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Level 26
s.
p.
e.
c.
i.
a.
l.

Combat Chef
Fallout 4
Melee survival challenge build
build
by @iCarly
Published

Ever wanted to be a crazy chef on a stupid quest just for the sake of it? This is the build for you!

Easy to pick up and customize, this build is centered around melee attacks and food buffs, making you work for your next meal. The challenge: have all the ingredients in the world at your disposal!

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More: Budget builds, Challenge builds, Consumable builds, Melee builds, Roleplay builds

Start from scratch Make it your own
lvl
26
12 SPECIAL
points left
50 lvl
required
The Challenge

The idea of this challenge is simple: collect at least one of every ingredient / food item in the game - mainly the meats from enemies.

To do so, you must always use the chef's hat and a fitting weapon (such as a knife or a machete). Additionaly, the use of healing items that are not food or drinks is forbidden; so no stimpaks, blood bags and such. Want to heal? Eat some Mutt Chops. Need to get rid of rads? Cook some Mutant Hound meat!

This challenge heavily encourages you to stock up on items, find different useful buffs, and go in and take as much food as you can find. You can make up your own lore and headcannon; mine is that it's just a raider sent on a quest to find some food for his gang (similar to one random encounter iykyk).

Main Perks

The most important perks for this build (on my opinion) are:

  • Lone Wanderer - as I went in without a companion;
  • Idiot Savant for leveling - low Int. build
  • Big Leagues + Blacksmith for weapon damage and upgrades - note that only Blacksmith 2 may be required for the weapons, so don't waste points on it

With that in mind, the absolutely bare-bones build would be a S.4 C.3 L.5 character. Other perks that I consider pretty good and require no additional SPECIAL investment are:

  • Bloody Mess - okay damage boost;
  • Armorer - DR from armor mods;
  • Black Widow (when female) - basically a second Bloody Mess in terms of damage boost for females

That leaves you with around 12 SPECIAL points + SPECIAL book to focus the build on something - such as a VATS-Blitz attacker, or a tanky-rushdown kind of build.

Agility Focused Build

Using the available points, you can turn this build into a Sneak-attack build. With A.9 you have access to:

  • Blitz
  • Ninja
  • Sneak
  • Action Boy/Girl

All of these will help you dish out a lot more damage, at the cost of having no defense whatsoever (armor and foods can mitigate this!) With the remaining points, investing in Luck seems the better choice, unlocking VATS related perks such as Grim Reaper's Sprint.

Endurance Focused Build

A different take on the build would be to max out Endurance, spec a little into Agility and Charisma. With E.10, you can use a lot of survivability perks that help tremendously in a survival playthrough where you will intentionaly be throwing yourself in dangerous scenarios, such as:

  • Life Giver - auto HP regen at level 3
  • Aquaboy/girl - useful for running away or traversing long distances
  • Adamantium Skeleton - no more crippled legs and arms :)
  • Cannibal, Ghoulish, Solar Powered - makes you that much harded to kill during the day

With points in Charisma (4) and Agility (3) you can also secure Attack Dog and Sneak which are always useful. For companions, Inspirational (C.8) will have you sacrificing some Endurance and Agility which is very detrimental; I find that simply grinding out some affection with Strong and Preston early and ditching them for Dogmeat later is a much more viable strategy.

Other Buffs/Utilities

As far as companion perks go, the most relevant are:

  • Gage - more XP
  • Strong - more damage in a pinch
  • Preston - good damage and DR in almost all encounters

Preston is the easiest to get, no reason not to unless just for the sake of adding difficulty; Strong is annoying to reach but great once you do; and Gage is the hardest to find/get, but doing so early will snowball you into faster leveling (plus, Nuka World early is a challenge in it's on right and will test you resilience!)

For magazines, general buffs are always nice: sneak, DR, more XP, etc. If you find it, grab it. Things to look out for are Wasteland Survival #1, #3 and #9.

Perk Chart
S.
4
Iron Fist
Channel your chi to unleash devastating fury! Punching attacks do 20% more damage to your opponent.
9
18
31
46
Big Leagues
You now do double damage with a melee weapon, and gain a chance to cripple your opponent, or grand slam their head clean off!
7
15
27
42
Armorer
You gain access to Rank 4 armor mods.
13
25
39
Blacksmith
You gain access to Rank 2 melee weapon mods.
16
29
Heavy Gunner
Thanks to practice and conditioning, heavy guns do 20% more damage.
11
21
35
47
Strong Back
What are you, part pack mule? Gain +25 to carry weight.
10
20
30
40
Steady Aim
Stay on target! Hip-fire accuracy is improved when firing any gun.
28
49
Basher
Get up close and personal! Gun bashing does 25% more damage.
5
14
26
Rooted
You're part tree! While standing still, you gain +25 Damage Resistance and your melee and unarmed attacks deal 25% more damage.
22
43
Pain Train
Choo choo! All aboard! While wearing Power Armor, sprinting into enemies hurts and staggers them. (Robots and oversized enemies are immune to the stagger.)
24
50
P.
1
Pickpocket
Your quick hands and sticky fingers make picking pockets 25% easier.
6
17
30
Rifleman
Keep your distance long and your kill-count high. Attacks with non-automatic rifles do 20% more damage.
9
18
31
46
Awareness
To defeat your enemies, know their weaknesses! You can view a target's specific damage resistances in V.A.T.S.
14
Locksmith
Your nimble fingers allow you to pick Advanced locks.
7
18
41
Demolition Expert
The bigger the boom, the better! Your explosives do 25% more damage, and you can craft explosives at any Chemistry Station.
10
22
34
Night Person
You are a creature of the night! Gain +2 to Intelligence and Perception between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
25
37
Refractor
You must be part mirror! Instantly gain +10 Energy Resistance.
11
21
35
42
Sniper
It's all about focus. You have improved control and can hold your breath longer when aiming with scopes.
13
26
Penetrator
There's no place to hide! In V.A.T.S. you can target an enemy's body parts that are blocked by cover, with a decrease in accuracy.
28
Concentrated Fire
Stay focused! In V.A.T.S. every attack on the same body part gains +10% accuracy.
26
50
E.
1
Toughness
If nothing else, you can take a beating! Instantly gain +10 Damage Resistance.
9
18
31
46
Lead Belly
Your digestive tract has adjusted to the weirdness of the Wasteland! Take less radiation from eating or drinking.
6
17
Lifegiver
You embody wellness! Instantly gain +20 maximum Health.
8
20
Chem Resistant
All the rush without the hassle! You're 50% less likely to get addicted when consuming chems.
22
Aquaboy / Aquagirl
Water is your ally. You no longer take radiation damage from swimming, and can breathe underwater.
21
Rad Resistant
Exposure to the Wasteland has made you more resilient, instantly granting +10 Radiation Resistance.
13
26
35
Adamantium Skeleton
Your skeleton has been infused with indestructible metal, reducing limb damage by 30%.
13
26
Cannibal
Feast on mortal flesh to heal your wounds! Eating human corpses restores Health.
19
38
Ghoulish
Sure, you're still human - on the outside! Radiation now regenerates your lost Health.
24
48
50
Solar Powered
Catch some rays! Gain +2 to Strength and Endurance between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
27
50
C.
3
Cap Collector
You've mastered the art of the deal! Buying and selling prices at vendors are better.
20
41
Lady Killer / Black Widow
Men/Women now suffer +15% damage in combat, and are much easier to persuade in dialogue. They are now even easier to pacify with the Intimidation perk.
7
22
Lone Wanderer
When adventuring without a companion, you have 25 more action points.
17
40
50
Attack Dog
Your faithful canine companion can hold an enemy, giving you a greater chance to hit them in V.A.T.S.
9
25
31
Animal Friend
Commune with beasts! With your gun, aim at any animal below your level and gain a chance to pacify it.
12
28
Local Leader
As the ruler everyone turns to, you are able to establish supply lines between your workshop settlements.
14
Party Boy/Girl
Nobody has a good time like you! There's no chance you'll get addicted to alcohol.
15
37
Inspirational
Because you lead by example, your companion does more damage in combat, and cannot hurt you.
19
43
Wasteland Whisperer
Master the post-apocalypse! With your gun, aim at any Wasteland creature below your level and gain a chance to pacify it.
21
49
Intimidation
Time to show everyone who's boss! With your gun, aim at any human opponent below your level and gain a chance to pacify them.
23
50
I.
1
V.A.N.S.
Let Vault-Tec guide you! The path to your closest quest target is displayed in V.A.T.S.
36
Medic
Is there a doctor in the house? Stimpaks restore 40% of lost Health, and RadAway removes 40% of radiation.
18
30
49
Gun Nut
Shoot first, kill first, with access to base level and Rank 1 gun mods.
13
25
39
Hacker
Knowledge of cutting-edge computer encryption allows you to hack Advanced terminals.
9
21
33
Scrapper
Waste not, want not! You can salvage uncommon components like screws, aluminum, and copper when scrapping weapons and armor.
23
40
Science!
Take full advantage of advanced technology with access to base level and Rank 1 high-tech mods.
17
28
41
Chemist
Any chems you take last 50% longer. Far out.
16
32
45
Robotics Expert
Machines will always serve humans, if you have anything to say about it. Hack a robot, and gain a chance to power it on or off, or initiate a self-destruct.
19
44
Nuclear Physicist
You've learned to split the atom... and command it. Radiation weapons do 50% more damage and Fusion Cores last an extra 25% longer.
14
26
Nerd Rage!
Genius. Is. ANGRY! When your Health drops below 20%, time slows and you gain +20 Damage Resistance and do 20% more damage while the effect lasts.
31
50
A.
1
Gunslinger
Channel the spirit of the Old West! Non-automatic pistols do 20% more damage.
7
15
27
42
Commando
Rigorous combat training means automatic weapons do 20% more damage.
11
21
35
49
Sneak
Become whisper, become shadow. You are 20% harder to detect while sneaking.
5
12
23
38
Mister Sandman
As an agent of death itself, you can instantly kill a sleeping person. Your silenced weapons do an additional 15% sneak attack damage.
17
30
Action Boy/Girl
There's no time to waste! Action Points regenerate 25% faster.
18
38
Moving Target
They can't hurt what they can't hit! Get +25 Damage Resistance and +25 Energy Resistance when you're sprinting.
24
44
Ninja
Trained as a shadow warrior, your ranged sneak attacks do 2.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 4x normal damage.
16
33
Quick Hands
In combat, there's no time to hesitate. You can reload all guns faster.
28
40
Blitz
Find the gap and make the tackle! V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased significantly.
29
Gun Fu
You've learned to apply ancient martial arts to gunplay! Do 25% more damage to your second V.A.T.S. target and beyond.
26
50
L.
5
Fortune Finder
You've learned to discover the Wasteland's hidden wealth, and find more bottle caps in containers.
5
25
40
Scrounger
You know just how to scavenge to keep the fight going, and find more ammunition in containers.
7
24
37
Bloody Mess
When an enemy explodes, nearby enemies may suffer the same fate.
9
31
47
Mysterious Stranger
Who is he? Why does he help? Who cares! The Mysterious Stranger will appear occasionally in V.A.T.S. to lend a hand, with deadly efficiency...
22
41
49
Idiot Savant
Randomly receiving bonus XP from any action may trigger 3x XP for all kills for a short period of time. The lower your Intelligence, the greater the chance.
11
34
Better Criticals
Advanced training for enhanced combat effectiveness! Criticals do 50% more extra damage.
15
40
Critical Banker
You're a patient battlefield tactician, and can save a Critical Hit, to be used in V.A.T.S. when you need it the most.
17
43
50
Grim Reaper's Sprint
Death becomes you! Any kill in V.A.T.S. has a 15% chance to restore all Action Points.
19
46
Four Leaf Clover
Feeling lucky? You should! Each hit in V.A.T.S. has a chance of filling your Critical meter.
13
32
48
Ricochet
What goes around comes around! An enemy's ranged attack will sometimes ricochet back and instantly kill them. The closer you are to death, the higher the chance.
29
50
Leveling Roadmap

Companions

Berserk
 strong

Thanks to your relationship with Strong, when you fall below 25% health you deal +20% more melee weapon damage.

United We Stand
 garvey

Thanks to your relationship with Preston, you deal +20% more damage and gain +20 Damage Resistance when facing three or more opponents.

Lessons in Blood
 gage

Thanks to your relationship with Gage, you gain +5% more XP per kill and +10 Damage Resistance.

add perk

Bobbleheads

Melee

Plus 25% critical damage with Melee Weapons.

add perk

Magazines

Wasteland Survival 1

Heal 50% more from fruits and vegetables.

Wasteland Survival 3

Heal +50% from irradiated packaged food and drink.

Wasteland Survival 9

Collect extra meat from animal kills.

add perk

Quests

add perk

Consumables (3)

Bloodbug Steak

+15 Max Health for 1 hour.

+105 HP
+1%
0.5
×1
Deathclaw Egg Omelette

Small Health Regen for 2 hours.

+115 HP
+1%
0.1
×1
Yao Guai Roast

+10 melee damage for 1 hour.

+210 HP
+1%
1
×1
Total effect
HP
 
+15
Health Regen
 
+0.03%
Melee Damage
 
+10
Total weight 1.6

Weapons

Stealth Blade Combat Knife
50
AP Cost
20
44
1
Legendary
Modifications
Stealth Blade
Increased damage from sneak attacks. Targets bleed. Exceptional damage.
Blacksmith (2)
Swap
Sharp Aluminum Rolling Pin
50
AP Cost
25
16
1
Legendary
Modifications
Aluminium
Physical Damage: +20%
Weight: -20%
Sharp
Targets bleed. Better damage.
Weapon
Throwables
Throwable
Grenades, mines and traps. One is carried at a time; extras become swap-ins.

Armor Sets

Combined
15
0.5
L
 
+1
hat
Chef Hat
L
 
+1
15
0.5
eyewear
mask
clothing
torso
left arm
right arm
left leg
right leg
backpack
Armor set

Power Armor Sets

Power armor
A full frame with six pieces. The first set is worn, extras become swap-ins.

Effects

Effects
Add addictions and diseases to factor their penalties into your stats.
Character state switchboard
Some perks and legendary effects depend on your character's state.
Set it here to see what they really contribute.
On foot
HP: 100% (175 / 175)
Rads: 0
Day
Alone
Standing
Standing
Hip fire
Outside
Survival
Hunger
Fed
None
Thirst
Hydrated
None
Sleep
Rested
None
Adrenaline
Rank 0
None
Character stats
4
1
1
3
1
1
6
S.
P.
E.
C.
I.
A.
L.
Carry Weight
340
HP
175
AP
95
XP
+3%
Settlement Size
13
VATS Accuracy
+4%
Crit Meter per Hit
+14%
Resistances
10
10
0
Incoming Damage
x0.7
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