Mod:DUST Survival Simulator/Tips and Tricks

This page provides players new to Fallout: Dust with all the advice they will need to survive the Mojave and surrounding areas.

WARNING: Some sections of this page WILL contain spoilers, namely the locations of escape routes and how to utilize them properly. Endings resulting from these escapes have been relegated towards the bottom of the page for viewer convenience. If one wishes to find the endings themselves, then avoid scrolling towards the bottom of the page.

Getting Started
Character creation in Dust should not be handled exactly as one would in vanilla New Vegas. A high-Speech, high-Barter, high-Charisma playstyle will almost certainly result in the player having a very difficult time playing Dust. This isn’t your neighborly Vegas paradise. This is a true wasteland, where almost everyone you encounter is keen on killing you and taking your equipment, or worse. Plan accordingly when creating your character.

SPECIAL Statistics
To begin, take all of your SPECIAL points out of Charisma. High Charisma is a dreadful waste of SPECIAL points, and will get the player nowhere. Rather, invest your points in more concrete statistics, like Strength or Intelligence. A high Strength can help raise your lowered carry weight, and high Intelligence will ensure that you gain more skill points upon leveling up.

Skill Point Distribution
Skill points should generally be focused towards more combat-based skills, like Guns or Melee Weapons. However, a plurality of skill points should be placed in more specialized areas, namely Lockpicking or Repair. Lockpicking allows access to many helpful supplies, and Repair can keep your equipment in good condition. Furthermore, the Repair skill can allow you to craft makeshift weaponry, which can prove very helpful.

Starting Locations
Selecting a good starting location can be especially tricky. The names placed on the doors at The Beginning are rather vague, or even deceptive. Therefore, it is recommended to save your game before selecting a starting location. This allows you to rethink your decision should you choose poorly.

A recommended starting location is the Abandoned Warehouse. The Abandoned Warehouse is located nearby to Camp McCarran, in a relatively safe position. Furthermore, the warehouse comes with a makeshift sniper rifle with ammo on the staircases, with the possibility of more weapons and equipment on corpses.

Most importantly, wherever you start, DO NOT forget to grab the Crafting Kit. The kit is an invaluable tool for survival in Dust, and weighs only a single pound. The usefulness of the crafting kit will be covered later.

Basic Survival
Survival in Dust is to be approached somewhat differently from vanilla New Vegas. Most harvestable plants have been removed, and water, especially the clean variety, is very scarce. Dust has amplified the survival needs, and as such, it is recommended to keep track of supplies to avoid running low on the necessities. If that wasn’t enough, survivors now have to deal with the Sanity system, meaning that endless slaughter of other humans for supplies will no longer be strictly profitable. Pick your fights carefully, and know when to save your ammo for more perilous situations.

Survival Needs
Hunger, Thirst, and Sleep are no longer mild inconveniences. In Dust, the hardcore mode survival needs prove a constant threat to survivor health. Stock up on food and water, even if it is irradiated, and do not be afraid to take a nap when the opportunity presents itself.

Thirst is easily the most threatening of the survival needs. Most sources of water in the Mojave are now either irradiated or absent altogether. The Courier’s Stash add-on proves immensely helpful in managing Thirst, as the Vault 13 Canteen can help temporarily stave off dehydration. Toilets are a common source of water, though often irradiated. Lake Mead has become Mead Canyon, drained of all water.

Food and Sanity go hand in hand with one another. Cannibalism solves the food issue permenantly, but can take a massive toll on Sanity. Buildings with people nearby are the best places to find food, namely Nipton. The McBride ranch house in Novac still has the many Brahmin Steaks located in the fridge, though Novac itself is heavily populated with cannibals.

Sleep is the least threatening of survival needs, but should not be overdone. Sleeping too long will cause your other needs to skyrocket, and can even cause death upon awakening. Therefore, keep sleeping low on the priorities list. Focus on Hunger and Thirst.

If all the hardcore needs are just a tad too hardcore, don’t worry. Hardcore mode, while the intended game mode for Fallout: Dust, can be toggled off at any time.

Sanity
The new Sanity system is merely a repurposed Karma system, with the good and bad roles reversed. Most actions that would normally gain Karma in normal New Vegas (killing ghouls, killing Fiends, etc.) now cause a loss of Sanity. Actions that would lower Karma (theft, etc.) now raise Sanity. However, some new Sanity boosters and perks have been integrated to work in tandem with the Sanity system.

Insanity is caused by having your sanity drop too low, and is usually caused by excessive killing and/or cannibalism. While generally regarded as bad, Insanity has its perks, both figuratively and literally. Hallucinations caused by insanity can cause Fugue States, which can lead to surprising outcomes. See the Insanity page for more information.