Perception Perks

Pickpocket (3 Stars): Allows easier pickpocketing. Primarily useful for the “Prankster’s Return” trophy/achievement. It's recommended to save, acquire the perk, get the trophy, then reload to retain your perks.

Rifleman (6 Stars): Enhances non-automatic rifles, which are versatile, deal good damage, and use common ammo. They can be modded for short, mid, or long-range combat. This perk is considered essential for the entire game due to the diverse utility of these weapons.

Awareness (3 Stars): Reveals enemy resistances and levels. Generally considered unnecessary if you have a well-built character.

Locksmith (6 Stars): Allows you to pick locks. While Cait can pick Expert locks or lower, this perk is useful if you prefer not to rely on her or want to use the Lone Wanderer perk. The first three ranks are sufficient for most locks, as bobby pins are cheap and plentiful.

Demolition Expert (5 Stars): Increases the damage of explosives by up to 100%. Rank one allows crafting explosives at Chemistry Stations. Rank two adds an aiming arc for thrown grenades. Rank three increases the blast radius. Rank four allows shooting mines and grenades in V.A.T.S. Missile Launchers and the Fat Man benefit from both this perk and Heavy Gunner. This perk is especially valuable if you find legendary weapons with explosive prefixes like an Explosive Minigun, Combat Shotgun, or Assault Rifle.

Night Person (3 Stars): Grants a +3 bonus to Intelligence and Perception at night, offering a slight V.A.T.S. accuracy bonus and extra XP. Also provides night vision while sneaking, but is generally considered a low-value perk.

Refractor (3 Stars): Provides damage resistance against energy weapons. It requires five ranks to achieve a noticeable resistance, which is less effective than armor with Ballistic Weave Mk5 or the Armorer perk.

Sniper (3 Stars): The first rank offers minimal benefit for holding your breath in V.A.T.S. The second rank can make follow-up shots difficult if a foe is knocked down. The third rank provides a +25% V.A.T.S. accuracy bonus, which is most useful for mid-range headshots with short-barrel rifles or when combined with Concentrated Fire. Scopes are generally more effective for actual sniping.