Barter (Fallout)

	For a cross-game overview of this skill, see Barter.

Skill
Barter
Information
Modifies	Prices when trading
Affected By	Charisma
Base Value	20% + (2 x Charisma)%
Perks	Master Trader
Traits	Gifted, Good Natured
Modifies	Prices when trading
Affected By	Charisma
Base Value	(4 x Charisma)%
Perks	Master Trader, Negotiator, Salesman
Traits	Gifted, Good Natured
Modifies	Prices when trading
Affected By	Charisma
Base Value	0% + (4 x Charisma)%
Perks	Master Trader, Negotiator, Salesman
Traits	Gifted, Good Natured

“Trading and trade-related tasks. The ability to get better prices for items you sell, and lower prices for items you buy.”— In-game description

Barter is a skill in Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics.

Description

The Barter skill is primarily used in the buying and selling of items, such as trading with a merchant or scavenger. In general, purchase prices will be lowered and selling price will be higher. It is the primary factor in price determination, and is also offset by the Barter skill of the non-player character in question. The skill is also used in certain dialogue options with non-player characters, where certain responses require Barter checks.

Initial level

Fallout

${\text{Initial level}}\%=20+(2\times {\text{Charisma}})$

The skill only affects the price for which merchants offer an item. The player character's offer prices to the merchant are always the same as the base value of the item, regardless of Barter skill level.

Barter can be more effective in Fallout compared to Fallout 3 and later, due to a low number of caps found in-game. However, this is often offset by ease at which caps can be generated using the Gambling skill.

Depending the level of Barter skill, item prices may be as high as 10x the value of an object, eg. Rad-X has a base value of 300 caps but may be purchased for as much as 3,000, or combat armor whose base value is 6,500 caps and may be purchased for as much as 65,000. Generally, the higher the Barter skill, the lower the purchase price will be.

Ways to modify Barter

Permanent

• Gifted trait: -10% to all skills
• Good Natured trait: +15% to all skills
• Tagging Barter skill (at character creation or with Tag! perk): +20% Barter skill
• Leveling up: +1/+2% for each non-tagged/tagged skill per skill point assigned
• Master Trader perk: +25% Barter skill, hidden
• Singing with Patrick the Celt: +1 Charisma (up to +2% Barter skill)

Temporary

• Consuming a dose of Mentats:
  • 0–24 hours after dose: +1 Charisma per dose (up to +2% Barter skill per dose)
  • 24–96 hours after dose: -2 Charisma per dose (up to -4% Barter skill per dose)

Other modifiers

• Difficulty Level: +20/+0/-10% to non-weapon skills for Easy/Normal/Hard difficulty
• Reputation (aka. Karma for Fallout): -25/+0/+50% to Barter skill for Bad/Neutral/Good reputation, hidden

Fallout 2

${\text{Initial level}}\%=(4\times {\text{Charisma}})$

Like Fallout, the skill only affects the prices for the vendor's items; the player character's items are always worth the same.

Having the Master Trader perk will give the player character an automatic 25% discount on all goods, and the Good Natured trait will provide a +15% to the Barter skill.

Barter is noticeably effective in 2 in case of limited funds. With a low Barter skill, item prices may be as high as $800 for Rad-X and $32,500 for combat armor.

Fallout Tactics

${\text{Initial level}}\%=0+(4\times {\text{Charisma}})$

The initial level for Barter is still governed by Charisma, but usually starts out lower than Barter in Fallout.

Barter also determines how much things can be sold for in Tactics, whereas selling prices were always static in the previous Fallout games.

References

Skills Fallout Small Guns •  Big Guns •  Energy Weapons •  Unarmed •  Melee Weapons •  Throwing •  First Aid •  Doctor •  Sneak •  Lockpick •  Steal •  Traps •  Science •  Repair •  Speech •  Barter •  Gambling •  Outdoorsman Fallout 2 Small Guns •  Big Guns •  Energy Weapons •  Unarmed •  Melee Weapons •  Throwing •  First Aid •  Doctor •  Sneak •  Lockpick •  Steal •  Traps •  Science •  Repair •  Speech •  Barter •  Gambling •  Outdoorsman Fallout Tactics Small Guns •  Big Guns •  Energy Weapons •  Unarmed •  Melee Weapons •  Throwing •  First Aid •  Doctor •  Sneak •  Lockpick •  Steal •  Traps •  Science •  Repair •  Pilot •  Barter •  Gambling •  Outdoorsman •  Speech Fallout 3 Small Guns •  Big Guns •  Energy Weapons •  Unarmed •  Melee Weapons •  Throwing •  Explosives •  Medicine •  Sneak •  Lockpick •  Science •  Repair •  Speech •  Barter Fallout: New Vegas Guns •  Energy Weapons •  Unarmed •  Melee Weapons •  Explosives •  Medicine •  Sneak •  Lockpick •  Science •  Repair •  Speech •  Barter •  Survival