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, e.g. if one has enough Explosives skill, Easy Pete will provide some dynamite to protect Goodsprings.

Formula
The initial value of each skill is a base value of 2, plus an amount depending on a character's value in the relevant attribute, plus a bonus determined by their Luck attribute, rounded up.


 * $$2 + (\mbox{Stat} \times 2) + \left\lceil\frac{\mbox{Luck}}{2}\right\rceil$$

Example: A starting Endurance of 5 and a starting Luck of 5 will give you an initial Unarmed skill of 15.


 * $$2 + (5 \times 2) + \left\lceil\frac{5}{2}\right\rceil = 15$$

Later changes to the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat have a 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 giving a skill point every other level.

Maximising Skill points
The current total skill points you can obtain without Skill books or magazines and through getting Educated at level 4 is 502. Using Skill books with Comprehension (+16 SP to all skills) adds up to 208 + 502 = 710 (713 with the #5 Big Book of Science). Using Skill magazines from Julie Farkas; Unlimited skill magazine exploit (Science, Speech, Survival, Barter, Medicine, Repair) with Comprehension = +20 on these skills, which maximises Skill points. With NON-COMBAT skill increasing apparel, For example; Followers Lab Coat which gives a +10 in Science and Medicine and Vault 3 utility jumpsuit which gives a +5 in Repair and Lockpick Also helps maximise Skill points. Using Skill books, Skill magazines and Julie Farkas exploit all contribute to the most SPs you can attain without waste. So spend your SP wisely.