Wasteland Survival Guide (quest)

Wasteland Survival Guide is a three-part side quest in Fallout 3. It is also an achievement/trophy.

Quick walkthrough

 * 1) Talk to Moira Brown about her Wasteland Survival Guide project.
 * 2) Complete the first set of assignments.
 * 3) Find food at the Super-Duper Mart. Find medicine at the Super-Duper Mart (optional).
 * 4) Contract minor radiation sickness (200 rads). Contract critical radiation poisoning (600 rads) (optional).
 * 5) Go to the playground in Minefield. Give an landmine to Moira (optional).
 * 6) Complete the second set of assignments.
 * 7) Test the repellant stick on three mole rats. Test the repellant on seven more mole rats (optional).
 * 8) Place an observer in the mirelurk infested Anchorage War Memorial. Do not kill any of the mirelurks (optional).
 * 9) Injure yourself to at least half your maximum health. Cripple a limb (optional).
 * 10) Complete the final set of assignments.
 * 11) Research Rivet City's history. Dig deeper to find the city's true history (optional).
 * 12) Install a widget into the RobCo facility's mainframe. Hack the mainframe (optional).
 * 13) Access the card catalog of Arlington Library. Retrieve the full library archive (optional).
 * 14) Return to Moira to confirm publishing of the survival guide.

Detailed walkthrough
Moira Brown, the eccentric owner of the Craterside Supply in Megaton, wants you to do some dangerous research for a book she is writing entitled "The Wasteland Survival Guide". Though each chapter is generally a unique quest, they all share common attributes for their rewards. All item rewards are given in a quantity proportionate to the player's level, meaning the player will receive more of the item at higher levels. Unique items are given to players that complete optional objectives during every assignment.

The player is also given dialogue options based on which of their SPECIAL stats are at least 7: the more stats at 7 or higher, the more dialogue options. The player's dialogue options affect both the style of the book and the specific rewards at the end of the quest.
 * Standard replies are always available and produce a straightforward and no-nonsense book, and you better endure a lot of pain to get through alive. The effects from this style increase overall HP (likely from taking so much punishment).
 * Snide replies are always available and produce a clearly cynical book, albeit one that is snappy and amusing. The effects from this style increase Critical Hit Chance (likely from trying to find more creative and sadistic ways to hack and blast things into a fine red mist).
 * To make a Smart reply, your Intelligence or Perception (the specific stat differs for each segment) must be at least 7. A Smart book presents an intelligent and thorough treatment of the subject. The effects from this style increase Science and Medicine skill levels.
 * To make a Tough reply, your Strength or Endurance (the specific stat differs for each segment) must be at least 7. A Tough book focuses on personal reliance and determination. The effects from this style increase Damage Resistance.
 * To make a Sly reply, your Charisma or Agility (the specific stat differs for each segment) must be at least 7. A Sly book is formed from an engaging and personal presentation, a veritable Wanderer's Manifesto. The effects from this style increase Sneak and Speech skill levels.

Should you choose to destroy Megaton while this quest is active, this quest will not be affected at all as Moira will survive as a ghoul and continue to give quest updates as normal. She can be found at the ruins initially, but moves to Underworld after a conversation with her. Or, if enough time passes, she will eventually move on her own. If Moira dies, when the PC approaches Megaton a message will appear saying "Moira Brown has been killed and the Wasteland Survival Guide will never be written." At the same time a quest message will appear announcing that you've failed the quest.

Chapter 1
Chapter one focuses on the basics of survival: finding food and medicine, dealing with radiation, and avoiding more conventional wasteland dangers.

Find food at the Super Duper Mart

 * Main objective: Find food in the Super-Duper Mart
 * Optional objective: Find medicine in the Super-Duper Mart.

Moira wants you to look for food and possibly medicine at the nearby Super-Duper Mart. Moira will mark it on your map. The mart is filled with raiders.

Throughout the supermarket are refrigerators filled with food; it is not necessary to take the content, just find them. After this, the player can venture inside to finish the optional objective. There is a first aid box in the back room (next to the mini nuke and protectron) in the left corner of the store. Looting it will fulfill the objective, but will also summon several more raiders. The intercom will transmit their voices to warn you.

Returning to Moira with the information will reward you with iguana bits. A food sanitizer will be given in addition to the iguana bits if you complete the optional objective.

If you have already visited the Super Duper Mart and picked up food and medicine there prior to initiating the Wasteland Survival Guide quest with Moira, when you do speak to her you will instead recount your experiences which effectively completes this portion of Chapter 1 without having to do it again.


 * Iguana bits vs Level

After completing the quest and the optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Intelligence, or Charisma is above 7; Strength, Agility or Intelligence apply if you didn't. The standard or snide responses are available by default.


 * Possible replies

Contract radiation sickness

 * Main objective: Contract radiation sickness (200 rads)
 * Optional objective: Contract critical radiation sickness (600 rads)

Moira wants you to contract radiation sickness in order to study the effects of radiation poisoning on a person and to also test her radiation sickness remedy on you. 200 rads is considered the minimum, while 600 is necessary for the optional objective. Moira will completely heal your radiation at the end of the quest.

There are any number of highly irradiated areas which will easily fulfill the objective. The closest option is the nuclear bomb right in the middle of town. The quickest way to fulfill your radiation requirements is to drink from the center of the radioactive water surrounding the atomic bomb.

After you complete the task, your rad count will be reduced to 0. Moira will give you some Rad-X and RadAway and she will also start selling them. If you completed the optional objective, Moira remarks that you now have a "teeny, tiny, um, mutation" after curing you, which manifests in the form of the Rad Regeneration perk. Alternatively, should you have a high enough Science skill (at least 50), you will be given the option of simply explaining the effects of radiation poisoning. However, you don't get the perk this way. The optional objective still counts as complete towards the quality of the final reward perk.


 * RadAway vs Level


 * Rad-X vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Perception, or Charisma is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Intelligence, or Agility. Note that you will be suffering the effects of Critical Radiation Poisoning (-1 STR, -3 END, -2 AGL), which may affect your ability to choose the Endurance option. Using a Buffout before speaking to Moira will allow you to select the 'tough' option provided your base END is 7 or greater as it counteracts the -3 END from the radiation poisoning.


 * Possible replies

Traversing a mine field

 * Main objective: Travel to the playground in the center of Minefield.
 * Optional objective: Retrieve and return a frag mine to Moira.

Moira wants you to reach the playground in the center of Minefield, aptly named, as the streets have many frag mines planted on them. She would also like you to retrieve a mine, if you are able. You must bring her a mine; simply disarming one and then going to talk to her will not give you the credit for the optional objective. Minefield is far northeast of Megaton. Minefield is home to a sniper, Arkansas, who adds to the challenge of this quest by shooting at the player and surrounding cars.

As frag mines are quite prevalent in the game, it is possible to lie to Moira about visiting Minefield and still complete the optional objective to complete the quest. If you already visited Minefield before doing this task, you can inform Moira of this, but you will not be able to complete the optional objective.

Moira will reward you with frag grenades upon completion of the quest, and will throw in bottlecap mine schematics if you completed the optional objective.


 * Frag grenades vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Perception, or Agility is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma.


 * Possible replies

Completion
Once all three quests are completed, the first chapter will be done. Moira will reward you with some stimpaks and 100 experience points for finishing the first chapter of the Wasteland Survival Guide.


 * Stimpaks vs Level

Chapter 2
Chapter 2 of the guide centers on dealing with some of the many dangerous creatures that are known to inhabit the wastelands, and also how to handle injuries they may inflict.

Test the repellent on mole rats

 * Main objective: Test the mole rat repellent on three mole rats.
 * Optional objective: Test the repellent on seven more mole rats (ten total).

Moira wants you to test out her new mole rat repellent, which she has applied to a stick, on some mole rats. Three is enough to finish the task, while ten is preferred for a more thorough test of the repellent. Contrary to the name, the mole rat repellent does not repel mole rats. Instead, it causes their heads to explode. One hit causes a delay of a few seconds, while two hits will kill them instantly. Moira will not be happy about this.

Moira will direct you to the Tepid Sewers, located near the Anchorage War Memorial, which will have enough mole rats for both objectives (though finding enough for the optional objective will involve getting around raiders, a turret, some explosive gases, and maybe a few frag mines), but any mole rats, which are plentiful throughout the wastes, will count toward completion of the quest. The closest location with mole rats is actually just outside Megaton. Towards the back of Megaton several (usually around four or five) will spawn.

If you are having trouble finding mole rats in any of this areas, Jury St. Station is full of mole rats as well as several raiders, although no more raiders than in the Tepid Sewers. At the end of the train tracks there will be two doors on either wall that lead into the Jury St. tunnels granting you access to even more mole rats.

The reward for this quest is some doses of Jet and Psycho. If you completed the optional objective, you get to keep the repellent stick. If not, Moira will take it back and you'll have to buy it if you wish to keep using it, or steal it from Moira's hard-locked desk upstairs.


 * Jet & Psycho vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Intelligence, or Charisma is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Perception, or Agility.


 * Possible replies

Place an observer unit inside a mirelurk nest

 * Main objective: Place an observer unit (provided by Moira) inside a mirelurk egg clutch in the Anchorage War Memorial.
 * Optional objective: Complete the main objective without killing a single mirelurk.

Moira wants you to gather data on mirelurk behavior by placing an observer inside the mirelurk nest at the Anchorage War Memorial, specifically inside an egg clutch. So as not to upset her data gathering, she would prefer you do this without harming any of the crustaceans.

This optional objective only applies to mirelurks killed during the quest, and only those inside the memorial itself. The game will not fault you for killing any mirelurks anywhere else, nor will it matter if any were killed inside the memorial before starting the mission. Any mirelurks killed by your followers will not be counted against you. Egg clutches are found throughout the facility, so a place to plant the observer is not difficult to locate.

Unlike most other optional objectives, this optional objective will be completed only upon talking to Moira, and telling her that the mirelurks are "none the wiser." If the player completes the quest with the optional objective, they'll receive some Stealth Boys and a shady hat.


 * Stealth Boys vs Level

After completing the quest, you can get special conversation paths if your Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Endurance, Perception, or Agility.


 * Possible replies

Return to Moira with injuries equaling more than 50% of your health

 * Main objective: Return to Moira with less than 50% of your total health.
 * Optional objective: Return to Moira with a crippled body part.

Moira wants to see you when you are badly injured, so she can see how people deal with various injuries. She would prefer you to have at least one crippled limb before returning. Any injuries, self-inflicted or otherwise, count toward completing the quest. Moira will heal your injuries upon completion.

With a high enough Medicine skill, you are considered "a good enough doctor to just explain" about injuries, and you receive credit for the quest and bonus objective. Be aware that this qualifies as a "smart" response and as a result may have an effect on the perk you receive upon completion of the quest as a whole.

The reward for the quest is some doses of Med-X, and an environment suit if the optional objective is completed.


 * Med-X vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Intelligence, or Charisma is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Perception, or Agility.


 * Possible replies

Completion
Once all three quests are completed, you are awarded 100 XP and some ammunition, the exact quantities depending on Luck. If the Lone Wanderer is between levels 12 and 15, they will have a chance of receiving various quantities of any of the small arms bullet types; "just lots and lots of ammunition" - Moira.


 * Ammunition vs Level

Chapter 3
Chapter 3 revolves around how towns and cities came to be after the Great War and also dealing with pre-War technology.

Research Rivet City's history

 * Main objective: Find out the history about Rivet City.
 * Optional objective: Find out Rivet City's true history.

Moira would like to know the history of Rivet City, preferably as accurate as possible. Almost every citizen of Rivet City is unfamiliar with its history. Most will point you in the right direction, however. Bannon is the first person people will point to; he will claim that he helped found the city. Note that when you first start this quest the optional objective does not appear. It only appears after you talk to a citizen of Rivet City. Upon speaking to any citizen about the history of Rivet City, you will complete the main objective and the optional objective will appear. You can return to Moira at this point for normal completion, or fact-check his story for optional completion.

Fact-checking this information requires meeting with Pinkerton. Belle Bonny in the Muddy Rudder bar will point you to his home in the broken bow of the ship. You may also receive information about Pinkerton by talking to Vera Weatherly, who will mention that Seagrave Holmes has lived there since he was a boy. Talking to him will tell you that Pinkerton may have left information in the bow. The security officers will also make thinly veiled references to his location while dismissing him as dead.

To get to Pinkerton, you have to exit Rivet City proper and travel to the other, "uninhabited" half of the ship, where there is a walkway leading to a door. It is a Very Hard lock (level 100 lockpick), and if you're unable to pick it you must jump into the water to the left of the door and swim alongside the ship until you turn the corner, where you will find a door underwater. There is a long swim, but no underwater combat. Pinkerton's living space is on the upper level, accessed through a staircase past the mirelurks. If you took the underwater route to get to Pinkerton, you can walk out the Very Hard locked door by activating a switch right next to it (from inside). The corridor to the lab is filled with flammable gas and several booby traps set by Pinkerton. At the end of the corridor will be a locked door, which will display a message directing the player to a terminal. The nearby terminal is in fact a trap, and the switch operating the door is on the opposite wall.

If you try to engage Pinkerton in conversation about Rivet City's history before talking to Belle, he will claim to have been one of the founders but you won't complete the optional part of the quest, as he does not care enough to give you proof. However, he will allow you to access his terminal which will contain information to complete the optional part of the quest. The dialogue option "Bannon claims to have founded the city" is required for him to give you the proof directly. Even if you haven't spoken to Bannon, using his terminal is enough to finish the quest, though you must get the password for it from Pinkerton.

At the end of the quest, Moira will reward you with some Mentats, as well as a permanent 10% discount with Rivet City's merchants if you uncovered Rivet City's true past.


 * Mentats vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Endurance, Perception, or Agility.


 * Possible replies

RobCo Production Facility Mainframe

 * Main objective: Install the processor widget in the RobCo production facility mainframe.
 * Optional objective: Hack the RobCo production facility mainframe

Moira would like to study robotics technology at the RobCo factory. Ideally, she would also like to examine how the robots are controlled. Special humorous dialog options appear when speaking with Moira for this quest if you previously obtained the Mechanist's costume.

To complete this quest, you must travel to the RobCo facility and install the processor widget in the mainframe. The mainframe is on the very top level.

Upon reaching the mainframe and installing the widget, every robot in the facility will become hostile. To complete the optional objective, you need a Science skill of at least 50 to hack the mainframe. Once unlocked, the mainframe provides three toggle options to control the robots. The first ("Pest Extermination") protocol makes the robots hostile to your enemies. The second ("Total Liquidation"), active at start, makes them hostile to you and anyone who is friendly towards you. Finally, the third ("Stress Testing") protocol, makes them hostile to each other. Toggling any of the three completes the optional objective; toggling the first protocol is the best setting as they'll attack the radroaches and mole rats but leave you alone.

Alternatively, if you have the Robotics Expert perk, you get the option to just tell Moira about the technology in question, successfully completing the quest and the optional objective immediately; however, this will only work if you have the perk when you start the quest. Note that this will automatically count as a smart response.

Moira will reward you with some pulse grenades if you complete the quest, and a Big Book of Science if you complete the optional objective.


 * Pulse grenades vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Endurance, Perception, or Agility. Also note that the 'snide' response is considered negative if the bonus objective is not completed, thereby reducing the quality of the final perk.


 * Possible replies

Arlington Public Library

 * Main objective: Access the card catalog at the Arlington Public Library.
 * Optional objective: Retrieve complete Library Archive.

Moira would like you to retrieve library data from the Arlington Library. Retrieving the card catalog is enough, but also finding the library archive tape would be a bonus.

The Brotherhood of Steel is guarding the library, so the player will have to be nice to Scribe Yearling in order to be let through, or you can sneak past her. The terminal at the front desk has the card catalog holotape; Yearling will give the player a key if asked, otherwise it must be hacked. In order to get the optional objective, you have to reach the archive terminal. Raiders and radroaches are plentiful, but two Brotherhood of Steel soldiers will help in cleaning up the enemies. The terminal used to download the archives can be found on the third floor of the library media archive, in a room just off of a short hallway which can be accessed from the room containing a ceiling turret.

Moira will pay you bottle caps for completing the quest, and will give you a Lying, Congressional Style if the optional objective is completed.


 * Bottlecaps vs Level

After completing the quest and optional objective, you can get special conversation paths if your Endurance, Intelligence, or Agility is 7 or better. There are no conversation paths for high Strength, Perception, or Charisma.


 * Possible replies

Final reward
Completing the third chapter is considered the completion of the entire quest. You are rewarded with 100 XP, a mini nuke (Moira comments how she planned to use it to dig a well, but Sheriff Lucas Simms advised her to not do that), a copy of The Wasteland Survival Guide, and the Survival Expert perk. The perk will vary depending on your conversation choices with Moira. See the perk page for more details.

The number of optional objectives you complete not only affects the benefits gained, but the overall usefulness of the guide. The actual description depends on any optional objectives completed as well as end of objective responses given. It can range from being a joke book to a necessity. At its best, Moira lists your character as the main author.

Resultant special encounter
There is a wastelander who has read the book you may randomly encounter after completion of this quest. The following encounters can occur depending on the perk you get at the end of the quest.
 * Junior Survivor: You will find a poorly armed wastelander fighting a mole rat. If the wastelander survives, he/she will give you the book and tell you that it is "good for a laugh".
 * Survival Expert: You will find a wastelander fighting a mole rat. He/she will survive and ask if you are the author. If you reply yes, they will give you a word of thanks.
 * Survival Guru: You will find a well-equipped wastelander finishing off a wounded mirelurk, radscorpion, or a raider. When he/she is done, he/she will ask you if you wrote the book. If you say yes, the wastelander will give you a word of thanks, plus a sum of 10-25 caps depending on your Barter skill.

Resultant Three Dog commentary
If minimal research is done on the book, Three Dog will announce to "Steer clear of the book" and say that the player's "Research methods suck", claiming "It will get you killed quicker than you can say 'Hug a deathclaw'". But if you do well he will claim "It's a must-have while exploring".

Alternative solution
Instead of completing the chapters of the book you can persuade her into not writing the book at all, should you have a high enough Speech skill. As a reward, you will get the Dream Crusher perk, a variable amount of experience points (depending on how many chapters have been completed - essentially the quest gives the same amount of reward experience points whichever course the player chooses), 30% lower prices at the Craterside Supply, and Moira's repair skill will increase to 54 (+5 from her jumpsuit) from the standard 24. This allows her to repair up to 72% condition, as long as she wears the repairman jumpsuit. Doing this rewards negative karma and permanently dampens the mood of the normally cheerful Moira.

Behind the scenes

 * The Wasteland Survival Guide was the name of the hint and walk through book for the game Wasteland, considered the inspiration for the first Fallout game.
 * This guide is also included as booklet with at least some of the retail versions of the game.
 * At the end of the quest, the player can snidely remark that Moira likely wants them to go print and distribute the guide, but she reassures them that it's not necessary. There is a cut quest/quest extension involving going to Hubris Comics and doing this task.
 * Clancy, a centaur, was somehow tied to this quest, but ended up getting the axe.

Bugs

 * Sometimes when choosing the options when talking to her (Tough, Smart, etc.), you will not receive the option for the one you want to choose. This can be fixed by reloading a save and trying again before talking to her.