Fallout 4 VATS Guide

V.A.T.S., or the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, allows players to slow down time and target certain body parts on enemies.

AP, or action points, are used up when V.A.T.S. is activated. The amount of times you can shoot at (or melee) the target(s) body part(s) depend upon on the current weapon in use and how many AP are available. V.A.T.S. will only allow 16 shots to be queued.

Near each limb of the enemy is the probability percentage of a hit. This can be increased with a larger perception stat. Actions that are queued in V.A.T.S. can be cancelled. Certain perks and weapon modifications can increase both AP and modify V.A.T.S.

Fallout 4 Vats Probability — V.A.T.S. in action.

Alongside targeting specific limbs, V.A.T.S. makes it easier to cripple them. Each limb that is crippled has a different status affect.

For example, a crippled head reduces the enemies aim at long range opponents (aka you), while a crippled leg will reduce the enemies movement speed. Additionally, the same can happen to you. If your characters limb(s) are crippled, you must either use a stimpak on them or sleep in a bed.

In order to get a critical hit, wait until the meter is filled by successful attacks in V.A.T.S.

Essentially, V.A.T.S. allows the player to complete a set of actions faster than in real time, giving the player a significant combat advantage.

Useful Perks For V.A.T.S.

Perk	Description
Awareness (Requires Perception 3)	To defeat your enemies, know their weaknesses! You can view a target’s specific damage resistances in V.A.T.S.
Sniper rank 3 (Requires Perception 8, level 26)	Non-automatic, scoped rifles gain +25% accuracy to headshot in V.A.T.S.
Penetrator rank 1 (Requires perception 9)	There’s no place to hide! In V.A.T.S. you can target an enemy’s body parts that are blocked by cover, with a decrease in accuracy.
Penetrator rank 2 (Requires Perception 9, level 28)	In V.A.T.S. when you target an enemy’s body parts that are blocked by cover, there is no decrease in accuracy.
Concentrated Fire rank 1 (Requires perception 10)	Stay Focused! In V.A.T.S. every attack on the same body part gains +10% accuracy.
Concentrated Fire rank 2 (Requires perception 10, level 26)	In V.A.T.S. every attack on the same body part gains +15% accuracy.
Concentrated Fire rank 3 (Requires perception 10, level 50)	In V.A.T.S. every attack on the same body part gains +20% accuracy and does 20% more damage.
Mysterious Stranger rank 1 (Requires luck 4)	Who is he? Why does he help? Who cares! The Mysterious Stranger will appear occasionally in V.A.T.S. to lend a hand, with deadly efficiency…
Mysterious Stranger rank 2 (Requires luck 4, level 22)	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often in V.A.T.S.
Mysterious Stranger rank 3 (Requires luck 4, level 41)	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often in V.A.T.S. When he kills an opponent, there is a chance your Critical meter gets filled.
Mysterious Stranger rank 4 (Requires luck 4, level 49)	The Mysterious Stranger appears more often in V.A.T.S. When he kills an opponent, there is a high chance your Critical meter gets filled.
Critical Banker rank 1 (Requires luck 7)	You can save a Critical Hit, to be used in V.A.T.S. when you need it most.
Critical Banker rank 2 (Requires luck 7, level 17)	You can save two Critical Hits, to be used in V.A.T.S. when you need it most.
Critical Banker rank 3 (Requires luck 7, level 43)	You can save three Critical Hits, to be used in V.A.T.S. when you need it most.
Critical Banker rank 4 (Requires luck 7, level 50)	You can save four Critical Hits, to be used in V.A.T.S. when you need it most.
Grim Reaper rank 1 (Requires luck 8,)	Death becomes you! Any kill in V.A.T.S. has a 15% chance to restore all Action Points.
Grim Reaper rank 2 (Requires luck 8, level 19)	Any kill in V.A.T.S. now has a 25% chance to restore all Action Points.
Grim Reaper rank 3 (Requires luck 8, level 46 )	Any kill in V.A.T.S. has a 35% chance to restore all Action Points and refill your Critical meter.
V.A.N.S. rank 1 (Requires intelligence 1)	Let Vault-Tec guide you! The path to your closest quest target is displayed in V.A.T.S. In actuality, let Vault-Tec’s Documentation Department guide you; learn your quest targets by checking this book instead, though without the compass flag to help. You could simply refer to this book and use a map marker on your world map, though.
V.A.N.S. rank 2 (Requires intelligence 1, level 36)	Gain +2 to perception.
Quick Hands rank 2 (Requires agility 8, level 28)	Reloading guns costs no action points in V.A.T.S.
Quick Hands rank 3 (Requires agility 8, level 40)	You gain 10 additional Action Points.
Blitz rank 1 (Requires agility 9)	Find the gap and make the tackle! V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased significantly.
Blitz rank 2 (Requires agility 9, level 29)	V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased even more, and the farther the Blitz distance, the greater the damage
Gun FU rank 1 (Requires agility 10)	You’ve learned to apply ancient martial arts to gunplay! Do 25% more damage to your second V.A.T.S. target and beyond.
Gun FU rank 2 (Requires agility 10, level 26)	In V.A.T.S. you do 50% more damage to your third target and beyond.
Gun FU rank 3 (Requires agility 10, level 50)	In V.A.T.S. you instantly do a Critical Hit against your fourth target and beyond.
Four Leaf Clover rank 1 (Requires luck 9,)	Feeling Lucky? You should! Each hit in V.A.T.S. has a chance of filling your Critical meter.
Four Leaf Clover rank 2 (Requires luck 9, level 13)	Each hit in V.A.T.S. now has an even better chance of filling your Critical meter.
Four Leaf Clover rank 3 (Requires luck 9, level 32)	Each hit in V.A.T.S. now has a very good chance of filling your Critical meter.
Four Leaf Clover rank 4 (Requires luck 9, level 48)	Each hit in V.A.T.S. now has an excellent chance of filling your Critical meter.

Weapons and V.A.T.S.: Tips and Tricks

Fallout 4 Vats Weapons Tips — The weapon bench in use. The greyed out mods cannot be crafted due to lack of materials.

Here is some useful knowledge to know when crafting the perfect weapon.

The lighter the weapon, the lower the AP cost in V.A.T.S.
Generally, pistols have lower AP cost in V.A.T.S.
Barrels that increase hip-fire decrease AP cost
Anything with the prefix “Light, Quick, Hair Trigger, Advanced, Reflex, Marksman or Sharpshooter” reduces AP cost in V.A.T.S.
Anything with the prefix “Heavy, Long, Rapid, Piercing, Automatic, Large, Drum, Full, Scope and Sniper” increases AP cost in V.A.T.S.