What's the highest barter and/or speech skill you've seen to beat a challenge? I'm not sure if I should max them out to 100 or not.

One companion quest had a rather sudden 80 speech challenge that I had to reload and read a magazine to pass. 

I'd also like to know this for all skills. Please keep things as spoiler free as possible.

Um just get everything to (speech, barter, repair, science, lockpicking) to 75 and you'll be fine. Or even less than that. Get everything to 70 then just use temporary boosts when needed.

There is a 95 skill speech check in the towards the end of veronicas quest. Highest I've seen.

At the end there is a few 100 speech while talking to the same guy.

95 speech during the NCR ending.

I think most people feel that barter is one of the most useless skills and it's a waste to put a lot of points into it. Personally, I like for it to be pretty high. I always carry a lot of stuff and sell a lot of that stuff, so I like to make a decent amount for it all.

" Please keep things as spoiler free as possible. "

I had a 100 speech check in the Legion camp near the end of the game.
 
Also, if you're interested in the Long Haul perk (fast traveling while over-encumbered), you'll need 70 barter skill.

I've seen some 80-85 speech a couple times. Went to a hundred just in case there are some weird late-game challenges.

95 was the highest speech check I've encountered.
 
The highest I've seen for bartering was 75.

100 for speech about four times. You'll know it when you get there

There is at least one end-game speech challenge that eases a pretty major fight.  Having a high barter skill seems a lot more useful in New Vegas due to various checks requiring the skill.  Plus, if you're looking to make serious caps for implants and the higher-end weapons or ammo, it's pretty darn useful.

There was one part where there were 5 or so speech challenges with one person, at least one required a speech skill of 100. But that's just end-game stuff. I hadn't seen any speech challenge higher than 80 before that, though.

Eh. In the last main Quest I had a couple of 100 Speech checks.

" At the end there is a few 100 speech while talking to the same guy. "

" @MrKlorox said:

" Please keep things as spoiler free as possible. "

You stupid prick. You should know better than to ask any sort of grace like this from this bunch. And that presumes they actually read anything aside from the OP or title. "

The end of the game has an option that requires a 100 Speech Skill. Other than that though...