Step 1: S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats.
The first step to character creation should be the consideration of your primary statistics, to be referred to afterwards as: S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats! There are two ways to visualize the amount of points you can spend here: 1) All of your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats start at 1, but you have 33 points to spend. (F.Un!) Or 2) All of your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats start at 5, and you have 5 "free" points to spend. (FNV) Either way, the minimum a stat can be reduced to is 1 and the maximum a stat can be raised to is 10.Before moving on to the next step, it is worth mentioning that S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats will affect which Perks your player can choose as they level. (See Step 5) There are ways to raise your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats later, but they are limited. Consult with your Overseer about how many perks your character will be starting with, and about how many Perks you will gain per level. If you are unfamiliar with Fallout 4 and its Perk Tree, here is an explanation:
"S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks are obtained by spending perk points in the perk chart. Each perk has a base S.P.E.C.I.A.L. requirement that must be met before it can be taken; this is based off the starting stats chosen upon character creation, along with any increases to those stats obtained through various permanent means of increase. Obtaining S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Bobbleheads and selecting "Intense Training" by spending a perk point will also increase the base S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat permanently by +1; this allows new perks to be selected."
"However, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat increases granted through temporary means such as equipment, chems, and alcohol do not affect which perks may be taken. Any perk may be selected in any order so long as its base SPECIAL requirement is met. Perks higher up on the chart (with lower base SPECIAL requirements) do not have to be obtained prior to obtaining perks lower on the chart (with higher base SPECIAL requirements)." -Fallout 4 Perks, Fallout Wikia
Step 2: Base Skill Calculation
To perform your base skill calculations, take your Luck. Now divide it by 2, round up and add +2 more. You will be adding this number to all of your base skill numbers. Next review the ~Skill List v1.8~. Take your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat the Skill List asks of you and multiply it by 2, then add it to the number you got from your Luck. Do this for each of your skills. These are your base skill numbers for level 1. You will be able to add more skill points as you level (~Leveling Your Character~), but for now this is it.Step 3: Tag! Skills & Equipment
In addition to your base skill numbers, you will also be able to Tag! 3 skills of your choice- raising each of them by +15! Choose carefully as Tag! skills effect more than just what's in your ~Skill List v1.8~; they also effect your starting equipment and encounters with NPCs. After you have chosen your Tag! skills, consult with your Vault-Tec Starting Goods Distribution Guide and see what items you can choose to start with. If there is not a Vault-Tec Starting Goods Distribution Guide available in your Vault, please consult your Overseer directly for equipment loadout.Step 4: Secondary Stats
Finally! So close you can almost taste it!! But you still need Action Points! No? Hit Points!? That's right, you want those things! So hold your Giddy-Up-ButterCups! Take a look at the ~Secondary Statistics~ and your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats to calculate your Secondary Statistics. Double check! Make sure you used the correct S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats when calculating in steps 2 and 4.Step 5: Perks
A Unknown is typically gained once every 2 levels, starting at level 2. This is part of character creation only if you are starting above level 1, otherwise your character is complete and you can report to your Overseer for assignment!