Outer Worlds Best Perks - Which Perks to Choose

Perks are passive bonuses in the Outer Worlds. They can be unlocked by spending perk points – you get one every two levels. You can also get them by accepting flaws when the game offers them. Since there are 42 perks in the game and you can only get about a third of that number in perk points, you’ll have to choose wisely. If that kind of choice tends to paralyze you, you’ll be happy to know we’ve prepared a list of the best perks in Outer Worlds, to help you improve your character.

Which perks to pick in Outer Worlds?

It all pretty much depends on your style and the difficulty level you’re playing on, but some perks are objectively better than others. Toughness will make any character more likely to survive. Cheetah will help you cover great distances more quickly. Precision will allow your companions to score critical hits more often. Deadly Demonstration will give you a lot more XP from companion kills. Pack Mule will allow you to carry a lot more stuff.

Run and Gun will make you more precise while moving and shooting at the same time. Scanner will increase your weak spot damage considerably. Rolling Thunder will decrease your companion’s ability cooldown for every kill.

Armor Master will make your outfit more effective, no matter what it is. Super Pack Mule will let you hoard all the stuff you want. Boom Headshot makes your headshot victims explode and deal damage to nearby enemies, so it’s great if you’re one for precision. Tit for Tat is great compensation for melee players and Solo Sneaker will greatly increase your chances of going somewhere unnoticed.

Tier 1 perks

All of these will become available the first time you get a perk point, which is at level 2.

• Toughness: +50% base health
• Slow the World: +25% Tactical Time Dilation meter max
• Lone Wolf: +25% damage when alone in party
• Strider: +25% walk speed
• Cheetah: +20% sprint speed
• High Maintenance: -25% armor/weapon durability loss
• Precision: +15% companion crit chance
• The Negotiator: -20% vendor prices
• Deadly Demonstrations: +50% XP from companion kills
• Traveler: Unlocks the ability to fast travel when encumbered
• Quick and the Dead: +50% Tactical Time Dilation recharge rate
• Pack Mule: +50kg carrying capacity
• A Few Bits More: +100% additional ammo, consumable and general stock on vendors
• Resilient: +5 base armor rating

Tier 2 perks

These are only unlocked after you’ve spent 5 perk points, which should happen at level 10.

• Run and Gun: -65% movement penalty to accuracy
• The Reaper: +25% Tactical Time Dilation restored per kill
• Weird Science: +50% science weapon damage
• Speed Demon: +25% movement speed during Tactical Time Dilation
• Scanner: +20% headshot/weak spot damage
• The Collector: +5m interactable highlight range
• Snake Oil Salesman: +20% vendor buying prices
• We Band of Brothers: +25% chance to reset companion ability cooldown on critical hit
• Tag Team: +25% chance to reset companion ability when using another companion’s ability
• Rolling Thunder: -20% companion ability cooldown for each of your kills
• Harvester: +15% health restored per kill
• Hoarder: -50% consumable weight
• Pack of Pack Mules: +40kg carrying capacity bonus from companions
• Soliloquy: +10 dialog skills when alone

Tier 3 perks

You can start investing in these after you spend 10 perk points, which is at level 20.

• Wild Science: +50% science weapon damage
• Steady Hand: -100% ranged weapon sway and movement penalty to accuracy after killing an enemy
• Confidence: After killing an enemy, next attack is a guaranteed critical hit
• Armor Master: +10% armor rating bonus, +100% skill bonus from armor
• Super Pack Mule: +100kg carrying capacity
• Tactical Master: +70% movement speed during Tactical Time Dilation for 5 seconds
• Revenge: +20% damage when affected by a harmful combat effect
• Last Stand: +30% damage when under 25% health
• Boom, Headshot!: Headshot kills deal 25% damage to enemies within a radius of 2.5 meters.
• Don’t Go Dyin’ On Me: When you use the inhaler on a companion, it’ll revive them with 25% health (has 15 minute cooldown)
• Penetrating Shots: Ranged attacks inflict -1 armor rating for 10 seconds and can stack multiple times
• Thick Skin: -15% AoE damage and plasma damage received
• Tit For Tat: 15% of melee damage returned as health
• Solo Sneaker: -33% detection radius of enemies