During QuakeCon we got a good look at how you'll be leveling up in Fallout 4. Since that event, more details have been revealed that make the already detailed leveling system sound even more detailed.
As a recap, let's go over what we know about the leveling system:
In Fallout 4, players will level up different Perks instead of Skills; there are 70 base perks, each with multiple ranks. The Perks are split into seven categories, with 10 rows that increase the power of each Perk (some of the new Perks are 'Intimidation' and 'Attack Dog'). Perks will tie directly into S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck); For example, the higher your Perception, you'll get access to a perk dedicated to Perception earlier than if your Perception was lower.
Now that we have gone over that… The latest issue of the Official Xbox Magazine (OXM) details the XP system that ties in with the perks. According to a Bethesda representative, each perk will have its own XP level that will tie into the player's overall XP.
"You'll still level up via XP, and each level increase will still give you a point to spend on a perk, but now those perks have varying XP levels of their own. It's perk-ception, essentially, and means that, should you theoretically play long enough to max out every tier of every single one gaining untold buffs and no doubt all kinds of horrendous real-world illnesses in the process – you’ll top off with a total of 275."
This means that if you want to max out a perk, there will be lots of grinding in your future (think of jumping in Oblivion to raise acrobatics).
