Forum:Max skills, and special modifier

Sorry if this is posted somewhere and i've just overlooked it, but i can't seem to find the answer;

if you have a skill maxed out naturally (i.e. put 100 pts into sneak by levelling up) is there any benefit to wearing equipment that gives a bonus to that skill? likewise, is there any difference between having 100 sneak and 9 agility versus 100 sneak and 10 agility?

also, I don't quite understand the perk Silent Running. it says running will not affect a successful sneaking attempt. does this mean i'll be able to run while crouched? or i will count as sneaking while not crouched? and if so will it still display the [hidden] [caution] [danger] tags while not crouching? i don't quite follow the point of this one.

The Silent Running perk gives you the ability to ignore speed as a factor for a successful sneak attempt. Normally, going slowly would be a crucial part of not being seen in an enemy territory, as the enemies would have a better chance of hearing you if you moved fast... With the perk, however, you can sneak as fast as you want, with no repercussions.

PS: I recommend it strongly... It makes sneaking a breeze!

AngryNorwegianDude 08:18, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

Norway is right. Silent Running is crucial for sneaky chars, it allows you to sneak with "run" toggled and enemies won't hear you. Without it, you can't get up close and personal with anyone with running on. No, there's no sneaking when you're not crouched. Basically, there is no "crouch" mode. It's either normal (standing up) or sneak mode (crouched). Agility helps with other things, not only sneaking. Yes, it's better if you have 10 AGL and 100 sneak than 9 AGL and 100 sneak. As for the maxed out skills, the game tracks skills over 100, in case you get effects/modifiers that LOWER your skill, they will be lowered from that "over 100" value. But increases for the skill are useless, in game terms no skill can go above 100. So having 100 sneaking and wearing the Chinese Stealth Armor for extra 15 sneak points is useless. There are a bunch of other hidden modifiers, like weight of junk you're carrying, type of armor (you're sneakier in a Brahmin Skin outfit than in Power Armor) etc. Perj 13:58, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

alright thanks for the input. i still don't understand the running part, "it allows you to sneak with "run" toggled", I didn't even know there way a way to turn run on and off? how? I can run while sneaking?

You are always running by default. If you're on a PC, Caps Lock toggles running on/off. I dunno about console controllers. If you turn running off, you'll slow down to walking, kinda like being overburdened. Perj 11:36, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

Just think about it like this:

1. Hostile people or creatures are more likely to find you if you move fast during sneaking.

2. Silent Running "turns off" this aspect, running no longer factors into you being seen.

3. This is crucial for getting a sneak attack critical while being an Unarmed/Meelee Weapons type character. The closer you can get without being noticed, the bigger are your chances to make that particular enemy resemble a big pile of bloody bits. This also multiplies your chance to get by that enemy without being seen if you do not wish to fight.

4. If you were to do the same feat while NOT having Silent Running, you would have to move MUCH slower, thus giving the enemy more time and hence, a better chance, to spot you and make you resemble a big pile of Vault Dweller mush.

Is this understandable? AngryNorwegianDude 17:09, 19 April 2009 (UTC)