The Vault - Fallout Wiki

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The Vault - Fallout Wiki
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This page lists all random encounters in the original Fallout.
  • The content is not described in full detail on this page. For details, please see the respective articles.
  • For random encounters in other Fallout games, please see "Random encounter".
  • For an overview of Fallout content, please refer to "Portal:Fallout".
 
Gametitle-FO1
Gametitle-FO1

Generic encounters[]

The following system is used to determine generic random encounters on the world map. First, the game identifies which tile the player is located in, according to the following map:

Map overlaid with the names of the encounter tables used to determine random encounters

Once the location is determined, the game takes into account the terrain type the player is located in according to the top table. There are no separate City or Coast encounter tables; they use the table corresponding to the number in the above table.

Terrain Variable (g_var 65) Table
City Not applicable City table (CI)
Coast Not applicable Coast table (C)
Desert (D) 0 North_table
1 South_table
2-4 Randomly selected North_table or South_table
5 Shady_table
6 Raider_table
7 Junk_table
8 Hub_table
9 Necrop_table
10 Steel_table
11 Vats_table
12 Glow_table
13 Bone_table
14 Death_table
Mountain (M) 2 North_table
3 South_table
Any other number Vault_table

For reference, the letter and digit codes used to select encounter tables have been included in the above map (created by Darek):

Next, the game calculates the actual encounter using the values from the lower table. These are percentile chances for an encounter of a given type. Generally speaking, encounters with numbers closer to 1 are considered worse (may include difficult combat encounters or bad happenings, such as dehydration), while encounters with numbers closer to 6 are better (free items or special NPC encounters).

All calculations by Sduibek Bad
1-2 Luck
Normal Luck
3-7 Luck (3-6 for Desert tiles)
Good Luck
8 Luck (7-8 for Desert tiles)
Very Good Luck
9-10 Luck
Encounter1 2% 0.5% 0% 0%
Encounter2 7.5% 4% 2% 0.5%
Encounter3 28% 21.5% 14.5% 9%
Encounter4 46% 48% 46.5% 40.5%
Encounter5 14.5% 21.5% 28% 34%
Encounter6 2% 4.5% 9% 16%

Some perks may modify the odds, reducing the occurrence of bad encounters and increasing the incidence of good ones.

Encounter tables[]

City[]

Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6

Coast[]

Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6

Desert[]

North[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
South[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Shady[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Shady1 Combat You encounter some peasants under attack. 2 peasants with random caps (proto 39, PeasVict.int)

2-3 raiders with spears and random caps (proto 233, GenRaidA.int)

Shady2 Combat Commented out, uses Shady3 instead. If it was enabled:

Random dehydration encounter.

You manage to avoid dehydration due to your supplies of water.

The game checks the player's inventory for a water flask. If they have one, the flask is removed.

If the player does not have a flask, the game instead rolls against Outdoorsman. If successful, it then rolls 1d6 for hours. A critical success means the search only takes one hour, a regular success will take (1-6+1) hours.

Critical success: You manage to avoid dehydration by searching for water. The search takes 1 hour.

Success: You manage to avoid a serious case of dehydration by searching for water. The search takes an additional hour.' or You manage to avoid a serious case of dehydration by searching for water. The search takes an additional X hours

Failing the skill check will cause the game to roll for hit point damage and hours. This will deal 15-24 points of damage and advance the clock by 6-12 hours (the damage is applied to the critter directly and can be absorbed by any equipped armor). There's also a moderate dehydration variant.

Major dehydration:

Your water supply runs out, and your search of X hours fails to locate any water. Severe dehydration sets in, causing you 1 point of health damage. (if damage is equal to 1 point)

Your water supply runs out, and your search of X hours fails to locate any water. Severe dehydration sets in, causing you Y points of health damage.

Moderate dehydration: 4-8 hours, 6-12 damage

You search for water in the high desert landscape for X hours, but you do not find enough to fully satisfy your thirst. You have sustained 1 point of health damage.

You search for water in the high desert landscape for X hours, but you do not find enough to fully satisfy your thirst. You have sustained Y point of health damage.

Shady3 You stumble into a family of Rad Scorpions. 2-4 radscorpions
Shady4 Character You come across a traveling merchant and guards.

or

You encounter a dead traveler.

Duc with hunting rifle and a stack of .223 FMJ.

If Duc is dead for whatever reason, a dead traveller with the following:

  • 1 fruit
  • Stacks of 2x 10mm JHP, 10mm AP, and 2x .223 FMJ
  • 25% chance for a first aid kit
  • 33% chance for 25-100 caps (base)
  • 50% chance for iguana on a stick
Shady5 Character Lance, a Shady Sands guard with a 10mm pistol, spear, 10mm JHP stack, iguana on a stick, 8-44 caps.

If encountered between 7 AM and 6 PM, 4-6 mantises will also appear.

Shady6 Loot You have stumbled across some items laying on the ground. 0-5 bottle caps

Mutated fruit

Chance for 10mm JHP, bag with 6-122 caps (Scrounger or Fortune Finder) (Luck 8)

Chance for 10mm pistol

Raider[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Raider1 Combat Raiders ambush you! 4-6 raiders armoed with knives and 10mm pistols and toting beers. 50% chance for them to use a better weapon (10mm SMG or Desert Eagle; bald raider can carry a hunting rifle)

50% chance for raiders using protos 216 (with 50% for 233) to spawn, otherwise it uses proto 103.

Raider2 Combat Uh oh . . . a raiding party!

or

Raiders!!!

3-4 raiders armoed with knives and 10mm pistols and toting beers. 50% chance for them to use a better weapon (10mm SMG or Desert Eagle; bald raider can carry a hunting rifle)

50% chance for raiders using protos 216 (with 50% for 233) to spawn, otherwise it uses proto 103.

Raider3 Combat You spot the remains of a caravan, being looted by raiders. A broken-down red caravan wagon with two dead brahmin and a burning barrel between 7 PM and 6 AM.

Spawns 2-3 caravaneers: Dead merchants with leather armor and a knife, hunting rifle and .233 FMJ, and a metal armor, hunting rifle, and a stack of .223 FMJ, 30% chance for a first aid kit, 30% for a stimpak, 30% for a fuzzy painting, and 30% for a set of locpicks.

Looters consist of 5-7 raiders. Raiders carry knives, spears, 10mm pistols, and have 50% for 10mm SMGs (hunting rifles for bald raiders).

Raider4 Combat A small group of raiders attack! 2-3 raiders aimed with knives, 10mm pistols, and toting beers. 50% chance for 10mm SMGs, Desert Eagles or hunting rifles (for bald raiders).
Raider5 Character You see a lone raider in the distance. A lone raider trying to get to camp. The raider can carry a knife and 10mm pistol, with a 50% chance for better weapons: A 10mm SMG or Desert Eagle.
Raider6 Environmental You come upon the remains of a battlefield, with bodies strewn about. 3-5 dead raiders. Also 3-4 dead radscorpions.
Junk[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Hub[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Necropolis[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Steel[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Vats[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Glow[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Bone[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6
Death[]
Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1
Encounter2
Encounter3
Encounter4
Encounter5
Encounter6

Mountain[]

Mountain, North[]

Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1 Environmental You are traveling through sheer cliffs and rugged terrain. The game rolls a 1d100 against Outdoorsman (0 base modifier, +20% modifier per level of Survival).

Critical success: "You find a cave with a small spring and manage to get your first good night's sleep in a long time." (heal 1 to 3 hit points)

Success: "Fortunately, your climbing skills are up to the task." (no effect)

Fail: "You fall from a cliffside to the rocky ground below." (1d4 damage to player character, does not ignore armor)

Critical fail: "You fall from a ledge, landing on several sharp stones." (1d6+3 [4-10] damage to player character, does not ignore armor)


For both fail types, the game also runs the script function critter_injure(dude_obj, 2); in order to play the knocked down animation. However, this doesn't work in the game. The same function is called to tip brahmin, but that only takes place when the script forces them to play the animation frames. The function itself is broken.

Encounter2 Combat Radscorpions! 2 to 3 Radscorpions
Encounter3 Non-player character Patrick the Celt
Encounter4 Combat 1 Radscorpion

The game tests Outdoorsman (0 base modifier, normal changes apply) in order to determine whether the Radscorpion ambushes the player and knocks them down. The function knock_down_player doesn't work, so this only affects the message displayed:

Success: "A particularly sneaky radscorpion seems to be trying to ambush you."

Fail: "Out of nowhere, a radscorpion suddenly strikes!"

Encounter5 Combat You have stumbled upon a family of Mole Rats. 1 to 2 Mole Rats (50% chance) or 2 to 4 Mole Rats (50% chance)

Independent check is ran for each mole rat: 20% chance it's Greater Mole Rat, otherwise Lesser Mole Rat.

2 to 4 fruits spawn on the ground.

Encounter6 Environmental You are nearly crushed by a large boulder in an avalanche. The game makes a roll against Outdoorsman, but ignores the outcome (as the script was modified to only check if 1 still equals 1).

"You escape with no damage"

"The displaced rock brings with it the remains of a long-dead traveler."

The encounter also features a single dead traveler (using the ghoul sprite) that can carry:

10 to 60 bottle caps (double if have Fortune Finder)

25% chance to have 1 stimpak

25% chance to have 1 10mm pistol

25% chance to have 1 10mm JHP (2 if Scrounger)

25% chance to have 1 leather armor

25% chance to have 1 backpack

The script checks for each item individually, making it possible for all of these items to spawn.

If the Outdoorsman check was actually used, the game would react in the following ways:

Critical fail: "Your leg is critically damaged by falling rocks." (1d6+2 [3-8] damage to player character, doesn't ignore armor, cripple right leg, 50% chance to cripple the left leg)

Fail: "Some rock shards slice your face and hands, but you escape with minimal damage." (1d4 [1-4] damage to player character, doesn't ignore armor)

Mountain, South[]

Encounter # Type Content
Encounter1 Environmental You are traveling through sheer cliffs and rugged terrain. The game rolls a 1d100 against Outdoorsman (0 base modifier, +20% modifier per level of Survival).

Critical success: "You find a cave with a small spring and manage to get your first good night's sleep in a long time." (heal 1 to 3 hit points)

Success: "Fortunately, your climbing skills are up to the task." (no effect)

Fail: "You fall from a cliffside to the rocky ground below." (1d6-2 [1-4] damage to player character, does not ignore armor)

Critical fail: "You fall from a ledge, landing on several sharp stones." (1d6+3 [4-10] damage to player character, does not ignore armor)


For both fail types, the game also runs the script function critter_injure(dude_obj, 2); in order to play the knocked down animation. However, this doesn't work in the game. The same function is called to tip brahmin, but that only takes place when the script forces them to play the animation frames. The function itself is broken.

Encounter2 Combat Radscorpions! 2 to 6 Radscorpions
Encounter3 Combat You find several rats scavenging about here. 3-8 cave rats
Encounter4 Non-player character Patrick the Celt
Encounter5 Environmental/combat The ground ahead is littered with debris and bodies. It looks like an old battle zone. The game spawns 2 knives and a spear on the ground, as well as the following corpses:
  • black peasant (red shirt), death type: on back, no blood
  • black peasant (red shirt), death type: burnt, face down
  • mechant (white guy with baseball cap), death type: on back, no blood
  • mechant (white guy with baseball cap), death type: burnt, face down
  • mechant (white guy with baseball cap), death type: burnt, face down
  • white peasant (female, blonde), death type: on back, no blood
  • man in leather armor (bald white guy), death type: on back, no blood
  • zombie guard (non-glowing ghoul), death type: on back, no blood

Additionally:

If the player character's Luck is 3 or less:

  • 2 to 4 Radscorpions

If Luck is at least 4:

  • Male Guard (black guy, metal armor) corpse with 24 10mm AP on corpse (with an additional 24 10mm JHP with Scrounger), death type: on back, no blood
  • 50% chance of 24 10mm JHP on the ground (48 with Scrounger)
  • 50% chance of spawn 24 10mm AP on the ground (48 if Scrounger)

If Luck 4 to 6:

  • 1 to 2 Radscorpions

If Luck is 9 or 10:

  • 50% chance of 10mm Pistol on the ground
  • If pistol didn't spawn, 50% chance of a Hunting Rifle on the ground
  • If neither the pistol or the hunting rifle spawned, then spawn a Shotgun on the ground

NOTE: this encounter never spawns the Mysterious Stranger if the player has the perk.

Encounter6 Environmental You are nearly crushed by a large boulder in an avalanche. The game makes a roll against Outdoorsman, but ignores the outcome (as the script was modified to only check if 1 still equals 1).

"You escape with no damage"

"The displaced rock brings with it the remains of a long-dead traveler."

The encounter also features a single dead traveler (using the ghoul sprite) that can carry:

10 to 60 bottle caps (double if have Fortune Finder)

25% chance to have 1 stimpak

25% chance to have 1 10mm pistol

25% chance to have 1 10mm JHP (2 if Scrounger)

25% chance to have 1 leather armor

25% chance to have 1 backpack

The script checks for each item individually, making it possible for all of these items to spawn.

If the Outdoorsman check was actually used, the game would react in the following ways:

Critical fail: "Your leg is critically damaged by falling rocks." (1d6+2 [3-8] damage to player character, doesn't ignore armor, cripple right leg, 50% chance to cripple the left leg)

Fail: "Some rock shards slice your face and hands, but you escape with minimal damage." (1d4 [1-4] damage to player character, doesn't ignore armor)

Mountain, Vault[]

Despite the name, this encounter table is used in many places, including the mountains around Mariposa Military Base, around Vault 13, three mountain squares adjacent to the Raiders camp tile, one mountain square adjacent to the Junktown tile (top left), mountains near Adytum, and the mountains adjacent to The Glow.

Encounter # Type Message Content
Encounter1 Combat You see a lone radscorpion, skittering about. 1 Radscorpion

This radscorpion uses a different script than all other random encounter radscorpions: It wanders around and doesn't immediately attack the player when the map loads, only when they see them.

The Mysterious Stranger will appear to lend a helpful hand against this vicious, deadly foe.

Encounter2 Environmental You come across the bones of some long dead traveler. 1 dead traveler corpse (non-glowing ghoul appearance), death type: on back, no blood
  • 50% chance of spawning 24 10mm JHP on ground at same hex as corpse (Scrounger does not apply)
  • 50% chance of spawning 1 Stimpak on ground at same hex as corpse

Checks are run individually for each item.

Encounter3 Combat Tremendous molerats are nosing about here. 2 to 3 Mole Rats

Checks are ran for EACH mole rat separately: 25% chance for a Greater Mole Rat, 75% for a Lesser Mole Rat

Encounter4 Combat You find several rats scavenging about here. 4 to 8 cave rats
Encounter5 Environmental Random roll check against player character's Agility

Success: "You nearly fall over some rough terrain. They could use some environment management out here." (runs the broken knock_down_player function)

Fail: "You fall over some rough terrain and scrape some flesh." (1 point of damage to the player character, doesn't ignore armor, runs the broken knock_down_player function)

Critical fail: "You fall over some rough terrain and twist an ankle, painfully." (1d3 [1-3] point of damage to the player character, doesn't ignore armor, runs the broken knock_down_player function)

Encounter6 Combat You see several rats running towards you. 4 to 6 cave rats

1 Radscorpion (if encountered between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM)

Other[]

Random encounter merchants
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