Factions & Reputation

Factions & Reputation

In the desolate wastes of Fallout 2, your interactions with the various factions scattered across the former United States will profoundly shape your journey. Unlike a simple good/evil meter, Fallout 2 employs a nuanced reputation system, tracking your standing with individual groups. This guide will delve into the major factions, how to curry their favor (or earn their ire), and the tangible benefits and drawbacks of your choices.

Understanding Reputation

Your reputation with a faction is a hidden value that influences how NPCs from that group react to you. A positive reputation can unlock unique dialogue options, offer better prices from merchants, provide access to restricted areas, and even lead to new quests. Conversely, a negative reputation can result in hostile encounters, refusal of services, and even being hunted down. Be mindful that actions in one town can sometimes ripple across the wasteland, affecting your standing with related groups.

Major Factions and How to Interact

The Den: Slavers and Scavengers

The Den is a lawless hub of trade, drugs, and slavery. Your reputation here is a delicate balance between the various criminal elements and the few struggling honest folk.

• Gaining Positive Reputation:
  • Deliver Jet for Metzger: Speak to Metzger in the large building near the entrance. Agree to deliver Jet to the Mordino family in New Reno. Completing this task without complications will earn you favor with the slavers.
  • Rescue Vic: In the back alley, you'll find Vic's house. If you have a high enough Speech skill (or can acquire the necessary components), you can repair his broken radio. This will lead to a quest to rescue him from Metzger's gang. Successfully freeing Vic will improve your standing with the more morally inclined residents.
  • Help Rebecca: Rebecca, the owner of the general store, has issues with the local thugs. Completing her quests (e.g., retrieving her stolen locket) will boost your standing with the non-slaver population.
• Gaining Negative Reputation:
  • Attacking Slavers: Directly engaging Metzger's slavers will quickly turn the entire Den hostile.
  • Freeing Slaves: While morally commendable, freeing slaves from Metzger's compound will severely damage your reputation with the dominant faction.
• Key Items/Locations:
  • Metzger's Compound: The central slaver operation.
  • Rebecca's General Store: A source of early quests and supplies.
  • Vic's House: Location for the "Rescue Vic" quest.

Modoc: The Simple Settlers

Modoc is a small, seemingly peaceful farming community plagued by mysterious disappearances. Their trust is hard-won but valuable.

• Gaining Positive Reputation:
  • Investigate the Ghost Farm: Speak to Grisham, the town elder, about the missing people. This will lead you to the "Ghost Farm" (Slaughterhouse). Uncovering the truth about the "ghosts" and resolving the situation (either by dealing with the wanamingos or by finding the true culprits) will significantly boost your standing.
  • Retrieve Jonny's Watch: Jonny, a child in Modoc, has lost his watch. Finding and returning it will earn you a small amount of favor. The watch is often found on a dead body near the "Ghost Farm" entrance.
• Gaining Negative Reputation:
  • Stealing from Homes: Modoc residents are wary. Getting caught stealing will quickly sour their opinion of you.
  • Attacking Residents: Unprovoked aggression will turn the entire town hostile.
• Key Items/Locations:
  • Grisham's House: Where you receive the main quest.
  • Slaughterhouse (Ghost Farm): The primary quest location.

Broken Hills: Mutants and Humans Coexisting

Broken Hills is a unique settlement where humans and super mutants attempt to live in harmony. Maintaining this delicate balance is key to gaining their trust.

• Gaining Positive Reputation:
  • Solve the Uranium Mine Problem: Talk to Marcus, the super mutant sheriff. He'll task you with investigating issues at the uranium mine. Successfully resolving the conflict (often involving dealing with the radscorpions or saboteurs) will greatly improve your standing with both humans and mutants.
  • Investigate the Disappearing Caravans: Another quest from Marcus involves finding out why caravans are going missing. This often leads to uncovering a conspiracy within the town itself.
  • Help the Human Settlers: There are various smaller tasks from human residents, such as retrieving a missing item or dealing with a local pest, that can incrementally improve your reputation.
• Gaining Negative Reputation:
  • Attacking Mutants or Humans: Any unprovoked aggression against either group will quickly make you an enemy of the entire town.
  • Siding with Saboteurs: If you uncover the caravan sabotage, siding with the perpetrators will severely damage your reputation.
• Key Items/Locations:
  • Sheriff's Office: Marcus's headquarters and source of major quests.
  • Uranium Mine: A key location for the mine quest.

New Reno: The City of Sin

New Reno is a sprawling city dominated by four powerful crime families. Your reputation here is less about good or evil and more about which family you align with, or how well you play them against each other.

• Gaining Positive Reputation (with specific families):
  • Mordino Family:
    • Deliver Jet: As mentioned in The Den section, delivering Jet from Metzger to Renesco (Mordino's chemist) will earn their favor.
    • Become a Boxer: Speak to Stuart in the Mordino's casino. Winning fights in the boxing ring can earn you respect and money.
  • Wright Family:
    • Investigate Richard Wright's Death: Talk to Mrs. Wright. This quest involves a significant investigation and can lead to uncovering a drug operation. Successfully solving it will earn the Wrights' trust.
    • Stop the Drug Production: If you uncover the drug operation, shutting it down will greatly please the Wrights.
  • Salvatore Family:
    • Assassinate the Bishop Family: The Salvatores are openly hostile to the Bishops. Taking out members of the Bishop family will earn Salvatore's favor, but make you an enemy of the Bishops.
  • Bishop Family:
    • Assassinate the Salvatore Family: Similar to the Salvatores, the Bishops will reward you for eliminating their rivals.
    • Help with their Casino Operations: Specific tasks related to their casino can also earn their trust.
• Gaining Negative Reputation:
  • Crossing Families: Siding too strongly with one family will often make you an enemy of their rivals.
  • Attacking Family Members: Direct aggression towards any family member will quickly turn that entire family hostile.
  • Getting Caught Stealing: New Reno is heavily guarded. Getting caught stealing from any of the casinos or family compounds will result in immediate hostility.
• Key Items/Locations:
  • The Shark Club (Mordino): Casino and boxing ring.
  • The Desperado (Bishop): Another prominent casino.
  • The Golden Globes (Salvatore): Salvatore's base of operations.
  • Wright Family Mansion: Source of the Richard Wright quest.

Vault City: The Elitist Enclave

Vault City is a highly structured, xenophobic society that values order and purity above all else. Gaining their trust is difficult and often requires adherence to their strict rules.

• Gaining Positive Reputation:
  • Become a Citizen: This is the ultimate goal for full access. It requires completing a series of tasks for the First Citizen, including retrieving a Gecko Skinning Knife from Klamath, finding a Tool for the maintenance worker, and often demonstrating a high Intelligence and Speech skill.
  • Complete Tasks for Valerius: Captain Valerius in the courtyard often has tasks, such as clearing out local threats, that can improve your standing with the guards.
  • Help the Doctor: Dr. Troy in the medical center may have quests that involve retrieving medical supplies or assisting with patients.
• Gaining Negative Reputation:
  • Entering Restricted Areas: Attempting to enter the inner city without citizenship or a valid pass will result in immediate hostility from the guards.
  • Stealing: Getting caught stealing, especially from within the inner city, will have severe consequences.
  • Failing Citizenship Tests: Repeatedly failing the citizenship requirements can permanently lock you out of becoming a citizen.
• Key Items/Locations:
  • First Citizen's Office: Where you apply for citizenship.
  • Courtyard: The outer area accessible to non-citizens.
  • Vault City Medical Center: Source of medical quests.

San Francisco: Shi and Hubologists

San Francisco is a melting pot of two distinct and often opposing factions: the technologically advanced Shi and the eccentric Hubologists.

• Gaining Positive Reputation (Shi):
  • Retrieve the Fuel Cell Controller: The Shi Emperor will task you with finding a Fuel Cell Controller for their tanker. This is a crucial quest for advancing the main storyline and will earn their significant trust. The controller is often found in the Navarro base.
  • Help Dr. Wong: Dr. Wong in the Shi temple may have various scientific tasks, such as retrieving specific components or data, that will improve your standing.
• Gaining Positive Reputation (Hubologists):
  • Join the Hubologists: Speak to the Grand Master. You can undergo a series of "spiritual" tests and donations to become a member, granting access to their facilities and quests.
  • Retrieve the Hubologist Parts: The Hubologists often need specific parts for their "space shuttle." Finding these for them will earn their favor.
• Gaining Negative Reputation:
  • Attacking Either Faction: Directly attacking the Shi or Hubologists will make you an enemy of that group.
  • Siding Exclusively with One: While not always leading to outright hostility, heavily favoring one faction over the other can limit your options and quests with the opposing group.
• Key Items/Locations:
  • Shi Temple: The main base of the Shi.
  • Hubologist Compound: The Hubologists' headquarters.
  • Tanker: The objective of the Shi's main quest.

Remember, the wasteland is a dangerous place, and your choices have consequences. Choose your alliances wisely, or be prepared to face the repercussions.