Science (Fallout: New Vegas)

Science is a skill in Fallout: New Vegas. It determines the chance to hack computers, get extra info from terminals, talk to specific persons, get more dialogue options.

Initial level

 * $$\begin{matrix}\text{Initial}\\\text{level}\end{matrix}=2+(2\times\text{Intelligence})+\left\lceil\frac{\text{Luck}}{2}\right\rceil$$

Example: A starting Intelligence of 5 and Luck of 5.
 * $$2+(2\times5)+\left\lceil\frac{5}{2}\right\rceil=15$$

Description
Like in Fallout 3, one's Science skill relative to the difficulty rating affects how hard the mini game is. At Science 100, even Hard terminals will have very few words to choose from. This can possibly be as low as 5 possible passwords which, combined with the Computer Whiz perk, means an 80% chance of getting most terminals off the bat without even having to look at the words.

Unlike Fallout 3, one's Science skill is used for more than dialogue checks and hacking. Many workbench crafting recipes, and some campfire recipes, rely on Science, specifically ones involving Energy Weapons ammunition and chem crafting.

Ways to increase Science

 * Permanent
 * Leveling up (up to +15 or +17 with Educated)
 * Big Book of Science (+3 or +4 with Comprehension)
 * Logic Co-Processor (+2 depending on Intelligence, a perfect Intelligence of 10 will see no benefit.)
 * Good Natured (+5)
 * Skilled (+5)
 * Temporary
 * Programmer's Digest (+10 or +20 with Comprehension)
 * Night Person (+2-4 at night depending on Intelligence, a perfect Intelligence of 10 will see no benefit.)
 * Mentats (+2-4 depending on Intelligence, a perfect Intelligence of 10 will see no benefit.)
 * Party Time Mentats (+2-4 depending on Intelligence, a perfect Intelligence of 10 will see no benefit.)
 * All-purpose science suit (+5)
 * Scientist outfit (+5)
 * Followers lab coat (+10)
 * Followers doctor coat (+5)
 * Dr. Klein's scrubs (+10 up to +14 depending on current Intelligence)
 * Dr. Mobius' scrubs (+15 up to +19 depending on current Intelligence)
 * Light Switch 01 Upgrade: "Smart Lights" (+5-9 (depending on current Intelligence) for 12 hours or until the player uses the Light Switch 02 Upgrade: "Mood Lights")
 * Black coffee (+2 to +4 depending on Intelligence; an Intelligence of 10 will see no benefit, Survival can increase the bonus by up to +12 at 100%)

Interactions that require Science skill

 * 25 Science to use the chemistry set in Doc Mitchell's house.
 * 25 Science to discover that Victor has been overridden when the Courier asked him to help fighting the Powder Gangers in Goodsprings.
 * 30 Science to reprogram Primm Slim to become the Sheriff of Primm.
 * 35 Science to deduce, when speaking to Pete, how the Boomers knew to inhabit the Nellis Air Force Base.
 * 45 Science to obtain the rebreather without finding a pressure cooker for Jack in Volare!
 * 45 Science to notice that Ricky's Pip-Boy isn't working properly.
 * 50 Science to hack Daniel Contreras' terminal and download the weapons manifest to get the weapon This Machine.
 * 50 Science to figure out who hacked Primm Slim in Primm.
 * 50 Science to teach Jack how to make Party Time Mentats, Slasher, Rocket and super stimpak in Aba Daba Honeymoon.
 * 50 Science to get Loyal to give the Courier the sonic emitter in Ant Misbehavin'.
 * 50 Science to suggest an alternative to Fixer for Jacob Hoff.
 * 55 Science to upgrade the rocket trajectory at the end of the quest Come Fly With Me.
 * 55 Science to run the bypass on ED-E, thus lowering the Repair requirement to 35 (instead of 65). However, on the Xbox 360 (no patches) this is reversed, 55 Repair lowered to 35, requiring 65 Science.
 * 60 Science to repair Rhonda in Black Mountain.
 * 60 Science to reprogram Fisto for Wang Dang Atomic Tango without a program disc.
 * 60 Science to persuade Clanden to make a chlorine bomb in How Little We Know.
 * 60 Science to persuade Ralph to give the Courier his chlorine for free in How Little We Know.
 * 70 Science to convince Keely that the player must return the data of Vault 22 to Thomas Hildern in the quest There Stands the Grass.
 * 70 Science to suggest to Scribe Ibsen to partition the terminals during the unmarked quest Hidden Valley computer virus.
 * 80 Science to bypass the credit check to enter The Strip.
 * 80 Science to convince Scribe Ibsen to delete the Brotherhood of Steel's files on the computers at Hidden Valley.
 * 90 Science to convince Henry to test the Stealth Boys on nightstalker brains in Guess Who I Saw Today.
 * 100 Science and 75 Speech to end the conflict with Klein without the use of violence.
 * 100 Science to activate self-destruct without generating Hidden Valley self-destruct password in the Brotherhood of Steel Hidden Valley bunker.
 * 100 Science to persuade General Oliver to order an NCR military withdrawal from Hoover Dam during All or Nothing, on the basis that the dam itself is very technical and would be more efficiently run under the control of Mr. House.

Notable Science experts

 * Elizabeth Kieran (98) - NCR Major providing aid to NCR squatters living in Freeside.
 * Lady Jane (98) - a caravan merchant living in Freeside.