Charisma

[VoidVector]

Is there even any use for this stat now? Considering it is not used to determine number of companions anymore, the only other useful use is Speech, and for that we can just spend some points leveling it up.

I don't remember any real useful charisma checks in the quests either.

 

[Makatak]

I think it affects initial responses from NPCs (or is that Karma? Or both?)

And does it not factor in to percentile chance to succeed in Persuasion dialogue choices?

I know that Personality was pretty much useless in Oblivion. I hope that is not just as true in Fallout 3.

 

[Brother None]

I've just started a game where I decided to just use Charisma as a dump stat, starting it off at 1. No effect so far, though I haven't invested a lot of points in speech so I'm not sure how much it impacts it.

There's a few quests that have charisma-specific dialogue options (Tenpenny Towers, I think), but generally there'll be an alternative skill-check (intelligence and speech seem to be the most common, but there's always speech checks for science and medic as well in cases). It doesn't impact a lot of skills and has no direct influence on speech checks or initial response as far as I can see.

I haven't tested it extensively so I could be way off the mark, and note that all SPECIALs seem to be very, very slashed down in usefulness with only intelligence and agility retaining some semblance of importance, but yeah, Charisma is basically a dumpstat.

 

[Seelix]

My current character has CH = 1 and I fail to notice any downside of this. I think that NPCs react rather to karma.

Unfortunately I never saw any lines that are to choose for Charismatic PC but if they're as funny as those for Intelligent PCs I am glad I have CH 1 .

 

[Limbabnees]

CH should be somehow effect, not noticed it yet.
Why else that Sexy Sleepwear CH +1 ?

Think its only good for Barter & Speech. Well put extra points in it.

 

[Roflcore]

I haven't tested it extensively so I could be way off the mark

I did and you are absolutly right. Any point spent beyond 1 is a waste. I heard their is a single dialogoption which requiers a charmacheck and has no alternative check. nothing important or rewarding ofc. haven't found it though.

 

[Ozymandias]

Lame. Charisma used to be one of the coolest attributes: you get women to sleep with you, more ppl in your party, tons of dialogue options and checks. I wasted a ton of points in Charisma.

I have had more speech checks for Strength than I've had for Charisma!

 

[Hjotorn]

It seems Charisma influences the speech checks direct and(!) indirect.

For explanation. I've had a 25% speech option at some NPC. I believe it was Lucas I left the dialog and equipped a regulator's duster which boosts CH by +1.
1 Point of CH boosts speech by 2 points.
Then I talked to the NPC again. The speech option now was at 30%.
That are 3% extra.

When I first rushed through the game with my first character he had 6 CH and high speech. 100% speech checks where pretty common later in the game. Was normal difficulty though, I feel like speech checks are more difficult above normal.

So yes it seems CH's only purpose is speech.

oh edit:

Lame. Charisma used to be one of the coolest attributes: you get women to sleep with you, more[...]

Even the Lady Killer perk doesn't help with it. Which is even more annoying.

 

[Limbabnees]

Speech checks are for every NPC different.
Speech 50: With some you have 100% chance, with others 34% chance. Dont know why its different.

I'm looking nice with my Black Business Suite & Lincoln's Hat, wenn talking

 

[Hjotorn]

Speech checks are for every NPC different.
Speech 50: With some you have 100% chance, with others 34% chance. Dont know why its different.

I'm looking nice with my Black Business Suite & Lincoln's Hat, wenn talking

They are also different when you got different speech checks for 1 person. For example Butch at the beginning:
[spoiler:33ff61872f]You can talk him into running away, which is pretty easy.
You could also talk him into defending his mother himself, which is not so easy.[/spoiler:33ff61872f]

Well unlike lockpicking or hacking, they change your success-chance depending on how likely it is for the NPC to be convinced of some things.

 

[Buxbaum666]

Lame. Charisma used to be one of the coolest attributes: you get women to sleep with you, more[...]

Even the Lady Killer perk doesn't help with it. Which is even more annoying.

The Black Widow perk turned out to be useful sometimes. When you successfully seduce Burke, [spoiler:f3735142de]he disappears from Megaton and writes you several love letters. I only noticed that by accident. I went to Moriarty and he gave me the letters with the remark that he's not a fucking post office or something.[/spoiler:f3735142de]

 

[Hjotorn]

The Black Widow perk turned out to be useful sometimes. When you successfully seduce Burke, [spoiler:4a861f897b]he disappears from Megaton and writes you several love letters. I only noticed that by accident. I went to Moriarty and he gave me the letters with the remark that he's not a fucking post office or something.[/spoiler:4a861f897b]

Yeah well the thing with the lady killer perk is:
On the two NPCs I got to use it there are implied tensions between your character and the NPC. "Let's talk in private later." But there is no later. You get what you want (a password) and thats it.
[spoiler:4a861f897b]Nova instantly hands you Morti's terminal password. Even if you haven't talked to Morti yet. And some girl at the Family gives you the password to the room Ian is at.
And that's it. No further dialog. No changes. You get the password and that's it. Nova doesn't lower her price or something. Anything would be nice. But no thats it.[/spoiler:4a861f897b]