When you set your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points during the intro, increase Intelligence to 9 -- no more, no less. Intelligence determines how many Skill Points will be available for distribution whenever you level up. With an Intelligence of 9, you'll have 19 Skill Points to freely distribute any way you see fit whenever you level up.


You might be wondering, "Why set Intelligence to 9 when I can set it to 10?" The answer is because the Intelligence bobblehead can be obtained in the Science Lab at Rivet City (located on the southeast corner of the map). It is highly recommended that you obtain the bobblehead as soon as you exit Vault 101.;
, Perks that fall under this category include Gun Nut, Little Leaguer, and Tag!. Pass up these perks for something more useful, as these skill-raisers quickly become redundant once the Comprehension perk has been obtained. (See Step 5 for more details.)

, Perks that fall under this category include Lead Belly and Rad Resistance. These perks are hardly useful in most cases, as there simply aren't that many instances in the game which would require intense radiation protection. This is compounded by the fact that Rad-X and Rad-Away are plentiful throughout the game, from either various merchants or in the Wasteland. There are also doctors who will completely remove radiation effects for about 100 caps, or for free with the My First Infirmary housing improvement.
 Available at Level 18, these perks grant you one more chance to hack a locked terminal or pick a broken lock, respectively. The only problem is, unless virtually every terminal is locked or every lock is broken, these perks are pointless. It is easy to avoid locking down a terminal or breaking a lock in the first place by simply exiting the mini-game and restarting it. Upon restarting it, you'll have four attempts to hack a terminal (though the password is randomly generated), and the pick will be at full strength. Never force open a lock unless there is a 100% chance of success.
 Available at Level 4, this perk grants 2 skill points (rather than 1) for every skill book read. There are special books for every skill that, when read, will permanently increase that corresponding skill. On average, there are 25 of each of these books. With Comprehension, that equates to an extra 50 points (more or less) for every skill without having to spend skill points at the level up screen (which is why skill-raising perks are worthless). It is highly recommended you take this perk as soon as it becomes available.


Take the time to scour the Wasteland for these skill books. While they can be tricky at times to obtain, they are well worth it. With this perk and the skill books, you'll notice your character become more powerful in less time.
Do not read any skill books before the Comprehension perk has been acquired. Save them and make them count for when they grant you 2 skill points.
 Because of the generous amount of skill increases that Comprehension provides, focus less on specializing and more on creating a balance of power. Don't let one skill get drastically higher or lower than the others; patience will pay off soon enough.
 This will probably be the most daunting task you'll face. It can be challenging to prioritize which perks will be most beneficial to your style of play, but you must consider realistically how often you'll be using a specific perk. If a perk won't be put to use often, you may want to consider choosing something you'll use more frequently.


Be aware that many perks have certain statistical requirements, such as having Charisma or Barter at a certain level before the perk becomes available. Keep these in mind before leaving Vault 101.
Set your Intelligence to 9 (and only 9).
Avoid perks that raise Skills.
Avoid perks that focus exclusively on reducing RAD damage.
Avoid the Computer Whiz and Infiltrator perks.
Choose the Comprehension perk.
Balance your skills.
Plot out which perks you'll get and at what levels you'll get them.
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