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You’ll make a lot of character creation decisions early in The Outer Worlds, but you won’t know much about how to play the game yet. And that makes choosing things like your attributes and your aptitude intimidating.
This guide will explain what aptitudes are, what effect they each grant, and how to choose the best one for you. Check out our attribute, skills, and perks guide for a detailed look at those stats.
What are aptitudes
During character creation, you choose one — and only one — aptitude. This is a small, permanent aspect of your character. Even using the Vocational Competence Respecification Machine on the Unreliable won’t let you choose a different aptitude.
You get a +1 to a skill, take a few percent less damage from a specific type of weapon, or get a greater benefit from consumables.
Aptitudes to choose from
There are 15 aptitudes to choose from during character creation in The Outer Worlds. Each gives a small bonus to one of your stats.
The Outer Worlds Aptitudes chart
| Aptitude | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Aptitude | Bonus |
| “No Discernible Aptitude.” | Determination +1 |
| Beverage Service Technician. | Drink effect duration +3% |
| Bureaucrat, Rank 0. | Block +1 |
| Cashier, Sub-Grade, Non-Supervisory. | Persuade +1 |
| Construction, Electrician Class, Wire Spooler. | Shock damage received -3% |
| Elevator Operations Specialist. | Engineering +1 |
| Factory Worker, Conveyor Operator. | Dodge +1 |
| Farmer, Dirt. | N-ray damage received -3% |
| Food Additive Tester. | Food effect duration +3% |
| Janitor, Sanitation Class. | Corrosion damage received -3% |
| Tossball Team Mascot. | Inspiration +1 |
| Medical Technician, Junior Grade. | Medical +1 |
| Safety Inspector. | Plasma damage received -3% |
| Scientist Assistant, Level 0, Class A. | Science +1 |
| Sub Sous Chef | 1-handed melee +1 |
Which aptitude should you choose?
The bonuses that aptitude grants are relatively minor, so don’t fret too much over which one to pick. Go with your gut about the kind of character you want to play.
Here’s a quick overview:
- Skills like determination and inspiration are good if you want to make your companions powerful.
- Drink and food effect duration increases are good if you tend to rely on items a lot.
- The damage received reductions are useful if you lean toward combat over dialogue.
- Like we mentioned in our tips for beginning players, dialog skills are immensely useful in The Outer Worlds — especially early in the game. That’s why we’re a fan of Cashier, Sub-Grade, Non-Supervisory and its +1 to persuade. But feel free to chose whichever one fits your play style.