1 Perception if using bobblehead to gain Locksmith early)
- Level 22 – Gun Fu
- Level 23 – Bloody Mess 2
- Level 24 – Scrounger 3
- Level 25 – Gun Nut 3
- Level 26 – Gun Fu 2
- Level 27 – Gunslinger 4
- Level 28 – Quick Hands 2
- Level 29 – +1 Perception (or Bobblehead; take another locksmith if using bobblehead)
- Level 30 – Locksmith
Level 31 – 40
Here’s a list of the best perks to select from levels 31 to 40 with the Best Gunslinger Build Guide in Fallout 4:
- Level 31 – Bloody Mess 3
- Level 32 – Four Leaf Clover 3
- Level 33 – Locksmith 2
- Level 34 – Locksmith 3
- Level 35 – Medic
- Level 36 – Medic 2
- Level 37 – Mysterious Stranger
- Level 38 – Mysterious Stranger 2
- Level 39 – Gun Nut 4
- Level 40 – Lone Wanderer 3
Level 41 – 50
Here’s a list of the best perks to select from levels 41 to 50 with the Best Gunslinger Build Guide in Fallout 4:
- Level 41 – Better Criticals 3
- Level 42 – Gunslinger 5
- Level 43 – Critical Banker 3
- Level 44 – Scrounger 4
- Level 45 – Medic 3
- Level 46 – Mysterious Stranger 3
- Level 47 – Bloody Mess 4
- Level 48 – Four Leaf Clover 4
- Level 49 – Save
- Level 50 – Lone Wanderer 4 + Gun Fu 3
Gear, Weapons, Armor
Kellogg’s Pistol, Outfit, and Patrolman Sunglasses are the most critical equipment for the Gunslinger build in Fallout 4. Kellogg’s Pistol and Kollogg’s outfits can be obtained relatively early in the main story, providing significant damage and protection. The Patrolman sunglasses also increase perception, helping accuracy in VATS and giving you a powerful loadout without spending caps and time collecting armor. Moreover, this frees you up to spend perks on damage bonuses vs. crafting to gain protection. Below are the most important weapons, armor, and items for the Best Gunslinger build in Fallout 4:
Kellogg’s Pistol – this .44-round pistol has a special bonus to refill AP on critical hits and synergies perfectly with our perk selections. You can obtain Kellogg’s Pistol by following the main story quest given by Nick Valentine called “Reunions.” This will be shortly after arriving in Diamond City and the previous quest is Getting a Clue. Follow Kellogg to Fort Hagen and prepare for a fight to collect his powerful pistol.
Kellogg’s Outfit – Gaining damage reduction by wearing this leather outfit. Kellogg’s outfit is a great piece of protection that doesn’t require modifications to gain damage reduction. While you cannot wear items underneath, you gain 30 damage reduction and 30 energy resistance, enough to make you formidable and forgo armor enhancement perks early in the game. Later, you can upgrade to Combat Armor and or use Power Armor.
Patrolman Sunglasses – having a +1 passive bonus to perception is nice. Thus, you should obtain the Patrolman Sunglasses. Head to the Cambridge Police Station, where you meet Paladin Danse with the Brotherhood of Steel. You can find two inside the police station; they should be equipped because they can also be worn with a helmet.
Battered Fedora – this item gains a +1 to Luck passively and can be found as a crumpled, dirty, yellow, or worn fedora. Head to the Charles View Amphitheater to obtain a Battered Fedora. This is northwest of Diamond City and directly north of Hubris Comics.
Companions
Dog Meat is the best companion for the Gunslinger build because he does not negate the Lone Wanderer perk bonuses. With three ranks into Lone Wanderer, you will take 20% less damage, do 25% more damage, and carry 100 more pounds. This is in addition to Dog Meat scrambling for items and distracting enemies. Moreover, Dog Meat models the Fallout TV show character “The Ghoul,” played by Walton Goggins.
Dog Meat can be found at the Red Rocket truck stop shortly after the game’s introduction. Moreover, you can gain the Attack Dog companion perk to increase Dog Meat’s affinity (affection) to the maximum. Attack dog increases accuracy in V.A.T.S. against enemies immobilized by dog companions. Unlike other companions, Dog Meat’s affinity is increased through leveling and spending perk points. We highly suggest using Dog Meat whenever possible to gain the most damage and reduce damage using the best Gunslinger build.
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