Speech Checks in FONV vs FO3

[Park77]

Is it just me, or are there WAY more speech checks in FONV compared to FO3?

 

Speech just seems way more useful this time around: 1) because you can't just reload and try again, like in FO3, and 2) there 'seem' to be way more dialogue options this time around.

 

Its made me take my CHR 1 character up to 70 speech cuz its just so much more fun. The increased chances to talk someone's head off and take someone's head off in NV is great!

[Daynox]

Ya i found that having a decent Speech skill is a good idea. Every level i go up i put a points into the speech skill. :thumbsup: and yes..the speech skill is used a hell of a lot more in NV than fo3.

[FlyingHigh10000000]

The problem in FO3 was that you could fail a speech check, even if your speech was high enough to meet the requirement. Kinda defeated the purpose of telling you what you needed to be successful. I know the first two Fallouts were like that, but it's frustrating as hell to see a big "25" and then fail with 30 Speech.

[CarlCorey]

Neither method is perfect. In FO3 if you fail a speech check, you reload and try it again. In New Vegas, if you're within 20 points, you reload, read a Meeting People and go pass the speech check.

[Park77]

True, but unlike FO3, if your skill is just too low even with aids you are out of luck.

This is especially relevant since I've noticed many builds overlook thinks like speech.

[pob255]

This is closer to the original Fallout & Fallout 2, where it was almost standard practice when making your character to Tag a single combat skill (normally small guns) and speech and something else. (depending on play style)

My point is that it was as just as vital as a combat skill in the original games, it had a major effect on what dialog options you got, if your speech skill was low you just couldn't do half the missions because you'd never be given the dialog option for them.

 

One thing I've noticed so far is a lot more other non-speach-skill dialog options.

[Yukichigai]

One thing I've noticed so far is a lot more other non-speach-skill dialog options.

Very true, and I quite enjoyed that. If nothing else it makes the Barter skill (which is the second most frequent dialogue challenge skill behind Speech) useful, all the more because you can essentially print money for yourself by having high levels of the repair, science, or survival skills.

 

My next run I plan on putting skill points into barter rather than speech, thus allowing me to get Cass to sign over ownership of her caravan by drinking her under the table. (Barter 75. If you have a high endurance too, 9 and up, she will say some of the most hilarious lines she has in the game while you get her drunk.)

 

Anyway, I do think the new method is better than the old "oops I failed the speech check better reload" method.

[secksegai]

I hated the percentage of success/fail in previous games, as it effectively nerfed the skill into more of a save/reload situation as opposed to anything else. Having options that were influenced outside of speech were a nice change since they were so limited in FO3.

 

Granted, I've always utilized speech in some extent in each FO game I've played (no tactics) and it seems more practical (at least as a skill) now. Since there's no "empathy" perk/trait its nice for them to include the number required, and one can always run a mod that removes said info if he/she so desires.