LessWrong (30+ Karma) “Training PhD Students to be Fat Newts (Part 2)” by alkjash
Nov 26, 2025
Discover the innovative "Fat Newt" build, which optimizes fatigue management in Battle Brothers. Dive into a comparison between a nimble duelist and a fatigue-neutral brother, highlighting strategic trade-offs. Learn how this approach enhances survivability and allows for heavier armor. Explore the benefits of choosing specific perks to maximize utility. The discussion extends to academia, advising PhD students on effective time management and teamwork, while cautioning against the pitfalls of imitating high-profile mathematicians.
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Fat Newt Tradeoffs
- The Fat Newt build prioritizes using base 15 fatigue regen to avoid investing in fatigue stats and recovery perks.
- This lets you reallocate points to offense, defense, and utility for balanced, economical characters.
Nimbleforged Cleaver Duelist Example
- The Nimbleforged Cleaver Duelist needs ~70 max fatigue, high stats, and perks like Berserk and Recover to multi-attack reliably.
- This hero build also requires rare nimbleforged armor and extensive babysitting to survive in the thick of combat.
Fat Newt Playable Example
- The Fat Newt needs only 15 max fatigue so almost any high-attack/defense recruit can fill the role and wear heavy armor with two-handed weapons.
- Perk flexibility lets him take utility options like Quick Hands and Fortified Mind instead of mandatory offensive perks.
