Fallout 3/New Vegas S.P.E.C.I.A.L

[ManBearPig]

Does placing points into special stats do anything besides setting initial skill level (besides carry weight, hp, etc)?

For example: I have 10 perception (which governs explosives) and 100 skill points in explosives. Is that character stronger with explosive weapons than a character with 1 perception and 100 skill points in explosives?

Thanks...always been curious about this.

 

[DaveSimmons]

In Fallout 1-2 your tagged skills got the boost and cut the cost of leveling them up in half.

In Fallout 3 and New Vegas it's just a one-time boost, without any other benefits at all.

 

[coldmeat]

A higher intelligence means you will get more skill points when you level up.

 

[ManBearPig]

I understand hp, vats pts, skill points, carry weight, but I meant (and said) besides those.

 

[coldmeat]

Does placing points into special stats do anything besides setting initial skill level (besides carry weight, hp, etc)?

For example: I have 10 perception (which governs explosives) and 100 skill points in explosives. Is that character stronger with explosive weapons than a character with 1 perception and 100 skill points in explosives?

Thanks...always been curious about this.

A higher intelligence means you will get more skill points when you level up.

I understand hp, vats pts, skill points, carry weight, but I meant (and said) besides those.

What you asked was basically "Do SPECIAL points do anything special, other than the special things they do?"

I answered with something they do that you hadn't mentioned, and your response was "I meant besides that".

 

[ManBearPig]

No, look at the example i listed. Im sorry i didnt list intelligence. I figured people would understand thats in the "etc." Im specifically asking if SPECIAL stats have any effect on damage or if all they do is raise the initial skill level which means one can just raise those skills they want and theyd have the same strength.

 

[shortylickens]

Yeah, it says so RIGHT IN THE GAME!

You dont read too well, do ya?

STR in New Vegas is needed to lift heavier weapons. Also increases weight capacity. And melee damage. And unarmed damaged.

Also, each stat is linked to several skills and gives them a higher base level.

 

[DaveSimmons]

No, look at the example i listed. Im sorry i didnt list intelligence. I figured people would understand thats in the "etc." Im specifically asking if SPECIAL stats have any effect on damage or if all they do is raise the initial skill level which means one can just raise those skills they want and theyd have the same strength.

I read this as the option of tagging certain skills at the start, which is the question I answered.

Others answered the question of what the effect of having the skill points is.

The effects of any skill points you have is the same regardless of when you get them or how: at the start or later, by tag, level-up-points or books.

Is any of those the question you're trying to ask?

 

[ManBearPig]

Ok, you guys pretty much answered it. I got really confused because the way the game says it in the vig o matic thing in the beginning is completely different than the way it lists it in the pip boy. Like for the vigomatic, it says strength raises damage. Or perception raises energy weapons...wtf!

Does it actually raise the damage of those somehow or does it raise the associated skill points thereby making them stronger? Apparently its the latter, since it describes it that way in the pip boy and manual. Thanks guys.

 

[shortylickens]

Ok, you guys pretty much answered it. I got really confused because the way the game says it in the vig o matic thing in the beginning is completely different than the way it lists it in the pip boy. Like for the vigomatic, it says strength raises damage. Or perception raises energy weapons...wtf!

Does it actually raise the damage of those somehow or does it raise the associated skill points thereby making them stronger? Apparently its the latter, since it describes it that way in the pip boy and manual. Thanks guys.

In the case of Strength with Melee it does both. Raising STR at the beginning gives you a higher base melee skill level, but everyone eventually gets 100 points in every skill. Have 10 STR with 100 Melee does slightly more damage on average than 1 STR with 100 Melee.

This is not true with agility and Guns. You just get the higher base stat. But AGL gets you VATS points, which is arguably better.

 

[ManBearPig]

Got it, we're in agreement then. Thanks man. Shortylickens, knower of fallout new Vegas and guns.

 

[shortylickens]

Mostly I have no life and play games all day.
Been through New Vegas 5 times completely and started it about a dozen times. You cant really make an unplayable character but believe me, your starting picks have a HUGE influence on how your game will run.
Next time around I'm gonna make a cat burglar with 10 STR and 1 AGL. I need the challenge.

 

[ibex333]

Does placing points into special stats do anything besides setting initial skill level (besides carry weight, hp, etc)?

For example: I have 10 perception (which governs explosives) and 100 skill points in explosives. Is that character stronger with explosive weapons than a character with 1 perception and 100 skill points in explosives?

Thanks...always been curious about this.

Yes, the points matter, and matter A LOT. You can have a guns skill of 100, but if your agility and strength are low, you will suck with many, many guns and will be forced to use very few specific ones with very low requirements. (and off course those will probably not be very good - although there are a few unique exceptions)

Read the Fallout wiki. It is an amazing resource.

 

[shortylickens]

Oh yeah the wiki is practically a necessity.

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_Wiki

TONS of good tips in there you would otherwise probably never learn just playing the game.

 

[Scooby Doo]

I miss the Almost Perfect perk, that along with the stat raising perk gets you perfect 10 across the board

 

[PrincessFrosty]

They effect a bunch of things.

1) They all effect a set of secondary character stats, for example strength increase carry weight, endurance will raise your hit points.
2) They decide what value your skill points start at for all your characters skills.
3) Some perks that you get when you level up have SPECIAL requirements

In addition to that, there are various unique benefits that you'll come across in the dialogue sections and options to complete missions, for example with an exceptionally high intelligence you might find an NPC has dialogue options otherwise unavailable, another NPC might respond to high Strength or Charisma.

There's other things that rely on them as well, certain armour like power armour, and heavier weapons will have strength requirements, the game is pretty well balanced so that SPECIALS point distribution will open up benefits in some areas but close off others, there's definitely builds best for maximising number of special points based on being able to obtain more +SPECIAL points later on, but there's no real bad way to spend SPECIAL points unless you have a very specific play style in mind before you start such as talk your way through everything or shoot, or sneak etc...Fallout has always been about trade offs

There's lots of detail here - http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout:_New_Vegas_SPECIAL

 

[DigDog]

dex 8
int 10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GURPS
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