Here and Now

Here and Now is a Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout Tactics and Lionheart Perk.
 * Requirements:
 * Level 3 (patched Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics)
 * Level 9 (unpatched Fallout 2)
 * Level 10 (Fallout 3)
 * Level 8 (Lionheart)
 * Ranks: 1
 * Benefits:


 * With this Perk you immediately go up one experience level, which results in being able to assign the usual number of skill points again and to select a new perk.


 * Once Here and Now becomes available as a perk, be aware that it can be much more beneficial than some other perks which raise skill points a total less than the number you get for the up level.


 * For example, if you get 23 skill points when go up a level, it makes no sense to select a perk such as Scoundrel, which raises your Speech and Barter skills by 5 points since you could choose Here and Now, assign 10 of your 23 points to those perks and still have 13 left over for other perks.


 * Perks like Silent Running are more complicated because while only 10 points are given to Sneak, you are also given the ability to run while sneaking. You have to decide if that is worth the 13-point (in this example) difference.

This perk effectively loses you a perk. Since there are only 20 levels in Fallout 3 (and you'll hit level 20 sooner than you wish) you're sacrificing a perk later for some skill points and extra health now. Unless you really need the level urgently, I'd choose a perk with more combat value.
 * Detriments:


 * Notes:


 * In unpatched Fallout 2, if you chose this perk at a high level, you would gain a level for every 3 levels you had already got. So if you got it at level 15 you would get 5 or 6 free levels. You would, however, get no perks for these levels. In Fallout3 you cannot take this perk at level 20.