Sneak Attack Critical

What is a Sneak Attack Critical? In Fallout 3 attacking while always results in an automatic critical strike if the attack hits. This sneak attack bonus is similar to the classic D&D stealth move, "Backstab".

(Loud) Silent Kills

 * It is possible to kill an enemy without alerting those around them if the "sneak" critical is also a one-hit-kill, even with loud weapons like the Assault Rifle. Additional attacks after the first, queued in V.A.T.S., will be treated as non-sneak attacks and will reveal the player's location to the target and possibly other enemies, presumably because the target then alerts their friends. This happens with all weapons except silent weapons like the 10mm Silenced Pistol, or Dart Gun which have reduced chance to alert opponents.

(Silent) Silent Kills

 * Its been reported that all melee attacks are considered silent. However one should note the intimate proximity the player needs to be in to deliver a melee attack, the transition to almost instantly proceeds to  as the opponent is programmed to whirl around and start moving in the direction of where the attack came from, looking for the enemy in  mode. The instant they spot you they go directly into  mode which alerts all nearby creatures, (even their enemies!) occasionally you may experience a situation where a Raider will find you, and go into  mode only to alert a nearby Yao Guai that pounces on them!


 * Still, its not impossible to get in 2-3 melee attacks without alerting the whole room. If the player sneaks up in back of one of the more lumbering creatures its possible it won't turn around fast enough. Note: It'll take either a stealthboy or the silent running perk with maxed skill to get that close.


 * This is quite unlike sneak attacks with a Dart Gun where a player can dart an enemy three times in one V.A.T.S. and then just sit still, hiding in the dark a good distance away, only under a temporary while the enemy searches (slowly, with crippled-legs) and then hopefully drops dead from poison, its death snapping your status back to . Note: Shooting someone with a silent weapon doesn't hide you from them completely, they have some clue as to what direction the shot came from, and they'll search you out to deliver some payback, all you have to do is drop them before they make it and they won't go into full-alert.

Choice Weapons
The best weapons for sneak attacks are the ones with the highest critical damage bonus (affected by +50% dmg Better Criticals perk). Here's a number of common weapons with big bonuses.


 * Hunting Rifle +25 (critical bonus)
 * Combat Shotgun +27 (critical bonus)
 * Scoped .44 Magnum +35 (critical bonus)
 * Sniper Rifle +40 (critical bonus)
 * Plasma Rifle +44 (critical bonus)
 * Blackhawk +45 (critical bonus)
 * Lincoln's Repeater +50 (critical bonus)
 * Dart Gun +6 (+70 for humanoids only) (critical bonus)

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