Why is Fallout so S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

Today we will shed light on character creation. Fallout games changed quite a bit over last two decades, but character sheet didn't. SPECIAL is acronym for basic character stats :

Strength
Perception
Endurance
Charisma
Intelligence
Agility
Luck

Character sheet is backbone of every RPG. Main reason for quantification of human abilities is to perform various checks during course of the game and calculate all other derived stats. Derived stats are also used to calculate outcome of certain events and character actions. Perk choice heavily relies on basic stats, so if you care about them a lot, and we all do, pick wisely. Higher the stat, better character performs:

1 - very bad
2 - bad
3 - poor
4 - fair
5 - average
6 - good
7 - very good
8 - great
9 - excellent
10 -heroic

Player gets to allocate character points only during character creation, and they are difficult to change later. Creation is perfect moment for player to decide his global problem solving strategy, and distribute accordingly. Become a deadly gunslinger, scientist, diplomat or average joe. While combinations aren't perfectly balanced, meaning some make game easier, they are all funny.

Strength

Physique of a character plays decent role in post-apocalyptic world. Important for melee fighters, and wasteland hoarders. Meh. Strength determines big guns handling, carry capacity, hit points, melee damage, and can be used to intimidate during dialogue.

Perception

This one is about sharp senses. Important for ranged weapon accuracy and spotting traps. Useful for lock-picking. Invest a lot if you enjoy headshots from a mile away.

Endurance

Another brute force stat. This one is exclusively defensive. High endurance allows characters to survive dangerous situations.  I prefer avoiding dangerous situations, but if you are into frontal assaults, could work for you. Endurance provides even more hit points, radiation and poison resistance. Decent amount of points unlocks some defensive perks.

Charisma

Definitely a great stat for every player who likes a great detailed storyline, unexpected events, diplomacy and social interaction with NPCs. Defines number of followers, karma, reputation, speech and barter skills. Fun stat to have, because similar to Luck, you can't really know how things will play out, and where it will be useful. You just hope it will.

Intelligence

The most important stat in every Fallout game. Smart characters learn faster, mastering more secondary skills. Dialogue options and skill point rate are simply too good. Every scientific secondary skill starts higher too. Skill points are gained with each level, and player can customize his character to beat every situation. If player decides to create a character with intelligence<4 , he will speak in grunts, with so many weird side effects happening, for example NPCs will steal money from you, because you are stupid and can't figure it out. You did notice that, didn't you?  Oh.. 

Agility

Stat that improves character speed, flexibility and reaction times. Great for combat, as character shoots more per turn/ more frequently. Also improves armor class, which makes character harder to hit. Many skills depend on it. All great combat perks have high agility requirement. Even if you plan diplomacy route, more agility means easier game, if that's what you want.

Luck

My personal favorite. It is used everywhere, but we don't know where without reverse engineering game files, reading game guides or extensive testing. Tangible effect include critical hit chance and gambling. If you are fan of special random encounters and hidden easter eggs, don't skip it. Even if you care only about combat, 6 LK is needed for all kinds of deadly perks in every sequel of Fallout.

I hope you enjoyed every Fallout sequel. If you didn't play it, give it a shot. It's a fun and complex game. Thanks for reading, and have a great day.