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Fallout: New Vegas > Guides > Neurogue's Guides
76 ratings
Ultimate Critical Energy Build [level 50]
By Neurogue
Level 50 critical energy weapons build, optimized around achieving max possible critical hit chance, high damage output (with ranged weapons), max base HP, max base DT (so we can withstand while wearing light armor), utilizes energy weapons, as well as crafting magazines for endless supply of True Police Stories.
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Created by
Neurogue
Offline
Category: Characters, Classes
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
27 Nov, 2021 @ 7:34pm
23 May, 2024 @ 6:26am
5,955 Unique Visitors
208 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Preview 
Introduction 
SPECIAL 
Traits 
Tag Skills 
Perks 
Special Perks 
Alternative Perks 
Apparel 
Implants 
Tips 
I guess this is it? 
Comments
Preview
Introduction
Before we begin, this build requires you have all DLCs, and if you are a beginner, be aware that early levels will be tedious and relatively tough and know that this guide contains spoilers and is primarily focused on seasoned players who are more familiar with the game mechanics and are ready to take a challenge.

SPECIAL

Base
Implants
Gear & Perks
Total
S 5
+1 Strength Implant
+2 Reinforced Spine
8
P 5
+1 Perception Implant
+1 1st Recon beret
7
E 9
+1 Endurance Implant
+1 Atomic-valence tri-radii-oscillator
11
C 1
+1 Charisma Implant
+1 Ulysses' duster
3
I 6
+1 Intelligence Implant
7
A 7
+1 Agility Implant
8
L 7
+1 Luck Implant
+1 Divide Survivor & +1 Lucky Shades
10
Traits
Name
Benefit
Penalty
Notes
Built to Destroy
+3% Critical Chance
+15% weapon wear
+3% crit chance for +15% weapon wear isn't bad, Jury Rigging and weapon repair kits make this a negligible issue.
Hot Blooded
+15% damage when your health is below 50%
-2 to Perception and Agility when your health is below 50%
An overlooked perk, +15% damage (every type) when below 50% HP is a no brainer here, also negative effects could be easily negated by reading skill books to offset the penalties (if you ever need).
Tag Skills
Guns, Energy Weapons, Sneak

Note: Guns, Energy Weapons, Sneak, Repair, Science, Lockpick, Medicine are fine choices.
By level 50 we'll have enough skill points already, but being ranged focused build means we don't need to invest in Melee Weapons, Unarmed and Explosives skills before maxing out other more important skills.
Perks
Pick perks in order you prefer.

Level #
Name
Level req
Other requirements
Ranks
Benefit
2
Rapid Reload
2
AG 5, Guns 30
1
All of your weapon reloads are 25% faster than normal.
4
Comprehension
4
IN 4
1
You gain one additional skill point for reading books and double the skill points for reading magazines.
6
Cherchez La Femme - Confirmed Bachelor
2
Female PC - Male PC
1
+10% damage to the same sex and unique dialogue options with certain characters.
8
Stonewall
8
ST 6, EN 6
1
+5 DT against melee and unarmed attacks and cannot be knocked down during combat.
10
Finesse
10
None
1
+5% Critical Chance.
12
Life Giver
12
EN 6
1
+30 hit points.
14
Silent Running
12
AG 6, Sneak 50
1
Running no longer factors into a successful sneak attempt.
16
Jury Rigging
14
Repair 90
1
Repair any item using a roughly similar item.
18
Better Criticals
16
PE 6, LK 6
1
+50% damage with critical hits.
20
Nerd Rage
10
IN 5, Science 50
1
+15 DT and Strength increased to 10 whenever health is 20% or lower.
22
Toughness
6
EN 5
2
+3 DT permanently.
24
Toughness
6
EN 5
2
+3 DT permanently.
26
Black Widow - Lady Killer
2
Female PC - Male PC
1
+10% damage to the opposite sex and unique dialogue options with certain characters.
28
Living Anatomy
8
Medicine 70
1
Shows health and Damage Threshold of any target. +5% bonus to damage against humans and non-feral ghouls.
30
Implant GRX
(Optional)
30
Endurance 8
2
You gain a non-addictive subdermal turbo (chem) injector. This perk may be taken twice, with the second rank increasing the effect from 2 to 3 seconds and the uses per day from 5 to 10 (activated in the Pip-Boy inventory).
32
Implant GRX
(Optional)
30
Endurance 8
2
You gain a non-addictive subdermal turbo (chem) injector. This perk may be taken twice, with the second rank increasing the effect from 2 to 3 seconds and the uses per day from 5 to 10 (activated in the Pip-Boy inventory).
34
Chemist
14
Medicine 60
1
Chems and (in Hardcore) stimpaks last twice as long.
36
Voracious Reader
22
IN 7
1
Damaged books become blank magazines; can copy existing magazines into blank magazines.
38
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.
40
Bloody Mess
6
None
1
+5% overall damage; more violent death animations.
42
Retention
2
Intelligence 5
1
Skill magazines have a longer duration.
44
Light Touch
2
AG 6, Repair 45
1
While wearing light armor you gain +5% critical hit chance and your enemies suffer a -25% critical hit chance.
46
Meltdown
16
Energy Weapons 90
1
Foes killed by player Energy Weapons emit a corona of harmful energy. (Note: May cause a chain reaction)
48
Vigilant Recycler
6
Science 70
1
Recover drained ammunition twice as often for energy weapons and all recipes for recycling recipes are unlocked.
50
Just Lucky I'm Alive
50
Neutral Karma
1
+4 Luck for 3 minutes upon finishing a battle with less than 25% health; immunity to critical hits, +50% critical damage.
Special Perks
Name
Unlock conditions
Ranks
Benefit
Lonesome Road
Leave ED-E behind in Ulysses' Temple.
1
+10% damage and +10% V.A.T.S. hit chance when you have no companions.
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
Alternative Perks
You can drop Implant GRX and choose other perks instead, below are some examples with synergizing perks.

Implant GRX (2)
If you like utilizing Implant GRX
Shotgun Surgeon & And Stay Back
If you like shotguns.
Cowboy & Quick Draw
If you like being a cowboy.
Sneering Imperialist & Fight the Power!
More damage and critical hit chance against certain types of NPCs.
Tunnel Runner & Travel Light
Faster movement while wearing light armor.
Grunt, Run 'n Gun, or The Professional
Other guns oriented perks.
Fast Metabolism, Old World Gourmet, or Chem Resistant
Other potential perks.
Apparel
Name
Effect
1st Recon beret
PER +1
Crit. Chan. +5
Lucky Shades
LK +1
Ulysses' duster
Crit. Chance +5%
CH +1
Atomic-valence tri-radii-oscillator
DT 4
Endurance +1
Health Regeneration
Implants
Name
Unlock conditions
Ranks
Benefit
"Hypertrophy Accelerator" Strength Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Strength
"Optics Enhancer" Perception Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Perception
"Nociception Regulator" Endurance Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Endurance
"Empathy Synthesizer" Charisma Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Charisma
"Logic Co-Processor" Intelligence Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Intelligence
"Reflex Booster" Agility Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Agility
"Probability Calculator" Luck Implant
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 4000 caps.
1
+1 Luck
"NEMEAN" Sub-Dermal Armor
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 8000 caps.
1
+4 Damage Threshold
"PHOENIX" Monocyte Breeder
Buy from Doctor Usanagi for 12000 caps.
1
Regenerate 1 health per 10 seconds
Tips
  • After initial dialogues with Doc Mitchell, avoid leveling up and head straight to gambling (Blackjack) to make enough caps to buy implants from Doctor Usanagi which is located at New Vegas medical clinic. Note: You can find a Sexy Sleepwear at Mick & Ralph's for +1 LK, also remember to install intelligence implant before starting to level up.
  • Farm skill books as much as you can (prioritize Sneak skill books first), but do not read them until you obtain Comprehension perk.
  • Check your perk requirements and plan ahead.
  • Sneaking is extremely helpful during early-mid levels so don't forget to increase your sneak skill whenever you can.
  • Don't be afraid to do chems! Chems are powerful that give powerful boosts to the user, Med-X, Slasher, Turbo, etc., are all helpful, also don't be afraid of addiction, there are plenty of fixers and curing addiction is cheap.
I guess this is it?

I'd just like to thank everyone that read and found this guide helpful. I'll be updating the guide whenever I can, don't forget to rate and like, also let me know if there are any errors.

Let me know what you think about it, hope you have as much fun with the build as I did.
13 Comments
< >
pope 23 Dec, 2024 @ 9:25pm 
this is my favorite build in the game. YCS/186 can crit for nearly 2.5k in the lategame with all chems+damage modifiers. It's kinda crazy
SomeTotalAss 30 Oct, 2023 @ 12:50am 
@Higasa Educated is far worse than Comprehension in this case (and most others). Firstly, you have more than enough skill points to max out the stats you want by the end of the game and this is all that educated gives you.

Comprehension, in addition to making skill books grant 1 more skill point, also double the effect of magazines. In this case, you really want to double the effect of True Police Stories, so that it goes from 5% to 10% which is then multiplied by 1.5 (in the case of the tri-beam).

Another benefit to having comprehension is that you don't have to level science or lockpick beyond 80 since the related skill mags will grant +20.
Higasa 21 Feb, 2023 @ 6:47am 
Why not educated tho?
ollieamorous 3 Feb, 2022 @ 11:49pm 
Currently doing a playthrough with this build and it's insane, good work brudda.
Neurogue  [author] 25 Jan, 2022 @ 6:37am 
Personally, I find the best weapon against high DT enemies is the Tri-beam laser rifle (GRA) with all respective modifications, nothing beats the DPS as far as I can tell, other than that the regular Laser Rifle with mods is a solid choice as well; can conserve more ammo with regular Laser Rifle compared to Tri-Beam but when it comes to kicking high DT targets then it's time for Tri-Beam laser.

Q-35 is good as well, but the projectile speed is slow and can be quite annoying when fighting long range targets, other than that, Holorifle, LAER, YCS/186, Pew Pew should be mentioned, but they're slow or can't beat Tri-beam laser rifle (GRA) in DPS.
Starjadian 30 Dec, 2021 @ 9:36am 
WHat Weapon Should I use and what follower as well
Neurogue  [author] 30 Dec, 2021 @ 5:07am 
@† {<Weebgodx>} † That's right, thanks. :steamthumbsup:
Neurogue  [author] 28 Dec, 2021 @ 10:14am 
@america Good catch, it makes me wonder what else I forgot or missed...

I'm subtracting one point from Luck and adding it to Endurance for more base HP, also we can get every implant that way, thanks and let me know if you find anything else I may have missed. :VBCOOL:
Mari 28 Dec, 2021 @ 7:42am 
LUCK 7 +1 Luck implant +1 Divide survivor +1 Lucky Shades= LUCK 10
[Zykkyo Wallder] 27 Dec, 2021 @ 8:36pm 
ok this helps a lot