Best traits to pick in Fallout: New Vegas

Traits are a wonderful character creation feature to modify your character in Fallout: New Vegas. Not only can traits unlock better combat skills and improve special attributes, but one trait in particular can turn New Vegas' wacky story into something even weirder. Who'd say no to that?

From Wild Wasteland to Good-Natured, here are the best traits in Fallout: New Vegas.

Best starting traits in Fallout: New Vegas

At the start of the game, during character creation, you get to choose up to two traits for your Fallout: New Vegas character. Traits are optional, so you don't have to pick any, but they offer many benefits. Beware that traits are permanent (at least without the use of mods or console commands), apart from one opportunity to change them when you first enter the wasteland.

So, since it's quite important to make the right choice, here's a list of the Fallout: New Vegas traits we recommend.

• Skilled: You receive +5 skill points to every skill (Guns, Speech, etc.), but receive -10% experience throughout the game. This is the best trait for a massive early-game boost, but your progress will be slower. Note that you can pick the Skilled trait again when the "rebuild your character" option pops up (upon your first visit to the wasteland) to gain an additional +5 skills boost, while the experience penalty remains the same.
• Good-Natured: Grants +5 skill points to Speech, Medicine, Repair, Science, and Barter, but subtracts -5 skill points from Energy Weapons, Explosives, Guns, Melee Weapons, and Unarmed skills. It's well worth the trade-off if you're interested in a pacifist playthrough with a focus on Speech and abilities rather than combat.
• Built to Destroy: Boosts critical hit chance by 3%, but your weapon decays 15% faster. Having to repair weapons more frequently is a bit annoying, but other than that, extra critical hit chance is almost always great to have. Just don't grab this Fallout: New Vegas trait if you're going for a non-critical build (such as explosives-based).
• Claustrophobia: Gain +1 point for every "special" attribute (Strength, Perception, Endurance, etc.) when you're outside, but -1 when you're inside. As many tricky encounters take place outside, this trait works in your favor more often than not.
• Early Bird: Gain +2 points to all "special" attributes (Strength, Perception, Endurance, etc.) between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. in-game time, but lose -1 point between 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Your character is stronger in the morning, thus granting an advantage during difficult quests and fights if you plan them accordingly.
• Wild Wasteland: This Fallout: New Vegas trait is not like the others. Instead of changing your character's stats, it adds "wacky content" to your playthrough in the form of random encounters with tons of popular entertainment references. You also gain access to the alien blaster and holy hand grenade weapons. It's a great option if you want some extra silliness!

Although it's hardly the best trait in terms of combat prowess or special skill boosts, Wild Wasteland is highly recommended if you're looking for the most "fun" Fallout: New Vegas trait. With Skilled as the best overall option (since it benefits any possible character build), and Good-Natured as the best non-combat choice, you might want to consider either of those plus Wild Wasteland.

If you're quite sure you'll be using critical attacks, Built to Destroy + Skilled is great for players who just wish to boost their combat prowess as much as possible.

Although Claustrophobia and Early Bird aren't the best traits to grab and forget about — you need to keep an eye on the clock throughout your playthrough to make the most of them — pick both of them together, and you'll become the most overpowered person in the wasteland during morning excursions.