Fallout 1 Traits

There are 16 traits in Interplay's cRPG Definition of 1997, Fallout 1. Two traits can be chosen in chargen.

Fallout 1 Traits have virtues and flaws, aka upsides and downsides or pros and cons. The trick is to choose a trait whose virtue is beneficial but whose flaw is not too detrimental since it can be mitigated somehow. For example, Small Frame confers +1 AG but penalizes carry weight by 50. Yet if we're prepared to employ companions as mules and/or know what to loot and what not to, Small Frame's penalty to carry weight doesn't really matter much.

Gifted bestows +1 All-stats but penalizes our skills. But if we know which skills are important and which are not, and if we also have a decent score in the Intelligence stat, Gifted's penality is barely felt.

 

Some traits are powerful (Gifted, Fast Shot) whereas others are downright useless or even undesirable from a powergaming PoV (Bruiser, Heavy Handed). To avoid falling into the traps inherent in Fallout 1 character building, please refer to Fallout 1 Best Builds.

While it is slightly suboptimal, Finesse Mutated to Fast Shot is one of the coolest moves Fallout builds can make. Indeed, it is one of the coolest build moves in cRPG History because we get to employ the targeting system with better crit chance pre-9th level (20% crit chance at LK 10), but then switch to increased rate of fire for TBR and the Sniper perk.

Bloody Mess Fallout 1

Bloody Mess is an "aesthetic" choice, but also impacts the ending of Fallout 1. Avoid on a maiden run.

Bruiser Fallout 1

Bruiser grants +2 ST but imposes a 2-point Action Point penalty, which is undersirable.

Chem Reliant Fallout 1

Chem-addition is doubled but recovery rates are faster. There are much better traits.

Chem Resistant Fallout 1

Chem buff durations and chem addiction chance is halved. There are much better traits.

Fast Metabolism Fallout 1

Fast Metabolism isn't worth it when stimpack healing is so effective.

Fast Shot Fallout 1

Fast Shot in conjunction with the Bonus Rate of Fire perk is the powergamer's combo. Note that Fast Shot erronesouly impacts Unarmed and Melee skills as well, thereby granting 1 AP attacks and up to 13 attacks per turn.

cf. Attacks Per Turn Fallout 1.

Finesse Fallout 1

Finesse bestows +10% crit chance but inflicts a 30% damage penalty, which however is ignored by crit hits. Combined with 10 LK for 20% crit chance, Finesse is worth it. Finesse is THE sniper perk for most of the game. Get a long-range rifle and go for the eyes, bypassing target damage resistance.

Later, you can use the Mutate perk to trade Finesse in for Fast Shot.

Gifted Fallout 1

Gifted grants +1 All-stats and only inflicts a pathetic 10% penalty to all skills. Gifted is OP.

Thus, you didn't truly beat the game if you chose Gifted.

Good Natured Fallout 1

Good Natured confers +20% to Barter, Doctor, First Aid and Speech skills but inflicts a 10% penalty to the six weapon skills. Good Natured can be worth it since most builds only employ 1 or 2 weapon skills.

Heavy Handed Fallout 1

The +4 melee damage conferred by Heavy Handed does not offset the 30% crit penalty.

Jinxed Fallout 1

In order to mitigate the negative effects of missed attacks becoming critical misses (a 50% chance), Jinxed builds should max the Luck stat and roll with Unarmed or Melee Weapons skills.

Critical misses cause combatants to fall down, take damage, lose their ammo or miss their turn.

Kamikaze Fallout 1

Kamikaze grants +5 to Sequence (aka "initiative") but removes natural armor class bonuses. If you want to increase your "Sequence", employ the Sneak skill instead. Then, you always go first and keep all AC intact.

Night Person Fallout 1

One Hander Fallout 1

One Hander penalizes two-handed to-hit by 40% but grants a 20% bonus to one-handed to-hit. One Hander can be worth it on builds that only want to wield one-handed weapons, such as pistols and power fists.

 

Skilled Fallout 1

Skilled is no good because we want a perk every three levels, not every four.

Small Frame Fallout 1

Small Frame confers +1 AG but penalizes carry weight by 50. Yet the penalty isn't felt if we employ companions as mules and/or know what to loot and what not to.

Fallout 1 SPECIAL	Fallout 1 Best Builds	Fallout 1 vs Fallout 2
Fallout 1 Traits	Fallout 2 Best Builds	Best Fallout Game
Fallout 1 Skills	Fallout 1 Versions	Fallout 2 Military Base
Fallout 1 Perks	Fallout 1 Time Limit	Arcanum Best Build