Fallout 3 SPECIAL

This article describes the features of the Fallout 3 version of the SPECIAL character system, as well as its differences from SPECIAL's implementation in previous games.

Character Development
At birth the player chooses the player character's name, gender and appearance. Later as a child in Vault 101, the PC receives a book titled "You're S.P.E.C.I.A.L.!," whereupon the player can set the PC's seven primary character points. Later in life during the teen years the PC's performance on the G.O.A.T. determines which skills of the PC are tagged (tagged means raised by fifteen points); the player can also choose which skills to tag manually via choosing particular dialog options.

Every aspect of the PC chosen during early life can be changed when the PC exits Vault 101.

The maximum level the player can achieve is 20.

Main statistics
The S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system should be familiar to Fallout veterans, though there are significant differences from past games. The player's S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes default at 5 points per attribute, with an additional 5 points for distribution for a total of 40 points. Attributes can be increased significantly over the course of the game. Individual attributes cannot score lower than 1 or higher than 10, regardless of equipment, chems, or ailments.

SPECIAL stands for:
 * Strength
 * Perception
 * Endurance
 * Charisma
 * Intelligence
 * Agility
 * Luck

Increasing Attributes
There are multiple ways to permanently increase your attributes after character creation. Taking the Intense Training perk at level-up will grant you an additional attribute point (it can be taken up to 10 times, at any level). The Those! quest will grant you the option to increase your Strength or Perception by one point. Additionally, you can find bobbleheads to increase your attributes as you explore the world.

Because of the way the attribute, perk, and skill systems work in Fallout 3, you may find it wasteful to raise an attribute to 10 during character creation. A high starting Intelligence offers the most obvious benefit because of the bonus to skill points, but min-maxers can acquire the Intelligence-related bobblehead at level 2.


 * Table showing items' influence on SPECIAL stats points.

Skills
Your S.P.E.C.I.A.L points affect your skill points.

List of Skills and corresponding S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute: Gambling and Outdoorsman skills were completely removed.

See Fallout 3 Skills for more information specific to Fallout 3 skills.

Commentary
Many Perks have a trait requirement, for example the Mysterious Stranger perk requires a Luck of 6 to become an option.

Strength
Strength primarily affects damage done while unarmed or using melee weapons. While some players use guns exclusively, everyone enjoys beating the stuffing out of Mole Rats. Strength also determines how much weight you can carry before being unable to run.

Perception
By becoming more Perceptive of his/her surroundings the Fallout 3 waste-warrior can Sneak up on an opponent and the hit will automatically be a critical hit. Luck factors into the chance of a critical hit and because the crit while sneaking is automatic the two traits, Luck and Perception, are almost mutually exclusive; on the other hand there are some Perks which can only be chosen if your Luck is high enough which increase the power of your critical hits. Perception can also be useful if you just want to avoid encounters.

Endurance
Endurance determines the number of hitpoints you have, as well as providing bonuses to radiation and poison resistance. You can pause at any time during combat and use healing items, so you may find that Endurance is not the most useful attribute. However, having a larger pool of hit points means you can restore health by resting and save stimpaks for more urgent situations. Extra hit points will also provide a buffer for players or characters who have poor combat ability. Endurance also affects the starting skill levels of Big Guns and Unarmed.

Charisma
Charisma may influence the amount of dialogue choices you are given in most conversations with an NPC (confirm/deny).

Intelligence
Skill Points influence your effectiveness in nearly every situation and because a higher Intelligence means more skill points to use when you level up. A higher intelligence early on can make a significant impact in nearly every situation however after playing for a long time it is possible to get every skill point to 100 with only a moderate intelligence.

Agility
A high Agility means your character will get off more shots or swings while the game is paused using V.A.T.S.. Feel free to lower this trait if you're experienced with shooters.

Luck
Each point of Luck raises your chance to critically hit an opponent by one percent. Additionally, Luck has a small effect on all skills.

Character Editor
A 3rd party character editor is available:  http://rapidshare.com/files/170421859/Fallout_3_Character_Creator_v1.0.rar 

Edited 5th December 2008, created by Oggy1985 (version change: Final version -if no new errors or suggestions appear)
 * Note: please note that Character Creator will work best with MS Office 2007 (version 2003 will have limited functionality in some formulas)

Another character creator is available at: fallout 3 character calculator xls ods

Class Editor
A 3rd party Class editor is available:  http://rapidshare.com/files/170421860/Fallout_3_Class_Editor_v1.1.2.rar 

Author: Macilnar

Version 1.1.2 Released on 12/05/2008

The editor allows you to chose between one of 3 primary classes (Stealth, Close Combat, and Ranged Combat) and a main weapon focus (Melee, Small Gun, Energy Weapons, Explosives, Unarmed, and Big Gun). The editor then gives recommended values to skills, S.P.E.C.I.A.L, and what perks to take.

Author Notes:
 * Only the Stealth class and its weapon focuses are complete. Close and Ranged Combat will be done in the next update
 * Only works with Excel 2007 or newer (sorry for those who don't have it but it just doesn't work in the older versions. If someone wants to try to convert it go right ahead and do it just let me know.)