Fallout: New Vegas skills

History
Like its predecessor, Fallout 3, previous skills like Doctor and Traps have been omitted, while brand new skills like Survival having been added to the roster. In addition, Small Guns has been renamed Guns. Big Guns has been eliminated, with the weapons from that skill being placed into the other skill categories as appropriate. The Throwing skill remains absent, with new throwing weapons like the Throwing spear being categorized as Melee Weapons. Obsidian Entertainment has also gone to great lengths to emphasize that the amount of skill a character possess will influence dialog choices according, ie, if one has enough Explosives skill, Easy Pete will provide some dynamite to protect Goodsprings.

Formula
The initial value of each skill is based on a character's value in the relevant attribute plus a bonus determined by their Luck attribute, rounded up.


 * $$2 + (\mbox{Stat} \times 2) + \frac{\mbox{Luck}}{2}$$

Example: A starting Endurance of 5 and a starting Luck of 5 will give you an initial Melee skill of 15. It would appear that Survival is the only skill that actually is higher than other skills. The base for Survival adds 10 not 2 to the equation. So in the same example your starting Survival will be 23.


 * $$2 + (5 \times 2) + \frac{5}{2} = 14.5 \approx 15$$

Initial values also function as base value, meaning any later change to the SPECIAL stat would also have similar change to the respective skill.

At level up, the character will distribute 10 (12 with the perk Educated) skill points plus a number equal to half their Intelligence. With a IN of 10, you can distribute up to 15 (17 with the perk Educated) skill points when leveling up. Unlike with luck skill points from an odd intelligence don't round, the .5's are tracked.