Strength is one of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes in Fallout New Vegas (FNV). Read on to see how to increase and decrease Strength using console command, what it does, all weapon strength requirements, how to increase Strength, all Strength levels and their effects, as well as all Strength-based perks.

What Does Strength Do?

What Does Strength Do?
Affects the Melee and Unarmed Skills Facilitates Weapon Compatibility Determines Carry Weight

Affects the Melee and Unarmed Skills

With high Strength, you can dish out punishment by getting up close and personal with your enemies. Your swings, whether unarmed or with melee weapons, will have increased damage the higher your Strength is!

Facilitates Weapon Compatibility

All weapons require a certain Strength threshold to handle effectively. For example, you need 8 Strength to effectively wield the Anti-Materiel Rifle!

It is recommended that you have a base Strength of 6 to handle most weapons and have leeway for higher requirements if you choose to increase your Strength.

Determines Carry Weight

One of the most crucial aspects that Strength influences is that it determines the weight you can carry without being over-encumbered.

Having extra carry weight means you can get more loot without letting go of some of the items you already have!

How to Increase Strength

How to Increase Strength
Buy Implants Wear Armor Gain Perks

Buy Implants to Permanently Increase Strength

You can permanently increase your Strength by buying the Hypertrophy Accelerator implants from Dr. Usanagi at the New Vegas Medical Center.

It costs around 3,000 - 4,000 caps, so make sure you have enough before you employ her help.

Money Farming Guide
How to Get Caps Fast

Wear Armor to Temporarily Increase Strength

If you don't have the right amount of bottle caps yet, you can rely on a variety of armor to temporarily increase your Strength.

Here is a list of armor that you can equip to increase your Strength temporarily.

Armor	DT	Weight	Effects
Brotherhood T-45d Power Armor	22	45	STR +2, AGL -2, Rad. Res. +10
Brotherhood T-51b Power Armor	25	40	STR +1, Rad. Res. +25
Remnants Power Armor	28	45	STR +1, Rad. Res. +15
T-45d Power Armor	22	45	STR +2, AGL -2, Rad. Res. +10
T-51b Power Armor	25	40	STR +1, Rad. Res. +25

List of All Armor

Gain Perks to Temporarily Increase Strength

Aside from the one-time permanent increase in Strength that the Intense Training perk can give, there are other perks that you can get to temporarily increase your Strength.

Perk	How to Get	Effect
Nerd Rage!	SPECIAL Req.: Intelligence 5 Lv. Req.: Lv. 10 Skill Req.: Science 50	＋15 DT and ＋10 STR When Health is at 20% or Lower
Solar Powered	SPECIAL Req.: Endurance 7 Lv. Req.: Lv. 20	＋2 STR and ＋1 HP Per Second While Outside From 6 AM to 6 PM
Meat of Champions	Cannibalize The King, Mr. House, Caesar, and President Kimball	1 point to Luck, Strength, Charisma and Intelligence for 60 seconds each time a corpse is consumed.

Best Perks and List of Perks

All Weapon Strength Requirements

All Pistols

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Alien Blaster	1
Euclid's C-Finder	1
Laser Pistol	1
Pew Pew	1
.357 Magnum Revolver	1-3
Lucky	1-3
Silenced .22 Pistol	1
Plasma Defender	2
Plasma Pistol	2
Pulse Gun	2
Recharger Pistol	2
10mm Pistol	2-4
9mm Pistol	2
Maria	2
.44 Magnum Revolver	3-5
Mysterious Magnum	4-6
Hunting Revolver	4-6
Ranger Sequoia	4-6
That Gun	4-6
12.7mm Pistol	5-7

List of All Pistols

All Rifles

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Laser Rifle	1-3
AER14 Prototype	1-3
Plasma Rifle	1-2
Assault Carbine	1-3
BB Gun	1
Abilene Kid LE BB Gun	1
Varmint Rifle	1-3
Ratslayer	1-3
Laser RCW	2-4
Multiplas Rifle	2-4
Q-35 Matter Modulator	2
Tri-beam Laser Rifle	2-4
Cowboy Repeater	2-4
Marksman Carbine	2-4
All-American	2-4
Service Rifle	2
Gauss Rifle	3-5
YCS/186	3-5
Recharger Rifle	3-5
La Longue Carabine	3-5
Trail Carbine	3-5
Brush Gun	4-6
Hunting Rifle	4-6
Sniper Rifle	4-6
Gobi Campaign Scout Rifle	4-6
This Machine	4-6
Anti-Materiel Rifle	6-8
Light Machine Gun	6-8

List of All Rifles

All Shotguns

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Caravan Shotgun	1-3
Lever-Action Shotgun	2-4
Sawed-Off Shotgun	2-4
Big Boomer	2-4
Hunting Shotgun	3-5
Dinner Bell	3-5
Single Shotgun	3-5
Riot Shotgun	5-7

List of All Shotguns

All SMGs

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
9mm Submachine Gun	1-3
Vance's Submachine Gun	1-3
Silenced .22 SMG	2
10mm Submachine Gun	3-5
12.7mm Submachine Gun	4-6

List of All SMGs

All Heavy Guns

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Incinerator	4-6
Flamer	5-7
Gatling Laser	6-8
Heavy Incinerator	6-8
Plasma Caster	6-8
Tesla Cannon	6-8
Tesla-Beaton Prototype	6-8
Minigun	8-10
CZ57 Avenger	8-10

List of All Heavy Guns

All Melee Weapons

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Binoculars	0
Throwing Spear	1
Machete	1-3
Knife	1
Liberator	1-3
Police Baton	1
Ripper	1-3
Chance's Knife	1-3
Combat Knife	1-3
Shovel	1-3
Straight Razor	1
Figaro	1
Switchblade	1
Throwing Hatchet	1
Throwing Knife	1
Rolling Pin	2
Pool Cue	2
Machete Gladius	2-4
Nephi's Golf Driver	2
Hatchet	2
9 Iron	2
Baseball Bat	2-4
Cattle Prod	2-4
Cleaver	2
Dress Cane	2
Chopper	2
Lead Pipe	3-5
Tire Iron	3
Fire Axe	3-5
Knock-Knock	3-5
The Humble Cudgel	3-5
Shishkebab	4-6
Sledgehammer	5-7
Chainsaw	5-7
Thermic Lance	5-7
Nail Board	5-7
Super Sledge	6-8
Oh, Baby!	6-8
Bumper Sword	6-8
Rebar Club	7-9
Blade of the East	7-9

List of All Melee Weapons

All Unarmed Weapons

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Boxing Gloves	1
Golden Gloves	1
Boxing Tape	1
Love and Hate	1-3
Spiked Knuckles	1-3
Dog Tag Fist	1
Recompense of the Fallen	1
Pushy	2
Paladin Toaster	2-4
Zap Glove	2-4
Mantis Gauntlet	2-4
Displacer Glove	2-4
Brass Knuckles	2
Power Fist	3-5
Cram Opener	3-5
Bladed Gauntlet	3-5
Ballistic fist	7-9

List of All Unarmed Weapons

All Explosives

Jump to a weapon type!
Pistols	Rifles	Shotguns
SMGs	Heavy Guns	Melee Weapons
Unarmed Weapons	Explosives	-

Weapon	Strength Req.
Fat Man	6-8
Grenade Machinegun	6-8
Mercy	6-8
Annabelle	4-6
Missile Launcher	4-6
Grenade Launcher	3-5
Pulse Mine	2
Pulse Grenade	2
Frag Grenade	2
Holy Frag Grenade	2
Plasma Mine	2
Plasma Grenade	2
Incendiary Grenade	2
Time Bomb	1
Bottlecap Mine	1
Powder Charge	1
Thump-Thump	1-3
Grenade Rifle	1-3
Frag Mine	1
Long-fuse Dynamite	1
Dynamite	1
C-4 Plastic Explosive	1
Detonator	0

List of All Explosives

Strength Console Command

Increase Strength Command

Format	player.modav Strength [value you want to add to your Strength]
Example	player.modav Strength 3

You can use the command above to permanently increase your Strength in the game.

Simply hit the tilde (`) button on your keyboard to open the console. Then, type the command above and the value you want to add to your Strength.

Decrease Strength Command

Format	player.modav Strength -[value you want to subtract to your Strength]
Example	player.modav Strength -1

Likewise, you can decrease your Strength using the same command. Just make sure that the value you add at the end is negative.

Strength Levels

Levels and Skill Modifiers

Lv.	Name	Carry Weight	Unarmed Damage	Skill Modifiers
1	Wet Noodle	160	0.5	Melee Weapons +2
2	Beached Jellyfish	170	1	Melee Weapons +4
3	Doughy Baby	180	1.5	Melee Weapons +6
4	Lightweight	190	2	Melee Weapons +8
5	Average Joe	200	2.5	Melee Weapons +10
6	Barrel Chested	210	3	Melee Weapons +12
7	Beach Bully	220	3.5	Melee Weapons +14
8	Circus Strongman	230	4	Melee Weapons +16
9	Doomsday Pecs	240	4.5	Melee Weapons +18
10	Hercules' Bigger Cousin	250	5	Melee Weapons +20

Strength-Based Skills and Perks

All Strength-Based Perks

Perk	SPECIAL Req.	Lv. Req.	Effect
Heave, Ho!	Strength 5	Lv. 2	＋50% Thrown Weapon Velocity and Range
Stonewall	Strength 6,Endurance 6	Lv. 8	＋5 DT Against Melee and Unarmed Attacks, and You Cannot Be Knocked Down
Strong Back	Strength 5,Endurance 5	Lv. 8	＋50 Carry Weight
Super Slam	Strength 6	Lv. 8	Melee and Unarmed Attacks Have a Chance to Knock Down Enemies
Unstoppable Force	Strength 7	Lv. 12	4x Damage Through Enemy Blocks With Melee and Unarmed Attacks
Weapon Handling	Strength <10	Lv. 16	-2 Points For Weapon Strength Requirements

All Strength-Based Skills

Skill	Benefits
Melee Weapons	Effectiveness of Melee Weapons
Unarmed	Effectiveness of Melee Weapons

Best Starting Skills and List of Skills

Fallout New Vegas Related Guides

Best Starting SPECIAL Stats and
SPECIAL Explained

All SPECIAL Attributes

All SPECIAL Attributes
Strength	Perception	Endurance
Charisma	Intelligence	Agility
Luck	-	-