Fallout: New Vegas fans will know about the Dead Money add-on, a tough DLC that takes you to the spooky Sierra Madre Casino. Here, you’ll face new enemies, tricky traps, and an exciting story. But did you know that finishing Dead Money also gives you a special perk called Elijah’s Ramblings? Let’s look at what this perk does and how you can get it.
What Is Elijah’s Ramblings?
Elijah’s Ramblings is a unique perk that you earn by finishing the Dead Money add-on in Fallout: New Vegas. When you have this perk, all of your critical hits with melee weapons will deal a whopping 50% more damage. That’s right – every time you land a critical strike with a knife, sword, or other melee weapon, you’ll inflict 50% more damage than usual. This can be incredibly helpful when facing tough foes up close.
It’s important to note that Elijah’s Ramblings only applies to the Courier, the main character you play as in Fallout: New Vegas. Even though this perk seems perfect for Veronica, your potential companion who specializes in unarmed combat, it unfortunately doesn’t boost unarmed damage. The 50% critical hit damage bonus is restricted to regular melee weapons only. Still, it’s a very powerful perk for melee-focused characters.
Obtaining Elijah’s Ramblings
To get your hands on the Elijah’s Ramblings perk, you’ll need to successfully complete the Dead Money add-on from start to finish. This means making your way through the Villa, the Sierra Madre Casino, and all the associated quests and challenges. It’s not an easy task, as Dead Money is known for being quite difficult compared to the base game of Fallout: New Vegas.
Once you’ve completed the main storyline of Dead Money, you’ll automatically receive Elijah’s Ramblings as a reward. The perk will become a permanent part of your character, allowing you to benefit from the 50% melee critical hit damage increase for the rest of your playthrough. It’s a nice bonus for all the hard work you put into finishing the DLC.
If you’re not sure if you have Elijah’s Ramblings after completing Dead Money, you can always check your “Perks” section in the Pip-Boy menu. It should be listed there along with any other perks you’ve acquired. Keep in mind that you can only get this perk once per playthrough, as it’s tied to the completion of the Dead Money add-on.
Effects Of Elijah’s Ramblings
The Elijah’s Ramblings perk gives your melee attacks a special boost. Whenever you land a Critical Hit with a melee weapon, there’s a chance it will knock your enemy down. This can give you a huge advantage in close combat situations.
Knocking foes off their feet buys you precious time to unleash more attacks. Or you can use those few seconds to back off and heal up if needed. Either way, the ability to stagger opponents with critical melee strikes thanks to Elijah’s Ramblings is a game-changer.
This perk synergizes really well with character builds focused on melee. High Luck and Critical Chance stats will trigger the knockdown effect more often. Combine it with hard-hitting weapons like the Knife Spear or Blade of the West for maximum impact.
Pair With The Heavy Handed Trait
To get even more mileage out of Elijah’s Ramblings, consider picking the Heavy Handed trait too. This trait makes melee attacks 20% slower but increases their damage by 20%. The speed decrease is negligible compared to the damage boost.
With Heavy Handed, your critical melee hits will not only knock foes down frequently thanks to Elijah’s Ramblings, but they’ll hit substantially harder too. This combination turns you into an absolute melee powerhouse that can flatten enemy groups.
Fallout: New Vegas Overview
Fallout: New Vegas is an open world action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. You play as a courier left for dead who gets wrapped up in a conflict that will determine the future of the Mojave Wasteland.
The game offers a huge amount of flexibility in how you develop your character through perks, traits, skills and more. You can specialize in anything from guns to speech to survival. Or you can be a jack-of-all-trades. This freedom, combined with an engaging story, is a big part of New Vegas’s enduring popularity.
The Dead Money add-on that unlocks Elijah’s Ramblings takes you to the Sierra Madre Casino. This abandoned resort is filled with toxic gas, dangerous inhabitants, and of course, the promise of untold riches. It’s a challenging and atmospheric adventure that really adds to the base New Vegas experience.
Conclusion
Completing the Dead Money add-on in Fallout: New Vegas not only gives you a thrilling new story but also unlocks the powerful Elijah’s Ramblings perk. This perk boosts your melee attacks by increasing critical hit damage and gives you a chance to knock down enemies. Pairing it with the Heavy Handed trait makes your attacks even stronger, turning you into a real powerhouse. Overall, Dead Money adds exciting challenges and valuable rewards to your Fallout: New Vegas adventure.
