Yes I'm aware every NPC in fallout title have their own hidden SPECIAL like how Mr. house has 10 LCK, but I'm talking about giving settlers a special system that influences what jobs they'd be good at like in Fallout shelter. Which brings up the question, why wasn't that added? Anyways I think it would make settlers more interesting if we can see their special when assigning them to jobs, and have their special make them better at preforming certain jobs. Here are some examples on how different special stats could make settlers better at certain jobs:

Strength - Primary effect: Makes a settler a better farmer. For instance, a crops food output will be modified by a settlers strength, .1 for every point of strength they have. A 5 Strength Settler with have no bonus, while a 10 strength farmer with cause tatos to yield 1 food instead of .5 and mutfruit yield 1.5 instead of 1 per plant. Reasoning: Farming requires lots of manual labor, and a stronger body will allow them to work more laboriously throughout the day. Secondary Effect(s) Settlers can carry more, and do more damage with melee weapons just like the player does.

Perception - Primary effect: Makes a settler be a better gunner when assigned to artillery, they will respond faster and be more accurate when shelling. Reasoning: They simply are more alert and prepared for when the time arises. Secondary Effects: Makes settlers more accurate with at long ranges. Reasoning: Having and accurate gun can only be so helpful if you have poor eyesight.

Endurance - Primary effect: Gives the NPC more HP just like the player. Useful for risky jobs like guards and provisioners. Doubly so for provisioners, because they are not protected from (NPC induced) death like regular settlers.

Charisma - Primary effect: Makes shops generate more revenue. Reasoning: Just like the player, better charisma means they can drive better deals. Secondary Effect, makes shop be better stocked. Not stocked with better stuff per say, but carry bulk items like ammo and food in larger quantities.

Intelligence - Primary effect: A new job for settlers: Engineer, when assigned to turrets, they can restore their heath when damaged in combat provided they can access them. Reasoning, their Intelligence allows them a greater understanding of machinery and how to operate and repair them.

Agility - Primary Effect: Settlers are light on their feet and quick on the draw. Provided they are not the only targets, enemies are less likely to shoot at them. Reasoning, better agility means you can stay mobile and make yourself a harder target. Secondary effect: Settlers reload their weapons more quickly, and revive faster when downed. Unassigned settlers default to agility when it comes to point training.

Luck - Primary Effect: Settlers are more likely to come across valubale items when assigned to a scavenging station, such as items containing copper and aluminum. Reasoning: Well, it's luck. Secondary effect: Has a higher chance to spawn with better starting gear like an upgraded pipe weapon and light armor.

For the points distribution, lets say around the 30-35ish starting points, just a few more than what the player gets (28) After all, they had to put up with the harsh wasteland all their lives, while the player is (at least started out as) a squishy pre-war person. like in FO:S, Stats will be randomly generated. When assigned to a task, that settler will train over time and get better in that respective special stat. As for how much they can be trained, let's say they can level up a total of 10 SPECIAL points. So if you get a settler with a SPECIAL of 2563467 (for a total of 33 points), that person has decent endurance, and you assign them as a guard, over time their END will go up as they do their job (and get beaten up in combat), after will eventually get at 10 in their END. That uses up 4 of their level up points, and have six points they can still train should you give them a different job.

I remember someone posting that they wanted this on the Settlement Critics thread as well.

Personally I disagree, just because it feels like its attempting to take on features from Motherbase MGS5, that sort of system is much easier to deal with and manage due to its layout and design (its sort of like their so-called 'open world', its not really a base builder or an open world, just corridors and an allocation game).

If the management of settlers is fixed in what a lot of people are requesting: a pip-boy/terminal manager for settlements, then a system like this might be well-received, but managing settlements and settlers is tedious at the moment.

I see where you are coming from and all but really I would be overjoyed if they could make a better settlement management system first.


As it stands if they started effing with npc stats and what not come the next patch Trashcan Carla would become Dr.Manhattan and just atomize our uppity asses. Game over.

All in all I like it, but like post #2 says they have plenty of stuff to do first re: settlements.

Yeah, while I still think this is a good idea on it's own, it would go a longways if we have better settler management than running to one, and running them to the station they are supposed to man. I'd love to remotely call home my provisioners to give them more protective gear.

Don't know what you are going on about, all NPC's in fallout have their own hidden SPECIALs, I'm just asking to make it like Fallout shelter where you can see them when managing them and having it affect how well they perform certain jobs. Not to mention, carla isn't even a settler. She's just a merchant who loiters in sanctuary, so my suggestion won't affect her at all.

Yeah, Bethesda needs to fix settlements first with all their problems like walls around corners, auto fails when you do not bother showing up, settlement attack alerts, happiness bugs,... etc...

Then they can release The Sims - Fallout Settler Edition.

That sounds like a lot more detail than I think settlements need. I'd settle for a fix of the happiness bugs and a settler management UI.

I think intelligence should make them a better scavenger like the scrapper perk they find more materials with all junk and luck should just help with everything like it does for you.


But yes I love the idea you have.

Can we give clothes/armor, weapons/ammo, secondary weapon, face creation to the settlers we recruited and/or can we recruit someone we saw or battled in wasteland to our settlement?