Fallout 4 Add Perk Points? How It Works

Updated 4 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Yes, Fallout 4 lets you add perk points through leveling up, and you can also add them manually with console commands on PC. Each time you gain a level, you receive one perk point to spend in the Perk Chart, and there is no level cap, so you can eventually unlock every perk in the game.

How Perk Points Are Earned

Perk points are tied directly to experience points (XP). You earn XP from killing enemies, completing quests, hacking terminals, picking locks, crafting items, and discovering new locations. When your XP bar fills, you level up and immediately get one perk point. The amount of XP needed for each level increases as you progress, but the reward stays constant: one point per level.

There is no way to earn perk points outside of leveling up in normal gameplay. Unlike some RPGs, Fallout 4 does not award bonus perk points for completing specific quests or finding collectibles. The only exceptions are the You’re SPECIAL! book in Sanctuary Hills, which gives you one extra point to a SPECIAL attribute (not a perk point), and the Perk Magazine issues that unlock unique perks directly, not spendable points.

Where to Spend Perk Points

Open the Pip-Boy and navigate to the Perk Chart. The chart is arranged in a grid with columns for each SPECIAL attribute: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Each column has ten perks, one for each rank of that attribute. To unlock a perk, you must have the required SPECIAL level and be at the character level listed on the perk card.

Perks have ranks, usually from 1 to 5. Each rank costs one perk point. For example, the Big Leagues perk (Strength) has five ranks, each increasing melee damage by 20%. You must purchase the ranks in order; you cannot skip to rank 5 without buying ranks 1 through 4. The character level requirement also increases with each rank, so you often need to be level 30 or higher for max ranks.

You can also spend a perk point to increase a SPECIAL attribute by one point, up to a maximum of 10. This is done at the top of each column on the Perk Chart. Each SPECIAL increase costs one perk point and has no level requirement, but you can only invest 10 points total in each attribute (starting value plus points spent).

How to Add Perk Points with Console Commands (PC)

On PC, you can add perk points instantly using the console. This is useful for testing builds or fixing a mistake, but it disables achievements for that playthrough (unless you use a mod that re-enables them). Here is the exact command:

Press the tilde key (~) to open the console.
Type player.setlevel X where X is the level you want. This sets your level and gives you the corresponding number of perk points (one per level).
Alternatively, type player.addperk <perkID> to add a specific perk directly, bypassing the point system. You need the perk’s ID from the game files.
To add a single perk point without changing level, use player.setav perkpoints <number>. This sets your current unspent perk points to that number.

Note that player.setlevel does not retroactively grant perk points for levels you already passed; it sets your level and gives you points equal to that level, overwriting your current points. If you are level 10 with 3 unspent points, using player.setlevel 20 will give you 20 points total, not 23.

How to Choose Perks Wisely

Since perk points are limited only by your patience (leveling never stops), you can eventually get everything. But early on, points are scarce, so prioritize perks that match your playstyle. Here are common strategies:

Combat builds: Invest in weapon-specific perks like Rifleman, Gunslinger, or Heavy Gunner early. These give large damage boosts.
Survival builds: Perks like Aquaboy, Lead Belly, and Solar Powered reduce environmental hazards and healing needs.
Crafting builds: Gun Nut, Armorer, and Science! unlock modifications. They are essential for high-level gear.
Utility perks: Lockpick and Hacker open more options but are not required for the main story.

A common mistake is spreading points too thin. Focus on one weapon type and one armor type first, then branch out. Also remember that SPECIAL increases are often more valuable than a single perk rank, because they unlock new perks and give small stat bonuses (like more carry weight for Strength).

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One frequent misconception is that you can reset perk points. In the base game, there is no respec option. Once you spend a point, it is permanent. If you want to change builds, you must start a new character or use console commands to remove perks (which is tedious and can break quests).

Another issue is the Idiot Savant perk, which randomly grants bonus XP. Some players think it gives extra perk points; it does not. It only multiplies XP gained, which indirectly speeds up leveling, but you still get one point per level.

Players also wonder if the level cap exists. In the base game, there is no cap. You can keep leveling indefinitely, though the XP curve gets steep. With the Nuka-World and Far Harbor DLCs, the level requirement for some perks goes up to 50, but you can still reach it.

Comparing to Other Fallout Games

Fallout 4’s perk system is different from Fallout 3 and New Vegas. In those games, you got a perk every level (or every two levels in New Vegas) but also had separate skill points to distribute. Fallout 4 removed skill points entirely, merging skills into perks. This means perk points are more valuable, but you also have fewer of them per level (one instead of 10+ skill points). The trade-off is that perks are more impactful.

Fallout 76, the multiplayer successor, uses a card-based perk system where you earn a perk card pack every five levels and can swap cards freely. Fallout 4’s system is more rigid, but also more straightforward for planning a build.

Costs and Limits of Perk Points

There is no monetary cost for perk points; they are purely XP-based. However, there are hidden limits:

Each SPECIAL attribute maxes at 10. You cannot go above 10 with perk points alone (some armor and chems can temporarily boost it).
Each perk has a maximum rank, usually 5. You cannot invest more points than the perk has ranks.
Some perks have prerequisites. For example, Science! requires Intelligence 6 and level 1, but its higher ranks require higher levels.

If you plan to max out everything, you will need roughly 275 perk points (70 for SPECIAL increases from 1 to 10, plus about 205 for all perk ranks). That means reaching level 275, which is possible but requires extensive playtime or farming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get perk points without leveling up? No, in normal gameplay, the only source is leveling. The You’re SPECIAL! book gives an attribute point, not a perk point. Console commands are the only way to add points directly.

Do perk points carry over to New Game Plus? There is no New Game Plus in Fallout 4. You can continue playing after the main story ends, and your perks remain. Starting a new game always resets everything.

Can I remove a perk point I already spent? Not in the base game. On PC, you can use player.removeperk <perkID>, but this may cause issues if the perk is a prerequisite for others. On console, there is no way.

What is the fastest way to earn perk points? The fastest is to build large settlements, as crafting items gives XP. The Idiot Savant perk (Luck 5) can triple XP randomly, which speeds up leveling. Also, completing quests and killing high-level enemies gives large XP chunks.

Does the level cap affect perk points? No, there is no level cap, so you can earn unlimited perk points. However, the XP requirement per level grows exponentially, so reaching level 100 takes significantly longer than reaching level 50.

Are perk points shared between characters? No, each character has their own perk points. Nothing carries over between save files.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.