Character creation (Fallout: New Vegas)

Players can engage in character creation at the beginning of Fallout: New Vegas.

Maximum level

 * In Fallout: New Vegas, level 30 is the standard maximum level attainable for any character.
 * Installing each of the add-on packs Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road raises the maximum level by five. With all four installed, the maximum level reaches 50.
 * Taking the Logan's Loophole trait (from Old World Blues) locks the maximum level at 30 regardless of any add-on installed.

SPECIAL
One begins the game with 33 primary statistic points to allocate during the quest Ain't That a Kick in the Head. These have a direct effect on:
 * starting skill levels.
 * which perks will become available at level-ups.
 * one's derived statistics.

SPECIAL stats can be raised during the game by:
 * choosing traits at character creation;
 * buying implants;
 * wearing clothing and armor items;
 * choosing perks at level up.

The maximum value for a SPECIAL stat is 10, and the minimum is 1.

Skills
Initial skill levels are determined by your primary stats. During the quest Ain't That a Kick in the Head, you will choose three skills to receive a one-time boost of 15 points.

Skills can be raised during the game by
 * choosing traits at character creation;
 * distributing points at level-ups;
 * choosing perks at levelup;
 * reading skill books (permanent) and magazines (temporary);
 * wearing clothing and armor items;

Each skill book, when read, raises the corresponding skill by three point (four points with the Comprehension perk). There are 4 skill books for each skill, except Science which has a fifth book as a quest reward (Dead Money adds additional books, giving a total of 5 each, except Science which now has 6 and Survival which receives no additional book). Skill magazines raise the corresponding skill by 10 for a short time, or 20 with the Comprehension perk. There is no finite number of skill magazines.

The maximum value for a skill is 100.

Traits
Traits are chosen during the quest Ain't That a Kick in the Head, you can choose up to 2 traits that both help and hurt you. Some of them can be off-set with perks later on, like pairing Small Frame with Adamantium Skeleton.

Perks
Some perks directly affect your primary stats and skills. Others have a variety of gameplay effects.

Which perks become available to you depends on
 * your level.
 * your SPECIAL stats.
 * your skills.
 * your gameplay choices.

You get to choose one perk at every even level-up.

Equipment
Clothing and armor can have a direct effect on your SPECIAL stats and skills but won't fulfill any skill or SPECIAL requirements for perks.