Perception 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 Perception using console command, what it does, how to increase Perception, all Perception levels and their effects, as well as all Perception-based skills and perks.

What Does Perception Do?

What Does Perception Do?
Affects the Melee and Unarmed Skills Facilitates Weapon Compatibility Unlocks Stealth-focused Perks

Affects the Energy Weapons, Lockpicking, and Explosive Skills

Investing in Perception gives the Courier more skill points for energy weapons, lockpicking, and explosives. Given your enhanced senses, you know where and when to aim at anything in your field of awareness!

Increases Enemy Detection Range

Like a third sense, having high Perception allows you to detect an enemy's presence farther away. This additional range lets you easily plan out your movement and attacks, so investing in your Perception if you plan on doing a stealth build is paramount.

Unlocks Precision Perks

With high Perception, you can access perks that favor a playstyle surrounding V.A.T.S. and stealth. Perks such as Better Criticals and The Professional make the Courier's criticals more potent!

How to Increase Perception

How to Increase Perception
Buy Implants Wear Armor Gain Perks

Buy Implants to Permanently Increase Perception

You can permanently increase your Perception by buying the Optics Enhancer 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 Perception

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

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

List of All Armor

Gain Perks to Temporarily Increase Perception

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

Best Perks and List of Perks

Perception Console Command

Increase Perception Command

You can use the command above to permanently increase your Perception 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 Perception.

Decrease Perception Command

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

Perception Levels

Levels and Skill Modifiers

Perception-Based Skills and Perks

All Perception-Based Perks

All Perception-Based Skills

Skill	Benefits
Energy Weapons	Effectiveness of Energy Weapons
Explosives	Effectiveness of Explosives
Lockpick	Picklock difficult doors

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	-	-