Forum:Primary Statistic Maximums and Modifiers

Forums: Index > Fallout: New Vegas gameplay help > Primary Statistic Maximums and Modifiers

So I want to make a character who uses the Rad Child Perk and has the maximum radiation level. My question is are the negative SPECIAL modifiers from radiation (-3 END, -2 AGL, -2 STR at deadly radiation poisoning) applied before or after (or at the same time) as beneficial modifiers (e.g. +1 ST from Remnants Power Armour, +2 ST from Reinforced Spine). To illustrate what I mean:

Say a character has strength 10 but is suffering from deadly radiation poisoning. He also has the Reinforced Spine Perk. If negative effects are applied before positive ones, strength is reduced to 8 but then increased back up to 10. If they are applied after, the +2 increase has no effect and then the -2 decrease reduces strength to 8. If they are applied at the same time, the net benefit is zero so strength remains at 10.

I know in Fallout 3 though the benefits were capped at 10, there was an invisible maximum applied by the positive modifiers (so if you had say the strength bobble head and originally had strength 10, modifiers would reduce the strength from 11 not 10) - but I can't find anywhere that says this is the case for FO: NV. I'm sorry if this has already been covered somewhere, I ran a search but couldn't turn up a response to this question. Thanks in advance for responses.

Jojobobo 12:10, May 2, 2012 (UTC) EDIT: spelling Jojobobo 12:11, May 2, 2012 (UTC)

On my second play-thru, after implants I had a Agility of 10. After playing thru Dead Money my Agility became 10+ because I sold casual wear I had equiped to a holo-Vender. A code glitch allows the player to keep the +1 Agility if this happens. Later in the game if something like starvation happened and I should have lost 1 Agility, I still had 10. To answer your question, all modifiers both + and - are applied to the base SPECIAL and the result is capped at 10. Plusses and minuses are used to denote modifiers. So Jojobobo, what has the math told you would be a good SPECIAL for this new character ? Also, key perks and basic load-out ? Squalor 17:25, May 2, 2012 (UTC)

So from what you said I'm gathering they're applied as a net effect, thanks. I'm going for:

S 8 P 1 E 9 C 8 I 7 A 6 L 1

Main perks Rad child, Life Giver (not necessary I know but I want ridiculously high health and manic health regeneration), Solar Powered, Thought You Died, Chemist, Demolition Expert, Splash Damage, Hit the Deck, Piercing Strike, Super Slam, Unstoppable Force and Slayer (Melee, Explosives and Speech focussed primarily). Also I'll go with Scorched Sierra Power Armor for more health regeneration, and use Sierra Madre Martinis and other health boosting or + DR chems for an extra boost. I won't be using vats very much, and I'm not bothered about critical hits (made Energy Weapons characters before focussed on this), hence the low Luck (I put the surplus points in Intelligence because why not) - I'll just fire some explosives and charge in to grind up what's left (or maybe use poisoned spears, something like that). I also won't have any real need for perception. I know Charisma is more of a dump stat, but I was curious to see what beefed up followers are like as I've never tried it before (it'll reach ten after an implant and wrapping up Lonesome Road - I'll use Spray 'n Pray to further protect followers from my explosives). Strength will reach 10 with the implant, reinforced spine (to compensate for deadly radiation poisoning) and either Remnant or Sorched Power Armour. That's basically the gist of it. Jojobobo 18:43, May 2, 2012 (UTC)

So you'll take Heavy Handed as a trait ? and take the Atomic perk to make up for the lower Agility ? Will you be a cannibal ? What weapons and armor for the first few levels ? The first 6 levels are the most fun for me. Squalor 19:38, May 2, 2012 (UTC)

Well I wasn't going to, but looking into it a bit and with Elijah's Ramblings I may as well. I was originally going to play a goody two-shoes character - but if I'm going to nuke people for the Scorched Sierra armour I may as well withhold information from Veronica too. My character's only level 2 so it's not a big deal right now, fortunately. I picked Skilled as my trait currently, purely so I can get both Rad Child and Heave, Ho! by level 4 without having to trudge to Sloan to get Duck and Cover! before level 4 (getting the Wastleland Survival Guide at the Lone Wolf Radio). I won't take Atomic as I'm not interested in Vats, and as I'll still try to err on the side of good being a cannibals a no-no too (it's not too hard to get rads up just with food I find - I've used Rad Child before). As I have the Courier's Stash DLC, I'll just make do with what that provides for my first few levels (mainly the Broad Machete and the Mercenary's grenade rifle). I'll also be playing hardcore on very hard - as I've done on previous playthroughs. Jojobobo 21:18, May 2, 2012 (UTC)