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For the perk in Fallout 4, see Sneak (perk).
Sneak
Sneak
Fallout
ModifiesChance of being detected while sneaking.
Governed ByAgility
Initial Value25% + Agility
Related PerksSilent Running, Ghost, Master Thief, Silent Death,
Related TraitsSmall Frame
Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics
ModifiesChance of being detected while sneaking.
Governed ByAgility
Initial Value5% + (3 x Agility)
Related PerksSilent Running, Ghost, Master Thief, Silent Death,
Related TraitsSmall Frame
Fallout 3
ModifiesChance of being detected while sneaking and pickpocketing.
Governed ByAgility
Initial Value2 + (2 x Agility) + ceil (Luck / 2)
Related PerksSilent Running, Thief, Ninja
Fallout: New Vegas
ModifiesChance of being detected while sneaking and pickpocketing. Also allows a wider range of Holdout weapons.
Governed ByAgility
Initial Value2 + (2 x Agility) + ceil (Luck / 2)
Related PerksFriend of the Night, The Professional, Mister Sandman, Silent Running, Ninja
Van Buren
ModifiesChance of being detected while sneaking and pickpocketing.
Governed ByAgility
J.E. Sawyer's Fallout RPG
ModifiesChance of being detected while sneaking.
Governed ByAgility
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Quiet movement, and the ability to remain unnoticed. If successful, you will be much harder to locate. You cannot run and sneak at the same time.

— In-game description

Sneak is a Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout Tactics, Fallout: New Vegas, Van Buren and J.E. Sawyer's Fallout Role-Playing Game skill.

Fallout[]

The initial skill is determined as follows:

25% + Agility

Sneak only covers sneaking as such, while pickpocketing is covered by the steal skill. In Fallout and Fallout 2 you cannot run and sneak at the same time unless you have the Silent Running perk.

The perks Thief and Master Thief both increase your sneak skill. Ghost can also increase your sneak skill, though only at night or other low light conditions.

Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics[]

The initial skill is determined as follows:

5% + (3 x Agility)

Sneak only covers sneaking as such, while pickpocketing is covered by the steal skill. In Fallout and Fallout 2 you cannot run and sneak at the same time unless you have the Silent Running perk.

The perks Thief and Master Thief both increase your sneak skill. Ghost can also increase your sneak skill, though only at night or other low light conditions.

How close one can sneak to a target before detected depends on a combination of several factors.

  • Targets Perception skill
  • Sneaking characters Sneak skill
  • Sneaking characters stance plays a much smaller role than the above 2 factors(Fallout Tactics)
  • The light level from the day/night cycle plays a small factor too, but again a much smaller one than the Perception statistic and the Sneak skill

Contrary to expectations the facing of the target does not matter at all. The target character can detect equally well in all directions even directly behind him.

Fallout 3[]

Bobblehead Sneak

"The safest distance between two points is a shadowy line."

The initial skill is determined as follows:

2 + 2 × Agility + Luck/2

Example: A starting Agility of 5 and Luck of 5.

2 + 2 × 5 + 5/2 = 15

Sneaking can be one of the most important skills in Fallout 3 for certain characters. Sneaking up on a target allows you to get closer, allows you to avoid taking damage for the longest time possible, and maximizes your damage potential through the use of sneak-attacks. Sneaking increases your ability to loot and steal, and allows you to avoid undesired confrontations, working as an offensive and defensive skill.

Unlike its predecessors, in Fallout 3 a player can both sneak and run at the same time regardless of perks, however, without the Silent Running perk the player will suffer a detection penalty while running.

Sneak states[]

The sneaking state is displayed while crouching, and alerts the player to detection and possible detection.

  • [HIDDEN] means you're undetected. In this state, attacking a target guarantees the sneak attack critical bonus, pickpocketing is available, and it is safe to steal, lockpick, or otherwise access "owned" property.
  • [DETECTED] means you've been detected by one or more friendly targets. Pickpocketing is enabled, but almost always fails. Attempting to steal, lockpick, or otherwise access "owned" property will fail and may result in friendlies turning hostile or confiscating stolen goods. Sometimes an unfriendly target will see you and this will be shown instead of caution because they haven't identified you as hostile or a target.
  • [CAUTION] means one or more unfriendly targets are suspicious of your presence and are searching for you. After a time the enemy will dismiss the disruption and the state will return to [HIDDEN]. Pickpocketing is disabled for the enemy searching for the player. Attacking in this state will not cause a sneak-critical hit.
  • [DANGER] means your presence is made known to hostile NPCs, but they do not know your current location. They will actively seek you at or around your last known location. If [DANGER] is flashing, it means that the enemy can currently see you and will engage you. The state can be returned to [HIDDEN] by moving away and staying out of sight for a long period of time. Note: As soon as the conditions are satisfied for any state it replaces the one above it on the HUD even though the player may still be in the [HIDDEN] state to several targets around them. Essentially, it reports the worst detection state towards the Player of all potential targets. Once all targets that satisfy the most-elevated state are killed (as in you kill everyone actively pursuing you in [DANGER]), the state will revert to the highest remaining state among the remaining targets.

Factors in successful sneaking[]

  • Sneak skill: The sneak skill applies whenever the player crouches. The higher the player's Sneak skill, the easier it is to remain undetected while attacking, stealing, or picking someone’s pocket.
  • Cloaking fields: The Stealth Boy and Chinese stealth armor will wrap the user in a cloaking field that makes him or her more difficult to detect while sneaking, rendering the player virtually undetectable by visual sighting. The stealth field effect is extremely powerful, and its value matters very little, so the Chinese stealth armor's stealth field of 5 works almost (but not quite) as well as the Stealth Boy's 75. It should be noted that this field only increases one's sneaking ability, and the field will be negated if the player breaks sneak mode in any conventional manner, such as firing a loud gun, since the cloaking field does not mask sound-based detection. The stealth suit only has a +15 sneak versus the Stealth Boy's +100, but its effects are not limited by time. Cloaking can also be stacked, so the stealth armor and Stealth Boy can give a player a combined field of 80.
  • Enemy's Perception: Enemies with low Perception are easier to sneak around than enemies with high Perception. A target's Perception will be impaired (a -4 reduction) if they have a crippled head.
  • Line of sight: While out of sight an enemy can only detect the player through sound.
  • Light level: The player is more difficult to see in dark areas or at night if outdoors. The Pip-Boy light, while active, will make the player much more visible.
  • Movement: The player is hardest to detect when motionless and easiest to detect when running. You are able to avoid the sound aspect of this by getting the perk Silent Running. Moving faster while within line of sight will still make you easier to spot, but you will no longer get any penalty for movement speed to your sound made. NOTE: Moving the camera (and thus moving your body) counts as movement, but not as much as real movement. If you are in shadows with a direct line of sight to a target not aware of your location, moving the camera may very well cause the target to investigate, or immediately spot you.
  • Contact: Touching or running into targets whilst crouched will immediately alert them to your location. Regardless of how hidden you are, if you bump into a target, friendly or otherwise, you will immediately be detected. This also applies to robots that have been deactivated using the Robotics Expert perk. This does not apply if the enemy bumps into you; the enemy can push past you without becoming aware of your presence.
  • Equipped weight: The total weight of all equipped items (weapons count only if they are in your hands) makes your footstep noise louder for non-player characters. Silent Running removes this penalty entirely, allowing you full sneaking ability in any equipment. You will still hear your footsteps while sneaking with the perk, but non-player characters never will.
  • Sound: Most guns make noise. Louder guns make you easier to detect. The BB Gun, dart gun, Infiltrator, Perforator, silenced 10mm pistol, all melee weapons, and all unarmed weapons are considered entirely silent, and thus will not break sneak mode. Grenades will also not break sneak mode, as they do not make a noise at your location. Hitting but not killing an enemy with silent weapons still causes a CAUTION alert. All other weapons will most likely be heard, depending on your distance from the target. Missile launchers and Fat Man units make noise at your location and then at the impact point as well. Oddly enough, your Pip-Boy's radio has no effect on sneaking.

Sneak attacking[]

Main article: Sneak attack critical

A sneak attack critical occurs in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas when attacking while [HIDDEN]. Successfully hitting the target will result in a guaranteed critical strike unless the weapon does not allow critical hits.

Pickpocketing[]

While sneaking and HIDDEN, activating an non-player character will allow you to pickpocket them; in other words, steal items that they are personally "holding." This will open both your and your target's inventories. Items can be transferred either way, and thus items can also be planted on non-player characters (also known as reverse-pickpocketing).

For each item you steal or plant in an non-player character's inventory, there is a chance (presumably based on your sneak skill, Luck, item weight/value and the non-player character's Perception) that you will be detected. If detected, the non-player character will automatically reclaim the item(s) you took and you will not be able to pickpocket that non-player character again (leaving the area and returning 24 hours later should allow you to re-attempt this).

You cannot steal items an non-player character currently has equipped. If you want to steal an item the non-player character is wearing or using (armor or weapon), you can reverse-pickpocket a better item into their inventory and then leave and re-enter the area. The non-player character will equip the item with the highest stats and you will be able to steal the item he or she was using before. For melee weapons, reverse-pickpocket a better ranged weapon onto the non-player character along with the appropriate ammunition. When the non-player character is reloaded, it will equip that weapon and unequip the melee weapon. Steal the melee weapon and the ammunition you gave them, and reload the non-player character. The non-player character will be unarmed and you can steal your ranged weapon back. Keep in mind that just because you do more damage with a specific ranged weapon doesn't mean that the non-player character will (usually but not always). Experiment to get the desired effect.

Successfully stealing the ammunition from an non-player character with a gun equipped will immediately render that non-player character unable to fire their gun. The amount of ammunition an non-player character is carrying will not match the amount they could fire if not pickpocketed (which is actually unlimited as long as they have 1 round for that weapon); this discrepancy can be attributed to gameplay purposes. This tactic can be used to influence the outcome of both non-player character/PC and non-player character/Non-player character conflicts. Concerning non-player character/Non-player character conflicts, this allows you to remain non-hostile to non-player characters on both sides of a conflict (by not needing to intervene with gunfire) while still ensuring victory for one side or another.

Non-player characters will notice you pickpocketing other non-player characters, hence the DETECTED sneak state, but in large open areas one can maneuver into gaps or around corners to avoid line-of-sight and return to HIDDEN. Non-player characters laying in beds may appear to have their back to you and still detect you, this is because as far as the game is concerned they are not facing the way they are laying down, that is merely an animation. To get "behind" an non-player character laying in bed, go to the foot of the bed.

The player can also use pickpocketing offensively to plant a live explosive. This will detonate after a short time, automatically killing the target regardless of the player's explosive skill or the target's health or resistances.

The Mothership Zeta add-on added another way to pickpocket a friendly non-player character. Reverse-pickpocket a cryo mine or cryo grenade onto the non-player character. After exiting the pickpocket menu, the cryo charge will go off but only stun or knockdown the non-player character. The non-player character can then be pickpocketed like any disabled target, with the exception that the non-player character won't turn hostile when he or she recovers.

Stealing Items[]

Picking up non-player character owned items in the game world while sneaking and HIDDEN, will allow you to steal items undetected.

Sneak-Based Perks[]

Perk Requirement Level Additional Requirements
Mister Sandman 60 10 -
Silent Running 50 12 Agility 6
Ninja 80 20 Melee Weapons 80

Ways to increase Sneak[]

Notes[]

  • You can use Paralyzing Palm to pickpocket non-player characters regardless of whether they have detected you or not. Thus even an alert, attacking enemy can be paralyzed and robbed.
  • Pickpocketing from "good" or "neutral" characters will result in a karma loss.
  • Though silenced guns make no noise, if they impact near a target, they will investigate the impact site as if they're trying to figure out where it came from. Using this, one can easily lure enemies towards traps or other dangers or away from places they're guarding.
  • It should be noted that when a player enters third-person perspective, they are able to peek around corners without being seen. This minor trick can be useful sometimes when sneaking to see what type of enemies are around corners or if there are any traps.
  • Be careful when sneaking in dark areas or at night as you may accidentally step on a tripwire, pressure plate or landmine. This can be avoided with the Light Step perk, or having high enough sneak and a stealth field to counteract the effects of your pip-boy light being turned on.
  • The player can pickpocket in plain sight if the victim is fleeing.
  • It is not a hostile act to look in peoples pockets or look in an owned container and not take anything. This can be useful if the player changes their mind about pickpocketing or stealing.
  • You can use barrels, boxes and other objects to block npc line of sight. This is particularly effective in Megaton due to its numerous barrels.
  • The PC can "grab" an item (gun, chem, food, etc.) by clicking the right thumb stick (Z key on the PC) and then carry it to a secluded area and then steal it.
  • Items you steal from shop owners cannot be sold back to the original shop, but will not be removed from your inventory if you try to do so. The items can be sold to any other shop.
  • Stealing from "good" or "neutral" characters will always result in a karma loss. Stealing from "evil" characters will sometimes affect your karma, and sometimes it will not. An example of an evil character from which you can steal without losing karma is Smiling Jack in Evergreen Mills, and Eulogy Jones in Paradise Falls. Some examples of evil characters that will negatively affect your karma when stolen from are the cannibals of Andale and the Chinese soldiers of various rank found in the Operation: Anchorage DLC simulation.
  • You can create a stealth field in the console by using the command player.setAV Chameleon xx. This is the same way the player is cloaked in the Elder Scrolls series, which also uses the Gamebryo engine. Unlike in the Elder Scrolls, Chameleon does not create any visual effect on the player on-screen, but the effect persists.

Fallout: New Vegas[]

The initial skill is determined as follows:

2 + 2 × Agility + Luck/2

Example: A starting Agility of 5 and Luck of 5.

2 + 2 × 5 + 5/2 = 15

Sneak in quests and exploration[]

  • 25 Sneak can be used to convince Trudy to fight the Powder Gangers as an alternative to 25 Speech.
  • 50 Sneak is required to smuggle in hold out weapons at the New Vegas Casinos.
  • 50 Sneak when talking to Holdout about why you would need a weapon in casinos.
  • 75 Sneak is needed to convince Father Elijah that hiding in the Sierra Madre is easy, and effectively get him to come down into the Sierra Madre Vault. Dead MoneyGametitle-FNV DM

Ways to increase Sneak[]

Sneak-based perks[]

Perk Requirement Level Additional Requirements
Friend of the Night 30 2 Perception 6
The Professional 70 6
Mister Sandman 60 10
Silent Running 50 12 Agility 6
Ninja 80 20 Melee Weapons 80

Notes[]

  • When pickpocketing, any spent ammunition casings (e.g. Case 9mm, Drained microfusion cell, etc.) can be pickpocketed with no chance of failure and no karma loss. (Note: this does not count as a 'picked pocket' for any achievements)
  • You can pick up keys and cards easily, and stealing some of the keys will not make you lose karma.
  • A failed pickpocketing attempt is not guaranteed to reveal you to an enemy.
  • When hidden by a Stealth Boy in enemy territory you can pickpocket them.
  • Stealing ammunition will cause an non-player character to unequip their weapon, allowing even that to be stolen.


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