Notes: These stats include the points you get from Gifted

ST: 5 (+1 Upgrade +4 Power Armor = 10)
PE: 7 (+1 Upgrade = 8)
EN: 4 (Trust me, this is enough)
CH: 4 (Sulik and Cassidy is really all you need. If you want 1 more, use the Mirrored Shades and some Mentats to pick up one more)
IN: 9 (+1 Upgrade = 10, sooo many skill points)
AG: 10 (Shoot more times per turn!)
LK: 8 (+2 Brain alignment (NCR) = 10, this needs to be 10 to get the most out of the Sniper perk)

Gifted - Because Duh!
Finesse - Crits! (This is what makes the game easy before getting Sniper)

Note:
You might say "Whaat? Not Fast Shot?! You must be an idiot", and I would say, "Astute observation! but please check out the Perks section of this guide"

Small Guns - Because Duh!
Speech - Lots of experience from quests.
Lockpick - Lots of containers need looting.

Level 3 - Awareness (PE5)

Level 6 - Quick Pockets (AG5)
Note:Use 100 Stims and reload your weapons at the cost of 2 APs. This is actually the best perk in the game, bar none.

Level 9 - Better Criticals (PE6, AG4, LK6)
Note: This perk enables the ability to insta-kill enemies with a critical hit

Level 12 - Action Boy (AG5)

Level 15 - Bonus Rate of Fire (PE6, IN5, AG7)

Level 18 - Action Boy (AG5)

Level 21 - Skip the perk selection until you get to Level 24

Level 24 - Mutate - Finesse to Fast Shot
Note: Not a typo, get this at level 24. Use the perk you saved from level 21 to get this along with Sniper. It's important to wait until level 24 to Mutate so that you won't lose aimed-shots before you get Sniper.

Level 24 - Sniper PE8, AG8, Sg80
Note: If you didn't get the PE upgrade yet, use Mentats to boost your PE to reach the requirements for the Perk

Level 27 - Living Anatomy Dc60
Note: Did your shot not crit insta-kill the enemy? Don't worry, the damage boost from this perk probably will)

Level 2 - Put all points to SG
Level 3 - Put all points to Speech
Level 4 - Put all points to SG
Level 5 - Put all points to Lockpick
Level 6 - Put all points to Speech
Level 7 - Put all points to Speech
Level 8 - Put all points to SG
Level 9-27 - Keep points and use it on stats you need for your current situation
Options to put it in:
1. Small Guns - You'll want to get this to 150 ASAP to make fights easier. Eventually get it to 175 by the time you reach NCR. Up to 200 near the endgame.
2. Lockpicking - Makes it a bit easier to unlock doors and containers, but don't invest too much points because lockpicks and electronic lockpicks exist. Does not hurt to get it to 100% though.
3. Science - You can add points to this if you need to pass a skill check, but try to hold off putting in points until the Science Books can't raise it any longer. Note: Unlimited Science and Repair books in Vault City.
4. Repair - Same as Science
5. Doctor - You'll eventually want this to 76 to learn about combat implants. An item in New Reno gives you +10 Doctor.

1. 10mm Pistol (Klammath)
2. .44 Magnum Revolver (The Den)
3. .44 Magnum Revolver (Speed Load) (Free Upgrade at Gecko)
4. Red Ryder LE BB gun (Sierra Army / NCR Bazar / San Francisco)
5. PPK12 Gauss pistol (Mariposa / San Francisco)

Aim for the eyes! Your high Luck combined with Finesse (especially after you get it to 10 when you reach NCR) will make short work of enemies. You'll need to be almost point blank range while using the .44 Magnum, so make sure to use those corners in combat!

With LK 10 and the Better Criticals perk, aimed shots to the eyes can insta kill enemies!

Once you Mutate to Fast Shot and get Sniper, each shot, even if non-aimed, has a very high chance of insta killing your enemy.

To summarize, at Level 24, you'll be able to fire your Gauss Pistol 6 times per turn. With 10 Luck and the Sniper perk, each of those shots is an automatic critical hit. Each critical hit has a decent probability of outright insta-killing your enemy or do insane amounts of damage to kill them anyway. Getting Living Anatomy at level 27 just increases that chance even more.

Temple of Trials
Your early Unarmed will suck, but just do the punch-punch-run strategy and you should get through without a scratch. As for the final battle, you just need to talk your way out of it.

Arroyo
Killing the Spore Plants in the garden can be a pain. Just remember that Hakunin will heal you to full health every time. So when low on health, retreat, heal then charge back in. Lastly, there are 2 NPCs here that can raise your Unarmed and Melee Weapons skills by just talking to them.

Toxic Caves
When dealing with Golden Geckos, aim for their legs until it gets crippled. After that, they'll just run away and won't get very far since they can only walk 2 hexes. Sulik with a Combat Knife will make short work of any crippled Geckos. Still, try to aggro them one at a time.

Redding
Depending on when you choose to deal with the Wanamingos (weather you have the Red Ryder LE BB Gun or not), this can be a tough battle or a cake walk. Use the same strategy for the Golden Geckos, shoot the legs, cripple them then sweep them up when they try to run.

New Reno
Getting the Combat Armors and the Red Ryder LE BB Gun from Sierra Army Depot will make the fights here a cake walk.

New Reno and San Francisco Unarmed Fights
Make sure to do these fights BEFORE you Mutate to Fast Shot, because you'll need aimed shots to even have a chance of finishing these quests. It's easier to aim for the head instead of the eyes which can crit and cause a knockout earning you the win.

This is how I progress through the towns to keep things challenging. Because, sure you can go straight to Navarro from Arroyo to get yourself a suit of Power Armor then coast through the entire game, but where's the fun in that?

Note: This assumes you have the Restoration project installed
NoteNote: THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION! By all means, play the game the way you want to, that's the thrill of Fallout 2 after all.

1. Arroyo
2. Klamath and Toxic Caves
3. The Den (Don't kill Metzger Yet)
4. Modoc
5. Gecko
6. Vault City
7. The Den (Time to kill Metzger)
8. Slave Camp
9. Umbra Tribe
10. Redding
11. Broken Hills
12. New Reno and Sierra Army Depot
13. Abbey and EPA
14. NCR
15. Vault 15
16. Vault 13
17. Arroyo
18. Clean up open quests
19. Mariposa Military Base
20. San Francisco
21. Navarro
22. Enclave Oil Rig
23. New Reno (Miss Kitty) ;)