Claude starts with basic health and no armor. His abilities are primarily tied to his physical attributes and his capacity to use various weapons and vehicles. Unlike later GTA titles, there are no RPG-like skill trees or stat upgrades through experience points. Instead, Claude's 'build' is enhanced through external means, such as collecting hidden packages for weapon spawns, completing vehicle missions for permanent bonuses, and acquiring better equipment.
Health:
- Starting Health: 100 HP
- Maximum Health: 100 HP (can be effectively increased by armor)
- Recovery: Health packs (green cross icon), eating at food stands, visiting safe houses.
Armor:
- Starting Armor: 0
- Maximum Armor: 100 (can be acquired from pickups or safe house spawns)
- Permanent Bonus: Completing 20 levels of Vigilante missions grants a permanent armor pickup at your safe houses.
Stamina:
- Starting Stamina: Limited sprint duration.
- Permanent Bonus: Completing Level 12 of Paramedic missions grants infinite sprint. This is a highly recommended upgrade for faster on-foot travel and escaping dangerous situations.
Focus on acquiring the permanent armor and infinite sprint bonuses as early as possible. These significantly improve Claude's survivability and mobility, making all subsequent missions much easier to handle. Always keep an eye out for health and armor pickups during missions.