Small Frame

Perks & Traits · Source: Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout: New Vegas (Interplay / Black Isle / Obsidian); Independent Fallout Wiki (fallout.wiki)

Overview

Small Frame is a classic trait that grants increased agility at the cost of bodily frailty, modeling a character built for speed rather than punishment. It has appeared across the classic Fallout games and Fallout: New Vegas.

History & Background

The trait originated in the original Fallout, where it granted +1 Agility while making the character's limbs more susceptible to damage, and it returned in Fallout 2 with similar effects. Fallout: New Vegas revived the trait with the same trade-off, cementing its place in the franchise's trait canon. The trait's design reflects the series' love of meaningful character-creation trade-offs.

Content & Format

Small Frame grants +1 Agility, improving Action Points and related skills, while rendering the character's limbs significantly easier to cripple in combat. In the classic games the trait also carried implications for carry weight, a detail dropped in New Vegas. The limb fragility penalty makes the trait risky for front-line fighters but ideal for nimble skirmishers who avoid taking hits.

Wasteland Significance

Small Frame rewards players who build around mobility, stealth, and avoidance rather than brute-force durability. It encourages clever positioning and resource management, since crippled limbs demand stimpaks and doctor visits. The trait's enduring presence across generations of games speaks to its elegant, high-risk design.

Notable Appearances

Small Frame appears in Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout: New Vegas as a selectable trait, and its influence can be seen in later perks that trade survivability for speed. It is frequently recommended for stealth and gunslinger builds in New Vegas build guides.

Tags: trait, small-frame, agility, fallout-new-vegas, fallout-2, limb-damage, character-creation, stealth, mobility, trade-off, classic-fallout