Fallout: New Vegas skills

History
Fallout: New Vegas shares a similar skill set to its predecessor, Fallout 3, but with several differences. The primary weapons skills have been revamped, with Small Guns and Big Guns having been combined into the Guns skill, which now covers all conventional guns that fire bullets. Weapons using explosive ordinance (missile and grenade launchers, for instance) are covered by Explosives. New throwing weapons, such as the Throwing spear, have been added, and are categorized as Melee Weapons. The Survival skill has also been added to the roster. It allows for crafting of various items, such as food, stimpaks, and poisons to augment the effectiveness of weapons.

Another new feature is the effect of various skills on dialog choices. Instead of Speech being the primary means of affecting conversation paths, numerous additional skills can potentially influence dialog. For example, in order to convince Easy Pete to provide some dynamite to protect Goodsprings during the quest Ghost Town Gunfight, the player must have a minimum Explosives skill of 25. In the case where a player's associated skill level is too low, a dialogue option (highlighted in red) is presented that will fail the skill check, and will not grant a speech success. Unlike Fallout 3, where the same dialogue option is presented regardless of your success or failure, a check that will fail uses a humorously unconvincing response, while a passable check uses a well-thought out argument, thus reflecting the nature of the check. Unlike Fallout 3, there are not enough available points to max out every skill, even accounting for every perk and skill book (Fallout: New Vegas books and magazines). Without Dead Money installed, it is possible to achieve a functional maximum in roughly ten skills by using skill magazines and the Comprehension perk for a temporary boost to 100 from a base level of 80. With Dead Money, that number is raised to eleven.

To offset the necessity of a minimum value for a certain skill, New Vegas introduces skill magazines, which provide a large but temporary boost to their associated skill (+10 or 20 with Comprehension). By using one prior to conversation, a check can be passed that might otherwise be failed. They can also be used to boost skill with weapons temporarily or gain access to crafting recipes beyond the player's current skill. Like skill books, magazines are consumed once used, and more need to be collected to maintain the effect.

Formula
The initial value of each skill is a base value of two, 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 five and a starting Luck of five 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 SPECIAL stat have a similar influence on the respective skill.

During character creation, the player will tag three skills, instantly adding 15 points to each one. When leveling up, the character will distribute ten skill points plus a number equal to half their Intelligence, totaling 15 at maximum IN. The Educated perk grants two additional skill points if chosen. Assuming the player has an Intelligence of nine or ten from the start and takes the Educated perk as soon as possible, a maximum of 487 skill points can be distributed without the Dead Money add-on orHonest Hearts add-on (717 with the increased level cap from the add-ons). This does not count the effect of other skill-enhancing perks like Tag! or skill books/magazines.

Maxed skills
It is possible to have every skill at 90 with Dead Money and Honest Hearts. It can be accomplished with books and the right SPECIAL points distribution.

40 levels with Educated perk gives player 672 skill points. 66 books give 264 points ( Four points each book). Every character has 26 base points already distributed in skills (Two points in each skill). Two Strength (1 + 1 (implant)) gives 4 skill points. Ten Perception (9 + 1 (implant) gives 60 skill points. Eight Endurance(7 + 1(implant)) gives 32 skill points. Two Charisma ( 1 + 1(implant)) gives 8 skill points. Ten Intelligence (9 + 1(implant) gives 60 points. Two Agility (1 + 1 (implant)) gives 8 skill points. Ten points in Luck (9 + 1(implant)) gives 65 skill points. This leaves you 1 stat point.

572 + 264 + 26 + 4 + 60 + 32 + 8 + 60 + 8 + 65 = 1199

There are 13 skills in game and 1170 points need to be distributed to have them at 90.

1199 - 1170 = 29

This leaves you 29 points you can put in any way you want.

SPECIAL points distribution posted above can be modified. For example, if you are going to use Lucky shades you can raise your Luck a bit. Same goes with every other piece of armor you are going to wear.