Balancing the stats of Fallout is a mighty task. There's SPECIAL, skills, traits, perks, all circling around each other as part of a game wich needs to reflect their worth and need properly.

This is my version of doing it in a Fallout 3/New Vegas style game - with adjusted VATS system that no longer halts time but rather just slows it. Every player character starts with 100 AP and most actions in combat cost AP - moving, shooting, weapon/ammunition change. In VATS mode, AP are continuously consumed until you leave VATS (needs a good engine to not frustrate due to long VATS load times ). Otherwise AP always regenerate. Reloading weapons and using Stimpaks and other items doesn't cost AP, but they have animations so you need to hide somewhere if you want to use healing items sucessfully in combat.

It tries to get rid of unnecessities, while giving everything a purpose:

SPECIAL

Special attributes no longer range from 1 to 10, but from 1 to 5. This allows every number to have impact and allows for more than just increasing derived statistics. All SPECIAL stats have a default of 3 with 3 extra points to distribute at the beginning of the game - including a description for every stage. There are no implants in such a game, no stat raising equipment and no Intense Training perk (or just 2 ranks or something).

1. STRENGTH

1 STR: You can wield only the most light weapons and you can't wear medium or heavy armor (except Power Armor). Grenades explode at your feet and melee and unarmed attacks deal -50% damage. Your base carry weight (of 60 lbs) is reduced by 30.
2 STR: You can sucessfully throw weapons! You can wear some more equipment and your base carry weight is reduced by 15, Melee and Unarmed attacks deal -25% damage.
3 STR: You can use many weapons and armors.
4 STR: You can use heavy weaponry and armor. Your base carry weight is increased by 15, melee and unarmed attacks deal an additional 10% damage.
5 STR: You can wield every weapon and equip every armor in the game. Thrown weapons fly farther than eyesight allows. All melee and unarmed attacks get 20% increased damage and your carry weight is increased by 30.


2. PERCEPTION

1 PER: Your vision is blurred, dark areas are pitch black and almost impossible to maneuver through. You suffer -20% hit chance and can't see traps. As a little extra, all sound effects are muffled and you find less items.
2 PER: Your vision and hearing are nearly normal. You have -15% hit chance and still don't find everything there is.
3 PER: Your vision is normal. Additionally, you can sense NPCs like in Fallout 3/New Vegas. You have -10% hit chance.
4 PER: You can distinguish friend from foe. Traps are highlighted (slightly, the game doesn't want to nag). You have -5% hit chance.
5 PER: Your senses work over a great distance. Enemies are highlighted while you're aiming and you can find more items and stuff noone else can.


3. ENDURANCE

1 END: Your HP are cut in half and your poison, radiation and addiction resistance are nonexistant. You move 20% slower in irradiated areas. You also regenerate AP 20% slower and your limbs are much more easily crippled.
2 END: Your get -25% to your HP and +10% to radiation, poison and addiction resistance. You regenerate AP 10% slower.
3 END: You get +20% poison, radiation and addiction resistance.
4 END: You get +30% poison, radiation and addiction resistance plus an additional 10% damage resistence. Your limbs are 15% more durable. You also regenerate AP 10% faster.
5 END: You get +40% poison, radiation, addiction and + 20% damage resistance. You also regenerate AP 20% faster, while your limbs are 30% more durable and you can fast travel now even with 20 lbs over maximum.


4. CHARISMA

1 CHA: You can't have followers. Some people won't even talk to or trade with you and certain quests are unavailable.
2 CHA: You can have one follower. Everyone will talk to you, but some won't trust to trade with you and less quests are available.
3 CHA: You can have two followers. All quests are available.
4 CHA: Your followers get + 50% DR/DT. People will do you favors they normally wouldn't.
5 CHA: You can have special followers and all followers deal an additional 25% damage.


5. INTELLIGENCE

1 INT: You get 11 skill points each level. You are dumb as [censored] and thus have special dialogue.
2 INT: You get 12 skill points each level.
3 INT: You get 13 skill points each level.
4 INT: You get 14 skill points each level.
5 INT: You get 15 skill points each level.


6. AGILITY

1 AGI: You can't Sneak. All AP costs are increased by 30%. Your running speed is reduced by 20%, weapon/ammo reloading/changing time is increased by 50%.
2 AGI: AP costs are increased by 15%. You move 10% slower, weapon reloading and changing is 25% slower.
3 AGI: You are halfway athletic!
4 AGI: You move 10% faster, weapon/ammo reloading/changing times are reduced by 25%. In melee combat you can dodge more easily. AP costs are reduced by 10%.
5 AGI: You move 20% faster, weapon/ammo reloading/changing times are reduced by 50%, item usage is 25% faster. You can balance now. AP costs are reduced by 20%.


7. LUCK

1 LCK: "
2 LCK: "
3 LCK: "
4 LCK: "
5 LCK: "
(whatever Luck does)


* fast travel is now like map travel in the old games.

SKILLS AND PERKS

All skills are entirely scrapped and replaced by perks. On your way to the maximum level of 35 (veeeery slow paced and not stupidly increased by DLC - what a dumb marketing device), you'll get skillpoints which you can invest into perks at any time. Perks usually have certain requirements and are built on top of each other. They have no level requirements though.

I'll post examples later.

TRAITS

Traits function as usual. At the beginning of the game, you choose up to two, each one having a beneficial and a detrimental effect.

THE GAME SURROUNDING THE MECHANICS

Also an important point!