One of my most wanted features (second only to the Luck stat dictating the story.) is the ability to, y'know, never fire a shot or hit a bloke, and not because you're a sneaky stabby kind of person, but because you're smoother than the bottom of a baby rolled into one consistent ball.

Raiders want to mess you up for their entertainment? Suggest healthier, alternative lifestyles. Or give them another target. your choice.

Brotherhood of steal wanting your plasma rifle? Convince them that you can give them a better deal if they purchase the rifle rather than take it.

Canibals want to eat you? inform them you're infested with demonic worms and might become a ghoul at any second.

Killbot going to kill you? Remind him of his three kill limit.

Smoothskin supremecists convinced that they must destroy your unclean flesh? Spin sad tales of the cruel raider who burnt you and the deathclaw who made it worse.

An army of radscorpions beyond that door? Become the scorpion whisperer and get new pets.

Man with suicidal tendancies? Talk him out of a pointless death and into a pointfull one, as your new meatshield.

The chinese have you captive? Convince them that you yourself are chinese... In ENGLISH.

Americans have you captive? Convince them that you yourself are american... In AMERICAN.

The robots have you captive? Beep boop, boop boop beep boop beep!

Have no solid transportation to get you across the wastes? make honourable agreement over this matter to your native american spirit animal, the mutated mole rat, who shall be your epic mount.

Communists? Make them think that their system is flawed, and that they'd be better off as slaves and victims of commerce good americans.

Good science, good charisma? Tell someone you hate that there's good profit to be made from looting the batteries of pre-war cars (which may have been irradiated)

Good strength, good charisma? Inform puny enemy that you benchpress (slightly preposterous weight here. I have no clue what is a good number, i have never exercised or even moved)

Good perception, good charisma? Inform someone that you like their clothes; a horrible, horrible lie.

There are those who do not listen to reason, no matter how smoothly you speak.

Chems

Yeah, lets have another New Vegas where speech is incredibly overpowered.

I'm all for the option of a pacifist playthrough, but I do also hate how rpgs that go this route seem to think charisma = pacifist in that of itself. Using NV as an example, I like how you can talk Graham into not killing Salt-Upon-Wounds or at least giving him a fighting chance, but I'd like an equally difficult speech check that goes in the opposite direction. Something like "Don't just kill him, we need to make an example out of this. You know, the Legion sure likes crucifixes..."

Believing you can talk your way out of every situation is just naive. Start getting too talkative around some people and they are likely to just shoot you out of principle.

*Raider walks up* "Give me all your caps!"

"But lets just be friends and ill teach you an alternate way!"

*Raider shoots you in face and takes caps*

GG

I agree in principle that I'd like to see more non-violent quests and more options for completing quests without violence--and I think FNV is a good model here--but I don't think a honeyed tongue is necessarily the automatic key to that in a world filled with cynical bitter hardened people. The raider you suggest a "healthier lifestyle" to is still probably going to just shoot you in the face.

I disagree. To a point though.

While I do believe there are some situations you would be able to talk yourself out of if you were charming enough, but lets be realistic. How many people are actually successful in talking violent crimes done. Almost none.

Being able to talk your way out of hectic combat scenarios is stupid IMO. 9.5/10 (because ghouls fall apart....they only count as half a person), the criminal is going to perpetrate the crime, giving absolutely no [censored]s about what your saying to him. Especially in a wasteland scenario....where every single person is just trying to survive. Talking a gang of [censored], murdering, thieving, drug addict brigands out of anything is a ludicrous thought at best.

Some things just don't listen, or lack the capacity to understand humans...Like hungry, wild animals.

Or drugged up Raiders who shoot first and ask questions later.

Or factions you've pissed off who have you on Shoot on Sight notice.

I don't want to be THAT guy.....but playing fallout as a complete pacifist is playing fallout wrong.

In no way shape or form would anyone ever accomplish any of the crap that any of the characters in any fallout game ever did if we went around just talking to people making them our friends.

Not saying you shouldnt be able to talk your way out of certain things, but definitely not everything. especially super violent bad guys being mad at you.

Charisma ain't illusion magic.

Hopefully they'll bring back non-lethal weaponry for those that wanna Pac it up.

There is no way in the world that a bandit who just wants your stuff is NOT simply going to shoot you dead if he or she thinks it is easier. (lets ignore teh fact that bandits in RPGs generally attack you, even when you are in power/daedric/best/greatest armor and holding the ultimate weapon of ultimate destiny.)

...You just said exactly what I just said.

That would be nice.

Yes...yes I did. HA I should finish reading a sentence before I hit reply

I'm all for having multiple ways to complete a mission.

Dues Ex HR and the other were very good about that.

On the other hand Charisma can only do so much.

If a raider really like you he will offer you a five minute head start before he releases the dogs.

Or he will just tell you he does like you so he is going to see to it that you are the last one killed.

don't tell me how to play fallout right pls

Having the ability to talk out of some situations? Sure
Having the ability to talk out of all situations and even discourage random raiders and people? No, that makes little sense. Plus I doubt that feral will listen to you as it's clawing your face out.

I don't want it to be too powerful...

Somehow, I just hope you can be subverted by them. Just a hypothetical situation, and I don't think the AI might allow that -w-'

PC: "Hey, I come in peace! I just want to scavenge! Remember when I saved your ass last time?"

Raider: "Ah, sure! I remember you! Go ahead, friend! I'll tell the others to stand down."

(PC enters building)

Raider: (whispers to his friend) "He's buying it. This'll be wicked!"

(PC scrounges shelf, only to hear the sound of guns cocked. PC turns around)

Raider: (whistles) "You think you're that smart, aren't you? COME ON BOYS! FRESH MEAT!"

I love this idea!! Need more immersion and more impact more choice on how you handle things. That being said it wouldn't work all the time. Not everyone will listen to reason. Look at our world. The most charismatic person can't change everyone's opinion. People will always see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear.

Raiders are too far gone to sweet talk. They gave up on reason long ago and just need a bullet to the head.

im gonna flirt the pants off a deathclaw and let it fight my battles for me

This.

Frank Horrigan.
The Joker from Batman.

I agree that high charisma and speech should allow such a character to avoid combat and conflict a lot more through reasoning. But I do not agree that you should be able to talk everything and everyone down. That would be very unrealistic.

Charisma as a stat has always felt a bit off... . A highly intelligent character seems to have a better chance of getting through situations non-violently than a character with a high charisma. Maybe that'll change with the new perk system. Maybe you will in fact be able to get through the game with a dumb pretty boy in a non violent manner. I'm not saying that being overtly charismatic would overtly deter raiders from trying to kill you. but maybe they'd pause a bit to gawk at your pretty mug, giving you time to run away before they start shooting.