Speech (Fallout 3)

For a cross-game overview of this skill, see Speech.

Skill
Speech
Fallout 3
Modifies	Percentage to succeed in a speech challenge
Affected by	Charisma
Base value	2 + (2 x Charisma) + ceil (Luck / 2)
Related perks	Black Widow/Lady Killer, Impartial Mediation, Scoundrel

“The ability to communicate in a practical and efficient manner. The skill of convincing others that your position is correct. The ability to lie and not get caught.”— In-game description

Speech is a skill in Fallout 3. It determines the chance to succeed in a speech challenge.

Initial level

$\text{Initial level}=2+(2\times\text{Charisma})+\left\lceil\frac{\text{Luck}}{2}\right\rceil$

Example: A starting Charisma of 5 and Luck of 5.

$2+(2\times5)+\left\lceil\frac{5}{2}\right\rceil=15$

"Let words be your weapon."

During dialogue with characters, a Speech Challenge may be presented. A Speech Challenge is a response preceded by the word "[Speech XXX%]", 'XXX' being the percentage chance of success (e.g. [Speech 25%]). Speech Challenges open up additional possibilities in dialogue with characters, such as getting them to reveal information they would otherwise keep hidden or pay larger sums of bottle caps for a task. Not every Speech Challenge will have the same chance of success, since some characters may be harder to persuade than others. If failed, a Speech Challenge cannot be repeated.

The percentage of success is determined by various factors. The primary factor is the player character's Speech skill. The higher it is, the better the chance of success. Charisma itself has an effect on the percentage of success. A character with a 1 in Charisma and 100 in Speech will be less effective than one with a 10 in Charisma and a similar Speech level. Having a weapon drawn will also have a slight effect on the possibility of success. Finally, succeeding in a Speech Challenge with a character will make future Speech Challenges with that character easier to pass, if applicable.

Certain Speech challenges are not checked against the Speech skill, but against other factors. These can include S.P.E.C.I.A.L. statistics, certain perks (Lady Killer/Black Widow, Child at Heart, etc.), or Karma. In these cases, "[Speech]" will be replaced with the relevant item being checked against ([Strength], [Karma], [Toughness], etc.). Such checks will occasionally override normal Speech Challenges. These options, unlike a Speech check, will automatically succeed if their requirement is met. Karma is an exception, as being evil or good will influence the response.

Speech success chance

Every speech check is assigned one of 5 difficulty levels; higher difficulty implies the check is harder to pass but rewards more experience.

Difficulty Level	Difficulty Value	Difficulty Multiplier	XP reward
Very Easy	10	0.9	5
Easy	40	0.6	10
Average	55	0.45	20
Hard	70	0.3	30
Very Hard	80	0.2	50

$\begin{align} CharismaCheck &= \frac{PlayerCharisma - PlayerWeaponDrawn + 2}{10} \\ KarmaCheck &= \frac{ActorBaseDisposition+\left(ActorResponsibility - 50\right)\times \frac{PlayerKarma}{500}}{100} \\ SuccessChance &= \left(CharismaCheck+KarmaCheck\right) \times \frac{PlayerSpeechSkill}{50} \times DifficultyMultiplier \end{align}$

The precise chance of success is based on the target actor's base disposition and responsibility values, as well as the player's karma, Charisma, and Speech. Having a weapon drawn is equivalent to losing a point of Charisma without impacting Speech level, and the impact of that portion of the check is such that if the weapon is sheathed when talking, Charisma 1 is worth 1/4 of Charisma 10. This is then added to a number based on player karma such that the overall effect is greater when karma is closer to 0 and lesser when karma is closer to 1000 or -1000).

Assuming player karma is 0 (truly neutral) and the actor has base disposition 35 (usually true), without any skill points put into Speech the odds of success are quadratic in Charisma, because Charisma will both modify the raw Charisma check and provide Speech points.

Difficulties

Sample difficulties for early Speech Checks with 5 Charisma (and weapon sheathed), 50 Speech, and 0 Karma are a 31% chance (Average) to convince Lucas Simms to increase his reward, a 47% chance (Easy, BaseDisposition 9) to convince Gob to reveal information, and a 63% chance (Very Easy) to convince Jericho to talk to the player. With 100 Speech, the player has a 63%, 94%, and 100% chance with these checks respectively.

All checks that are 90% or higher will always succeed. However, he highest achievable success rates on Very Hard checks is 62%, assuming 10 Charisma and no target-based influence on the check, so it is not possible to automatically pass all Speech checks even at the highest Speech level.

Speech challenges

Place (or closest map marker)	Location in place	Person	Point in conversation
Various	(See Fallout 3 random encounters)	Mel	Convince Mel to leave OR convince him to take 5 caps and then leave
Various	(See Fallout 3 random encounters)	Ghoul wastelanders/slaves with refrigerator of purified water	Convince survivors to split their water with the player
Various	(See Fallout 3 random encounters)	Scavenger offering Nuka-Cola Quantum for 100 caps	Convince the scavenger to sell the Nuka-Cola Quantum for 50 caps (note: has been spotted near Girdershade and also in the northwest region, south Fort Constantine)
Vault 101	Outside of classroom before taking G.O.A.T.	Butch DeLoria	Convince the Tunnel Snakes to leave Amata alone
Vault 101	During escape in hallway close to Butch's apartment	Butch DeLoria	Convince Butch DeLoria to run from the radroaches OR to return to the apartment and fight them himself (two different choices)
Vault 101	During Trouble on the Homefront sidequest	Overseer	Convince Overseer to step down
Springvale	Silver's Ranch	Silver	Convincing Silver to pay the player 400 caps
Megaton	The Clinic	Doc Church	Learn about Leo's Drug Habit
Megaton	The Clinic	Doc Church	Ask about locating a Lipoplasticator or Micro Dermal Graftilizer. Note: Must activate Replicated Man quest first.
Megaton	Craterside Supply	Moira Brown	Lie to Moira about scouting the Super-Duper Mart (Quest: Wasteland Survival Guide)
Megaton	Craterside Supply	Moira Brown	Convince Moira that writing the Wasteland Survival Guide is a bad idea. This will end the quest and give the Dream Crusher perk.
Megaton	Craterside Supply	Moira Brown	Find any frag mine then lie to Moira about Minefield.
Megaton	Craterside Supply	Moira Brown	Lie to Moira about the mole rat repellant (Quest: Wasteland Survival Guide)
Megaton	Craterside Supply	Moira Brown	Ask her if she has info on the android. (Quest: The Replicated Man)
Megaton	Moriarty's Saloon	Colin Moriarty	Convincing Colin Moriarty to speak about dad
Megaton	Moriarty's Saloon or anywhere else he is located	Jericho	Convincing Jericho to tell the player what he knows about the Wasteland
Megaton	Moriarty's Saloon	Mister Burke	Convince Mister Burke to pay the player 1000 caps for destroying the town
Megaton	Anywhere he is found	Lucas Simms	Convince Lucas Simms to pay the player 500 caps for disarming the bomb
Megaton	Moriarty's Saloon	Gob	Convince Gob to talk about the player's father
Megaton	Moriarty's Saloon	Nova	Convince Nova to tell the player Moriarty's password
Megaton	The Brass Lantern, Water processing plant	Leo Stahl	Confront Leo Stahl about his drug problem
Grayditch	Outskirts of Grayditch	Bryan Wilks	Convince Bryan Wilks that everything will be fine
Grayditch	Outskirts of Grayditch	Bryan Wilks	Convince Bryan Wilks to give the player the Grayditch dumpster key
Marigold station	Doctor Lesko's lab	Doctor Lesko	Convincing him to give his reward after killing the Marigold ant queen
Marigold station	Maintenance room	Lug-Nut	Convince Lug-Nut to let the player keep the naughty nightwear they found
Northwest Seneca Station	Home of Murphy and Barrett	Murphy	Convince Murphy to pay the player 30 caps for Sugar Bombs instead of 15
Meresti Metro station	Home of The Family	Robert	Convince Robert that the player is ok
Meresti Metro station	Home of The Family	Vance	Convince Vance that the player doesn't need further explanation
Meresti Metro station	Home of The Family	Vance	Convince Vance to give the player the access code to speak to Ian West
Various	(See Fallout 3 random encounters)	Escaped Slaves/Wasteland Settlers	Convince Escaped Slaves/Wasteland Settlers to share half the water they found
Meresti Metro station	Home of The Family	Justin	Convince Justin to give the player the access code to speak to Ian West
Meresti Metro station	Home of The Family	Ian West	Convince Ian West to go home
Meresti Metro station	Home of The Family	Vance	Convince Vance to leave Arefu alone
Canterbury Commons	Main street	Uncle Roe	Convince Uncle Roe to pay the player 200 more caps for stopping the feud between AntAgonizer and the Mechanist
Canterbury Commons	AntAgonizer's lair	AntAgonizer	Convince AntAgonizer to abandon her life as a supervillain
Canterbury Commons	Robot repair center	Mechanist	Convince the Mechanist to abandon his life as a superhero
Dukov's Place	Inside	Dukov	Ask for Dukov's special key for Mister Crowley during the quest You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head
Dukov's Place	Inside	Dukov	Ask where Fort Constantine is after asking where Mister Crowley died (Part of You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head)
Dukov's Place	Inside	Cherry	Convince her to follow the player to Rivet City
Paradise Falls	Main entrance	Grouse	Everyone has a price...
Paradise Falls	Eulogy's Pad	Eulogy Jones	Convince him to sell the child slaves for 1200 caps instead of 2000 caps.
Paradise Falls	In front of Eulogy's Pad	Forty	Convince him he's being paid too little during the quest Rescue from Paradise
Paradise Falls	Inside the child slave house	Squirrel	Convince him and Sammy to leave without Penny
Paradise Falls	Inside the child slave house	Penny	Convince her to leave without Rory Maclaren(Note: This speech challenge is unavailable if Squirrel and Sammy were already convinced to leave without her)
Arefu	Guarding the entrance	Evan King	Asking why he is so scared
Big Town	Walking around or in a building	Red	Ask for 200 more caps (results in negative Karma)
Big Town	Walking around or in a building	Red	Ask about Lipoplasticator. (note: Part of quest The Replicated Man, also available from Dr. Preston in Rivet City)
Big Town	Walking around or in a building	Pappy	You came here with Bittercup. After speaking with Bittercup.
Big Town	The Clinic	Timebomb	"It wasn't free" After saving him.
Underworld	The Chop Shop	Doctor Barrows	Asking about Mister Crowley
Underworld	The Chop Shop	Doctor Barrows	Asking Doctor Barrows to wake Reilly
Underworld	The Chop Shop	Doctor Barrows	Convince Doctor Barrows to reveal information related to The Replicated Man without paying.
Underworld	Walking around main concourse	Patchwork	Convincing Patchwork to speak about Mister Crowley
Underworld	Walking around main concourse	Quinn	Convincing Quinn to speak about Mister Crowley
Underworld	The Ninth Circle	Ahzrukhal	Convincing Ahzrukhal to speak about Mister Crowley
Underworld	Walking around main concourse	Winthrop	Asking Winthrop for information about The Replicated Man
Underworld	Walking around main concourse	Winthrop	Asking Winthrop for information about Mister Crowley
Underworld	Carol's Place (Across from The Ninth Circle)	Carol	Asking Carol for information about Mister Crowley
Underworld	Carol's Place (Across from The Ninth Circle)	Mister Crowley	Convince Crowley that Ted Strayer was killed if he is kept alive during You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head
Underworld	Carol's Place (Across from The Ninth Circle)	Mister Crowley	Convince Crowley that Dukov was killed if he is kept alive during You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head
Underworld	Carol's Place (Across from The Ninth Circle)	Mister Crowley	Convince Crowley that Dave was killed if he is kept alive during You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head
Underworld	Carol's Place (Across from The Ninth Circle)	Mister Crowley	Ask Crowley for directions to Fort Constantine after giving him the last key in You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head
GNR building plaza	Galaxy News Radio	Three Dog	Convince Three Dog to tell the player about Dad without first helping him
Tenpenny Tower	Front Gate Intercom	Chief Gustavo	Tell him the player has an offer for Mr. Tenpenny and convince him to allow entry for free.
Tenpenny Tower	Inside Tenpenny Tower	Chief Gustavo	Convince Gustavo that clearing out the ghouls is worth more than 500 caps.
Tenpenny Tower	Inside Tenpenny Tower	Mr. & Mrs. Wellington	Convince Tenpenny to let the ghouls move in, Tenpenny Tower.
Tenpenny Tower	Inside Tenpenny Tower	Mr. Ling	Convince Tenpenny to let the ghouls move in, Tenpenny Tower.
Tenpenny Tower	Inside Tenpenny Tower	Ms. Montenegro	Convince Tenpenny to let the ghouls move in, Tenpenny Tower.
Tenpenny Tower	Inside Tenpenny Tower	Ms. Lancaster	Convince Tenpenny to let the ghouls move in, Tenpenny Tower.
Tenpenny Tower	Inside Tenpenny Tower	Security guard	The security guard on top of the Tenpenny Tower before the door to Mr. Tenpenny.
Oasis	Inside Oasis	Tree Father Birch	Ask who is requesting to see the player.
Oasis	Inside Oasis	Branchtender Linden	Ask how he came to be at Oasis.
Oasis	Inside Oasis	Sapling Yew	Ask what Harold is afraid of.
Ranger compound	Inside the compound	Reilly	Offer to assist with collecting mapping data after completing Reilly's Rangers.
Republic of Dave	Capitol Building	Dave	Tell him the player is an ambassador from the wastelands
Republic of Dave	Capitol Building	Dave	Ask for the key for Mister Crowley during "You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head" (quest)
Republic of Dave	Republic of Dave	Bob	Talk Bob into running for President
Republic of Dave	Republic of Dave	Rosie	Talk Rosie into running for President
Republic of Dave	Republic of Dave	Shawna	Convince Shawna that the player has "Dave Relics" for the museum, opening trade with her
Temple of the Union	Somewhere inside the building	Hannibal Hamlin	During the quest Lincoln's Profit Margins(optional quest) the player can sell the items to him for a speech check each time with an increasing difficulty. The player can then pickpocket them back off him, but can only re-sell the hat back, and if they already did the Speech check there will not be another Speech check.
Lincoln Memorial	In the side door on the left of the main stairs	Leroy Walker	During the quest Lincoln's Profit Margins(optional quest) the player can sell the items to him for a speech check each time with an increasing difficulty. The speech check will be there even if the items were already sold to Hannibal.
Rivet City	Rivet City science lab	Madison Li	Convince Dr. Li to help the player (gives five stimpaks)
Rivet City	In Rivet City	Ted Strayer	Ask for the key for Mister Crowley during You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head
Rivet City	In Mid Deck	Abraham Washington	During the quest Lincoln's Profit Margins(optional quest) the player can sell the items to him for a speech check each time with an increasing difficulty. If the player already did the Speech check and sold the items to Hannibal then pickpocketed them back, there will not be another Speech check.
Rivet City	In Rivet City	James Hargrave	Convince him to run away from home (Note: Results in Karma loss, part of unmarked quest The Runaways)
Rivet City	Bridge tower	Private Jones	Convince Private Jones of an incident on the Flight Deck (gets him out of the room, possibly to raid armory)
Rivet City	Weatherly Hotel	Vera Weatherly	Ask her about rumors (Note: Can be done at least three times. Possibly automatic chance for success on each.)
Rivet City	Rivet City Marketplace	Bannon	Ask about the history of Rivet City (Note: Possibly automatic chance for success)
Rivet City	Top of Bridge Tower	Mister Lopez	Convince him to not commit suicide by jumping off the tower
Rivet City	Capitol Preservation Society	Abraham Washington	Ask him how he knows so much about the Declaration of Independence
Rivet City	Various	Paulie Cantelli	Get location of his chem stash.
Agatha's house	Agatha's house	Agatha	Convince Agatha that finding the Soil Stradivarius is worth a reward
National Archives	National Archives Strongroom	Button Gwinnett	Convince him that the player is Thomas Jefferson, there to retrieve the Declaration of Independence
Girdershade	Outside Sierra Petrovita's shack	Ronald Laren	Convince Ronald to pay extra caps for the naughty nightwear (note: unmarked quest Grady's Package)
Girdershade	Outside Sierra Petrovita's shack	Ronald Laren	After accepting The Nuka-Cola Challenge from Sierra, convince Ronald Laren to pay double for the Nuka-Cola Quantum
Girdershade	Inside Sierra Petrovita 's shack	Sierra Petrovita	Convince Sierra to give the player The Nuka-Cola Challenge without taking her tour.
Girdershade	Inside Sierra Petrovita 's shack	Sierra Petrovita	Convince Sierra to tell the player the secret prize for completing The Nuka-Cola Challenge before accepting it.
Nuka-Cola plant	Factory Floor	Milo	Convince Milo the player is a factory employee
Red Racer factory	Outside front door	Goalie Ledoux	Convince Goalie Ledoux to pay the player 400 caps for the Nuka-Cola Clear formula (only during The Nuka-Cola Challenge)
Tranquility Lane	Neusbaum residence or lemonade stand outside	Timmy Neusbaum	Convince Timmy that his parents are getting a divorce, thus making him cry for Betty
Tranquility Lane	Rockwell residence	Janet Rockwell	Convince Mrs. Rockwell that her husband is cheating. This will break up their marriage for Betty
Little Lamplight	Front Gate area	Mayor MacCready	Convince the Mayor to let the player into Little Lamplight for the first time
Little Lamplight	roaming	Mayor MacCready	After speaking to Eclair or Lucy about possible cave fungus trade, convince the Mayor (via threats) to give the player his own supply (note: negative Karma, MacCready also warns not to expect any more 'good will' from Little Lamplight, unconfirmed what this entails.)
Little Lamplight	Front Gate area	Knock Knock	Convince Knock Knock that her joke was funny (Note: can do this challenge over and over again)
Little Lamplight	Murder Pass Gate area or roaming	Sammy	After Princess refuses to reveal how she got her nickname, convince Sammy to reveal the details. (note: Sammy is one of the children rescued from Paradise Falls in Rescue from Paradise)
Little Lamplight	Front Gate	Sticky	After accepting to escort him to Big Town get Sticky to shut up.
Raven Rock	Area 3B, outside the player's prison cell	Enclave officer	Convince the guard that President Eden allowed the player to leave the cell
Raven Rock	Area 1A	President Eden	Convince him to destroy himself
Citadel	Citadel laboratory	Knight Captain Gallows	Ask him his real name
Citadel	Citadel laboratory	Knight Captain Dusk	Insult her and then speak to her again to make up for it
Jefferson Memorial	Rotunda	Colonel Autumn	Convince him to give up (Check appears regardless of whether or not Raven Rock was destroyed.)
Jefferson Memorial	Rotunda	Colonel Autumn	Convince him to walk away
Jefferson Memorial	Taft Tunnel	Dr. Madison Li	Convince her to give Garza Buffout instead of stimpaks
Jefferson Memorial	Taft Tunnel	Dr. Madison Li	Convince her that Garza should be left behind
Outcast outpost	Stairs	Defender Morrill	Convince him that the player is an Outcast who outranks him (Only works while wearing Outcast power armor)
Operation: Anchorage	Simulation	General Jingwei	Convince General Jingwei to surrender.
Operation: Anchorage	Simulation	Quartermaster	The player will receive a scoped Gauss rifle alongside their requested gear
The Pitt	The Mill	Brand	Ask what he wants.
The Pitt	Train tunnel	Ramsey	Convince him that the player is from The Pitt.
Broken Steel	Underworld	Griffon	Convince him that the player won't tell anything, if he cuts the share 50/50.
Broken Steel	Holy Light Monastery	Mother Curie III	Convince her that she should stop with the holy water.
Mothership Zeta	Cryo lab	Elliott Tercorien	Convince him to leave without waking up other members of his squad.
Point Lookout	Herzog Mine	Kenny	Convince him to let the player stay.

Strategy

In addition to counting towards the Silver-Tongued Devil achievement, successful Speech Challenges in Fallout 3 can yield the player any number of benefits, though experience is always rewarded for a successful Speech check and is influenced by the Well Rested status and the Swift Learner perk. Other rewards may include significant increases in caps for completing quests, gaining access to keys or passwords, Karma boosts, additional items, or even the chance to peacefully resolve some quests without the need for violence.

Unlike Barter, which affects many transactions in the game, the Speech skill only affects specific dialogue options for the non-player characters that present speech challenges in the game, which are a relatively uncommon subset out of the whole.

Ways to increase Speech

Permanent

• Leveling up (10+INT (+3 with Educated perk))
• Bobblehead - Speech (+10)
• Lying, Congressional Style (+1 or +2 with Comprehension)
• Paradise Lost (+1 or +2 with Comprehension)
• Survival Expert (+2, 4 or 6)
• Scoundrel (+5 with each rank)
• Tag! (+15)
• Yew's bear charm (+10)

Temporary

Note: Only items adding +5 or more are included.

• Impartial Mediation (+30 with neutral Karma)
• Ant queen pheromones (+2-6 depending on current Charisma, a perfect Charisma of 10 will see no benefit.)
• Grape Mentats (+2-10 depending on current Charisma, a perfect Charisma of 10 will see no benefit.)
• Pre-War businesswear (+5, includes "Dirty" and "Grimy")
• Naughty nightwear (+10)
• Button's wig (+10)
• Lincoln's hat (+5)
• General Chase's overcoat (+5)
• Paulson's outfit (+5)

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