This is an updated version of an old mod series of mine. I will go back and update the old version of this for the pancake version at some point, but for now, here's the 'VR' Version. Essentially it's the latest version of the mod (far more recent than the original, I've been updating it for personal use), with no UFO4P or DLC requirements.

The effects are below, but it should be noted that to get the full effect it's advised you install at least my Health, Perks and Weapons mods listed in the description, as well as the recommended mods at the bottom. It's not a requirement, and the mods won't break separately or anything, it;s just they're designed to be used together.

Fail's Sensible Perks - VR
 
Required for full NPC health effect
 
Gun nut perks in vanilla allow weapon mods that increase damage by 1.5 across the game, this has not been changed. Combined with looting better weapons as the game progresses and some more reasonable perks (10-20% increases, not 100%), this gives a much easier spread to balance for in terms of making things die when you expect them to…
 
For those worried about not feeling as powerful as you level up, so long as you're using my Sensible NPC Health mod, that shouldn’t be an issue. I've removed eterna-levelling NPCs in that mod. Yes Deathclaws and the like will remain challenging, but that's a good thing, in my view. Use heavy weapons, or lay a complex plasma mine trap. You'll be fine.
 
Changed perks

• Gun damage perks/demolition expert: removed 100% damage bonus. 10% damage bonus remains as the first perk, the rest of the perks are still worth taking as they have other advantages, they just don’t feel mandatory anymore.
  
• Basher perks remain as vanilla - str+perks. Melee is quite weak anyway, comparatively.
  

 
Changed Perk Requirements

• Medic: rank1, craft skeeto spit. Rank 2, craft glowing blood pack. Rank 3, craft Radaway. Rank 4, craft Stimpacks. 
  
• Chemist: rank1, Flavour your mentats and craft Jet. Rank 2, craft mentats and psycho. Rank 3, craft combo chems. Rank 4, craft Overdrive, Fury, Jet Fuel, and Ultrajet. 
  

Installation:
extract the .esp into your Fallout\Data folder.

Companion mods:
Fail's Sensible Weapons - VR
Fail's Sensible NPC Health - VR
Fail's Personal Tweaks - VR

Suggested mods:
Fallout Loot Overhaul - Greatly reduces the available loot in the worlds and actually makes finding cool stuff exciting. I may upload a patch later that makes it play better with the no food health mod below. The stimpack drop rate is based on using food healing...
No Health Level Scaling - Reduces player health to match NPCs. Use the player .esp only.
No Food Health Bonus - will also remove the healing from blood packs, but they're still useful to make stimpacks.
Survival Damage Fix - without this, the survival damages contained in Fail's personal Tweaks will not work completely. Feel free to use your own survival damage combinations, but bear this mod in mind, as it's an often forgotten effect.
Survival quick save
Survival Console enabler
No adrenaline
No Thirsty Chems