Fallout 2
Fallout 2

Companions & Recruitment

Find and recruit every unique companion in Fallout 2. Learn how your stats and dialogue choices impact your ability to bring allies like Marcus and Cassidy to .

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Companions & Recruitment

Venturing through the treacherous wastes of Fallout 2 alone is a daunting task. Thankfully, the wasteland is full of colorful characters willing to join your cause, offering extra firepower, carrying capacity, and unique skills. Recruiting companions is often tied to specific quests or dialogue choices, and your own Intelligence stat can significantly impact who you can recruit and how you interact with them.

General Companion Management Tips

  • Intelligence Matters: A low Intelligence (below 4) will severely limit your dialogue options and, consequently, the number of NPCs you can recruit. While you can temporarily boost your INT with Mentats, this should be reserved for critical moments like recruiting key companions or acquiring the car.
  • Inventory Management: Companions have their own inventory. You can give them weapons, armor, and healing items. Remember to equip them with appropriate gear for their combat style.
  • Combat Tactics: You can issue basic commands to your companions, such as "attack," "follow," or "stay." Learn to use these effectively in combat.
  • Healing: Companions can be healed with Stimpaks or by a doctor. Keep an eye on their health during tough encounters.

Recruitment Guide by Companion

Sulik

Your very first potential companion, Sulik is a tribal warrior with a knack for melee combat. He's an excellent early-game tank and damage dealer.

  • Location: The Den, in the slave pens near Mom's Diner.
  • Recruitment Steps:
    1. Upon arriving in The Den, head towards the central area where Mom's Diner is located.
    2. Look for the slave pens. Sulik will be locked inside.
    3. Speak to the slaver, Becky, who runs the diner. She'll inform you that Sulik owes her money (350 caps).
    4. You have a few options to free him:
      • Pay Becky: The most straightforward method. Pay her the 350 caps.
      • Barter/Steal: If your Barter or Steal skill is high enough, you might be able to negotiate a lower price or pickpocket the caps from Becky.
      • Complete a Quest: If you've already completed Anna's quests (finding her locket and then her husband's killer), Becky might be more amenable to a deal or even let Sulik go for free as a reward for helping the town.
    5. Once freed, speak to Sulik, and he will offer to join you.
  • Key Gear: Sulik starts with a Sledgehammer. Consider upgrading him to a Super Sledge later in the game. He benefits greatly from better armor.
Vic

A former merchant and tinkerer, Vic is a decent ranged fighter and an invaluable resource for repairing items. He's also crucial for acquiring the Highwayman car.

  • Location: The Den, held captive in a shack by the slaver Metzger.
  • Recruitment Steps:
    1. In The Den, locate Metzger's compound, typically guarded by his thugs.
    2. Enter the shack where Vic is being held. Speak to him. He'll explain that Metzger is holding him for a debt and has confiscated his radio.
    3. You have several ways to free Vic:
      • Pay Metzger: You can pay Metzger 1000 caps to release Vic.
      • Retrieve the Radio: Metzger will offer to release Vic if you retrieve his broken water chip radio from his house in Klamath. This is a longer quest but saves you caps.
        • Travel to Klamath.
        • Enter Vic's house (it's the one with the broken radio on the table).
        • Pick up the Broken Water Chip Radio.
        • Return to Metzger in The Den and give him the radio. He will then release Vic.
      • Kill Metzger: If you're feeling aggressive, you can eliminate Metzger and his gang. This will free Vic, but it will also likely turn the Den's slavers hostile towards you.
    4. Once free, speak to Vic, and he will join your party.
  • Key Gear: Vic starts with a 10mm Pistol. He excels with energy weapons later on, so consider giving him a Laser Pistol or Plasma Pistol.
Goris

A highly intelligent Deathclaw, Goris is a formidable melee combatant with high hit points and natural armor. He's an excellent choice for players who prefer direct confrontation.

  • Location: Vault 13, within the Deathclaw community.
  • Recruitment Steps:
    1. You must first locate Vault 13, which is a significant main quest objective.
    2. Once inside Vault 13, navigate through the lower levels until you find the intelligent Deathclaw community.
    3. Speak to Goris. He is distinguishable by his red robe.
    4. You will need a high Intelligence (at least 6) to engage in meaningful conversation with him. If your INT is too low, you won't be able to recruit him.
    5. Goris will explain his situation and the plight of his community. He will offer to join you after you progress through the Vault 13 storyline and agree to help his people.
  • Key Gear: Goris primarily uses his natural claws. He cannot wear armor or use most weapons, but his innate defenses and damage output are exceptional.
K-9

A loyal and heavily armed robotic dog, K-9 is a unique companion with powerful ranged attacks.

  • Location: Navarro, at the Enclave military base.
  • Recruitment Steps:
    1. Gaining access to Navarro is a late-game objective and requires significant progress in the main story. You'll likely need to either infiltrate the base stealthily or fight your way in.
    2. Once inside Navarro, locate the research labs. K-9 will be found in one of these labs.
    3. K-9 is initially non-functional. You will need to repair him. This requires a high Repair skill (around 75% or more) and a K-9 Motivator.
    4. The K-9 Motivator can often be found within Navarro itself, sometimes on scientists or in storage lockers.
    5. Once you have the Motivator and sufficient Repair skill, interact with K-9 and choose the repair option.
    6. After successful repair, K-9 will activate and offer to join you.
  • Key Gear: K-9 comes equipped with powerful built-in weaponry. He cannot wear armor or use other weapons.
Dogmeat

The iconic canine companion from the original Fallout makes a cameo, though his recruitment is less straightforward and often considered a "special encounter."

  • Location: Various random special encounters.
  • Recruitment Steps:
    1. Dogmeat is not found in a fixed location. He appears in a specific "Special Encounter" called the "Cafe of Broken Dreams."
    2. To trigger this encounter, you need to travel extensively on the world map. The encounter is entirely random.
    3. When you find the "Cafe of Broken Dreams," Dogmeat will be there, along with several other iconic characters from the original Fallout.
    4. To recruit Dogmeat, you must be wearing the Vault 13 Jumpsuit. If you are not, he will not recognize you.
    5. Approach Dogmeat while wearing the jumpsuit, and he will immediately join your party.
  • Key Gear: Dogmeat uses his natural bite attacks. He cannot wear armor or use weapons.