Fallout 4 tips and tricks

This list of tips and tricks has been adapted from a post on Reddit originally written on gosunoob.com, special thanks to Reddit user MMORPGLife and others who contributed.

General Tips

 * In character creation you cannot choose your height, but you can modify your body type.
 * The difference between the six difficulty modes, apart from the obvious damage dealt/received multiplier, is that the higher the difficulty the greater the chance to find Legendary Enemies that  drop better loot.
 * You start with 21 points that you can distribute into various stats, and 7 points that are already distributed, because each SPECIAL starts at 1. This will determine you character through the entirety of the game. You'll actually have 28 distributed when you're done assigning them.
 * You get +1 Perception bobblehead and a "You Are SPECIAL book" (+1 to anything you want) early on, so plan as if you had 30 points at start.
 * Perks at INT 1 (V.A.N.S.) and PER 3 (Awareness) are very helpful - they will make the game much easier
 * Collect bobbleheads and perk magazines.
 * Finding and collecting Perk magazines unlocks and upgrades unique perks that are otherwise inaccessible.
 * Bobbleheads are hidden throughout the Commonwealth. They increase a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat or upgrade a perk
 * Some Magazines add new construction items to settlements
 * When you discover a location's name by visiting it, you can fast travel to it afterwards.
 * Use quicksave all the time, but also save manually (through the menu) twice an hour.
 * You can(and should) save during a conversation if you want to explore all of the dialogue options.
 * You can't go back in the dialogue to choose another option.
 * When an item has a + next to its name, it means that item is better in some way than what you're currently  using.
 * Stealth mode is similar to Skyrim but more improved. Lots of perks related to stealth and theft.
 * If you’re missing some crafting items, you can tag them for search, which will highlight them in the world when you explore.
 * Sleeping in beds regenerates your health. Sleeping in nice beds gives you the Well Rested perk for a limited time, which increases your XP gain by 10%.
 * Use a Cooking Station to prepare food that will heal you, increase your AP, damage, resistances, etc for a while. The ingredients are free and most of them are pretty common (like Mole rat meat).
 * Grab all the plates you can find - you're going to need the ceramic for crafting.
 * You can earn a lot of experience by crafting - keep this in mind even if you don't like that part of the game.
 * Holotape Games are mini-games you can play on your Pip-Boy in Fallout 4. There are five of them, and all except the first one have to be unlocked.
 * Some dialogue options are colored to indicate the chance of success depending on your charisma level (red, orange, yellow).
 * Loading time depends on the type of activity. For example: big buildings require some short loading time (black screen), fast travel requires longer loading time
 * Bobbleheads boost your SPECIAL stat to 11 ONLY if you are already at 10 when you pick them up, otherwise they simply boost it one stat point and you are UNABLE to manually raise it to 11 later.

Power Armor

 * Power Armor needs a fusion core to run.
 * There's a perk related to its duration.
 * You can sprint and jump while in Power Armor.
 * When in power armor carry weight threshold and rad resistance are higher but you'll move much slower.
 * You can enter buildings while in Power Armor without problems.
 * Even though it’s robust, you can sneak and fast travel while in your Power Armor.
 * Equipping it will increase your Strength to 11.
 * Power Armor has the best radiation resistance, and can be modded with jetpacks and other useful mods.
 * You can get mods by completing quests or defeating enemies with proper equipment.
 * Traders that sell Power Armor parts usually have some fusion cores in stock as well
 * Always thoroughly search around Power Armor stations, and in camps where you fight enemies using these suits, you'll find fusion cores there.
 * Power Armor can be damaged, and needs frequent repairs.
 * While wearing Power Armor you lose any bonuses from other armor items.
 * Power Armor can be stolen!
 * Approach the stand and exit the armor to store your power armor on the stand
 * If you want to take off Power Armor hold the button you used to enter it.

Fights

 * Cover system is contextual. You don't have to press any button, just walk towards the object you want to cover behind.
 * Enemies are really adaptive and extremely smart in harder modes. Damage resistance of enemies, and appearance of legendary enemies are different on harder modes.
 * Giant enemies (like Deathclaws) can't go through regular doors.
 * When an enemy doesn't see you, the fight will be interrupted after a few moments, even if he's close to you.
 * Let friendly NPCs and companions fight your fights whenever possible - it conserves ammo.
 * Your accuracy increases when you crouch.
 * Use V.A.T.S. whenever you start a fight, then fight in real time while your Action Points regenerate.
 * Hold the reload button to holster your weapon (square on PS4).
 * Hold the pip-boy button to turn on your flashlight (circle on PS4).

Weapons

 * There will be about 50 weapons in the game, along with over 700 mods.
 * In order to customize your weapon you need to have the appropriate perk – Gun Nut for regular weapons, Science for energy ones.
 * Each weapon will consist of several parts, any one of which can be swapped at the workbench.
 * New type of weapon damage is radiation.
 * You can optimize your guns for speed, accuracy and handling.
 * Unique weapons have their own names, and beside the regular stats, they provide one-of-a-kind bonuses.
 * Legendary enemies have a chance of dropping legendary item or weapon with unique characteristics like better critical chance, or something that refills your action points much faster compared to other weapons.
 * Weapon stats can vary based on your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. ranks, active perks, and any mods that are currently applied.
 * Commando perk affects all automatic pistols and rifles except heavy guns.

Settlements

 * You'll get a message or notification when your settlements are under attack. You have options to go and help your people or leave them.
 * Settlements are completely optional, but if you decide to get into it, Settlements are going to be a full-time job.
 * Workbenches (used for crafting weapons and gear) can be found throughout the world, but some may not be usable because someone else may have ownership over it, so you'll have to undertake a certain quest to really please them and gain access to their workbench.

Companions

 * You can choose between 13 companions.
 * You may only have one companion with you at any given time.
 * When you dismiss a companion, they’ll either go to your settlement, or the place where you found them.
 * Companions cannot die – when hurt badly enough, they’ll get knocked out until the end of combat.
 * There are commands you can issue to companions, like sending them to pick up items, use objects or go to certain  places.
 * Some companions are romanceable, regardless of your character’s gender.
 * In order to begin a romance, you’ll have to raise your Relationship Level with companion.
 * When you reach maximum Relationship level with a companion, you’ll unlock the Loveable achievement.
 * You'll be able to romance 7 companions: some humans, a ghoul and a robot (http://www.gosunoob.com/fallout-4/companions/).
 * Various actions you do in the game’s world affect your relationship status with companions differently. For example: lockpicking is something Strong will dislike, while protecting and being nice  to ghouls is something that will increase relationship status with Hancock.
 * Actions you do in a settlement that has multiple companions stored in it can affect all companions at once. For  example: giving Mama Murphy drugs for telling you your future will be disliked  by all companions in the settlement you're in.
 * Each companion has a unique perk (http://www.gosunoob.com/fallout-4/companion-perks/), which remains active as long as the companion is following you.
 * Companion’s perk is active regardless of the distance between you and companion.
 * Dogmeat can be equipped with armor and handkerchiefs
 * Dogmeat can used as a companion without losing the Lone Wanderer Perk.
 * You don't get XP when a companion kills enemy solo (you have to do some damage to the enemy to be granted XP reward for its kill).