Fallout/Walkthrough

Walkthrough

 * NOTE: See the Appendix for Quest Notes.

what is the time limit to bring back the water chip?
150 days, or an additional 100 days for the water caravan.

Where is the water chip?
It's in Vault 12, which is in Bakersfield, more commonly known as Necropolis.

Do I have to get the water chip to beat the game?
No. Even if you do get the water chip, the game doesn't end immediately. You have to destroy the mutant threats.

How many ways are there of destroying the mutant threats?
Several. Cowboy (aka kill everything that moves) and stealth approaches work. Characters specializing in diplomacy can take down the master through talk alone.

How can I get stuff back from NPC's like Ian or Tycho?
Use the steal option. It's just like trading with them.

Dates & timelines
This section tells you how long it will take (in game time) to complete the major (required) quests.


 * You must find the Water Chip in 150 days before your vault runs out of water.


 * If you destroy the mutant threats in 150 days, you will not need to find the water chip.


 * There is a 500 day time limit to destroy both mutant threats. (They are the Vats and the Cathedral.) The time limit starts at the beginning of the game.


 * If you get the water caravan to deliver water to your vault, then the time limit is shortened by 100 days to destroy the mutant threats.


 * With version 1.1, the time limit to find the Water Chip will still remain, but the 500 and 400 day time limits will be removed and be replaced with a 13-year time limit. I think that this applies to Fallout v.1.2 (European release) as well.

Preface
This walkthrough goes through a pretty quick game. You won't get the water chip, but will destroy the mutants with about 75 days remaining. Sections for getting the water chip are included, so you can get it.

This is the route that the walkthrough goes through:
 * Vault 13
 * Shady Sands
 * Vault 15
 * Shady Sands (to get the Tandi quest)
 * Raiders (free Tandi)
 * Shady Sands (return Tandi)
 * Raiders (kill them)
 * Junktown
 * Hub
 * Brotherhood
 * Glow (if you couldn't pick the locks))
 * Brotherhood (Power Armor)
 * Hub (kill the raiders)
 * Brotherhood (reward for killing raiders)
 * Military Base
 * Brotherhood (tell Maxson that there ibis a threat to the military base even though you have blown it up. You'll get 1500 exp.)
 * Cathedral

This is the route that you should follow if you want to do everything:
 * Same as above, up to the Brotherhood with Power Armor
 * Necropolis (get water chip, fix the pump, and kill mutants)
 * Vault 13 (finish extra side quests and return the water chip)
 * Hub (kill the raiders that are holding the Brotherhood initiate)
 * Brotherhood (reward, any operations)
 * LA Boneyards
 * Cathedral
 * Military Base

And yes, it covers primarily good quests but has 4 evil quests, one that is needed to bust this gang, two for money/experience/important items, and one purely for items.

There are also three variations: Highest Karma, Truly Evil, and Pacifist.

Patches
There are three versions of Fallout available. Fallout v.1.0 is the initial North American release, v.1.1 is the patched North American release, and v.1.2 is the European release. It is recommended that you use either version 1.1 or 1.2. Version 1.2 doesn't have children.

Psycher

 * Most experience most kills.
 * Complete the game up until you have Power Armor, and then return the water chip to the Vault. Be sure to fix the Necropolis water pump as well.
 * After you return the water chip, complete any extra side quests in the Vault, and then kill everyone in Vault 13 except for the Overseer.
 * In Shady Sands throughout the Boneyards, do the same. Slaughter the Brotherhood if you feel high and mighty.
 * Do the 'Cowboy' approaches for the Military Base and the Cathedral.

Highest Karma
If you want the highest karma possible, this is what you'll have to do:
 * Completely avoid Decker's quests. You can ask for a job, say something derisive, and kill him. Or you can accept the job and turn him into the cops.
 * After you get Power Armor, go to Necropolis and kill whatever creature that comes in your path. Kill the mutants at the watershed, fix the water pump, and then get the water chip. After the mutants are dead, get the reward from Set, and then kill all of the Ghouls. This gives karma. - Go to Vault 13, and before you return the water chip, finish the extra quests (water thief, rebel faction).
 * Do the 'Cowboy' approach for the Cathedral and Military Base. Kill all of the mutants. Killing FEV creatures and ghouls in general gives you karma.

Truly Evil
There aren't many evil quests in Fallout (save for Junktown), but you get your bad reputation by killing the townsfolk.


 * Vault 13
 * Kill all of the rats.


 * Shady Sands
 * Ask Katrina for help.
 * Get Ian.
 * Kill eight of the nine radscorpions. Optionally make the antidote if you get poisoned.


 * Vault 15
 * Kill all of the rats and raid the Vault.


 * Raider Camp
 * Join the Raiders. Tell Garl that you "want to kick some serious ass." He might let you in. If he doesn't, kill him. I haven't been successful on this one.


 * Junktown
 * Help Killian kill the assassin. Accept the quest to get evidence to kill Gizmo.
 * Go to Gizmo and offer to kill Killiann.
 * Get Tycho and Dogmeat. After you get them, kill Killian.
 * Steal Neal's urn from the Skum Pitt. Give it to the Skulz and kill Neal.
 * Afterwards, just kill everybody at Junktown save for the Skulz and Gizmo.


 * Hub
 * You should get a combat shotgun and combat armor before doing anything. You can get them from Jake's weapon shop.
 * Complete Decker's quests, killing Hightower and Jain. Don't kill the flower girl yet.
 * Kill Lorenzo and his guards at the Friendly Lending Company.
 * Somewhat complete the caravan disappearance quest. Go in the cave and kill the Deathclaw. Do not kill the mutant, and don't tell Butch that it was the mutants who were causing the caravan disappearances.
 * Get Electronic Lockpicks from the Thieves' Guild. Kill them after you get the Electronic Lockpicks.
 * Make sure you get the robes from the locked doors in the Children of the Cathedral Building.
 * If you're male, screw Keri and get the buffouts. Also, be sure to take everything from Demetre's desk.


 * Brotherhood
 * Pick the doors with the Electronic Lockpicks, and get Vree's tape, complete her computer course, and get the Power Armor. Take the Glow quest if you can't get in, however.
 * If you do go to the Glow, be sure to raid it - completely. And do kill all of the robots.


 * Bone yards
 * Get your fortune told from Chuck.
 * Help the Regulators kill the Blades. (Go to the Blades and kill all of the characters there.)
 * Kill the Deathclaws. Go to the Gun Runners and ask for ammunition and ammo.
 * Get Katja, and then kill all of the Followers and the Gun Runners.


 * Cathedral
 * Kill Dogmeat and leave all of your NPPC's outside.
 * Kill Morpheus. Unfortunately, this gives karma, but you need the Black Cathedral Key.
 * Hack into the computer on Level 1 to get location of Military Base.
 * Blow it up, infiltration method is preferred. Be sure to hack into the computer on Level I of the Vault for the location of the Military Base. Also, be sure that you kill Dogmeat.


 * Hub
 * Get all the equipment that you need and kill everyone except for Decker. Kill the flower girl and the kid with brahmin in the entrance.


 * Junktown
 * Kill everyone that is left.


 * Shady Sands
 * Kill everyone, including the kids and brahmin.


 * Vault 13
 * Kill Everyone except for the overseer. Make sure that you don't talk to him; he'll kill you.


 * Brotherhood
 * If you're brave enough, slaughter them.


 * Right outside military base
 * Steal all of Ian's, Katja's, and Tychho's stimpacks and weapons. Kill all of them.


 * Military Base
 * Blow it up, infiltration method is preferred.

Pacifist
No kills...none at all. You'll also need a specific character. See the character section for the 'Pacifist' character. This is also the hardest one to complete.

What 'Pacifist' essentially does is preventing you from killing things by avoiding side quests that involve death. If you get caught in a random encounter, run away if possible.


 * Vault 13
 * Strip the bones on your right. Do not kill any of the rats.


 * Shady Sands
 * Ask Katrina for help and get Ian. After you get him, steal all of his equipment and stimpacks, and also ask him for directions to the Hub and Junktown. Tell him to leave afterwards.
 * Get the Scout Handbooks, the rope, and raid Razlo's bookcase.
 * Go to the farm and tell the farmer about crop rotation.


 * Junk town
 * Go to the Crash House area and save the game, and put your pistol in the inactive item slot. Go talk to Killian, and ask him about the other cities near Junktown. The assassin will come, and just shoot him once. After the assassin is dead, help Killian get evidence to kill Gizmo. Be sure to get the assassin's weapon.
 * Go to Gizmo's and offer to kill Killiian, with the tape recorder in the active item slot.
 * Go to Killian, give him the confession, ask for Leather Armor, and decline his offer to kill Gizmo. You can go and swindle him as well. (Trade four stimpacks for four of his stimpacks. Since you will probably have a better offer, this is a good way to increase your money. Do this until he runs out.)
 * Go to the Crash House and rest for one day. When you get up, save Sinthia from the Raider.
 * Go to the Casino Area and go to the Skum Pitt. Enter from the back entrance and steal Neal's urn. Leave the Skum Pitt, rest until the evening, and enter the bar again. Ask Tycho to join you. After he joins you, steal all of his equipment and tell him to leave. Also, speak with Ismarc and get the locations of the Boneyards, the Brotherhood, and the Hub. Speak with Neal. After you speak with Neal, one of the Skulz will attack the barmaid. Neal will kill him. After Neal kills the Skulz, speak with Trish and ask about Saul. Leave the Skum Pitt, go to the boxing area and talk to the man in the leather armor. Ask about Junktown and continue asking him about the city until you can speak about Trish. You'll get some experience for helping their relationship.
 * Go back to the Crash House area and rest until the morning. Enter the Crash House through the back entrance. Talk to the Skulz in the leather jacket, tell him that you want to join, tell him that you can prove it to him that you are tough, and tell him that you have stolen Neal's urn. Decline the offer to kill Neal. Also, enter Killian's store and enter his private quarters and lock pick his safe. Raid it completely.
 * Go to Lars, tell him about what the Skulz are going to do, and decline the offer to kill the Skulz. Barter for his radio and cheat him (just like what you did with Killian).


 * Hub
 * Go to the Crimson Caravan and take everything in their desk.
 * Go to Mitch at the general store and buy one rope and one tool if you don't have one.
 * Go to Butch at the Far Go Traders, ask about the job and accept it.
 * Go to Beth, and cheat her just like what you did to Killian. Ask her about the Deathclaw.
 * Go to Old Town and speak with Jake. Trade your Leather Armor and other items for Combat Armor. Ask Jake about radiation and radaway; he'll send you to this guy named Vance at the east end of Old Town. Buy two radx's and two radaway's from him.
 * Go to the Thieves' Guild, and of course, pick all of the locks. When you get there, speak with Loxley and accept the quest to find Hightower's necklace.
 * Go to the south end of Old Town and talk to Slappy. Slappy will send you to Harold. Give Harold $5 and ask him about the Deathclaw. Go back to Slappy and ask him to take you to the Deathclaw cavern. When you get there, immediately leave.
 * Go to the Crimson Caravan and take everything from Demetre's desk and if you're male, screw Keri.
 * Leave the Hub, and go to the Brotherhood.


 * Brotherhood
 * Get the Glow quest from Cabbot.


 * Glow
 * Right before you enter it, use your radx pills.
 * Use the rope on the metal ladder. Descend down the crater. Go south, take a right, and then head north to get to the corpse with the holodisc. Read the holodisc. Optionally raid Levels 1-6 except for 5, and do not repair the power generator. Don't attack the robots, either.


 * Brotherhood
 * Give the tape to Cabbot.
 * Ask for some weapons and ammo from Taalus, and watch the training on Level 1.
 * Go to Vree on Level 3 and ask her for her mutant autopsies report and take the computer course. Read the report about the autopsies. Also, talk to Sophia, ask about Brotherhood history, and read the holodisc that she gives you.
 * Go to Maxson on Level 4, offer to scout the northwest for free, and ask for some weapons. Also, be sure to ask him about the Brotherhood and read his holodisc.
 * Repair the Power Armor on Level 3. Get the systolic motivator from Michael.
 * Go to Level 2 and into your room (topmost room). Dump all of your holodiscs and useless items except for Vree's disc into one of the lockers. Leave the Brotherhood for Necropolis.


 * Necropolis (optional)
 * Don't kill anyone. Navigate the sewers and offer to fix the water pump for the underground ghoul leader. Don't kill any rats, and get the parts. Once you get the parts, bullshit Harry and fix the water pump. Also, be sure that you free the ghoul prisoner. Optionally get the water chip. If you do get the chip, return it to the Vault. (You've got Power Armor or at least Brotherhood Armor, so the rats shouldn't do much damage, or any damage for that matter.)


 * Junktown/Hub (optional; on your way to Vault 13)
 * Buy some explosives from one of the merchants from either city.


 * Shady Sands (optional)
 * Solve the radscorpion problem by blocking the cave. Place the dynamite as close to the weakened wall as possible (it should tell you this in the description of the wall).


 * Vault 13 (optional)
 * Do the side quests and return the water chip.


 * Shady Sands (optional)
 * Get the quest to find Tandi from Araddesh and Seth.


 * Khan Raider Camp (optional)
 * Talk Garl into releasing Tandi or barter for her release.


 * Shady Sands (optional)
 * Return Tandi to Aradesh.

 Room. Stairwell         * - Nicole |         .   To basement |  *      .             |        |                  ...        |    Entrance |-
 * Boneyards
 * Get your fortune told from Chuck.
 * Go to the Followers' Library. There are three Children of the Cathedral robes in a room on the first floor. Here is a rough ASCII map showing you where the robes are:
 * The robes are on the south end. Also, be sure to ask Nicole about the location of the Cathedral. Don't ask for assistance, however. That complicates things a bit.
 * Go to Adytum, and go to Tyne, the merchant. Get one plastic explosive in case. (Tyne's in the basement in Adytum; the stairwell is in a shack to the northwest of the entrance to Adytum.)
 * Partially complete the Deathclaw quest (get the parts for Miles). It's a good idea to have Power Armor for this one. If the Deathclaw comes towards you, run away.


 * Cathedral
 * Go speak with Sister Francis or Ton and barter for a red Cathedral pass. Use the pass to open the locked door. Put on your robes and go to the fourth floor.
 * On the fourth floor, lock pick the footlocker and get the electronic lock picks. Go back on the first floor and lockpick the door next to the door that you opened with the red pass. If you can't lock pick the door, then use explosives. They will open the door. And if you haven't done so, immediately put on your robes.
 * Blow up the Cathedral by talking the Master out of his plans. Be sure to get the Psychic Nullifier, free the prisoners, and hack into the computer on Level 1. Also make sure that you have at least read Vree's mutant autopsies.


 * Military Base
 * Walk around the complex in the world map until it is midnight. Then enter it.
 * Use the radio to bullshit the mutant guards. Choose the last option. After the mutants leave, use the electronic lock picks to open the door. Enter the base.
 * On Level 1, hack into the computer and head for Level 1 and go to Level 3. After you get in Level 3 and pass the force field, put on your robes. Go to Level 4.
 * On Level 4, repair Mr. Handy and blow up the Military Base using the Infiltration Approach.

Dimwit
Playing with a character with Intelligence less than three...and getting high on Mentats...and on perks...


 * Vault 13
 * Kill all of the rats. Wait for a day, and go back to the Vault. Go to the water storage room and take their Mentat pills. Head for Shady Sands.


 * Shady Sands
 * Take a Mentats. Do all of the stuff that you would normally do, but don't read the books yet. Be sure to steal lots of money from the villagers... you'll need to. After you level up to 3, you can take the perk "Smooth Talker" if you want to have "normal" dialogue conversations.

Endings
Well, this is what I view as the ultimate spoiler.


 * Mutant armies are drawn away, they escape to the west. Happens regardless to what you do.


 * Necropolis
 * Rediscover engineering, create new technological breakthroughs. Happens if you fix the water pump and enter Necropolis before the 88 day limit.
 * Necropolis is invaded by mutants. Happens if you...
 * take the water chip and not fix the pump.
 * enter Necropolis after the 88 day limit.


 * Boneyards (Followers)
 * Nothing. Happens if you visit them and complete the game in less than 88 days.
 * Followers are invaded by mutants. Happens if you take longer than 88 days to destroy the mutant threats.


 * Shady Sands
 * Aradesh and Tandi start the NCR. Happens if you kill the radscorpions and return Tandi after getting the quest.
 * Shady Sands falters, has bad start. Happens if you kill Aradesh.
 * Shady Sands is invaded by mutants. Happens if you take a long time to complete the game and you kill everyone there. (I'm not sure about this one.)


 * Junktown
 * Killian establishes firm control over Junktown and life is fair and safe under his law. Happens if you kill Gizmo.
 * Gizmo establishes control over Junktown, expands casino, and dies while choking on an Iguana-on-a-Stick. Happens if you kill Killian.


 * Brotherhood of Steel
 * Assist NCR in bringing technology. Happens if you join the Brotherhood.
 * Take over NCR and start the 'Steel Plague.' Happens if you kill Rhombus.


 * Hub
 * Nothing. Happens if you complete the game in less than 88 days.
 * Hub is invaded by mutants. Happens if you complete the game if you take more than 88 days to destroy the mutant threats.


 * Raiders
 * They break up with the death of Garl. Happens if you kill Garl.
 * The raiders continue to terrorize the local people. Happens if you visit the Raider camp, but in the process you don't kill Garl.


 * You
 * Your involvement with the communities is documented by future historians. However, nobody knows what happened to you.
 * What actually happens is that the Overseer kicks you out. He'll say that you know too much about the outside world and he is afraid that you will kill the other Vault dwellers.
 * If you have the trait 'Bloody Mess' or have the karmic title 'Berserker,' your character pulls out a .44 and blows the Overseer away. Alternatively, you can leave a gun in one of your item slots, and after the Overseer finishes talking, you can enter combat mode, switch to your weapon, and then blow him away.
 * Your character starts the community called Arroyo, and the overseer is court marshaled and is banished or executed, I don't know. Eventually, you'll learn that the Vaults were all a special case involving the government. This plot is finely displayed in the sequel...Fallout 2, the post nuclear adventure set 80 years ahead of Fallout.

If you don't go to a specific area, then you won't see the ending for the area.