Fallout 1 SPECIAL Stats
There are seven SPECIAL Stats in Interplay's cRPG Definition of 1997, Fallout 1. Stat scores set the foundation and progression-potential of Fallout 1 Builds, which are defined as a number of character levels attained through experience, along with the stats, traits, skills and perks chosen.
SPECIAL stands for:
- Strength (ST)
- Perception (PE)
- Endurance (EN)
- Charisma (CH)
- Intelligence (IN)
- Agility (AG)
- Luck (LK)
By default, the seven stats are set to five or "Average" scores. Also by default, five additional statpoints or "character points" are granted that are to be spent on one or more stats each of which can be increased to a maximum of 10 or decreased to a minimum of 1. All stats in the statpool must be spent in chargen, they cannot be held in reserve.
As SPECIAL stats are increased and decreased, derived stats and skills are impacted in realtime based on their dependencies. For example, as Strength is increased so too are carry weight, hit points, Melee Damage and HtH skills modified in accordance with their governing stat, which is Strength (though EN is also a governing stat for hit points).
However, deadzones also exist: Melee Damage, for example, will not increase in increments of 1 above 1 until a Strength score of 7 is attained (7 gives 2 MD, 8 gives 3 MD and so on). Since the impact of prime stats on derived stats are observable in realtime, nothing more need be said on this matter.
In addition, Fallout 1 stats govern the availability of certain perks. If the prerequisite stat for a perk is not met, the perk will not be displayed in the perk-list -- not even grayed-out. Therefore, one may not even know what one is missing out on, which is by design.
The most useful stat in Fallout 1 is Agility whereas the least useful is Charisma. As a rule, that means Agility should be maxed and Charisma should be dumped if one seeks to have a strong stat-line (coupled with the Gifted trait).
cf. cRPG Builds for more info on character builds and building. cf. cRPG Stats.
Strength Stat Fallout 1
The Strength stat is most useful on Unarmed and Melee builds. Strength impacts:
- Carry weight (but companions can fulfill the role of "mule")
- Hit Points
- Melee Damage
- Impacts Throwing Weapon range
- Impacted Skills: Melee Weapons and Unarmed.
- Dictates which weapons can be wielded (weapons have ST requirements).
- Dependent Perks: Bonus HtH Damage, Slayer.
- Buffed by: Hardened Power Armor (+3), Buffout (+2)
As a rule, it is best to start with a Strength score of 6 on Sniper builds and 8 on Slayer builds.
Perception Stat Fallout 1
The Perception stat is most useful on Sniper builds. Perception impacts:
- Sequence (aka "initiative": who gets to go before whom when combat kicks in)
- Random encounter proximity to hostiles in hexes (breathing space)
- Range combat distance modifiers (to-hit accuracy at range)
- Impacted Skills: Doctor, First Aid, Lockpick, Traps
- Dependent Perks: Awareness, Better Criticals, Bonus Rate of Fire, Earlier Sequence, Empathy, Friendly Foe, Healer, Night Vision, Ranger, Scout, Sharpshooter, Sniper.
- Buffed by: Mentats (+2)
- Decreased by: Alcohol (-1)
As a rule, it is best to start with a Perception score of 8 on Sniper builds and 6 on Slayer builds.
Endurance Stat Fallout 1
The Endurance stat is most useful on Unarmed and Melee builds. Endurance impacts:
- Hit Points & Hit Points per level
- Poison & Radiation resistance
- Healing rate
- Impacted Skills: Outdoorsman
- Dependent Perks: Faster Healing, Lifegiver, Radiation Resistance, Pathfinder, Snakeater, Toughness, Strong Back, Survivalist.
- Decreases chance of Radiation Level increase on irradiated characters
- Reduces change of critical effects, such as crippled limbs
- Buffed by Buffout (+3)
Endurance can be dumped on Sniper builds, but a score of 6 is required if we want the Toughness perk on Slayer builds.
Charisma Stat Fallout 1
The Charisma stat is not very useful in Fallout 1. Charisma impacts:
As a rule, it is best to dump Charisma; that is, reduce the stat to its minimum.
Intelligence Stat Fallout 1
The Intelligence stat is useful to all builds except deliberately dumb ones (which are not recommended on maiden runs). Intelligence impacts:
- Base Skillpoints & Skillpoints per level
- Much better dialogue options
- Reduces the time required to read textbooks
- Impacted Skills: Doctor, First Aid, Outdoorsman, Repair, Science
- Dependent Perks: Animal Friend, Educated, Empathy, Healer, Rad Resistance, Sharpshooter, Smooth Talker, Survivalist, Swift Learner.
- Buffed by: Mentats (+2)
- Decreased by Psycho (-3)
As a rule, it is best to start with an Intelligence score of at least 6.
Agility Stat Fallout 1
Impacting three combat mechanics, eight useful skills and seven of the best perks, the Agility stat is the most important stat for Fallout 1 builds. Agility impacts:
- Action Points (How much we can do on our turn, such as how far we can move and how many times we can attack or access our inventory)
- Armor Class
- Sequence
- Impacted Skills: Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Lockpick, Melee Weapons, Small Guns, Sneak, Steal, Throwing, Traps, Unarmed
- Dependent Perks: Action Boy, Better Criticals, Bonus HtH Attacks, Bonus HtH Damage, Bonus Move, Bonus Ranged Damage, Bonus Rate of Fire, Dodger, Pickpocket, Quick Pockets, Silent Death, Silent Running, Slayer, Sniper.
- Buffed by: Psycho (+3)
As a rule, it is best to start with an Agility score of 10. cf. Attacks Per Turn Fallout 1.
Luck Stat Fallout 1
The Luck stat is useful to all builds. Luck impacts:
- Critical Hit chance (eye-crits bypass HP pools: if enemy has 999 HPs, that 75 dmg eye-crit instakills, anyway.)
- Special Encounter discovery. With 10 LK you can get the Alien Blaster and LE BB Gun immediately, which is huge. You can also find 10,000 caps and a Stealth Boy. Just move around on the map until you find the Special Encounter.
- Determines the winner on tied Sequence rolls
- Impacted Skills: Gambling. It also impacts the success of Lockpick and Steal actions, which is notable.
- Increases the rate of Critical successes and decreases the rate of Critical Failures (Jinxed trait)
- Dependent Perks: Better Criticals, Bonus Ranged Damage, Fortune Finder, More Criticals, Mysterious Stranger, Scrounger, Toughness.
As a rule, it is best to start with a Luck score of 10.
Derived Stats Fallout 1
Most Fallout 1 Derived Stats are modified by prime stats, but they can also be modified by traits, items and perks.
Action Points Fallout 1
Derived from Agility, Action Points govern how much characters can do in a given turn, such as how far they can move, how many times they can attack and how many times they can access their inventories. Action Points are the most important Derived Stat in Fallout 1.
Action point expenditures -- that is, how many APs it takes to do something -- can be reduced via the Fast Shot trait and the Quick Pockets, Bonus Move, Bonus Rate of Fire and Bonus HtH Attacks perks.
Armor Class Fallout 1
Derived from Agility and modified primarily by armor worn, Armor Class governs the ability of the character to dodge, deflect or otherwise avoid incoming melee and ranged attacks. Armor Class is the most important defensive Derived stat in Fallout 1.
Carry Weight Fallout 1
Derived from Strength, Carry Weight governs the maximum amount of equipment a character can lug around. Carry Weight's restrictions can be bypassed by employing companions as mules; the penalty of a low carry weight being micromanagement of party inventories.
Critical Chance Fallout 1
Derived from Luck, the Finesse trait and perks such as More Criticals, Sniper and Slayer, Critical Chance governs the percentage chance of inflicting damage resistance-bypassing critical hits on targets. Pre-Sniper, the maximum critical chance in Fallout 1 is 35% (Finesse + More Criticals x3).
Along with the Critical Effect Modification conferred by the Better Criticals perk, Critical Chance is the most important offense-based Derived Stat in Fallout 1.
Damage Resistance Fallout 1
Modified by the Toughness perk, armor worn and Jet, Damage Resistance is a percentage reduction in physical damage incurred by incoming attacks.
Damage Threshold Fallout 1
Damage Threshold, on the other hand, is an armor-only Derived Stat that ignores a certain amount of flat damage. In the above screencap, we can see that HPA confers 13/50% to Normal Damage. The 13 is the Damage Threshold and the 50% is the Damage Resistance. Thus, the first 13 points of Normal Damage is ignored (totally diffused) and the remainder (what gets through) is reduced by 50%.
Healing Rate Fallout 1
Derived from Endurance, Healing Rate governs the amount of hit points that are replenished at the end of each day. However, just use Stimpacks.
Hit Points Fallout 1
Derived from both Strength and Endurance stats, and also from the Lifegiver perk, Hit Points governs how much damage a character can take from incoming attacks, without being killed.
A character's hit point pool is important due to armor-bypassing crits. However, HPs are much more important on Fallout 2 Builds.
Melee Damage Fallout 1
Derived from Strength, Melee Damage governs how much bonus damage a character can inflict in HtH combat. Melee Damage is much more useful in the early-game, before the advent of powerful close-combat weapons.
Poison Resistance Fallout 1
Derived from Endurance, Poison Resistance governs poison damage reduction on a character. Poison-inflicting enemies are not common enough to take PR seriously.
Radiation Resistance Fallout 1
Derived from Endurance and armor worn, Radiation Resistance reduces radiation damage by a percentage. Radiation Resistance is vital in The Glow (take Rad-X which can be purchased from Vance in Old Town district of The Hub).
Sequence Fallout 1
Derived from Perception and the Earlier Sequence perk, Sequence governs how early in combat turns characters gain control; that is, how long they must wait before they can make a move. Sequence can be bypassed by manually entering combat mode or employing the Sneak skill.
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