Trait

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In the SPECIAL character system, traits are optional character modifications that affect the player character. They are a part of character creation in four Fallout games (Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, and Fallout: New Vegas), while three other do not include them: Fallout 3, Fallout 4, and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel.

Some traits—such as Bloody Mess and Finesse—were converted into perks for Fallout 3.

Effect[]

Traits modify different aspects of gameplay, such as primary statistics, derived statistics and skills. Traits have positive and negative results, unlike perks in earlier Fallout games (with the lack of traits in Fallout 3, some perks do have negative effects). In games where traits exist, one can choose up to two traits when designing a character (or none at all). Choosing the Mutate! perk lets the player change one of his traits. Note that if you chose no trait at character creation, you cannot fill the empty slot with this perk.

Race[]

In Fallout Tactics, where characters of different races can be created, traits also have different racial requirements. In Lionheart a fantasy game which uses the SPECIAL system, a different approach to racial traits was chosen. For each race one is free to choose (or not) any of the regular list of traits, but if the character belongs to one of the "tainted" races (i.e. everyone except pureblood humans), the player has to choose one of the list of racial traits available to their race. These traits are the only thing that distinguishes the races from humans and often had no penalty other than marking the character as tainted.

List of traits[]

General traits[]

Trait	Fallout	Fallout 2	Fallout Tactics	Fallout: New Vegas	Van Buren
Bloody Mess	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bruiser	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Built to Destroy	No	No	No	Yes	No
Chem Reliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Chem resistant/Clean Living	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Fast/Increased Metabolism	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Fast Shot	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Feral Kid	No	No	No	No	Yes
Finesse	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Four Eyes	No	No	No	Yes	No
Gifted	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Good Natured	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Heavy Handed	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Jinxed	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Kamikaze	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Loose Cannon	No	No	No	Yes	No
Night Person	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
One Hander	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
One In a Million	No	No	No	No	Yes
Red Scare	No	No	No	No	Yes
Sex Appeal	No	Yes	No	No	No
Skilled	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Small Frame	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Trigger Discipline	No	No	No	Yes	No
Wild Wasteland	No	No	No	Yes	No

Old World Blues traits[]

Traits added by the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Old World Blues.

Racial traits[]

Racial traits only appear in Fallout Tactics.

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