Fallout Tactics SPECIAL

Primary statistics
SPECIAL is an acronym of Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck. These are the seven basic attributes of every character in the game. They are used to determine the skills and perks of the given character.

Derived statistics
Derived statistics are attributes of a character which are based on (or derived from) the character's primary statistics or attributes which the player cannot influence directly.

The following derived statistics exist in Fallout Tactics:

Skills
There are 18 different skills in the game. They are ranked from 0% to 300%. The starting values for those skills at Level 1 are determined by the player's 7 basic attributes, but most of those skills would fall between 0% and 50%. Every time the player gains a level, he or she will be awarded skill points to be used to improve his skills, equal to 5 points + twice his Intelligence. The player may choose to "tag" 3 of the 18 skills. A tagged skill will improve at twice the normal rate and the tagged skill determine which items the character starts with.

How high a skill can be developed is affected by the character's Attributes - a character with a low Intelligence will not be able to boost their Science rating as high as a character with high Intelligence, for example. As skills grow higher in rating, they begin to cost more skill points to increase.

There are:
 * 6 combat skills: Small Guns, Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Unarmed, Melee Weapons, Throwing.
 * 8 active skills: First Aid, Doctor, Sneak, Lockpick, Steal, Traps, Science, Repair.
 * 4 passive skills: Pilot, Barter, Gambling, Outdoorsman.

The Speech skill was also to appear in Fallout Tactics, but was cut from the final game build.

Improving skills
Books found throughout the game world can improve some of those skills permanently, although books are scarce early in the game.

Some skills can be improved while having certain items equipped. For example, equipping a lockpick would improve lock picking skills. Drugs can also temporarily boost player's skills; however, they often have adverse effects such as addiction and withdrawal.

Traits
At character creation, the player may choose 2 optional traits for his or her character. Traits are special character backgrounds. Which traits are available depends on the chosen race, and most of them have profound effects on gameplay. A trait normally contains one beneficial effect and one detrimental effect. Once a trait is chosen, it is impossible to change, except by using the "Mutate!" Perk that lets them change 1 Trait, 1 time.

Perks
Perks in the game are special elements of the level up system. Depending on the character's race, the player is granted a perk of his or her choosing every 3-4 levels (or every 4-5 with the Skilled trait). Perks grant special effects, most of which are not obtainable via normal level up in the game, such as letting the player have more actions per turn. Unlike traits, most perks are purely beneficial - they are usually offset only by the infrequency of acquiring them. Some perks can only be used by certain races.