So you’ve received your Pip Boy 3000, punked off Butch and the Tunnel Snakes, and, possibly with a murder or two in tow, have made your way out of Vault 101 and into the Capital Wasteland. It’s a dangerous world out there. If the Raiders don’t rape and mug you, the Super Mutants will tear your limbs off. If the Super Mutants tear your limbs off, then the Yao Guai will probably eat your ass. If the Yao Guai doesn’t eat your ass, you’ll probably get radiation poisoning. You see where I’m going with this.

The world in Fallout 3 is so vast that it might be a bit overwhelming to traverse. Here are some tips that’ll help keep your shots deadly, yours limbs connected, and your pockets lined with bottle caps.

Trash now, treasure later
One of the first things you’ll notice in the Capital Wasteland is the overwhelming number of odds and ends you’re able to pick up and keep in your inventory. Some of it’s obvious, 9mm ammunition, Talon combat armor. But Abraxo cleaner? Turpentine? Steam gauge assembly? Pressure Cooker?! Who needs all this junk? Well you might later on. If you’re not going to take it with you, at least make a note of where it is, in case you’ll need to come back and find it.

Pair and Repair
Don’t be afraid to double up on similar types of weapons or armor in your inventory. You can combine them into one single item of the same type using your repair skill. This will increase the durability and damage of the weapons, and keep your armor from breaking in the middle of battle. This is also a good way to make some quick caps when the need arises. The shops love guns in good condition. Bling bling. Don’t forget that your intelligence attribute will also boost your repair skill, so Mentats come in VERY handy and bringing a Utility Jumpsuit wherever you go will give you that little boost when you need it.

Strong back shit liftin’ it up
Your strength is what determines the amount of weight you can carry. If you’re gonna be well stocked, you’d better have the muscles to lug around all your weapons, armor, and all those toy cars. If you don’t want to go that route, at least pick up all the ammo for the weapons you’re not using. These take up zero weight, and can add up to a pretty penny… whatever the fuck a penny is.

Take a look, it’s in a book …
It’s reading rainboooooow. If a book has a title, be sure to read it instead of pawning it off for some quick cash. Books like the DC Journal of Medicine, Guns and Bullets, and Dean’s Electronics all boost your skills, depending on the subject matter. And if you’ve got the Comprehension perk, you’ll gain an extra skill point each time you read.

You stop growing at 20!
It sounds like a fantasy for some, but in this game you cap at level 20. Be sure to plan out your skills or perks before you hit the big 2-0.

Action Jackson
You can target multiple body parts on multiple targets in a single VATS attack. If you’re confident in your skills, try taking out multiple targets in a single swoop.

Better than Ikea
It never hurts to have a place to rest your head. Especially if that place is stocked with all your spare guns, armor, and supplies. Getting a place is an incredibly advantage as it allows you a place to stash the valuables that are weighing you down. In addition, you can furnish your place with all sort of useful appliances. Might I recommend getting the Nuka Cola Machine first? It lets you turn all your Nuka Cola’s ice cold… go ahead, give it a whirl.

*note* I should warn you that there is one piece of furniture without any real use, and that’s the Jukebox. Only buy the jukebox if you want to achieve the next tip. See Below.

Pimpin’ ain’t Easy

Well, actually it is. Always be ready to pimp it out.

Shoot, Duck, and Cover!

Believe or not, you’re able to detonate grenades mid-flight by shooting them. If you don’t have the reaction time of the Flash, and the accuracy of … I don’t know … Harold my tax accountant … then you’ll want to go into VATS to do this. If you can pop the nade before it leaves your enemy’s hand… all the better.

Keeping the Goods

If you’ve got a place of your own, you’ll notice you have at least four storage locations (ie. a dresser, desk, fridge, or whathaveyou). You’ll also notice you have four categories of inventory – Weapons, Apparel, Aid, and Misc (Ammo doesn’t count because it weighs nothing). It might help to designate specific items to specific crates.