SPECIAL

SPECIAL is the ruleset that powers all Fallout games.

The name "SPECIAL" is an acronym standing for the primary statistics in the system: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck.

Development and use
Initially, Fallout was meant to use the GURPS system by Steve Jackson Games. However, there were difficulties in the license that could not be overcome, and so the two companies mutually agreed to end the partnership. Fortunately for the Fallout team, the only element of GURPS in Fallout was the ruleset and the setting was entirely Interplay's, so they could continue development. Chris Taylor, Jesse Heinig and Tim Cain developed the SPECIAL system in 2 weeks. Many elements from it are inspired by GURPS, but it is largely original. Initially, SPECIAL was going to be called ACELIPS, which Tim Cain came up with personally, but was changed within a day when another designer, Jason Swin, pointed out that the letters could be rearranged to spell "SPECIAL".

Aside from Fallout games, SPECIAL was also used in Lionheart and Ultimate RPG plus two cancelled projects – TORN and Reflexive Entertainment's Deadlands game.

Systems
Characters in SPECIAL are defined through:
 * Primary statistics
 * Derived statistics
 * Skills
 * Perks
 * Traits