SPECIAL

SPECIAL is the ruleset that powers Fallout online, The name "SPECIAL" is an acronym standing for the primary statistics in the system:

• S is for Strength which modifies melee damage, Carry Weight, weapon drops, Hit Points and more.
• P is for Perception which modifies Sight, Sequence, and ranged combat distance modifiers.
• E is for Endurance which modifies Hit Points, Poison and Rad Resistance, Healing Rate and additional Hit Points per level.
• C is for Charisma which modifies Party Points, NPC reactions and dialogue options, and more.
• I is for Intelligence which modifies additional Skill Points per Level, dialogue options, and many Skills.
• A is for Agility which modifies Action Points, Armor Class, and some Skills.
• L is for Luck which modifies critical Bypass, weapon failures, and certain unseen factors as you play.

These are a Character's core properties, and each one can be adjusted between 1 and 10 by the player at the time a Character is registered. By default, they total to 40 points initially. A Character can have more (or less) than 40 S.P.E.C.I.A.L points, however, as various factors can modify these properties, including these:

• The Bruiser Trait for example, will add 4 points to Strength and reduce Agility by 2.
  • This Trait forces your Strength to be 5 or more. It is avoided by most players due to the AG penalty.
• Bonehead reduces Intelligence by 1
• Small Frame adds 1 point to Agility (This Trait removed)
• By Level 12, the Gain Perks are options for players to boost a Character's S.P.E.C.I.A.L during the leveling process.
• Drugs are a way to temporarily boost a Character's primary statistics:
  • Buffout boosts ST by 2 (and reduces AG by 1), while Nuka-Cola adds 1 to AG
  • Psycho boosts ST by 1 (and reduces PE by 2), while Cigarettes add 1 to PE
  • Mentats add 2 to CH (and 2 to IN for dialogue purposes only), while Beer adds 1 to CH (and reduces PE by 2
• Addiction to Drugs can be penalizing.
• Some food items have penalizing effects.
• Poison and radiation Levels can also drop a Character's primary statistics.
• Crafted armor and weapons often have S.P.E.C.I.A.L bonuses.
• Certain items like Mirrored Shades can boost a Character's primary statistics.
• With expensive surgery, Implants (rare) can also boost a Character's S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

These factors are also involved with the availability of certain perks and might modify certain mechanics of the game not explicitly listed here. Some dialogue options, and many Quests, have S.P.E.C.I.A.L requirements that are not always obvious. It is a good idea to keep an eye on the Changelogs.

See Also

• Advice for beginners
• More Advice for New Players
• Build Advice
• A way to get started
• Some pre-planned Builds