There isn't exactly an official place you can look up to find out what each of them do, even in the little help section next to the survival guide doesn't say it all. Don't just say ' its good to max them all out because...lul i dunno iz just good to have high statz you stoopid nub.' that tells us nothing.

So it begs the question...

What exactly does each stat do? (Both in the vault AND out in the wastes.)

In the vault, each stat helps speed up the time it takes to gain resources. Example: the diner uses the agility stat, so dwellers with higher agility who work there will help produce resources faster. Also, putting them in the proper rooms will increase happiness.

In the wasteland, endurance increases your maximum health, luck seems to increase your chance of finding caps, and I think perception increases your chance of finding gear. Not 100% sure about that, though.

As for the other stats, I'm not sure.

The timed events in the wasteland will do a check against your SPECIAL attributes. As an example: There is a timed event that occurs within 15 minutes leaving the vault. It will take one of three forms: Fugitive Slave, Broadcast Tower and Raiders. If you fail the check, you will take damage and one point of XP. If you pass the check you will either get caps or a CHANCE at an item. Slave always gives XP and caps on a passed test. Broadcast Tower and Raiders will always give XP on a passed test and might give an item (XP is guaranteed, items are not).

Known timed events occur withing 15 minutes of the set time and are: exiting the vault, at 30 minutes, at 1 hour 15 minutes, 2 hours 30 minutes, 5 hours, 10 hours, 15 hours, 20 hours, 30 hours, 40 hours, 60 hours and 75 hours.

In addition to what gcubed said:


S - required to open boxes or lockers

P - required to discover locations

E - raises the HP

C - required in "speech checks", random encounters

I - required to heal random encounters (Wounded Sheriff, Wounded Slave, etc)

A - required to flee from enemies that are too tough for your explorer

L - raises the odds of receiving better loot

I wish that info was in a help file within the game.