# \[REDUX\] Skill Rust - Which Option Do You Play With?

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973>\
**Category:** The Bunker\
**Created:** [February 15, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973 "2018-02-15T19:30:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AngryFrenchKanadian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/angryfrenchkanadian/32/1078_2.png) [@AngryFrenchKanadian](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/AngryFrenchKanadian)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973/1 "2018-02-15T19:30:12Z")

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Continuing the discussion from [Skill Rust - Which Option Do You Play With?](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/7911):

So much like when I made that previous thread almost 4 years ago, I find myself in much the same situation: coming back to the game after a year off and wondering if any recent updates to the game should make me reconsider simply playing with Skill Rust off.

> [@Skill Rust - Which Option Do You Play With?](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/7911/1):
>
> I’ve been wanting to start a new character since I haven’t played in almost 9 months or so, but I’ve noticed that most people I know who’ve been playing are doing so with skill rust off.
> 
> Now, most of them explain that at higher levels it simply becomes almost impossible to maintain your training and that it’s less frustrating to play with no skill rust.
> 
> It seems a bit odd to me that skill rust seems to be such a frustrating feature when in theory it’s supposed to be balanced with some traits and bionics that you can start with or acquire, especially when by default you start with Int Dependent skill rust.
> 
> I just want to start a new character with the most “vanilla” setting possible. I want to play at the “intended” difficulty but of course nobody’s perfect, maybe the devs haven’t found a solution yet for how annoying skill rust is. I don’t want to feel like I’m cheating but I don’t want a frustrating feature to ruin a 100 hours playthrough.
> 
> Is skill rust really THAT annoying? Is the game still fair, fun and enjoyable with it? If not, is the capped skill rust option more balanced?
> 
> Have you found a better option by modding the game a bit to reduce skill rust degradation to fair levels?
> 
> What Skill Rust setting do you use: Off? Vanilla? Capped? Int? IntCap?

Indeed, what Skill Rust setting do you chaps use these days?

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**Author:** ![NuG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/nug/32/7057_2.png) [@NuG](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/NuG)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973/2 "2018-02-15T21:03:37Z")

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> [@AngryFrenchKanadian](#):
>
> Indeed, what Skill Rust setting do you chaps use these days?

I’ve been going with the default, off, but have thought of turning it on at some point to try it out. I haven’t yet because, like you, I haven’t really read anything good about it, just complaints. It seems that once you get the bionic to stop skills from deteriorating, it would become almost a non issue anyway, which is another reason I just leave it at the default.

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**Author:** ![BuckDashing](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/buckdashing/32/1850_2.png) [@BuckDashing](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BuckDashing)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973/3 "2018-02-15T22:48:07Z")

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So the idea with skill rust is it only affects you with whatever you are leveling at the time. When you get up to skill levels where it really matters, generally you want to make sure that you get to the next full level. That’s pretty much the only effect that it has: you have to grind fully into the next level, instead of leaving the xp there.

All in all, it wont affect you so much, because it only kicks in after 3 levels, and it only drains the xp you have between levels. I leave it on, and I’ve never had an issue where I felt like it was punishing or unfair. Just makes you finish reading that book, instead of starting it and finishing it ~3 months later.

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**Author:** ![AngryFrenchKanadian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/angryfrenchkanadian/32/1078_2.png) [@AngryFrenchKanadian](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/AngryFrenchKanadian)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973/4 "2018-02-15T22:51:02Z")

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If you select IntCap, yeah.

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**Author:** ![Mantar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mantar/32/42_2.png) [@Mantar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Mantar)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/redux-skill-rust-which-option-do-you-play-with/14973/5 "2018-02-15T22:55:16Z")

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I use the IntCap setting. Turning it off feels too easy.