POV Rio
I blasted a nightmare creature away and heard a soft ding indicating I leveled up again. I ignore it for the moment and focus on the person I just helped with their nightmare. Helping them calm down and giving some advice to help them deal with this fear took a bit, but when I was done, I left.
'It seems nightmares are becoming far less common nowadays. I suppose that's a good thing.'
I was only torn because it was a great source of experience. But with everything going so smoothly lately, fewer and fewer citizens suffer from any sort of night terrors. Thankfully, I had obtained more than enough experience lately from Giffany's purges of the Cyberpunk world. She had been there for almost half a year at this point, and little remained to be dealt with. The population was around 2 billion, but after she was mostly done, they were sitting around 200 million. It wasn't the cleanest affair, but there was basically no way it would be clean. Most of the kills didn't earn experience since we gathered the life force, but I still got the experience for around 40 million kills. This, combined with all the recent work, saw my level jump quite a bit, with the most recent level meaning I reached level 300.
'Levels are becoming really hard to increase. I guess I can just find some random world full of hostiles or something, like the bugs from Starship Troopers or the Zerg. Actually, I'm not so sure that would be a good thing.'
With level 300, I now had 2000 skill points to distribute, or rather convert. Which increased my Mana to 2200 points. Massive by almost any measure. Next came perk points.
Awareness
To defeat your enemies, know their weaknesses!
Rank 1 (Level 10): While in VATS, you can view a target's specific damage resistances and gain 5% increased damage and chance to hit.
Rank 2 (Level 20): You deal 3% more Limb Damage per Perception and take 50% less damage when performing your attacks in VATS.
Super Slam
It's over once you have the High Ground.
Rank 1 (Level 50): All melee (except thrown) and unarmed attacks have a chance of knocking your target down. 15% for Unarmed or one-handed melee, 30% for two-handed melee.
Finesse
For that extra oomph!
Rank 1 (Level 80): +5% Critical Chance.
I Am Speed
Float like a bee sting like a uh uh bee!
Rank 1 (Level 50): You can now move on all terrains without speed penalties.
Rank 2 (Level 100): You now gain permanent water walking abilities. (Controllable)
Rank 3 (Level 150): Your base speed is now doubled.
Rank 4 (Level 200): All AP Costs are reduced by 50%.
Get Jinxed
Bombs and bullets will do the trick!
Rank 1 (Level 100): You know how to turn almost anything into an explosive.
Rank 2 (Level 150): Increase the odds of misfortune affecting enemies by 150%.
Rank 3 (Level 200): Explosives do double damage and have double blast radius.
Rank 4 (Level 250): You are immune to all forms of explosive damage.
The Great Equalizer
Fate will never rule you!
Rank 1 (Level 180): Debuff spells reduce enemy abilities and resistances by 15%.
Rank 2 (Level 250): Time-altering spells and abilities now last 2x longer.
Rank 3 (Level 280): Casting a spell on an enemy disables one of their abilities for 10 seconds.
Rank 4 (Level 300): Once per day, cast Equalize: strip all enemies of active buffs and scale their damage down to match the weakest unit.
Salesman's Swagger
It Just Works!
Rank 1: You can now haggle with vendors for up to 20% better prices.
Rank 2 (Level 10): You gain +20% Speech success when demanding caps, rewards, or bribes.
Rank 3 (Level 20): Companions deal +10% damage when following your orders or fighting under your buffs.
Rank 4 (Level 34): Once per day, activate Fire Sale: your next barter is free, your Charisma is tripled for 30 seconds, and merchants restock instantly.
Steelhoof Statespony
Industry is Magic!
Rank 1 (Level 50): Gain +20% effectiveness with turrets, mines, and robotic allies.
Rank 2 (Level 80): Your settlements produce +15% more caps and defensive resources.
Rank 3 (Level 90): You can deploy Propaganda Beacon: temporarily pacify enemies in a 10-meter radius (cooldown 90s).
Rank 4 (Level 100): Once per day, activate Steelhoof Edict: robotic and automated units obey your commands instantly, gain double firepower, and can auto-repair for 15 seconds.
You Are A Pirate!
Do what you want 'cause a pirate is free.
Rank 1: You take 15% less damage while moving or airborne
Rank 2 (Level 14): Melee attacks while falling or dashing deal +25% damage.
Rank 3 (Level 26): Your companions gain +10% attack speed and +15% crit damage when following your lead in battle.
Rank 4 (Level 38): Once per day, activate Sky Captain's Call: gain +100% AP regen and a guaranteed critical with melee or ranged weapons for 10 seconds. Allies rally and gain +20% movement speed.
Manipulator Supreme
Golly, did I do that?
Rank 1 (Level 65): You know the right things to say to get into someones mind. You can charm someone into following your orders.
Rank 2 (Level 70): You now convert charmed enemies into temporary allies in combat, and you gain +25% damage when fighting alongside controlled or charmed enemies. Charmed enemies will defend you if you are attacked.
Rank 3 (Level 75): You gain Cunning Drain: whenever a controlled enemy dies, you restore 25% health and AP.
Rank 4 (Level 85): Once per day, activate Puppetmaster's Gambit: all enemies below 50% morale are instantly converted to your side for 15 seconds. If they die while converted, they explode, causing psychic damage within a 10-meter radius.
Stormborn Fury
The storm bends to your voice, and thunder answers your call.
Rank 1: All energy weapons gain +25% damage. Running during storms grants +15% movement speed and lightning effects on melee strikes. You are immune to paralysis, stunning, and lightning-based damage.
Rank 2 (Level 52): Gain Bolt Javelin: hurl a charged spear of lightning that chains between targets.
Rank 3 (Level 56): Killing an enemy during a storm has a 30% chance to call down chain lightning around their corpse.
Rank 4 (Level 60): Once per day, activate Eye of the Storm: Summon a localized storm centered on you for 20 seconds. Grants triple movement speed and chain lightning on all attacks.
Architect of Elegance
Your light weaves into constructs of beauty and battle alike. Imagination is your arsenal.
Rank 1: Gain +25% to all stats/damage of summoned or constructed objects (turrets, traps, mines, weapons).
Rank 2 (Level 52): Gain Hardlight Halo: summon an orb that blocks all incoming ranged damage for 10 seconds.
Rank 3 (Level 56): Unlock Weapon Construct: conjure a spectral weapon matching your playstyle (bow, sword, rifle) with infinite ammo/durability for 20s.
Rank 4 (Level 60): Once per day, activate Radiant Arsenal: summon multiple hardlight weapons that fight alongside you for 30 seconds, attacking enemies with beams, blades, and blasts.
Enchanted Avenger
With supernatural reflexes, you never miss and never fall.
Rank 1: +25% damage with thrown weapons and unarmed attacks. Targeted enemies take +10% damage from all sources.
Rank 2 (Level 52): Gain Mystic Lasso: target a foe in V.A.T.S. to pull them toward you or disarm them at range.
Rank 3 (Level 56): Critical strikes with unarmed or whip attacks stun enemies briefly.
Rank 4 (Level 60): Once per day, activate Justice Chain: instantly lasso up to 3 nearby enemies, disabling them and increasing critical chance on all future attacks against them for 20 seconds.
Arcane Technocrat
A scientific sorcerer with mastery over matter and magic.
Rank 1: All elemental damage effects (fire, ice, plasma) deal +25% damage. Tech-based weapons recharge/reload 25% faster.
Rank 2 (Level 52): Unlock Elemental Shift: cycle between fire, ice, and lightning mode. Each grants unique effects to your next attacks.
Rank 3 (Level 56): Swapping elements triggers a pulse effect: flame burns, frost slows, and lightning stuns enemies nearby.
Rank 4 (Level 60): Once per day, activate Matter-Horn Ascension: gain full elemental immunity, infinite ammo for energy weapons, and launch arcane blasts that adapt to enemy weaknesses for 20 seconds.
Unexpected Hero
With guts, wits, and a whole lotta luck, you do what others can't: survive.
Rank 1: Critical failures now become critical successes instead.
Rank 2 (Level 52): Gain Sidekick's Gambit: once per fight, redirect all enemy attention to you while gaining 90% damage resistance for 10 seconds.
Rank 3 (Level 56): Each kill you assist grants +10% crit chance to you and nearby allies for 15 seconds.
Rank 4 (Level 60): Once per day, activate Clutch Victory: when all allies are down or outnumbered, gain max AP, +50% damage, and revive one ally instantly with 100% health.
Ponies Assemble!
Time To Power Pony Up!
Rank 1: Your taunts are 100% more effective.
Rank 2: Infinite Rage now lasts twice as long.
Rank 3: Lightning element spells cost 30% less and do 30% more damage. You can now eat electricity to regain Health, AP, and Mana.
Rank 4: You now gain psychokinesis. Allows you to move objects up to Strength x 10 lbs.
Rank 5: Hardlight constructs require 50% less concentration and are 5 times more durable.
Rank 6: Chrono Collapse now lasts 60 seconds (Not including buffs).
Rank 7: You gain knowledge of various applications of magitech.
Heartbreaker
When the one you love most is gone, you'll be singing a different song.
Rank 1: All healing effects you cast also deal radiant damage to enemies nearby
Rank 2 (Level 50): Spells cast have a 20% chance to activate a second time for free.
Rank 3 (Level 100): Mana is now passively regenerated at 3x normal rate.
Rank 4 (Level 150): You exude an aura of beauty and love, causing weaker minds to become charmed. (Controllable)
Rank 5 (Level 200): Bleeding Heart: Link up to 3 allies and enemies. Allies share healing and resistances. Enemies share damage, drain health when you heal yourself. Cannot be resisted.
The Storm King
UNLIMITED POWER!!!!!!
Rank 1: Constant electrical aura deals lightning damage to nearby enemies.
Rank 2 (Level 50): Jumping or dodging emits an electric pulse that paralyzes nearby enemies. (2 meter range)
Rank 3 (Level 100): Lightning based damge in increased by 75%.
Rank 4 (Level 150): Each kill with lightning-based damage summons a lesser storm elemental to fight for you (max 5).
Rank 5 (Level 200): Once per day, Call of the Lightning Khan: You summon a massive lightning storm lasting 10 minutes: Lightning strikes automatically target foes near you, you become encased in a cage of lightning that deflects most types of projectiles, and all lightning-based spells and abilities become free for 10 minutes.
Cauldron of Corruption
Nothing can stop... The Smooze!
Rank 1: You are immune to poisons, viruses, diseases, and toxins, both natural and artificial. Instead, they heal you.
Rank 2 (Level 50): Critical hits have a chance to transform enemies into grotesque monsters that fight for you. Monsters are 150% stronger and feel no pain.
Rank 3 (Level 100): Your poisons and brews are 3 times more effective and bypass immunity.
Rank 4 (Level 150): Brewing potions or using alchemy yields twice as many results.
Rank 5 (Level 200): Once per day, Bubbling Brew: Summon the Unstoppable Smooze for 5 minutes. The Smooze can feed off of anything to grow in size and is literally impossible to stop or halt. The Smooze won't damage any allies or allied structures. Enemies caught by the Smooze will be devoured and added to the Smooze.
Bringer Of Flames
Breaker Of Day
Rank 1 (Level 50): You gain an increase to all Special Stats when standing near a source of solar energy, the closer and stronger the soruce the greater the boost.
Rank 2 (Level 100): Your melee attacks inflict Holy Fire, draining life and stamina.
Rank 3 (Level 150): Your fire spells now burn white-hot: +150% fire damage, 30% pierce, and cause lingering burn for 10 seconds
Rank 4 (Level 200): You now heal from fire damage and can consume fire to restore AP and Mana.
Rank 5 (Level 250): You now gain Burning Dominion: Enemies within 25 meters suffer: -50% AP regen, +50% fire damage received, and -30% healing efficiency.
Sirens' Symphony
Captured In The Web Of My Song
Rank 1 (Level 50): Spells based on verbal components such as voice, music, and other similar effects are twice as effective and have double the range.
Rank 2 (Level 100): Gain Entrancing Presence: You emit a psychic soothe, calming those around you and improving moods.
Rank 3 (Level 150): Entrancing Presence now causes allies within 50 meters to gain +25% attack speed and morale.
Rank 4 (Level 200): Entrancing Presence now causes enemies within 50 feet to gradually become enthralled: Slower to attack, lower willpower, and eventual complete control. (Controllable)
Rank 5 (Level 250): Once per day, Welcome To The Show: You and your fellow Sirens manifest as spectral divas above the battlefield for 2 minutes. All enemies in range (1km) are trapped in a musical illusion: unable to act as their energy is siphoned. Every second drains health and mana from foes, feeding you until you reach Perfect Harmony form, which grants +500% spellpower, +250% movement, and temporary invulnerability.
Sneak Thief
We Are Number One!
Rank 1 (Level 25): Once per week, you can summon 4 incompetent lackeys to help you with a task. They are all great musicians, but pretty bad at everything else.
Rank 2 (Level 50): Traps you create do double damage and are twice as hard to detect and disable.
Rank 3 (Level 75): Disguises are nearly perfect and cannot be seen through by almost anyone.
Rank 4 (Level 100): Once per in-game day, if you would die: You instead ragdoll dramatically, regain 25% Health, and become invisible for 8 seconds.
Rank 5 (Level 150): Eating Junk Food, Sweets, Greasy Foods, and other unhealthy options no longer have negative side effects and instead are 5 times more effective.
All Natural
You enjoy life and experience it as it is.
Rank 1: While clear of chems, XP gain, critical damage, and persuasion chance are increased by 20%.
Rank 2: While clear of chems, you gain + 1 to all SPECIAL stats and are more resistant to stagger.
Rank 3: While clear of chems, you gain +20 Action Points and Health, and have the duration of diseases vastly reduced.
Gun-Fu
Channel Your Inner John Wick
Rank 1: While not wearing Power Armor, gun damage, reload speed, damage resistance, and AP regeneration are increased by 5%.
Rank 2: While not wearing Power Armor, gun damage, reload speed, damage resistance, and AP regeneration are now increased by 10%.
Rank 3: While not wearing Power Armor, gun damage, reload speed, damage resistance, and AP regeneration are now increased by 15%.
Against All Odds
I'll take you all on!
Rank 1: You trust your luck against overwhelming odds. You take 5% less damage for each enemy in combat with you, up to 10 enemies.
Rank 2: You do 20% more damage to your second V.A.T.S. target, 40% more to your third, and 60% more to your fourth and subsequent targets.
Rank 3: You do 30% more damage against large, legendary, or higher-level enemies. (Large based on DnD sizes)
Blitz
Into The Motherland, The German Army Marched!
Rank 1: V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased significantly. You also do 10% more damage when unarmed or using a melee weapon.
Rank 2: V.A.T.S. melee distance is increased even more, and the farther the Blitz distance, the greater the damage. You also do everything 15% faster when in combat.
After selecting the perks, I moved on to choosing the Ascension Perks. The choices were a bit difficult, but in the end, I found what I wanted.
Nightmare Ascension
"Knowledge is power. Too much knowledge is a weapon."
Effect:
Singularity Mind:
Your teleportation magic will never fail and cannot be blocked. You can also teleport during spellcasting
Magical attacks pierce armor and 50% of resistances
Magic spells are now always treated as silenced weapons and can gain sneak attack bonuses
+50% experience gain from magical actions, crafting, or research.
Multiversal Awareness:
All spells cost 50% less mana.
Your "last used spell" echoes every 60 seconds again, for free
Once per day, Cognitive Collapse:
All enemies in sight are overwhelmed by raw knowledge
Their resistances are nullified
They lose the ability to cast/use powers for 20 seconds and have a chance to instantly die based on Intelligence Stat.
You gain +200% spell damage, and your VATS now highlights weaknesses
Final spell cast in this state creates a reality fracture, allowing you to either rewind or fast-forward the next 10 seconds.
Magic Devourer
"Now Without A Weakness To Rainbows!"
Effect:
Abyssal Devourer:
You feed upon the magical essence of all life around you.
Whenever an enemy casts a spell within 50 feet, you absorb 50% of its magicka cost, healing for the same amount.
Gain +5% damage and +2% damage resistance per enemy drained (stacks up to 20).
Magical projectiles are absorbed instead of damaging you, replenishing health and magicka.
Consume Essence:
Activate to drain a single target's mana and stamina to zero, absorbing both as your own for 10 seconds.
The target is staggered and weakened (-75% attack and speed).
Killing a drained foe adds a small amount of permanent power.
Once per day, Apocalypse Form:
You ascend into a extrmely powerful centaur form for 60 seconds:
+500% damage, +500% health, immune to magic, stagger, and paralysis.
Every attack releases an explosive shockwave.
When the form ends, all absorbed power detonates in a massive explosion, obliterating lesser foes.
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Author's Note:
So, as the name of the chapter says, this is the last time I will be doing a level-up chapter. I have used up almost all the perks I had created for this story, as well as the usable canon ones, so I have decided to stop at level 300. I was going to add an explanation for why Rio chose the perks he did, but this chapter is already over 3k words, and I don't feel like writing about all of that. I'm sure most people can come up with reasons why these perks are very useful. There are not many more chapters left. I expect this fic will end at around 200 chapters. There is basically only one last arc, which shouldn't take too long to resolve. Until next time, Ciao.