CREATING A CHARACTER

When you create your character, you’ll be asked to make a number of choices on their origin, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attri-
butes, skills, perks, and then determine their derived statistics.

Character Creation Summary

1. CHOOSE YOUR ORIGIN: Decide the origin of your 4. CHOOSE YOUR FIRST PERK: Choose your first perk
character. This determines their trait, as well as any from the perks list (p.59)
mutations they have, or if they’re a robot.
5. CALCULATE YOUR DERIVED STATISTICS: Determine
ƒ Brotherhood of Steel (p.51) your derived statistics, like carry weight, and defense
ƒ Ghoul (p.52) (p.74)
ƒ Super Mutant (p.53)
6. CHOOSE YOUR STARTING EQUIPMENT: Select a
ƒ Mister Handy (p.54)
starting equipment pack based on your origin (p.76),
ƒ Survivor (p.56)
a trinket, and gain Tag skill equipment.
ƒ Vault Dweller (p.57)
ƒ Brotherhood of Steel packs (p.76)
2. INCREASE S.P.E.C.I.A.L. ATTRIBUTES: Each attribute ƒ Mister Handy packs (p.77)
starts with a rank of 5. Spend 5 points across your 7 ƒ Super Mutant packs (p.78)
attributes to increase them to a maximum of 10 each. ƒ Vault Dweller packs (p.78)
You can reduce any attribute from 5 to 4 to gain a point ƒ Wastelander packs (p.79)
to spend to increase any other attribute (p.58) ƒ Trinkets (p.80)
ƒ Tag skill items (p.81)
3. TAG SKILLS AND BUY SKILL RANKS: Choose 3 tag
skills. Add 2 ranks to each tag skill. Then, spend 9 + INT
points to increase your skill ranks. Each skill starts at 0
(p.58)
 STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR ORIGIN
VAULT DWELLER
Trait: Vault Kid
When the bombs were falling, you or your prede-
Your healthier start to life at the hands of trained doctors
cessors were lucky enough to be safely secured in
and sophisticated auto-docs means you reduce the difficulty
one of the one hundred and twenty-two Vault-Tec
of all END tests to resist the effects of disease. In addition,
facilities, deep underground protected by thick blast
your carefully-planned upbringing means you have one
doors and layers of rock and concrete. Your family
additional tag skill of your choice.
either had enough money to buy their space or were
randomly selected to enter the vault to be saved from
You may also work with the Gamemaster to determine what
the nuclear devastation above—perhaps only to be
sort of experiment took place within your Vault. Once per
condemned to immoral experiments run by Vault-Tec
quest, the GM may introduce a complication which reflects
on unwitting participants.
the nature of the experiment you unwittingly took part in, or
introduce a complication related to your early life of isola-
You are free from mutation and disease. The Vault-
tion and confinement within the Vault. If the GM does this,
Tec program has afforded you a safe home for some
you immediately regain one Luck Point.
time, but not without some cost. The vault you came
from used you as a human test subject, manipulating
your understanding of the world and your behavior
in order to study you. That’s left you with a profound
psychological change, compared to the survivors on
the surface you now know, and affects how you make
your way through the wasteland.

Whether through design or poor planning, many of

the vaults were not well stocked or prepared for the
long wait until nuclear fallout had reached safe
levels outside, and many fell into disrepair or out
of supplies. Due to these shortcomings, many
vault dwellers sought help from the surface, and
many vaults opened in order to allow supplies
to reach them. By opening their vault doors,
the isolated societies inside opened them-
selves up to mixing with the survivors above,
and established a permanent connection with
the surface—the most notable example being
the residents of Vault 15, who split up and went on
to establish the settlement Shady Sands, as well as the
raiding gangs of the Jackals, Vipers, and Khans when
their vault opened.

Ghoul Vault Dwellers

With your GM’s permission, you may choose to have your
vault dweller be a ghoul. You gain the Necrotic Post-Human
trait instead of the Vault Kid trait. You may choose one of
the Vault Dweller equipment packs instead of one of the
Wastelander ones.

1 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 1

SURVIVOR
You are the living legacy of the people who prepared
for Armageddon on their own. You are only alive in
the post-nuclear apocalyptic landscape because your
forebears dug in, survived, and found community
enough to continue humanity’s existence.

You could be from any number of settlements, isolated

shelters, or traveling groups that sparsely populate the
wasteland from West Coast to East Coast. You could
be from the New California Republic, carrying on the
legacy of Vault 15 and Shady Sands. You could fight
to protect others, calling a group of survivors like the
Minutemen or the Regulators your home. You could
also be a merciless raider or be born into one of these
groups but escaped in order to rehabilitate and reform.

Wherever you are from, or wherever you travel, mak-

ing connections and laying down roots can be hard.
Survivors are naturally wary of others, and are always
on the lookout for the next conman, raiding party,
or thief that will take their hard-earned resources.
Travelling vast distances is difficult too, and many trav-
elling survivors—particularly trading caravans—move
between large settlements within their area of the
wasteland, rather than travelling from coast to coast.

Traits
You may choose two of the following traits, or one trait and one additional perk. Each trait has a benefit and may have an
accompanying penalty.

TRAIT BENEFIT PENALTY

When you fail a skill test using a skill other

Educated You have one additional tag skill.
than a tag skill, the GM gains 1 AP.

If you take a second major action in combat, and

You cannot benefit from the Aim minor
Fast Shot use it to make a ranged attack, the additional
action—you’re too impatient.
major action only costs 1 AP, rather than 2.

Choose two S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes and Your maximum number of Luck points is one
Gifted
increase them by +1 each. fewer than your Luck attribute.

Your melee and unarmed attacks suffer a

Heavy Handed Your Melee Damage bonus increases by +1 C
D. complication on a 19 or 20, rather than
only a 20.

You may re-roll 1d20 on all AGI tests which rely Your carry weight is 150 + (5 x STR) lbs.,
Small Frame
on balance or contortion. rather than 150 + (10 x STR) lbs.

2 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC
As a citizen of New California, you are the progeny
of West Coast survivors of the nuclear apocalypse, a
legacy of civilization rebuilding and expanding from
the humble beginnings of Shady Sands. Formed from
the political differences and exodus of Vault 15 in
California, its founding members left the vault with a
G.E.C.K., allowing them to grow food, build their first
amenities, and establish Shady Sands. Soon, a thriving,
self-sustaining community became the foundation
stone of the New California Republic, or NCR. From
its humble beginnings, the NCR expanded, promoting
many old-world values: democracy, with its presidents
and a Congress; liberty, by exalting personal free-
doms; and the rule of law, by protecting its citizens
and holding them accountable for immoral actions.
Whether you live these values yourself is up to you,
but if you come from New California, your life is
marked by it in some way.

Many citizens of the republic are just like survivors

you’d find anywhere in the wastes: farmers, herders,
mechanics, merchants, caravaneers, even mercenar-
ies and soldiers. What sets you apart are the cultural
touchstones other wastelanders don’t have in their
everyday lives. The NCR Dollar, established at the turn of the
22nd century, dominates the New California economy and
eclipses Nuka-Cola bottle caps as the default tender within
NCR territory. You’ll likely have seen much more built-up
urban areas, like the Hub, Junktown, Vault City, and New
Reno. These sprawling urban centers make the rest of the
wasteland seem backward, deserted, and otherwise
dangerous. The trade pouring in and out of these settlements
provides food, medicine, and even civil liberties like the right
to vote and to pursue justice for crimes committed. That
being said, a strain on the agricultural and indus-trial output
of the republic has driven an expansion east, into the Mojave
Wasteland in particular, to find and develop more farmland.
The ensuing annexations, wars, and expansion to the NCR’s
territory brought arguments of imperialism against its
government, and its thinly-stretched military and
prospecting frontiersmen lost the benefits of civilization for
the benefit of everyone else.

Chapter 1  SETTLER CHARACTERS 3

 Trait: New Californian
You may choose two of the following traits, two traits from the Survivor origin, or one trait from either list and one
additional perk. Each trait has a benefit and may have an accompanying penalty.

TRAIT BENEFIT PENALTY

The maximum rating for the

Tag two of either Speech, Medicine,
other skills listed is reduced from
Good Repair, Science, and Barter skills.
6 to 4.
Natured

The complication range of tests

+1 C
D damage with submachine guns,
while making an attack with big
combat rifles, assault rifles, frag
guns or energy weapons is
grenades, and combat knives.
Grunt increased by 2.

You cannot gain a well rested

Whenever you sleep by a campfire for
bonus, as described in Fallout:
at least 6 hours, the difficulty to recover
The Roleplaying Game Core
from injuries through rest is decreased
Home on Rulebook p.35.
by 1.
the Range

When you make ranged attacks using

While you wield small guns and
small guns or energy weapons you
energy weapons, reduce their fire
Trigger may re-roll 1d20.
rate by 1.
Discipline

Each Brahmin Feed Trough provides

upkeep for 3 Brahmin in each of your
Roll +1d20
settlements. When you perform the
for determining the risk of attack to
Tend Crops settlement action, you gain
your settlement if its Food resource
an
exceeds the settlement’s People.
Brahmin additional +1 C
D Brahmin milk per (see p.39).
Baron
feed trough.

4 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

COMMONWEALTH MINUTEMAN
“Protect the people at a minute’s notice.” A promise
to live by, you belong to a unique brand of survivors
in the Commonwealth who put others before them-
selves. With the threat of raiders, radioactive
mutants, and morally corrupt factions that travel the
wastes, another settlement always needs your help.

You could be a long-standing veteran of the

Minutemen, rising to prominence in your defense of
Diamond City against super mutant attack-
ers. You could have signed on later, as the group’s
founders tried to organize a government and unite
settlements around the Commonwealth (only to be
thwarted by the assassination of all the representa-
tives in attendance), taking up residence in the old
Fort Independence. “The Castle ‘’ could have been
your home shortly before it was lost to a sea monster
emerging from the Boston shoreline. Whatever your
participation, the Quincy Massacre was a pivotal moment in
your personal history, with Clint’s defec-tion to the
Gunners, Colonel Hollis’s capture and subsequent
execution, and the Gunners slaughtering all but a few
survivors in Quincy.
Preston Garvey believed himself the only Minutemen
survivor of the Quincy Massacre, but what if he was
mistaken? What if you also survived, split off from your
fellow militiamen, or went along with Clint’s plans just to
live, but never losing the spirit of the Minutemen’s pledge to
protect the citizens of the Commonwealth? Maybe you left
the group before the events of Quincy, disenfranchised by
the politics and infighting after the death of General Becker,
but ready to dust off the hat and coat once more for
someone who can reunite the militia and bring it back to its
former glory.

Trait: United We Stand

Trade caravan posts in your settlements attract traders
every 5 days rather than 7. Settlements you establish, by
any means, have a base Defense resource of 4. You gain
either Energy Weapons or Small Guns as a bonus tag skill
(your choice). Your Damage Resistance is increased by +1
while in cover, and you deal +1 C
D damage while you and
your companions are outnumbered.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 5

BROTHERHOOD INITIATE Trait: The Chain that Binds
You gain one additional Tag skill, which must be one of
Born from the terrible revelations of the Mariposa
Energy Weapons, Science, or Repair.
Rebellion, Roger Maxson formed the Brotherhood of
Steel so that his people—and eventually the rest of the
As a member of the Brotherhood of Steel, you are bound by
survivors in this new world—would have something
the chain of command: The Chain that Binds. You must carry
to believe in. With its own mythology, creed, and
out the orders of your immediate superiors, and you are
hierarchy, the Brotherhood of Steel’s primary goal is
responsible for your subordinate siblings. If you do not carry
the recovery and preservation of the technology of the
out your duty, you are expelled from the Brotherhood and
pre-war world. With the Great War disrupting human-
your technology will be reclaimed—by any means necessary.
ity’s access to technology, the Brotherhood’s knights
and scribes do all they can to secure the technology of
the past, for the needs of future generations.

You may be a descendant of a knight or paladin, born

into the Brotherhood and a firm believer of their doc-
trine, or you may be a new recruit, pledging yourself
to their cause and looking to rise through their ranks.

Although the Brotherhood share a common goal,

their chapters across the wasteland can have differ-
ent beliefs and protocols, and they aren’t as unified
as they seem from the outside. While the West Coast
Brotherhood of Steel warred with the New California
Republic over reclamation of technology and the
NCR’s expansion efforts, the East Coast chapter was
effectively isolated when it prioritized charity over
the exchange of technology and the preservation of
pre-war equipment. Elder Lyons’ mission became
humanitarian, and while that earned them isolation at
first, Arthur Maxson led their expansion of influence
from Washington D.C. to the entire Eastern Seaboard,
refocusing their efforts on technological recovery and
development.
BROTHERHOOD OUTCAST The Chain that Breaks
You believe your superiors in the Brotherhood lack a vision
For all their heroic imagery, all their pomp and
beyond acquiring pre-War technology and that your strength
circumstance, the Brotherhood of Steel are not the
as a member of this fraternity of military descendants gives
good guys. They appear from the sky in Vertibirds,
you a duty to help others and pursue different goals than the
clad in gleaming armor and carrying weapons that
dogma of the Brotherhood leadership dictates.
send blazes of light whipping across the battlefield to
burn evil from the Wasteland—or so they would like
You gain one additional Tag skill, which must be one of
you to believe. Whilst the Brotherhood are consid-
Energy Weapons, Science, or Repair.
ered humanitarians in some parts of the Wasteland;
in others, they are viewed as technology-hoarding
You gain an additional 1d20 junk (see Fallout: The
brutes, more concerned with getting their hands on
Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, p.200) and can
old-world tech and wiping out the local super mutant
spend 1 AP up to 3 times for 1 Uncommon material per AP
population than helping anyone who may need it.
spent. You can make one additional roll on the loot table
without having to spend AP.
Many aspirants stood for the defined mission of dis-
covering and acquiring lost pre-War technology when
local leadership veers off course, whatever the reason.
These individuals take all the knowledge they gath-
ered, ready to apply it however they see fit. Some even
continue the Brotherhood's mission by themselves.
Many become something akin to a traveling engineer,
using their intricate understanding of old-world tech-
nology to help repair old systems or help wherever
possible. Others take a more active role, using their
new military acumen to defend others with all the
might a laser rifle can bring to bear against uncon-
trollable technologies and those who seek to exploit
them.

Though most have lost their Power Armor, many

Brotherhood Outcasts travel from place to place,
offering aid to those in need, dispensing justice where
fitting, and possessing knowledge that most waste-
landers can only dream of. However, the Brotherhood
of Steel is a tight-knit family and rarely approves
of the choices made by deserters, which can lead to
the Outcasts bringing more poor fortune with them
than they intend. It’s all too common for an Outcast
to settle down, only to hear the sound of Vertibirds
approaching overhead.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 7

NEW CANAANITE
Born into the Mormon traditions of New Canaan, you were raised in a
society of armed pacifists and educated traders. Your people have an
ancient history stretching back even before the bombs dropped.
Originally spread across the Nevada and Utah territories, there has been
no end of hardship for your communities. The destruction of first
New Jerusalem in Salt Lake City, and then later the destruction of New
Canaan in Ogden has left your people near permanent refugees; each
bearing the torch of your culture as well as your religion into the dark
night that stands before you.

You could be the descendant of one of the many who made it to

Colorado and settled there. Or you could be part of a sheltered
community still eeking out an existence in Utah avoiding the vigilant
eye of the Legion. There are also those whom made it to Nevada and live
among the communities there, forming tight-knit groups. Others still
simply wander and take work as eagle-eyed caravan guards and
successful traders, using the skills they learned to make a living.
Whether you seek to restore your people to glory, just keep the flame
of tradition alive, or just want to put the past behind you, there's no
denying your heritage. Although life in the wastes is harsh and
unforgiving, there is always a voice in the back of your mind to
remind you of your people's teachings.

When you were young, you were taught how to recite the scriptures,
how to use a .45 automatic, and you also learned about being fair in
your dealings with others. Whichever of these lessons connected with
your personality had a great impact on your life.

Trait: Mormon Traditions

You may choose one of the following traditions.
TRADITION BENEFIT
Way of the When using a .45 calibur gun to make an
attack, you may take the aim action for free.
Canaanite

Saloon You gain Speech as a tagged skill and tests

relating to religion have their difficulty
Sermons reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.
You gain Barter as a tagged skill and when
Good Faith making a trade without haggling, reduce
Trader one subsequent Speech test with that
character by 1, to a minimum of 0.

8 Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION

CHILD OF ATOM Trait: Rad Sponge
Your unusual life experience grants you an extra perk at
Radiation is a gift from Atom, your atomic god, and
level one. Additionally, you were given a gift by Atom,
you gladly share that gift with the Commonwealth. As
unique even amongst other members of the Church. You
a member of the Church of Atom, your body and mind
can resist, store, and even channel radiation through your
are blessed by radiation. While many you meet are
body. Though Atom has blessed you with his glow, you must
wary of you and see your blessing as a curse, you know
be careful. Non-believers may not understand your gift and
you are chosen. The closer you get to Atom’s embrace,
might be frightened when they witness it.
the greater you find yourself thriving in the face of the
Wasteland's hardships. You understand that radiation
Your base Radiation damage resistance is 1 and can be
is dangerous to those who have yet to embrace its
increased further by armor and perks. Once per scene,
divine truth, and do not look down on them for using
when someone in Close range to you would suffer Radiation
RadAway and other treatments; you merely seek to
damage, you can choose to take it instead. Whenever
help them achieve enlightenment.
you suffer Radiation damage (minimum of 0), gain one
Radiation Point up to a maximum of 5. When you hit
The Children of Atom believe that an entire universe
with a melee attack, you may spend your stored Radiation
exists within every atomic mass in all of creation.
Points—for every point you spend, deal an additional
When a mass becomes split, the universe within
2C
D Radiation damage applied separately after inflicting
divides and becomes two. Atom is revered as a benev-
the attack’s normal damage. When you sleep, you lose 1
olent god who uses Division to create new worlds. As
Radiation Point.
such, the Great War is considered a holy and won-
derful piece of history by the Children. They worship
Atom by worshipping radiation—his Glow—and the
newly created universes it represents. The Children
make their homes in irradiated regions, building wor-
ship centers and settlements. While the Church is not
often violent, they consider attempts to stop radiation
from spreading blasphemy. They oppose such efforts,
though the tactics of each member and sect vary. The
Children do not hold strong attachments to their bod-
ies or possessions and can be very generous to others
in need. They follow the loose hierarchy of their sect,
centered around spiritual leaders known as Mothers
or Confessors.

You may have been born into the Church or come

from a completely different life before witnessing the
atomic truth, traveling from a faraway sect on a holy
pilgrimage, or hailing from the Crater of Atom in the
Glowing Sea. If you keep your faith, share the Glow
with those you meet, and show your dedication to
Atom, you may prove your worth and achieve a higher
rank within your sect.

Chapter 1  WANDERER CHARACTERS 9

 TRIBAL
Inhabiting broad communities, composed of families
with no distinct cultural identity, Tribal wastelanders
inhabit the wasteland outside some of the more for-
malized ‘states’ like the NCR. While the territory they
inhabit is larger than other settlements, they have a
stronger sense of a community.

Tribal wastelanders may share a more spiritual philos-

ophy with the wider wasteland, including a mytholo-
gized explanation of the world as it exists now com-
pared to their more cynical neighbors. Additionally,
they hold old technology in superstitious reverence.

Traits
You may choose two of the following traits, two traits from
the Survivor origin, or one trait from either this list, the
Survivor list, or the New California Republic list, and one
additional perk. Each trait has a benefit and may have an
accompanying penalty.

TRAIT BENEFIT PENALTY

Spend 1 Luck point to gain insight

into the quest, situation, or scene
Mother as if you’d spent 3 AP to use Complications make scenes involving pre-War artifacts
Wasteland Obtain Information 3 times. This harder to understand, limiting your use of them.
information is often cryptic and
mystical in nature.

Re-roll 1d20 on Survival tests to

travel, set up camp, and forage for Barter and Speech tests increase their difficulty and
Nomad food and water. In addition, ignore complication range by 1 when dealing with inhabitants of a
the first complication rolled when static settlement. Science cannot be a Tag skill.
making these tests.

The first time you spend Luck in a You view everyone who hasn’t gone through your rite of
Rite of
scene, roll 1 C
D . If you roll an effect passage as lesser. You cannot assist another PC without
Passage
you have not spent that Luck point. spending 1 AP first.

You may use Survival instead of

Tools of the The complication range of tests involving pre-War
Repair or Science to repair or make
Old World technology (not weapons) is increased by 2.
use of pre-War tech.

The first d20 you purchase is free

The Chosen on tests relating to your tribe’s
The GM adds 2 AP to their pool when your quest comes up.
One quest, and you can always succeed
at a cost.

10 Chapter 1  WANDERER CHARACTERS

Rites, Rituals, and Mysticism
Many of the traits outlined in the Tribal origin mention different rites and a way of viewing the post-nuclear world in a more
mythical way. While the Church of the Children of Atom could well be described as a tribe, their behavior and zealousness
strays more into cult—the tribes of survivors found across the Wasteland root their understanding of the world and their place in
it in myth and spirituality.

When you choose this origin, and particularly one of its traits, you may want to flesh out with your gamemaster how the tribe
views the world and what beliefs they hold as a community. What did your rite of passage entail and what triggered it? Did it
include an initiation, coming of age, or some kind of sign? What quest have you been chosen to complete for your tribe and
why do they need you to complete it? What happens to your tribe if you don’t accomplish your task?

Examples of tribes seen in the wastes include:

ƒ Boomers: Descendants of the inhabitants of Vault 34 that believe in the personal liberty to bear arms. Their doctrine leads
to them gearing up with the most explosive and high-yield munitions they can find. When they left Vault 34, they established
themselves in Nellis Airforce Base in the Mojave Wasteland. Boomers represent a tribal group that has embraced technol-
ogy. Their disposition to protecting themselves with heavy weaponry has allowed them to prosper in isolation to the rest of
the Wasteland.

ƒ Cult of the Mothman: The tribal followers of the cryptid “Mothman” in Appalachia have technically existed in vari-
ous forms even before the Great War as cultists that worship the mythical Mothman that is said to inhabit the forest of
Appalachia, West Virginia. Its followers tend to use weapons constructed of bone, wood, or metal scraps, and augment their
scrappy clothing with skeletal ornaments. The followers more closely resemble cult-like devotees than a functional society.

ƒ Treeminders: The Treeminders occupy a small fertile area

of the Capital Wasteland they call Oasis. At its center
resides an FEV mutant named Harold, who they worship
as a deity. Harold has had a long and varied life, but now
has the misfortune of becoming the reluctant deity of the
Treeminders following the emergence of a tree that has
grown out from his head and now envelopes him, which
he calls “Bob” and seems to have a relationship with. The
Treeminders have seen how the area around Harold has
flourished and become verdant once more, taking it as a
sign of Harold’s divinity. The Treeminders have come to call
Harold “The Great One”. They are an isolationist tribe,
worried about outsiders exploiting Oasis’ rich flora.

ƒ Vipers: The Vipers trace their origins from Vault 15,

which they left to explore the wastes. After a formative,
quasi-religious encounter with a huge pit of viper snakes,
their founder, Jonathan Faust, organized them into a tribe
of merciless raiders. The tribe has a close mythological
bond to the viper snake, preferring poisons and stealth to
traditional strength. They employ rites and rituals utilizing
venom to summon visions and perform initiations into their
warrior caste. They are an aggressive tribe, with a deep
religious undertone.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 11

GHOUL Trait: Necrotic Post-Human
You are immune to radiation damage. In fact, you’re healed
Prolonged exposure to the effects of background
by it—you regain 1 HP for every 3 points of radiation
gamma radiation—part of the fallout of the Great
damage inflicted upon you, and if you rest in an irradiated
War—can spontaneously mutate humans. You are
location, you may re-roll your dice pool when checking if
one of those mutants. Either slowly, or strangely
your injuries heal. In addition, Survival becomes a Tag skill,
spontaneously, your body changed into that of a rot-
increasing it by 2 ranks.
ting, living corpse. You no longer age the same way,
and appear unaffected by radiation. Your skin peels
You age at a much-decreased rate, and you’re probably
from your flesh but seems to be sustained by your
older than your unmutated companions—you may even have
mutated metabolism.
survived the Great War of 2077—but you’re sterile: “the first
generation of ghouls is the last” as the saying goes. You may
You are a “ghoul”—a necrotic post-human—one of
face discrimination from “smoothskins” (humans who aren’t
many rag-tag survivors who weren’t lucky enough to
ghouls), increasing the difficulty or complication range of
get into a Vault-Tec facility. You may have been born
Charisma tests depending on your opponent’s beliefs.
after the war, and over time developed the necrotic
mutation. You may have come from Vault 12 in
Bakersfield, California, whose vault door did not close,
exposing the population to the radiation from outside.
You may have taken refuge in a ghoul settlement, like
Underworld in the Capital Wasteland, and have ven-
tured out recently to explore, scavenge, and survive.

Civilized ghouls, such as yourself, also fear a possi-

ble degeneration into a frenzied, feral nature. Feral
ghouls are necrotic mutants like yourself who have
lost higher brain functions, and reverted to a primal,
violent state. They attack non-ghouls indiscriminately
to defend their territory or feed. Whether this loss of
reason is due to acute levels of radiation or the inev-
itable outcome of the mutation, you’re not sure, and
that makes it all the more terrifying.

12 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

SUPER MUTANT Trait: Forced Evolution
Your initial Strength and Endurance attributes are increased
You are a brutal, mutated human, forced to evolve
by +2 each, and your maximum Strength and Endurance
from thoughtless experiments by the twisted sci-
are increased to 12, but your maximum Intelligence and
ence of the pre- and post-war world. Infected with
Charisma are both reduced to 6. You may not have more
the Forced Evolutionary Virus (F.E.V.), your body has
than 4 ranks in any skill. You are completely immune to
mutated into a tall, muscular killing machine, filled
radiation and poison damage.
with a rage.

You stand over seven feet tall, and your body is bulky and
You could have originated from the Master’s army
muscular. Your skin is green, yellow, or grey, regardless of
at the Mariposa military base, California, created
what color it was when you were human. You do not seem to
as he experimented on unwilling human victims,
age, but you are sterile.
splitting into one of the factions upon his death to
You can only wear armor
attack or rebuild the wasteland with its survivors.
which has been made to
Your origins could be rooted in the Evolutionary
fit a super mutant.
Experimentation Program of Vault 87, whose super
mutant groups terrorize the Capital Wasteland. You
could have been abducted from the Commonwealth
and exposed to the F.E.V. by the Institute and dis-
posed of back into the wasteland to fend for yourself
in small bands of raiders. Or finally, you could have
been a resident of Huntersville, Appalachia, whose
water supply was contaminated with the virus and
the mutations went unchecked.

Although these super mutants share the same quali-

ties, the groups formed from the three strains haven’t
mixed, and there is little evidence they have met one
another. While some groups have migrated or moved
in their lifetime, none have travelled far enough to
encounter one another, so where your quests take
place will likely dictate your origin.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 13

NIGHTKIN Trait: Stealth Boy Addict
Your initial Strength and Endurance attributes are increased
100 years ago, Nightkin were the epitome of the super
by +2 each, and your maximum Strength and Endurance
mutant species, the peak of the Master’s work with
are increased to 12, but your maximum Intelligence and
Forced Evolutionary Virus (F.E.V.) and his chosen
Charisma are both reduced to 8. You may not have more
soldiers, answering only to their creator. What ele-
than 4 ranks in any skill. You are completely immune to
vated them above their kin was their minds. Nightkin
Radiation and Poison damage.
retained their intelligence following their ‘evolution’,
holding onto their individuality and past experi-
You stand over seven feet tall; your body is bulky and mus-
ences, and the ability to form and maintain complex
cular, and your skin is blue. You do not seem to age, but you
relationships, all whilst employing the strength and
are sterile. You can only wear armor that has been made to
durability common to super mutants. In addition,
fit a super mutant.
Nightkin were unusually receptive to their creator’s
psychic influence, allowing them to not only receive
You can become easily addicted to Stealth Boys, and its
his word across any distance, but breeding a fierce
prolonged use has taken a huge toll on your psychology and
loyalty to the Master in the process.
mental health. Whenever you use a Stealth Boys, you roll
1C
D for each dose you’ve taken this session. If you roll any
However, this wouldn’t last. After a Vault Dweller
Effects, you gain the following symptoms:
killed the Master and devastated his works, the
Nightkin were similarly disrupted, scattered, or
ƒ Stealth Boy Addiction: A failed addiction roll renders
hunted to extinction. Despite attempts to resettle
you addicted to Stealth Boys. You increase the difficulty
after the defeat of the Master, the Nightkin found
of Perception and Intelligence tests by +2, and Charisma
it difficult to find a place to call their own in the
tests by +1 until cured.
Wasteland. As time crept forward, a larger issue began
to present itself—one of the greatest tools employed
by the Nightkin, the Stealth Boy, had begun to
adversely affect them. Through decades of use, the
unique radiation emitted by the Stealth Boys had
altered them on a molecular level, infusing their skin
with a blue hue, and warping their brain chemistry.

The Nightkin are now a tragic shadow of their former

selves. Schizophrenia, scopophobia, multiple person-
ality disorders, and more have become commonplace
among their species. Most Nightkin have become so
reliant on the camouflage of Stealth Boys that the
mere idea of being watched fills them with dread,
forcing them to violently seek out new stashes of
Stealth Boys and disappear again into a shimmer-
ing field of security. Nightkin are known to seek
community and, either due to a desire for the
leadership of their lost Master, or their innate
psychic empathy, tend to flock towards strong
personalities—finding a sense of familiarity
from structure and organization.

14 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

MISTER HANDY Many models exist, and you could come from any
of the Mister Handy, Mister Gutsy, Miss Nanny, or
Mister Orderly series. You are powered by a nuclear
The General Atomics International robot “Mister
core, can replace your own fuel, and repair yourself
Handy” exploded onto the robotic market as a
or other Mister Handy units. Your model has three
reliable construction robot, known for its durability
mechanical arms and three mechanical eyes on stalks,
and ease of maintenance, but its real breakthrough
and your jet propulsion keeps you hovering above the
came in a collaboration with RobCo to produce a
ground, providing you have all the fuel you need. With
domestic model.
this rugged design, you have survived so far.

You are one of these domestic automatons, produced

some time between 2037 and 2077, seeking to provide HIT LOCATIONS
every household in America with butler-like servitude. As you aren’t humanoid in construction, your hit loca-
Equipped with state-of-the-art programming, you have tions are different than normal.
initiative and can adapt your own coding to learn more
from your environment. This capacity for self-deter- Mister Handy Hit Locations
mination is what has enabled your survival beyond the D20 ROLL HIT LOCATION
Great War; where other robots may have broken down,
1–2 Optics (injury as per Head)
you have managed to shake loose from the shackles of
3–8 Main body (injury as per Torso)
your programming and find a life for yourself.
9–11 Arm 1

12–14 Arm 2

15–17 Arm 3

18–20 Thruster (injury as per Leg)

Arm Attachments
ATTACHMENT EFFECT

You can make ranged attacks using a 10mm auto pistol (see 10mm pistol, with an
10mm Auto Pistol
automatic receiver mod, p.95).

You can cut objects and make melee attacks with a circular saw. The buzz-saw inflicts 3 C
D
Buzz-Saw
Piercing 1 physical damage.

You can set objects alight, cook food, or make ranged attacks with a short-range
Flamer
flamethrower (see flamer, p.106).

Laser Emitter You can cut objects or make ranged attacks using a laser (see laser gun, p.101).

You can pick up objects with an individual pincer that weighes no more than 40 lbs.
Pincer and manipulate objects in your environment. You may also make unarmed attacks (2 C
D
physical damage) with the pincer.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 15

 Trait: Mister Handy Robot No Pincer?
You have 360° vision and improved sensory systems that You can choose not to have a pincer attachment as a Mister
can detect smells, chemicals, and radiation, reducing the Handy, but in doing so, you will be unable to make unarmed
difficulty of Perception tests that rely on sight and smell by attacks, manipulate objects, and you cannot make attempt
1. You are also immune to radiation and poison damage, tests that use the Lockpick, Repair, or Throwing skills.
but you cannot use chems, nor can you benefit from food,
drink, or rest. You move by jet propulsion, hovering above
the ground, unaffected by difficult terrain or obstacles. Your
carry weight is 150 lbs., and it cannot be increased by
your Strength or perks, but it can be increased by modi-
fied armor. You cannot recover from your own injuries or
heal health points without receiving repairs (see Healing
Robots, p.34).

You cannot manipulate the physical

world like humans do, instead you have
three of the arm attachments in the Arm
Attachments table, determined by your
choice of equipment pack. If you select an arm
that features a weapon, you also gain 20 shots of
ammo for that weapon.

16 Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 55

PROTECTRON
Manufactured by RobCo Industries as an
inexpensive work drone, your model was one
of the company’s most popular robots that put
many Americans out
of work before the Great War. Protectrons
were built for various construction, security,
and administrative tasks. Factory models were
used for manual labor. Office models were
programmed with integrated administrative
software. Firefighter models used internal
cryojets to suppress dangerous flames. Medic
models featured built-in defibrillators. Police
mod-els contained stronger armor and
enhanced tasers for crowd control. You might
have come from one of these manufacturing
lines or another entirely.
Your body is humanoid in shape and covered
in light armor plating. Not initially designed
for combat, the wasteland is full of resources
you can use to protect yourself and others.
Unless you have received software or hardware
upgrades, you speak in a robotic mono-tone
like other Protectrons. Most Protectrons do
almost anything to defend those their
programming determines to be allies.
A long time has passed since your creation.
You may have been a worker drone, but now
you are much more. Your original
programming still drives your behavior and
actions, though it might have decayed or
become twisted. You could be one of the few
Protectrons to achieve true self-awareness and
resist your programming. In the wild
wasteland, it is up to you to decide whether
your ancient programming will define you—or
whether you define who you are by your own
directives.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 17

Trait: Protect or Destroy
You were built to survive in harsh environments. Once per scene, you may reroll a test to overcome an environmental hazard
and use the new result. You are also immune to disease, and Radiation and Poison damage, but you cannot use chems, nor can
you benefit from food, drink, or rest. You cannot recover from your injuries or heal health points without receiving repairs (see
Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Chapter 2: Combat, Healing Robots, p.34).

Protectrons are designed for a specific purpose and contain additional mechanisms to support their programmed tasks. You
cannot have more than two robot mods installed simultaneously. You may be a Fire Brigadier, Law Enforcer, Construction
Worker, Medical Responder, or a model of your own invention. When making a test directly related to your model’s purpose,
the first d20 you buy using Action Points costs 0. Additionally, your carry weight is 225 lbs. and cannot be increased by your
Strength or perks, but it can be increased by modified armor.

Protectron Weapons
WEAPON EFFECT

You make unarmed attacks with a pair of opposable claws. The claws inflict 3 C
D Physical damage
Claws
and can benefit from your melee damage derived statistic and perks for unarmed attacks.

You can fire a jet of cryogenic spray, rapidly cooling targets. The cryojet uses cryo cells for
Cryojet ammunition, PER + Energy Weapons for attacks, causes 3 C
D Energy damage with the Burst and
Freeze damage effects. More information on the cryojet can be found on p 93.

You explode and are destroyed in the process, and cannot be repaired. When you make this attack,
Self-
you make a ranged attack using END + Explosives, dealing 6 C
D Energy damage, with the Blast
Destruct
effect at Close range.

You make unarmed attacks with a pair of staticly-charged defibrillators. These hands inflict 4 C
D
Shock
Energy damage and can benefit from your melee damage derived statistic and perks for unarmed
Hand
attacks. You cannot manipulate objects that require fine dexterity due to the lack of claws.

18 Chapter 1  SETTLER CHARACTERS

ROBOBRAIN Trait: Robobrain Robot
You are a robot with a human brain as a central processor.
Born from the cybernetic amalgamation of the human
You have visual sensors that can detect the visual spectrum
brain and robotic body, robobrains were the result of
and infrared, ignoring any difficulty increase to Perception
secretive research that produced a short run of pro-
tests in darkness. You are also immune to radiation and
totype automatrons across the pre-War United States.
poison damage, but you cannot use chems, nor can you
While most units lacked the personality of their life
benefit from food, drink, or rest. You cannot recover your
before being extracted from their human bodies, some
own injuries or heal health points without receiving repairs
robobrains exhibit strange personality traits, and even
(see Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, p.34).
worse, some turn inexplicably violent.

You move on two continuous tracks, and have two tube-like

Without any memory of your former life but having
manipulators as arms with opposable claws you can use to
developed a sense of self, you are a robot built of the
control tools and objects designed for humans with precision
most elegant and advanced central processor ever
and make unarmed melee attacks. Your head has a built-in
known—the human brain. Is your brain another
mesmetron, which you can use to make ranged attacks.
component, and you are the robot? Or are you still in
Your carry weight is 150 lbs., and it cannot be increased by
there somewhere, trying to break out of the memo-
your Strength or perks, but it can be increased by modified
ry-repression inflicted on your consciousness through
armor.
the CODE Conditioning Protocol? The wasteland may
never know, but you can still travel the wastes and
survive, defend yourself, and even form relationships
with human survivors whose bodies might give you
an eerie feeling of familiarity. Either way, you trav-
erse the wastes on a pair of tracks, capable of getting
through most terrains, and interact with the world
using a pair of claws on the end of flexible extend-
ers. These claws allow you to manipulate objects and
equipment like a person would, but can equally be
replaced by guns, emitters, weapons, or other acces-
sories provided they can be mechanically incorpo-
rated. Your robust construction gives you incredible
durability, and the biomedical gel inside
the dome containing your brain can
sustain its tissue potentially for
centuries—who you will be by that
point is unknown as you stray a little
further from your programming every
single day.

Regardless of your origins at a General Atomics or

military laboratory, you can travel as far as your
tracks and internal power plant can carry you.
So robobrains can be found in all corners of the
wasteland and many different circumstances. Who
you call your friends, and what you consider your
purpose, is up to you.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 19

 Securitron Hit Locations
SECURITRON D20 ROLL HIT LOCATION

Created by RobCo Industries and manufactured by 1–2 Head

H&H Tools in pre-War Nevada to protect the Strip in 3–11 Torso
New Vegas, the PDQ-88b securitron is a top-of-the-
12–14 Left Arm
line private security robot capable of varied combat
15–17 Right Arm
operations given the appropriate upgrades. Unique to
New Vegas, some units have been given personalities 18–20 Wheel

outside the police and military defaults, ranging from

human personas to cartoon creations—every single
one loyal to Mr. House in some way. Trait: Mark I Securitron
You are a robot, with the Mk I operating system designed by
You are designed to keep the peace in and around the
RobCo Industries. You have forward-facing visual sensors
Strip, built of a large, strong unicycle chassis, thick-
that can detect the visual spectrum. You are also immune to
plated main body, with extender-style arms that
radiation and poison damage, but you cannot use chems,
house concealed weapons and claws to manipulate
nor can you benefit from food, drink, or rest. You cannot
your environment. By default, you know how to use
recover your own injuries or heal health points without
the laser and submachine guns housed inside your
receiving repairs (see Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core
arms, and the claws to attack and restrain people.
Rulebook, p.34).
Your singular wheel propels you across most terrain,
designed for the urban and desert environments you You move on a single tire, increasing the difficulty of skill
patrol. The screen at the center of your torso can dis- tests to balance or remain upright by 1. Your arms are
play still images, typically of a stylized face reflecting fitted with opposable claws, with which you can manipulate
your personality. You can communicate verbally using your environment rudimentarily and make unarmed melee
a speaker within your body casing, and even print out attacks. The palms of your claws are outfitted with integrated
memos or leaflets from a printer housed in your body weapons, as outlined in Choose Equipment, p.95. Your
should the need arise. shoulders house missile launchers and a grenade launcher
is integrated into the left arm, but they are both inoperable
The only way to gain access to your upgraded oper-
unless you are fitted with the Mk II operating system mod.
ating system, increase your combat effectiveness,
Your carry weight is 150 lbs. It cannot be increased by your
and gain access to your grenade and rocket launcher
Strength or perks, but by modified armor.
hardware is by chip—a platinum casino chip that
contains the data for the Mk II systems for all
securitrons. The only two locations on earth where
the chip can be inserted into a computer are in the
Lucky 38 Casino (Mr. House’s personal casino and
residence) and a weather monitoring station occupied
by Caesar’s Legion. Once inserted and its data trans-
mitted, all Securitrons on the network are upgraded
and uploaded with the right drivers to use what are
actually their primary weapons. The chip’s existence
may be unknown to you or something you’re looking
for as part of Mr. House’s many plans to orchestrate
the delivery of the data contained within, giving
him tighter control over New Vegas and his rivals.
Whatever your plans, Mr. House’s aren’t far behind.

HIT LOCATIONS
As you aren’t humanoid in construction, your hit loca-
tions are different from normal.

20 Chapter 1  SETTLER CHARACTERS

GENERATION 3 SYNTH Discuss the nature of your synth character’s recall code with
your gamemaster if you are uncomfortable with the idea
You are a bio-synthetic humanoid, almost entirely of your character’s personality and consciousness suddenly
indistinguishable from humans, created by a secret becoming erased. Determine collaboratively whether recall
scientific organization known as the Institute. You codes might be used in your game and how they can affect
were designed to integrate into human society, infil- your character. An example of an alternative might be that
trate communities, and explore the surface unde- your synth’s recall code does not permanently erase their
tected. Your lab-grown body is made up of real human personality but incapacitates them until a unique restore
flesh, bones, and organs—your only distinguishing code is spoken.
feature, an undetectable cybernetic implant in your
brain that contains your programming. Your bio-en-
gineered upgrades make you hardier than humans,
and you do not age or suffer tiredness or malnutrition.
Your capacity to keep going for extended periods
without needing rest is a great advantage in the harsh
wasteland. Additionally, your body can survive syn-
thetic implants and cybernetic modifications without
complications.

If you are an escaped synth, you may have decided to

have your memories wiped by the Railroad to better
assume a new life on the surface, implanted with the
life and personality of an original creation or maybe
even based on someone living or dead from the waste-
land above the Institute. Alternatively, you may have
struck out on your own, retaining your programmed
personality and are fully aware of the dangers of the
Synth Retention Bureau.

If you work for the Institute, you may be trying to

infiltrate a group or settlement in the Commonwealth,
taking the place of a real wastelander and living their
life in their place while all the time reporting back
to Institute handlers, providing intelligence for the
Generation 2 Synths
If you want to play a prototype second generation synth,
secretive organization. Due to the fear gripping the
with a personality, you can do so easily by using the More
Commonwealth, your discovery could prove incred-
Than Human trait, but noting that you are not bioengi-
ibly dangerous to your survival and the mission you
neered—you are constructed of complex machinery, and
have been placed on the surface to complete. What
your appearance is much more android-like. It is imme-
lengths do you go to to complete your creators’ goals,
diately obvious you are not human, and so everyone you
or do you begin to question your programming, your
come across knows of your nature, and may be prejudiced
awareness, your very existence?
against you if they distrust or hate synths.

All the other aspects of the trait remain true, except you
should choose equipment from the Wastelander options for
starting equipment (Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core
Rulebook, p.79).

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 21

Trait: More Than Human
Though you appear mentally and physically human, your bioengineering makes you something entirely new and, in many
ways, improved. You gain one additional tag skill. You cannot suffer from starvation or dehydration and do not need sleep,
but you do not gain a benefit from consuming food or beverage items. When you rest, instead of sleeping, you may engage in
minor activities such as crafting, reading, or light scouting. Additionally, you are immune to Poison and Radiation damage and
disease. You do not age, nor do you gain or lose weight.

When interacting with NPCs who know you are a synth—unless they are sympathetic towards synths—the difficulty of CHA
tests made by you or your allies increases by 2. When a complication is rolled, they either become hostile, or your Faction
Reputation or Settlement Reputation decreases by 1 per complication generated due to their fear of the Institute.

The Institute has given you a unique recall code—an unalterable verbal command that resets your personality and memories.
When you hear the code spoken, you become incapacitated until you are retrieved and restored by the Institute.

22 Chapter 1  SETTLER CHARACTERS

ASSAULTRON
Developed by RobCo Industries, the Assaultron is
a top-of-the-line piece of military hardware. Built for
grueling close combat at the height of the Sino-
American War, the Assaultron is fast, durable and, above
all, deadly. Armor-plated, actuated limbs end in vicious
claws, which can be upgraded to any num-ber of other
tools to sow death or destruction. The Assaultron’s
cranial unit houses a laser so potent that the sounds of
its charging haunts the nightmares of those lucky
enough to survive an encounter with it, for years to
come. Put simply, few human creations have ever been
so competent at the business of mur-der as the
Assaultron.
Since the ‘end’ of the war and the dawn of Wasteland life,
Assaultrons that survived the ravages of time find themselves
uniquely equipped to thrive amidst the chaos. Roaming
Assaultrons acting out centuries-old code can be found across
the Wasteland, putting down anyone who threatens them or
interrupts whatever tasks they find themselves eternally
repeating, with extreme prejudice. Deactivated or damaged
units
are treated as premium salvage among those with the know-
how to reprogram them into bodyguards, bouncers, or
whatever else comes to mind. Whatever their role, most people
will think twice, or even thrice, about starting a scrap with
someone backed up by an Assaultron.
However, even clinically efficient killing machines can change.
As a result of rogue programming, bugged code degraded over
decades, and even prototype personality matrices, rare
Assaultrons have developed something resembling sentience.
They have grown to possess a facsimile of a personality, or even
an ego, changing these machines of warfare into complex
thinking beings. Some of these Assaultrons have come to revel
in their origins, while others resent or even oppose them.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 23

Trait: Designed for the Frontline
You are a robot, immune to disease, Radiation damage and Poison damage, but are unable to use chems or benefit from
food, drink, or rest. You cannot recover from your injuries or regain health points without receiving repairs (see Fallout: The
Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Healing Robots, p.34). Your carry weight is 150 lbs., and cannot be increased by
your Strength or perks, but it can be increased by modified armor. You move by bipedal motion and can manipulate your envi-
ronment using your actuated three-fingered claw-like hands.

You have chain-powered limbs, built for speed and deadly efficiency in close-quarters fighting, giving you +1 C
D to unarmed
attacks in addition to any bonus C
D on melee attacks you receive from your Strength attribute. A powerful laser is integrated
into your armored head, allowing you to target foes at range with a powerful energy weapon and you have the ability to criti-
cally overload your fusion core, initiating a devasting self-destructive explosion (see Assaultron Weapons).

Assaultron Weapons
WEAPON EFFECT

You make unarmed attacks with a pair of apposable chain-powered claws. The claws inflict 4 C
D
Claws Physical damage and can benefit from your melee damage-derived statistic and perks for unarmed
attacks (the damage bonus from your trait has already been calculated).

You charge up the high-yield laser emitter in your head, dealing 5 C

D Piercing 1 Energy damage,
consuming 2 shots of fusion cell ammunition. You may reduce the number of shots consumed,
Assaultron
reducing the damage by -1 C
D for each shot consumed fewer than normal (for a minimum of 4 C
D
Head Laser
and 1 shot consumed). Capacitor mods can increase the damage and shots consumed (see Settler's
Guide Book, p.92).
You explode and are destroyed in the process. You cannot be repaired. When you make this
Self-
attack, you make a ranged attack using END + Explosives, dealing 6 C
D Energy damage, with
Destruct
the Blast effect, at Close range.

24 Chapter 1  WANDERER CHARACTERS

STEP 2: INCREASE S.P.E.C.I.A.L. ATTRIBUTES
S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
At the beginning of creating your character, every

Attribute Arrays
S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute starts with a rank of 5 (unless
your origin in Step 1: Origin alters this). You have 5
points to spend to increase your attributes, and each Some players favor balance over specializing too much,
point spent increases a single attribute by 1. Use these while others prefer to focus their characters in a singular
points to buy ranks in any S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute. purpose, maximizing their attributes and skills in one task at
the expense of versatility. You can use the pre-created arrays
No attribute may be increased above 10, although your below to assign values to your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes, in
Origin may alter this maximum for some attributes. any order. These values already include the starting 5 points,
You may reduce a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute rank to 4, to but do not account for your character’s origin.
gain a point to spend on another S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute.
ƒ Balanced: 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5
Your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes provide part of your ƒ Focused: 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4
target number for skill tests, and contribute to most of ƒ Specialized: 9, 8, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4
your derived statistics.

STEP 3: TAG SKILLS AND BUY SKILL RANKS

Next, choose three skills to be your tag skills. Tag
skills are the most important skills to your character,
and represent specific areas of expertise and knowl-
edge that your character possesses. Your origin may
grant you an additional tag skill.

When using a tag skill, you score a critical success on

any die which rolls equal to or under the skill’s rank
(see Critical Successes, p.14).

Each of your tag skills begins at rank 2. Every other

skill begins at rank 0.

You may then buy ranks in your other skills. You have
a total number of skill points equal to 9 plus your
Intelligence, and each skill point may be spent to
buy one rank in any skill. During character creation,
you cannot increase any skill to a rank above 3, unless
you’re creating a character of level 3 or above.

Skills have a maximum rank of 6. You cannot increase

a skill rank above 6 by any means.

FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game 25

STEP 4: CHOOSE YOUR FIRST PERK
A character is more than the sum of their parts, and a STRENGTH PERKS
character’s attributes and skills alone do not give a full
picture of what they are truly capable of. Your char-
acter has an edge, called perks. Perks are the specific
ADRENALINE RUSH
advantages of your personal approach to challenges. Ranks: 1
They take the form of a mechanical bonus—re-rolls, Requirements: STR 7
bonus Action Points, or skill substitutions—that apply
to a specific circumstance. When your health is below its
maximum value, you count your
Many perks have one or more requirements. These STR score as 10 for all purposes
requirements must be met before you can select the when attempting a STR-based
perk for your character, like having a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. skill test or melee attack.
attribute at a minimum rank.

Each perk has a condition and a benefit. The condition ARMORER

describes the circumstances in which the perk can be Ranks: 4
used, and the benefit describes what you can do with Requirements: STR 5, INT 6
the perk.
You can modify armor
You can choose a single perk from the perks list with armor mods.
that you meet the requirements for. Some perks Each rank in this perk
have multiple ranks which can be selected—each unlocks an additional
rank counts as a single perk choice during character rank of mods: rank 1
creation and progression. unlocks rank 1 mods,
rank 2 unlocks rank 2

Level Requirements mods, etc.

Where a perk says “the level requirement increases by X”, it Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
means that as you take the perk through character creation increases by 4.
or advancement, the level requirement to take the next rank
increases each time by the number of levels stated.
BARBARIAN
For example, if you take the Life Giver perk at level 5, you Ranks: 1
must be level 10 to take the second rank, and level 15 to Requirements: STR 7, Level 4+, not a robot
take the third rank. You could also take the Life Giver perk at
level 9, and then the second rank at level 10, because you Your physical Damage
meet the requirements both times. Resistance increases on all hit
locations based on your STR.
You do not gain this benefit
while wearing Power Armor.

ƒ STR 7–8: +1 physical DR

ƒ STR 9–10: +2 physical DR
ƒ STR 11+: +3 physical DR

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 59

BASHER
Ranks: 1 BLOCKER
Requirements: STR 6
Ranks: 3
Requirements: STR 6, Level 1+
When you make a melee
attack by bashing with your
At rank 1, when you are struck
gun
by a melee attack, count your
(see p.111), your attack
Physical damage resistance
gains the Vicious damage effect
or Energy damage resistance
(according to the attack’s dam-
age) as +1 higher. At rank 2, this
extra resistance increases to +2.
BIG LEAGUES
At rank 3, it increases to +3.
Ranks: 1
Requirements: STR 8 Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 5.
When you make a melee
attack with a two-handed
BULLET SHIELD
melee weapon, the
weapon gains the Vicious Ranks: 3

damage effect. Requirements: STR 8, Level 8+

When you are wielding a big gun, increase your dam-

BLACKSMITH
age resistance by +2. At rank 2, this increases to +3. At
Ranks: 3
rank 3, this increases to +4.
Requirements: STR 6, Level 2+

Each time you

You can modify
take this perk, the
melee weapons
level requirement
with weapon mods.
increases by 6.
Each rank in this
perk unlocks an
additional rank
of melee weapon
mods: rank 1
unlocks rank 1 mods, rank 2 unlocks rank 2 mods, and
rank 3 unlocks rank 3 mods. Each time you take this perk,
the level requirement increases by 4

60 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

GLADIATOR IRON FIST
Ranks: 3 Ranks: 2
Requirements: STR 6, Level Requirements: STR 6, Level 1+
2+
At rank 1, your unarmed attacks inflict
When you are wielding a +1D
C damage. At rank 2,
one-handed melee weapon, your unarmed attacks also gain
increase the weapon’s dam-
the Vicious damage effect. Each
age by +1 C
D . At rank 2, this time you take this perk, the level
increases to +2 C
D . At rank requirement increases by 5.
3, this increases to +3 C
D.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

increases by 5.

HEAVE HO! LOCK AND LOAD

Ranks: 1
Ranks: 3
Requirements: STR 8
Requirements: STR 7,
Level 7+
When you make a thrown weapon
attack, you may spend
When you are wielding a big gun with a Fire Rate of
1 AP to increase the Range of
2 or higher, the weapon’s Fire Rate is increased by +1.
the weapon by one step—from
At rank 2, the weapon’s Fire Rate is increased by +2
Close to Medium, or from Medium
instead.
to Long.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

INCISOR increases by 5.
Ranks: 2
Requirements: STR 6, Level 2+ MARTIAL
ARTIST
When you are wielding a melee weapon, the weapon Ranks: 1
gains the Piercing 1 damage effect, or adds +1 to the Requirements:
rating of any Piercing X damage effect the weapon STR 6, Level 8+
already had. At rank 2, this increases to Piercing 2, or
adding +2 to any Piercing X damage effect the weapon When you make a
already had. melee attack, you
may take an additional major action by spending 1 AP
Each time you take rather than 2 AP, so long as this additional action is
this perk, the level also a melee attack with the same weapon or another
requirement increases currently equipped weapon.
by 9.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 61

PACK RAT PIERCING STRIKE
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: STR 6, Requirements: STR 7
Level 4+
Your attacks using unarmed
Junk items you carry attacks and bladed melee
count as half of their listed weapons gain the Piercing 1
weight.. damage effect, or add +1 to
the rating of any Piercing X
damage effect they already had.
PAIN TRAIN
Ranks: 2 SCATTERSHOT
Requirements: STR 9, END 7, Level 1+ Ranks: 1
Requirements: STR 7, Level 10+
You may Charge as a major action if you are wearing
Power Armor or are a super mutant. This is a move- When you make a ranged attack
ment action, and you may not Move or Sprint in the with a shotgun, you may take
same turn. When you take this action, you move into an additional major action by
reach of an enemy within Medium range (1 zone) and spending 1 AP rather than 2 AP,
make a STR + Athletics test with a difficulty of 2. If so long as this additional action
you succeed, the enemy suffers damage equal to your is also a ranged attack with the
normal unarmed damage, and is knocked prone. same shotgun.

At rank 2, you add +1 D

C and the Stun damage effect SHOTGUN SURGEON
to the damage inflicted. At the GM’s discretion, Ranks: 1
especially large or sturdy creatures cannot be knocked Requirements: STR 5, AGI 7
prone by this action. Each time you take this perk, the
level requirement increases by 5. Your ranged attacks using shotguns
gain the Piercing 1 damage effect, or
add +1 to any Piercing X damage effect
the weapon already had.

SLAYER
Ranks: 1
Requirements: STR 8

When you inflict any damage

with an unarmed attack or
melee weapon, you may spend
1 Luck point to immediately
PARALYZING PALM inflict a critical hit—and
Ranks: 1 therefore an injury—on
Requirements: STR 8 the location hit.

When you make an unarmed

attack, and choose to strike a
specific location, your attack
gains the Stun damage effect.

62 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

STEADY AIM
Ranks: 1
PERCEPTION PERKS
Requirements:
STR 8, AGI 7 ARCHER
Ranks: 3
When you take the Aim
Requirements: PER 6, Level 1+
minor action, you may
either re-roll 2d20 on the first attack
When you are wielding a bow or
you make this turn, or re-roll 1d20 crossbow, increase the weapon’s
on all attacks you make this turn. D . At rank 2, this
damage by +1 C

STRONG BACK increases to +2 C

D . At rank 3,
this increases to +3 C
D.
Ranks: 3
Requirements: STR 5, Level 1+
Each time you take this perk,
the level requirement increases
Your maximum carry weight is
by 7.
increased by +25 lbs., per rank.
Each time you take this perk, the
level requirement increases by 2. AWARENESS
Ranks: 1
STURDY FRAME Requirements: PER 7

Ranks: 3
When you take the Aim
Requirements: STR 8, Level 5+
minor action at a target
within Close range, you spot
Armor you are wearing—except
their weaknesses and can attack more efficiently. The
for Power Armor—counts as
next attack you make against that target gains the
three-quarters of its listed
Piercing 1 damage effect, or improves the rating of
weight. At rank 2, armor worn
any existing Piercing X damage effect by 1.
counts as half its listed weight.
At rank 3, armor worn counts as
one-quarter its listed weight. BOW BEFORE ME
Ranks: 1
Each time you take this perk, Requirements: PER 8, Level 4+
the level requirement increases by 8.
When you are wielding a bow or
TERRIFYING PRESENCE crossbow, the weapon gains the
Ranks: 2 Piercing 1 damage effect, or adds
Requirements: STR 6, CHA 8, Level 3+ +1 to the rating of any Piercing
X damage effect the weapon
When you make a Speech test to already had.
threaten or scare someone, you
may re-roll 1d20.
BUTCHER’S
At rank 2, you may use a major BOUNTY
action in combat to threaten an Ranks: 3
enemy within Medium range, Requirements: PER 8,
using a STR + Speech test with Level 3+
a difficulty of 2. If you succeed, that enemy must move
away from you during their next turn (though they When you successfully butcher a dead animal, you
can take any other actions they wish). Each time you may roll +1 C
D, and find additional portions of meat
take this perk, the level requirement increases by 5. (as noted in the creature’s stat block) equal to the total
rolled. At rank 2, this increases to +2 C
D. At rank 3,
this increases to 3 C
D.
CAUTIOUS NATURE DEMOLITION EXPERT
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 7 Requirements: PER 6, LCK 6

Whenever you attempt a skill When you make

test, and you buy one or more an attack using a
d20s by spending Action Points, weapon with the
you may re-roll 1d20 on that test. Blast quality, the
You may not purchase this perk if attack gains the
you have Daring Nature. Vicious damage effect.
In addition, you unlock explosives recipes which
CONCENTRATED FIRE have this perk as a requirement.

Ranks: 1 FIRE IN THE HOLE

Requirements: PER 8, AGI 6 Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 8,
When you make a ranged attack and spend ammu- Level 8+
nition to increase the damage, you may re-roll up to
3C
D for your damage roll. When you make a
ranged attack with a
thrown weapon with the
Blast quality, the base
difficulty of the attack is
1, rather than 2.

GHOST
Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 5, AGI 6
CRACK SHOT
Ranks: 2 Whenever you attempt an AGI +
Requirements: PER 7, Level 7+ Sneak test in shadows or dark-
ness, the first additional d20 you
When you make a ranged attack buy is free. The normal maximum
with a one-handed ranged of 5d20 still applies.
weapon, and you aimed before
the attack, the weapon’s range GLOW SIGHT
increases by one step (i.e., from Ranks: 3
Close to Medium, or from Requirements: PER 8, Level 3+
Medium to Long). At rank 2, the
weapon also gains the Accurate
quality if it didn’t possess it
already.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

increases by +7.
When you make an attack against a Glowing enemy,
you inflict +1 C
D damage. At rank 2, this increases to
+2 C
D. At rank 3, this increases to +3 C
D.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

increases by +8.

64 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

GREEN THUMB MELTDOWN
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 4, Requirements: PER 10
Level 4
When you kill an enemy with an energy weapon, they
When you spend explode. Roll a number of D
C equal to half the
time foraging and weapon’s damage rating (round down). For each Effect
roll on the Foraging rolled, one creature within Close range of the explod-
table (Fallout: The ing enemy (starting with the closest) suffers energy
Roleplaying Game Core damage equal to the total rolled on the D
C.
Rulebook, p.202), you gather 2 items, plus an additional
2 for every AP
spent.

INFILTRATOR
Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 8

When you attempt a Lockpick skill

test to unlock a door or container, NIGHT EYES
you may re-roll 1d20. Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 8, Level 7+
LASER COMMANDER
Ranks: 2
Requirements: PER 8, Level 2+

When you make an attack with a

ranged energy weapon, the damage is
increased by +1 D
C per rank in this
perk. Each time you take this perk, the level
require-ment increases by 4.

MASTER THIEF
When you are trying to avoid attention or hide from
Ranks: 1 an enemy, you may ignore difficulty increases to tests
Requirements: PER 8, AGI 9 caused by poor lighting or darkness.

When you are attempting

to pick a lock or pickpocket NIGHT PERSON
somebody, the difficulty of Ranks: 1
the opponent’s skill test to Requirements: PER 7
detect you increases by +1.
You reduce any difficulty
increases due to darkness
by 1.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 65

PATHFINDER
Ranks: 1 Pickin’ Pockets
Requirements: PER 6, END 6 Stealing an item carried by someone else, or secreting an
item upon their person, is a surprisingly valuable survival
When traveling over long trick in the wasteland, and it’s useful to have some sense of
distances through the how easy or difficult a given theft is likely to be.
wilderness, a successful
PER + Survival test (with Picking pockets is an AGI + Sneak test, with a base diffi-
a difficulty determined culty of 1. Success allows you to take an item weighing 1lb
by the GM, based on the terrain) or less from another character’s pockets, belt pouches, etc.,
reduces the travel or to place an item of that size into a pocket, etc., without
time by half. being detected. Failure means your attempt was noticed.

If the item you’re stealing/planting weighs more than 1 lb.,

PICKPOCKET then the difficulty increases by 1. If it weighs more than 10
Ranks: 3 lbs., then the difficulty increases by 2 instead. Similarly,
Requirements: PER 8, AGI 8, Level 1+ especially talented pickpockets can remove small items a
person is wearing—such as stealing a wristwatch during a
At rank 1, you can ignore the first handshake—this test is also at +1 difficulty.
complication you roll when you make
an AGI + Sneak test to steal an object Picking pockets can become an opposed test if the target is
from someone else’s person or to plant wary or suspicious.
something on them.

At rank 2, you can re-roll 1d20 in your dice pool when

attempting to pick someone’s pocket.

At rank 3, you reduce the difficulty of attempts to pick

someone’s pocket by 1.
SNIPER
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement Ranks: 1
increases by 3. Requirements: PER 8, AGI 6

REFRACTOR When you take the Aim minor action, and then make
Ranks: 2 a ranged attack with a two-handed weapon with the
Requirements: PER 6, LCK 7, Level 1+ Accurate quality, you can specify a hit location to tar-
get without increasing the difficulty of the attack.
Your energy Damage Resistance to all
hit locations increases by +1 per rank
in this perk. Each time you take this
perk, the level requirement increases by 4.

66 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

TRUE FRIENDS AQUABOY/AQUAGIRL
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 2
Requirements: PER 6, Requirements: END 5, Level 1+
CHA 6
Water is your ally. At rank 1, you no longer take radia-
Making friends is second tion damage from swimming in irradiated water, and
nature for you, and more you can hold your breath for twice as long as normal.
importantly the friend-
ships that you form are At rank 2, enemies add +2 to the difficulty to tests
stronger than most. At to detect you while you are submerged underwater.
rank 1, when a reputation test results in decreasing Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
your reputation with a faction or settlement, you can increases by 3.
roll a number of C
D equal to your current reputation.
If you roll at least one Effect your reputation does not
change. You must increase your reputation by 1 before
you can use this perk with the same faction or settle-
ment again.

At rank 2, when you perform an action that would

increase the affinity with an individual, faction, or
settlement you can roll a CHA + Speech test with a
difficulty of 3. With a success, you can instead increase
the infinity by 2. With a failure on the test, the affinity CANNIBAL
does not change. You must increase the affinity by 1 Ranks: 3
before you can use this perk with the same target. Requirements: END 8,
Level 10+, not a robot

ENDURANCE PERKS
You may attempt to butcher a dead human, requiring
an END + Survival test with a difficulty of 0. Success
ADAMANTIUM SKELETON
yields one portion of human flesh, which you may
Ranks: 3
immediately consume. To you, human flesh counts
Requirements: END 7, Level 1+
as a food item which restores 4 HP and is Irradiated
(roll 1 C
D and suffer 1 Radiation damage if an Effect is
When you suffer damage, the amount
rolled). Consuming human flesh is regarded as abhor-
of damage needed to inflict a critical
rent by most people and is a crime in most settle-
hit on you increases by your rank in
ments. At rank 2, you may also butcher ghouls in this
this perk. For example, if you have
way. At rank 3, you may also butcher super mutants in
one rank in this perk, you suffer a critical hit from 6
this way.
or more damage, rather than 5 or more. Each time you
take this perk, the level requirement increases by 3.
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by +9. Super mutants may ignore the level
requirement for the first rank only.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 67

 DROMEDARY
Dark Cravings Ranks: 1
Cannibalism can be addictive: after consuming human flesh,
roll C
D equal to the number of times you’ve eaten human Requirements: END 7, Level
flesh this session. If two or more Effects are rolled, you are 3+, not a robot
addicted.
When you drink a beverage,
While addicted, no food will satisfy your hunger other than it moves your Thirst state
human flesh (which moves you immediately to the sated back up towards quenched by
state) and after four hours of being sated, you immediately one more step than normal
gain 1 Fatigue and become starving, skipping the interven- (i.e., by two steps, or by three
ing states. if you drink purified water).

This can be cured in the same way as other addictions.

FAST METABOLISM
CHEM RESISTANT Ranks: 3
Requirements: END 6, Level 1+, not a
Ranks: 2
robot
Requirements: END 7, Level 1+

When you regain one or more HP

At rank 1, roll one fewer C
D
from any source other than rest,
when determining if you
increase the total HP regained
become addicted to chems,
by +1 per rank in this perk. Each
to a minimum of 0.
time you take this perk, the level
requirement increases by 3.
At rank 2, you cannot become addicted to chems. Each
time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 4. FASTER HEALING
Ranks: 1
COLA NUT
Requirements: END 6, not a robot
Ranks: 1
Requirements: END 6, Level When you make an END + Survival
14+, not a robot test to heal your own injuries, the first
When you drink a Nuka-Cola additional d20 you buy is free. The
beverage, you regain twice as normal maximum of 5d20 still applies.
many HP as normal.
FIREPROOF
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER Ranks: 3
Ranks: 3 Requirements: END 6, Level 7+
Requirements: CHA 5, END 5, Level 1+
You gain +1 Energy damage
resistance against Flamers,
Even in the worst of days, you find a way to bring Molotov Cocktails, and other
people’s spirits up and maintain a thriving settlement. fire-based weapons, as well as
For each rank of this perk, your community gains +1 any weapons with the Blast
Food and +1 Defense per day so long as the resource quality. At rank 2, this increases
is maintained by at least one person. Additionally to +2. At rank 3, this increases
add +1 D
C for the settlement actions Hunting and to +3.
Gathering as well as Scavenging.
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement increases by +7.
increases by 3.

68 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

GHOULISH HOMEBODY
Ranks: 3 Ranks: 2
Requirements: Requirements: END 6,
END 9, Level 7+, Level 5+
not a ghoul or
robot You do not need to sleep
while in a settlement you
Like a ghoul, belong to recuperate.
your body heals when you’re exposed to radiation.
You regain 1 HP for every 4 Radiation damage you At rank 1, when you spend
an hour in a settlement you belong to or manage, roll
suffer. At rank 2, you instead regain 1 HP for every 3
Radiation damage you suffer. At rank 3, you instead a number of C
D equal to your Endurance rank, and
heal 1 HP for every 2 Radiation damage you suffer. regain its result in HP.
Your maximum HP is still reduced by Radiation
damage. At rank 2, you regain an additional hit point per Effect
rolled. Whenever you make an END + Survival test
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement to recover from an injury, the difficulty is reduced to
increases by +8. a maximum of 2 (light activity on the Injury Recovery
Difficulty table, Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core
Rulebook, p.35).
HAPPY
CAMPER
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
Ranks: 2
increases by 5..
Requirements: CHA
7, END 6, Level 3+ HUNTER
Ranks: 1
At rank 1, if your Requirements: END 6
hunger state is full
or sated, and you have set up a camp with a source of When you make an attack against
heat like a campfire, your hunger does not deteriorate. an NPC with one of the Mammal,
Lizard, or Insect key-words and
At rank 2, if your thirst state is quenched or hydrated, the Mutated keyword, your attack
and you have set up a camp with a source of heat like a gains the Vicious damage effect, if
campfire, your thirst does not deteriorate. it did not already have that effect.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement IRONCLAD
increases by 4. Ranks: 3
Requirements: END 7, Level 5+

While wearing armor (except

Power Armor), add +1 to your
Physical damage resistance and
Energy damage resistance. At
rank 2, this increases to +2. At
rank 3, this increases to +3.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

increases by +5.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 69

LEAD BELLY PAIN TRAIN
Ranks: 2 Ranks: 2
Requirements: END 6, Level 1+ Requirements: STR 9, END 7, Level 1+

At rank 1, you may re-roll the C

D You may Charge as a major action if you are wearing
to determine if you suffer radiation Power Armor or are a super mutant. This is a move-
damage from irradiated food or ment action, and you may not Move or Sprint in the
drink. At rank 2, you are immune to same turn. When you take this action, you move into
radiation damage from consuming reach of an enemy within Medium range (1 zone) and
irradiated food or drink. Each time make a STR + Athletics test with a difficulty of 2. If
you take this perk, the level require- you succeed, the enemy suffers damage equal to your
ment increases by 4. normal unarmed damage, and is knocked prone.

NATURAL RESISTANCE At rank 2, you add +1 D

C and the Stun damage effect
Ranks: 1 to the damage inflicted. At the GM’s discretion,
Requirements: END 7, especially large or sturdy creatures cannot be knocked
Level 10+ prone by this action. Each time you take this perk, the
level requirement increases by 5.
Breathing in toxic fumes
and sleeping rough on the
ground no longer poses
a risk for you to catch a
disease.

NOCTURNAL
FORTITUDE
Ranks: 1
Requirements: END 6,
Level 12, not a robot

At night, your maximum HP is PARTY BOY/PARTY GIRL

increased by an amount equal to Ranks: 1
your END. When you increase Requirements: END 6, CHA 7
your maximum HP, you gain
the same amount of additional current You cannot become
HP.When the effect ends, your maximum HP is addicted to alcoholic
reduced back to normal, but your current HP remains drinks, and whenever you
unchanged unless it is above your maximum (in which drink an alcoholic drink,
case, it is reduced to your maximum). you heal +2 HP.

70 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

PATHFINDER RADICOOL
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 6, END 6 Requirements: END 6, Level 12+, not immune to
Radiation
When traveling over long
distances through the When you have Radiation damage equal to one-quar-
wilderness, a successful ter or more of your maximum HP, you may re-roll
PER + Survival test (with 1d20 on all STR-based tests and add +1 C
D to the
a difficulty determined damage of your melee attacks. If you have Radiation
by the GM, based on the terrain) damage that equals half or more of your maximum
reduces the travel HP, these bonuses increase to re-rolling up to 2d20 on
time by half. STR-based tests and adding +2 C
D to melee attack
damage. If you have Radiation damage equal to three-
PHOTOSYNTHETIC quarters of your maximum HP, you may re-roll up to

Ranks: 2 3d20 on STR-based tests and add +3 C

D to melee
Requirements: END 7, attack damage.
Level 5+

When you are in direct

sunlight you regenerate
1 HP every hour. At rank
2 you regenerate 2 HP every
hour in direct sunlight.
REJUVENATED
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
Ranks: 1
increases by 10.
Requirements: END
PYROMANIAC 7, Level 12+, not a
Ranks: 3 robot.
Requirements: END 6, Level 2+
When you are full (the
The damage you deal using fire- highest hunger
based weapons increases by +1 C
D state), your maxi-
per rank. Each time you take this mum HP increases
perk, the level requirement increases by by +2, you may re-roll 1d20 on all STR-based skill
4. tests, and being full lasts for twice as long. When
you are quenched (the highest thirst state), you may
re-roll 1d20 on all END-based skill tests, you gener-
RAD RESISTANCE
ate one free AP at the start of each of your turns in
Ranks: 2
combat, and being quenched lasts twice as long.
Requirements: END 8, Level 1+

Your radiation Damage Resistance,

to all hit locations, increases by +1
per rank in this perk. Each time you take
this perk, the level requirement increases
by 4.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 71

RETRIBUTION SLOW METABOLIZER
Ranks: 3 Ranks: 1
Requirements: END 8, Requirements: END 7,
LCK 8, Level 2+ Level 5+, not a robot

If you do not take When you eat a food

damage from an attack item, it moves your
due to your Damage Hunger state back up
Reduction (DR), recover towards full by one more
+1 HP and add 1 AP to step than normal (i.e., by
the group pool. This effect can only trigger once per two steps for uncooked
round of combat per rank you have in this perk. food, or by three for
cooked food).
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 5. SNAKEATER
Ranks: 1

REVENANT Requirements: END 7

Ranks: 1
Your poison Damage Resistance
Requirements: END 8, Level 12+
increases by +2.

When you are revived, increase

the damage of all your attacks by
+2 C
D for the remainder of the
scene, or until you are reduced to
0 HP again.

SIZE MATTERS
Ranks: 3
Requirements: END 7, AGI 6

When you make a ranged attack with any heavy

weapon, you add +1 C
D to the weapon’s damage, per
rank. Each time you take this perk, the level
require-ment increases by 4.

SOLAR POWERED
Ranks: 1
Requirements: END 7

For every hour you spend in direct sunlight, you heal 1

radiation damage.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

TAKING ONE FOR TINKERER
THE TEAM Ranks: 1
Ranks: 3 Requirements:
Requirements: END 5, INT 5
END 7, CHA 6,
Level 1+ You reduce the
difficulty of
At rank 1, whenever a repairing a robot
creature NPC would roll through the first
to damage an ally in the aid action to the
same zone as you, roll 1 C
D . On any result other than number of injuries
Effect, you take the damage from the attack instead. that it has sus-
This effect can only trigger once per round of combat tained, increasing the difficulty of the test by +1 if you
per rank you have in this perk. are attempting to repair yourself.

At rank 2, if you take damage from the attack after Additionally, you can tinker and clean a robot for up
calculating damage reduction, add 1 AP to the pool for to an hour, increasing the maximum HP of the robot
each rank you have in this perk. by +2 for 24 hours or until the robot sustains
an injury.
At rank 3, after you have taken the damage you and
the ally can reroll 1d20 on the next attack you make TOUGHNESS
against the target that attacked for each rank you have Ranks: 2
in this perk. Requirements: END 6, LCK 6,
Level 1+
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
Your physical Damage
increases by 4.
Resistance to all hit loca-
tions increases by +1 per rank
THIRST QUENCHER in this perk. Each time you take
this perk, the level requirement
Ranks: 1
increases by 4.
Requirements: END 7,
Level 6+
VACCINATED
Drinking dirty water no Ranks: 1
longer poses a risk for you Requirements: END 7, Level 16+
to catch a disease.
Taking damage
from the claws or
bite of a mammal,
lizard, or insect
no longer poses
a risk for you to
catch a disease.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 BODYGUARDS
CHARISMA PERKS
Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 8,
ANIMAL FRIEND
Level 5+
Ranks: 2
Requirements: CHA 6, Level 1+
Each player character
and companion (other
At rank 1, whenever a creature NPC with
than you) within
the Mammal, Lizard, or Insect keyword
Close range of you
would attack you, roll 1 D
C : on any result increases your Damage
other than an Effect, the creature chooses Resistance and Energy Resistance by +1.
not to attack you, although it may still
attack another character it can target. CAP COLLECTOR
Ranks: 1
BLACK WIDOW/LADY KILLER Requirements: CHA 5
Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 6 When you buy or sell items, you
may increase or decrease the price
The Black Widow perk affects of the goods being traded by 10%.
men and masculine characters,
while the Lady Killer perk
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
affects women and feminine
characters—they are otherwise Ranks: 3
identical. When you attempt a Requirements: CHA 5, END 5, Level 1+
CHA based skill test to influ-
ence a character of the chosen gender, you may re-roll
1d20. In addition, your attacks inflict +1 D
C additional
damage against characters of the chosen gender.

BLOODSUCKER
Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 6, Level Even in the worst of days, you find a way to bring
11+ people’s spirits up and maintain a thriving settlement.
For each rank of this perk, your community gains +1
Consuming a Blood Pack (including Glowing Blood Food and +1 Defense per day so long as the resource
Packs and Irradiated Blood) now heals twice as many is maintained by at least one person. Additionally
HP and moves your Thirst state back up towards add +1 C
D for the settlement actions Hunting and
quenched by one step. When consuming Irradiated
Gathering as well as Scavenging.
Blood, you now only roll 1 C
D to determine Radiation
damage. Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 3.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

CONTRACTOR Dogmeat
Ranks: 3 Level 1, Mammal, Normal Creature
Requirements: BODY MIND MELEE GUNS OTHER
CHA 5, INT 5,
5 4 2 — 1
Level 2+

When building HP INITIATIVE DEFENSE

structures for your 6 As PC 1

settlement, you
know how to make the process faster, cheaper, and CARRY WEIGHT MELEE BONUS

overall more efficient. At rank 1, when you start con- 50 lbs. —

structing something, you can reduce the number of
PHYS. DR ENERGY DR RAD. DR POISON DR
materials required to construct something by half (to
a minimum of 1 unit of each material type), decreas- 0 0 0 0
ing the overall Happiness by 2. You can double the
ATTACKS
amount of construction time required to ignore the
reduction in Happiness. ƒ BITE: BODY + Melee (TN 7),
2 C
D Vicious, Physical damage
At rank 2, you can have a person take a settlement
SPECIAL ABILITIES
action to construct an object even if they do not have
ƒ KEEN SENSES: One or more of Dogmeat’s senses
the required skill. Doing so reduces the settlement’s
are especially keen; they can attempt to detect
overall Happiness by 1. If you have at least one person
creatures or objects, which characters normally
working on the construction object that has the skill,
cannot, and they reduce the difficulty of all other
then you can ignore the reduction in Happiness.
PER tests by 1 (to a minimum of 0).

ƒ ATTACK DOG: When Dogmeat assists on one of

At rank 3, you can have a person take a settlement
your attacks, he must move within Reach of the
action to construct an object even if they do not have
target, and he inflicts his own melee damage on
the required perk, but at least one person working on
the target if the attack is successful.
the object still must have the perk.
ƒ COMPANION: Dogmeat’s level is the same
as yours and increases whenever you level
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
up.Increase either Dogmeat’s Body or Mind by
increases by 4.
+1 when you reach level 3 or any odd-numbered
level after that. Increase Dogmeat’s HP by +1 per
level, and with any increases to Body. Increase
DOGMEAT Dogmeat’s bite damage by +1 C
D at 5th level
and every 5 levels beyond that.
Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 5

You aren’t alone in the wilderness. You have a pet dog

that serves as a friend and ally in dangerous times.
The dog has the profile shown to the side and is
treated as an allied NPC creature under your com-
mand (see p.338). If you need to forage for food and
water, your dog looks after themselves. If your dog is
slain, then you either find a new dog before the next
adventure, or you may trade this perk for a different
one after this adventure.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 FIELD SURGEON HEALING HANDS
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 8, INT 8, Requirements: CHA 8,
Level 15+ INT 7, Level 18+

When you use a Stimpak When you succeed at

(including Diluted Stimpak a First Aid action in
or Super Stimpak) as part of a combat to stabilize a
First Aid action, you may heal dying ally, that ally
3 HP per AP spent. When you also removes Radiation
use RadAway (including diluted damage equal to your
RadAway) as part of a First Aid Medicine skill rank.
action, you may remove one
additional Radiation damage
HIRED HELP
per AP spent. Ranks: 1
Requirements:
HAPPY CHA 7, don’t already
CAMPER have a companion

Ranks: 2
Some wastelanders are
Requirements: CHA
lone wanderers—not
7, END 6, Level 3+
you! You gain the ability
to recruit a humanoid
At rank 1, if your
companion. You gain an allied NPC creature that
hunger state is full
follows your commands (Fallout: The Roleplaying Game
or sated, and you have set up a camp with a source of
Core Rulebook, p.338). Your companion can care for
heat like a campfire, your hunger does not deteriorate.
their own food and beverages, and they recover from
injuries as a player character would and can benefit
At rank 2, if your thirst state is quenched or hydrated,
from healing.
and you have set up a camp with a source of heat like a
campfire, your thirst does not deteriorate.
Options for companions for this perk can be found
later in Chapter 3: Companions and Automatrons, p.62. If
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
your companion is slain, you can recruit a new com-
increases by 4.
panion before the next quest, or you may trade this
perk for a different one after this quest.
HAPPY GO LUCKY
Ranks: 1
INSPIRATIONAL
Requirements: CHA 9, Level 17+
Ranks: 1

The first time in a scene when Requirements: CHA 8

you consume an alcoholic bev-

erage, regain 1 Luck point, up to Because you lead by example, the maximum number

your normal maximum number of AP the group may save is increased by 1.

of Luck points.

Each time you take this perk,

the level requirement increases
by +6.l rank.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

JUNKTOWN JERKY VENDOR MECHANICAL MENACE/CLASS FREAK
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 8 Requirements: CHA 6, INT 5

The difficulty of any CHA + The Mechanical Menace perk

Barter test you attempt to buy affects robots, while the Class
or sell goods is reduced by 1, Freak perk affects mutated
to a minimum of 0. humans—they are otherwise
identical. Whenever a creature
LOCAL LEADER NPC with the chosen keyword

Ranks: 2 would attack you, roll 1 C

D. On
Requirements: CHA 6, any result other than an effect,
level 2+ the creature chooses not to
attack you. However, it may still
You are the person that attack another character it can
people turn to, and target. In addition, when you
with that have a certain attempt a CHA based skill to
amount of influence influence a character with the applicable keyword, you
may re-roll 1d20.
on the development
of settlements and communities. At rank 1, you can OVERLY GENEROUS
establish a supply line between two settlements you
Ranks: 1
have a reputation rank of at least Friendly (3) with (see
Requirements: CHA 7, Level 12+, not immune to
Chapter 2: Settlements, All of the Comforts of Home, p.52).
radiation

To establish a supply line, you must have at least one

When you have Radiation damage equal to or greater
available settler in either settlement to make the
than one-quarter your maximum HP, your melee
shipments. Once established, any available supplies or
attacks gain the Radioactive damage effect.
resources in one settlement can be made available in
another settlement so long as that settlement’s
Happiness is greater than the number of people in the
settlement.

At rank 2, you can request the construction of var-

ious stores and crafting tables in a settlement. This
rank is required for a settlement to add Trading
Stores, Clothing Stores, Armor Stores, Weapon
Stores, Drinking Establishments, and Medical
Establishments, as well as an Armor Workbench,
Chemistry Station, Cooking Station, Power
PARTY BOY/PARTY GIRL
Armor Station, Weapons Workbench, and a Robot
Ranks: 1
Workbench.
Requirements: END 6, CHA 7

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

You cannot become
increases by 5.
addicted to alcoholic
drinks, and whenever you
drink an alcoholic drink,
you heal +2 HP.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 QUACK SURGEON SMOOTH TALKER
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA Requirements:
7, Level 12+ CHA 6

When you attempt a When you make a Barter

First Aid action on or Speech test as part of an
an ally, you may use opposed test, you may re-roll
an alcoholic beverage 1d20.
on your patient as part of
the action. The patient heals additional HP equal to SPIRITUAL
the amount the beverage normally heals, if any, and HEALER
allows you to heal 2 HP per AP spent. The ally also Ranks: 3
receives the benefits (and drawbacks) of consuming Requirements:
the beverage. CHA 7, Level 6+

RESPONDER
When you succeed at a First Aid action
Ranks: 3 to stabilize a dying ally, you regain 1 HP.
Requirements: CHA 8, At rank 2, you regain 2 HP, and a further 2 HP at the
INT 7, Level 9+ start of your next turn. At rank 3, you regain 3 HP, and
you regain 3 HP at the start of your next two turns.
When you succeed at a First Aid action in combat to
stabilize a dying ally, you no longer need to spend 1 Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
AP to wake them from unconsciousness. In addition, increases by +9.
the patient heals 2 HP at the start of their next turn.
SQUAD
At rank 2, they heal 4 HP at the start of their next two
MANEUVERS
turns. At rank 3, they heal 6 HP at the start of their
next three turns. Ranks: 2
Requirements:

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement CHA 7

increases by +7.
At rank 1, whenever

SCOUNDREL you travel across the

wastes at a hurried pace, you can maintain that pace
Ranks: 1
for one additional hour by passing a CHA + Survival
Requirements: CHA 7
test with a difficulty of 1, and one further additional
hour by spending 2 AP (for a maximum of 3 hours at a
When you make a
hurried pace).
CHA + Speech test to
convince someone of a
At rank 2, you can coordinate your allies to join you in
lie, you may ignore the
combat. When you spend 1 AP to take an additional
first complication you roll.
Move minor action, you can move an ally in the zone
you end your movement in to within reach of you by
spending another 1 AP.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

SUPPRESSOR TENDERIZER
Ranks: 3 Ranks: 3
Requirements: CHA 6, Level Requirements: CHA 7,
10+ Level 8+

When you successfully attack When you hit an enemy with a melee or ranged attack,
an enemy, you may spend 1 AP you may spend 1 AP to make them vulnerable until the
to suppress them until the end end of their next turn. While vulnerable, any attack
of their next turn. A suppressed enemy reduces the D. At
made against that enemy is increased by +1 C
D. At rank
damage they inflict with their attacks by 1 C rank 2, a vulnerable enemy increases damage they
2, a suppressed enemy reduces the damage they inflict receive by +2 C
D. At rank 3, a vulnerable enemy
D. At rank 3, a suppressed enemy reduces the
by 2 C increases damage they receive by +3 C
D.
damage they inflict by 3 C
D.
Each time you take this Perk, the level requirement
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement increases by +10.
increases by +10.
TERRIFYING PRESENCE
TAKING ONE FOR Ranks: 2
THE TEAM Requirements: STR 6, CHA 8, Level 3+
Ranks: 3
Requirements: When you make a Speech test to
END 7, CHA 6, threaten or scare someone, you
Level 1+ may re-roll 1d20.

At rank 1, whenever a At rank 2, you may use a major

creature NPC would roll action in combat to threaten an
to damage an ally in the enemy within Medium range,
using a STR + Speech test with
same zone as you, roll 1 C
D . On any result other than
a difficulty of 2. If you succeed, that enemy must move
Effect, you take the damage from the attack instead.
This effect can only trigger once per round of combat away from you during their next turn (though they
per rank you have in this perk. can take any other actions they wish). Each time you
take this perk, the level requirement increases by 5.
At rank 2, if you take damage from the attack after
calculating damage reduction, add 1 AP to the pool for
each rank you have in this perk.

At rank 3, after you have taken the damage you and

the ally can reroll 1d20 on the next attack you make
against the target that attacked for each rank you have
in this perk.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

increases by 4.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 TRUE FRIENDS At rank 1, you can craft ammunition up to rarity 1. At
rank 2, you can craft ammunition up to a rarity of 3.
Ranks: 1
Additionally, you can now dismantle ammunition
Requirements: PER 6,
gaining half of the materials normally required to
CHA 6
craft the ammunition (rounded down to a minimum
of 1). At rank 3, you can craft ammunition up to a
Making friends is second
rarity of 5. When crafting ammunition, you can roll a
nature for you, and more
importantly the friend- number of C
D equal to 6 reduced by the rarity of the
ships that you form are ammunition being crafted. Every hit rolled increases
stronger than most. At the amount of ammunition crafted by +1. For every
rank 1, when a reputation test results in decreasing effect rolled, double the amount of ammunition
your reputation with a faction or settlement, you can crafted.

roll a number of C
D equal to your current reputation.
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
If you roll at least one Effect your reputation does not
increases by 4.
change. You must increase your reputation by 1 before
you can use this perk with the same faction or settle-
CHEMIST
ment again.
Ranks: 1
Requirements: INT 7
At rank 2, when you perform an action that would
increase the affinity with an individual, faction, or
Chems you create last twice as long
settlement you can roll a CHA + Speech test with a
as normal (see p.164). In addition,
difficulty of 3. With a success, you can instead increase
you unlock chems recipes that have
the infinity by 2. With a failure on the test, the affinity
this perk as a requirement.
does not change. You must increase the affinity by 1
before you can use this perk with the same target.
COMPREHENSION
Ranks: 1
Requirements: INT 6
INTELLIGENCE PERKS
After you use the bonus gained
AMMOSMITH D.
from reading a magazine, roll 1 C
Ranks: 3 If you roll an Effect, you may use
Requirements: INT that bonus one additional time.
7, Level 2+

Sometimes you have

the wrong bullets
for the right gun,
and somehow you
make it work with the materials that you have. You can
craft a single piece of ammunition using materials at a
weapons workbench treating its rarity as its complexity
(Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, p.211).

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

CONTRACTOR FIELD SURGEON
Ranks: 1
Ranks: 3 Requirements: CHA 8, INT 8,
Requirements: Level 15+
CHA 5, INT 5,
Level 2+ When you use a Stimpak
When building (including Diluted Stimpak
structures for your or Super Stimpak) as part of a
settlement, you First Aid action, you may heal
know how to make the process faster, cheaper, and 3 HP per AP spent. When you
overall more efficient. At rank 1, when you start con- use RadAway (including diluted
structing something, you can reduce the number of RadAway) as part of a First Aid
materials required to construct something by half (to
action, you may remove one
a minimum of 1 unit of each material type), decreas-
additional Radiation damage
ing the overall Happiness by 2. You can double the
per AP spent.
amount of construction time required to ignore the
reduction in Happiness. HEALER
Ranks: 3
At rank 2, you can have a person take a settlement Requirements: INT 7, Level 1+
action to construct an object even if they do not have
the required skill. Doing so reduces the settlement’s When you heal a patient’s HP
overall Happiness by 1. If you have at least one person using the First Aid action, increase
working on the construction object that has the skill, the amount of HP healed by +1 per
then you can ignore the reduction in Happiness. rank in this perk. Each time you
take this perk, the level require-
At rank 3, you can have a person take a settlement ment increases by 5.
action to construct an object even if they do not have
HEALING HANDS
the required perk, but at least one person working on
the object still must have the perk. Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 8,
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement INT 7, Level 18+
increases by 4.
When you succeed at a First Aid action
in combat to stabilize a dying ally,
ENTOMOLOGIST
that ally also removes Radiation
Ranks: 1
damage equal to your Medicine skill
Requirements: INT 7
rank.

When you make an attack against

an NPC with the Insect keyword,
your attack gains the Piercing 1
damage effect, or improves the
rating of any Piercing X effect
the weapon has by +1.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 GUN NUT At rank 2, when you fail the INT + Repair test to
Ranks: 4 set the trap it does not misfire. Instead you succeed at
Requirements: INT 6, Level 2+ cost, and the gamemaster creates a complication
related to the trap (i.e., it is easier to spot, deals less
You can modify small guns damage, or otherwise doesn’t work as intended).
and heavy weapons with
weapon mods. Each rank Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
in this perk unlocks an increases by 5.
additional rank of weapon
mods: rank 1 unlocks rank LICENSED PLUMBER
1 mods, rank 2 unlocks rank 2 mods, etc. Each time you Ranks: 1
take this perk, the level requirement increases by 4. Requirements: INT 6, Level 5+

HACKER
Pipe weapons you use do not
Ranks: 1
have the Unreliable quality.
Requirements: INT 8

The difficulty of skill tests to hack computers is

decreased by 1, to a minimum of 0. MECHANICAL MENACE/CLASS FREAK
Ranks: 1
Requirements: CHA 6, INT 5

The Mechanical Menace perk

affects robots, while the Class
Freak perk affects mutated
humans—they are otherwise
identical. Whenever a creature
NPC with the chosen keyword
would attack you, roll 1 C
D. On
any result other than an effect,
HOME the creature chooses not to
DEFENSE attack you. However, it may still
Ranks: 2 attack another character it can
Requirements: INT target. In addition, when you
6, Level 5+ attempt a CHA based skill to influence a character
with the applicable keyword, you may re-roll 1d20.
You can set traps to
protect your prop- MEDIC
erty from intruders! At rank 1, you can craft traps from Ranks: 1
the Traps section, p.189. Traps have a complexity of 2 Requirements: INT 8
and require the components for a complexity 2 item. If
you fail the INT + Repair test, your trap misfires— When you use the First Aid action
resolve the trap’s effect against yourself. to try to treat an injury, you can
re-roll 1d20.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

NERD RAGE! POWER PATCHER
Ranks: 3 Ranks: 3
Requirements: INT 8, Level 2+ Requirements: INT 6,
Level 5+
While your health is reduced to
less than ¼ of your maximum, you When you repair
add +1 to your physical DR, the HP of a piece of
+1 to your energy DR, and +1 C
D Power Armor, repair
to the damage of all your attacks. an additional 2 HP. At
rank 2, this increases
At rank 2, this increases to +2 DR, and +2 C
D damage. to 3 HP. At rank 3, this
At rank 3, this increases to +3 DR and +3 C
D damage. increases to 4 HP.

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement

Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 5.
increases by +7

NUCLEAR PHYSICIST
Ranks: 1
POWER USER
Requirements: INT 9 Ranks: 3
Requirements: INT 9, Level 10+
Whenever you use a weapon that
inflicts radiation damage, or has the Fusion Cores you use now contain 3 additional
Radioactive damage effect, each Effect charges. At rank 2, this increases to 6 additional
you roll inflicts one additional point charges. At rank 3, this increases to 10 additional
of radiation damage. charges.

In addition, fusion cores you use have 3 additional Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
charges. increases by 10.

PHARMACIST
Ranks: 3
Requirements: INT 8, Level 2+

RadAway you administer now

heals 2 additional Radiation
damage. At rank 2, it heals an
additional 3 Radiation damage,
and at rank 3 it heals an addi-
tional 4 Radiation damage.

Each time you take this perk,

the level requirement increases by 6.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 RESPONDER ROBOTICS EXPERT
Ranks: 3
Ranks: 3
Requirements: INT 8, Level 2+
Requirements: CHA 8,
INT 7, Level 9+
At rank 1, you can modify robot
armor, weapon mounts, and
When you succeed at a First Aid action in combat to
modules with rank 1 mods. At
stabilize a dying ally, you no longer need to spend 1
rank 2 you gain access to rank 2
AP to wake them from unconsciousness. In addition,
mods, and the difficulty of tests
the patient heals 2 HP at the start of their next turn.
to repair robots is permanently
At rank 2, they heal 4 HP at the start of their next
reduced by 1. At rank 3 you gain
two turns. At rank 3, they heal 6 HP at the start of
their next three turns. access to rank 3 mods, and you can reprogram robots
to fulfil a different function or alter their behavior at
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement the discretion of the GM.
increases by +7.
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 4.
ROBOT
WRANGLER SCIENCE!
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 3
Requirements: INT Requirements: INT 6, Level 2+
5, don’t already have a
You can modify energy
companion
weapons with weapon
mods, and you can also
You choose to travel the
craft certain advanced armor mods.
wilderness with robotic
Each rank in this perk unlocks an
company. You have a
additional rank of mods: rank 1
robot companion that serves as a friend and ally in the
unlocks rank 1 mods, rank 2 unlocks rank 2 mods, etc.
hazards of the wasteland. You gain an allied NPC
creature that follows your commands (Fallout: The
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, p.338). They cannot
increases by 4
recover from injuries or heal health points without
receiving repairs (see Fallout: The Roleplaying Game
Core Rulebook, Chapter Two: Combat, Healing Robots, p.34),
but do not require food or beverages nor can they gain
STABILIZED
benefit from consuming them or using chems.
Ranks: 1
Options for robot companions for this perk can be Requirements:
found in Chapter 3: Companions and Automatrons, p.62. If INT 7, Level 16+
your robot is destroyed, you either attempt to repair it,
find or purchase a new one before the next adventure, When you’re wearing Power Armor, you may re-roll
or you may trade this perk for a different one after this 1d20 on any attack made with the Big Guns skill, and
quest. any big gun you wield gains Piercing 1, or add +1 to
any Piercing X damage effect the weapon already had.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

TINKERER BORN SURVIVOR
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 3
Requirements: Requirements: AGI 8,
END 5, INT 5 Level 3+

You reduce the When you suffer damage

difficulty of that would reduce your
repairing a robot HP to below one-quarter
through the first of your maximum HP,
aid action to the you may automatically
number of injuries use a Stimpak (including a Diluted Stimpak or Super
that it has sus- Stimpak). You may do this once per scene. At rank 2,
tained, increasing the difficulty of the test by +1 if you you may do this 2 times per scene. At rank 3, you may
are attempting to repair yourself. do this 3 times per scene.

Additionally, you can tinker and clean a robot for up Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
to an hour, increasing the maximum HP of the robot increases by 8.
by +2 for 24 hours or until the robot sustains
an injury. CENTER MASS
Ranks: 1
Requirements: AGI 7
AGILITY PERKS
When you make a ranged attack, you
may choose to strike your target’s
BLITZ Torso location (or equivalent, for
Ranks: 2 creatures that use a different location table) without
Requirements: AGI 9, Level 1+ increasing the difficulty of the attack. In addition, you
may re-roll 1d20 when making the test for your attack.

COMMANDO
Ranks: 2
Requirements: AGI 8, Level 2+

When you move into reach of an opponent and make When you make a ranged attack with
a melee attack against them in one turn, you may any weapon with a Fire Rate of 3 or
re-roll one d20 on your attack. higher (except heavy weapons), you
add +1 D
C per rank to the weap-
At rank 2, you also inflict +1 C
D damage with that on’s damage. Each time you take this perk, the level
attack. Each time you take this perk, the level requirement increases by 3.
require-ment increases by 3.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

 CONCENTRATED FIRE DODGER
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 2
Requirements: PER 8, AGI 6 Requirements: AGI 6, Level 4

When you make a ranged attack and spend ammu- At rank 1, when you take the Defend major action, you
nition to increase the damage, you may re-roll up to reduce the difficulty of the skill test by 1. At rank 2, the
3C
D for your damage roll. AP cost to further increase your Defense is reduced to
1 AP. Each time you take this perk, the level
requirement increases by 6.

COVERT OPERATOR
Ranks: 1
Requirements: AGI 8
ENFORCER
When you make a ranged
Ranks: 1
sneak attack with a small gun
Requirements: AGI 9, Level 12
or energy weapon, the dam-
age is increased by +2 C
D. When you make a ranged attack with a
You cannot gain this benefit
shotgun and target a specific location,
while in Power Armor.
your attack gains the Debilitating
DEAD MAN SPRINTING quality.

Ranks: 1
Requirements: AGI 7, Level 8+

When you take the Sprint action, if your current HP is

below half of your maximum HP, you may spend 1 AP
to move one additional zone.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

ESCAPE ARTIST GHOST
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 1
Requirements: Requirements: PER 5, AGI 6
AGI 8, Level 15
Whenever you attempt an AGI +
During combat, if Sneak test in shadows or dark-
no enemy can see ness, the first additional d20 you
you when you start buy is free. The normal maximum
your turn, you may of 5d20 still applies.
attempt an AGI + Sneak test to hide: the difficulty is
the number of enemies within Medium range of you. GOAT LEGS
Once hidden, the enemy no longer knows where you Ranks: 3
are; they may continue to search for you. In addition, Requirements: AGI 7, Level 7+
enemies do not receive any bonuses to detect you if
you take the Sprint action. You have +2 Physical damage resistance
against falling damage.
EVASIVE At rank 2, this increases to +4. At
Ranks: 1 rank 3, this increases to +6.
Requirements: AGI 7, Level 7+ Each time you take this perk, the
level requirement increases by 5.
Your Physical damage resistance and Energy damage
GUN FU
resistance on all hit locations increase based on your
Agility. You do not gain this benefit while wearing Ranks: 3
Power Armor or while encumbered. Requirements: AGI 10, Level 1+

AGI 7-8: +1 Physical damage When you succeed at a ranged

resistance and Energy damage attack, you may spend 1 AP and
resistance 1 ammo to hit a second target
within Close range of your
AGI 9-10: +2 Physical damage initial target. The second target takes
resistance and Energy damage the same damage as the initial target.
resistance At rank 2, you may spend 2 AP and 2 ammo to hit two
additional targets. At rank 3, you may spend 3 AP and
AGI 11+: +3 Physical damage resistance 3 ammo to hit three additional targets. Each time you
and Energy damage resistance take this perk, the level requirement increases by 5.

FINESSE
Ranks: 1
Requirements: AGI 9

Once per combat encounter,

you may re-roll all the D
C
on a single damage roll with-
out spending any Luck points.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73

GUN RUNNER MODERN RENEGADE
Ranks: 1 Ranks: 3
Requirements: Requirements: AGI 7, Level 8
AGI 6, Level 4
When you make an attack with a one-handed ranged
When you take the weapon and don’t aim, a successful attack scores one
Sprint action when additional AP, which may not be saved. At rank 2, this
you have a one- increases to 2 additional AP. At rank 3, this increases
handed ranged weapon in hand, you may spend 1 AP to 3 additional AP.
to move one additional zone.
Each time
GUNSLINGER you take this
Ranks: 2 perk, the level
Requirements: AGI 7, Level 2+ requirement
increases by 5.
When you make an attack with a one-
handed ranged weapon with a Fire
Rate of 2 or lower, you increase the
weapon’s damage by +1 C
D per rank. In
addition, you may re-roll the hit loca- MOVING TARGET
tion die. Each time you take this perk,
Ranks: 1
the level requirement increases by 4.
Requirements: AGI 6

MASTER THIEF When you take the Sprint action, your

Ranks: 1 Defense increases by +1 until the start
Requirements: PER 8, AGI 9 of your next turn.

When you are attempting

to pick a lock or pickpocket
somebody, the difficulty of NINJA
the opponent’s skill test to
Ranks: 1
detect you increases by +1.
Requirements: AGI 8

MISTER SANDMAN When you make a sneak attack with a melee weapon
Ranks: 1 or unarmed attack, the damage is increased by +2 C
D.
Requirements: AGI 9 You cannot gain this benefit while in Power Armor.

When you make a sneak

attack with a silenced or
suppressed weapon, the
damage is increased by
D. You cannot gain
+2 C
this benefit while in Power
Armor.

72 FALLOUT  The Roleplaying Game

PICKPOCKET QUICK DRAW
Ranks: 3 Ranks: 1
Requirements: PER 8, AGI 8, Level 1+ Requirements: AGI 6

At rank 1, you can ignore the first Each turn, you may draw a single weapon
complication you roll when you make or item carried on your per-
an AGI + Sneak test to steal an object son without using a minor action.
from someone else’s person or to plant
something on them. QUICK HANDS
Ranks: 1
At rank 2, you can re-roll 1d20 in
Requirements: AGI 8
your dice pool when attempting to p
ick someone’s pocket.
You can reload firearms faster.
When you make a ranged attack,
At rank 3, you reduce the difficulty of attempts to pick
you may spend 2 AP to double the
someone’s pocket by 1.
Fire Rate of your gun for that attack.
Each time you take this perk, the level requirement
increases by 3.
RIFLEMAN
Ranks: 2
Requirements: AGI 7, Level 2+

Pickin’ Pockets When you make a ranged attack

with any two-handed weapon with
Stealing an item carried by someone else, or secreting an
a Fire Rate of 2 or lower (except
item upon their person, is a surprisingly valuable survival
trick in the wasteland, and it’s useful to have some sense of heavy weapons), you add +1 C
D to
how easy or difficult a given theft is likely to be. the weapon’s damage per rank.

Picking pockets is an AGI + Sneak test, with a base diffi- At rank 2, you also add the Piercing 1 damage effect, or
culty of 1. Success allows you to take an item weighing 1lb add +1 to the rating of any Piercing X damage effect
or less from another character’s pockets, belt pouches, etc., the weapon already had. Each time you take this perk,
or to place an item of that size into a pocket, etc., without the level requirement increases by 4.
being detected. Failure means your attempt was noticed.
SHOTGUN SURGEON
If the item you’re stealing/planting weighs more than 1 lb., Ranks: 1
then the difficulty increases by 1. If it weighs more than 10 Requirements: STR 5, AGI 7
lbs., then the difficulty increases by 2 instead. Similarly,
especially talented pickpockets can remove small items a Your ranged attacks using shotguns
person is wearing—such as stealing a wristwatch during a gain the Piercing 1 damage effect, or
handshake—this test is also at +1 difficulty. add +1 to any Piercing X damage effect
the weapon already had.
Picking pockets can become an opposed test if the target is
wary or suspicious.

Chapter Three  CHARACTER CREATION 73