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Old Ben
Old Ben
Biography and appearance
RaceHuman, African American
GenderMale
Height1.02
AffiliationFreeside
Atomic Wrangler Casino (optional)
RoleRetiree
Prostitute (optional)
LocationFreeside
Dialogue FileOld Ben's dialogue
Gameplay
QuestsWang Dang Atomic Tango
Statistics
AlignmentVery good
SPECIALStrength: 4
Perception: 6
Endurance: 4
Charisma: 6
Intelligence: 7
Agility: 5
Luck: 4
Derived StatsHit Points: 140
Tag SkillsBarter: 96
Medicine: 98
Science: 98
Level16
Technical
Editor IDVFSOldBen
Base ID0015968aRef ID0015968b
ActorShane Johnson
 
Gametitle-FNV
Gametitle-FNV

You look new to Freeside, so here's a little advice, friend. Don't go past the south gate greeter without talking to it first.

Old Ben is a local living in Freeside, just outside the New Vegas' Strip's north gate, in Fallout: New Vegas.

Background[]

Born and raised in Freeside, Old Ben has had many careers throughout his life.[1][2] His father ran a butcher's shop in town, until another vendor started selling this strange meat and underselling Ben's father. Eventually the family business went under and Ben's father died from the loss. Not too long afterward, the people around town started experiencing shakes, the kind only possible after consuming human flesh. Unfortunately no one believed Ben and the "sick bastard" selling the meat gradually went insane and died. Not too long after, someone moved into the former butchery and found half buried human remains in the crawlspace. Ben didn't bother saying "told ya so."[3]

After the family business went under, he took a job as a courier. However, he soon discovered that this occupation could be dangerous, involving "too many shifty characters looking to have someone else move their hot items."[4] Not long after, he had made enough cash to purchase a New Vegas passport to enter the Strip, where he became a crier for The Tops, promoting the talent. Back then it was far easier to get onto the Strip, with passport being a fraction of what it is in Fallout: New Vegas.[5] Being a charming guy, Ben chatted up female patrons from time to time, and one of the managers' girls started to take a liking to him. Ben never touched the woman, but the jealous manager decided it was Ben's time to go. Ben suspects that the manager framed him for theft from the casino, because a few thousand caps were conveniently missing from the casino vault, and Ben was a easy scapegoat. Ben was evicted from his casino apartment and all of his belongings and got booted back to Freeside. With his reputation in tatters, only a few careers were left open to him; so began his time as an escort.[6][7]

Although he was good at his new job, he felt like a piece of meat after a while and had to quit. With the proceeds, he had enough money for a pistol belt and some other gear, and become a bodyguard.[8] Having saved a few tourists from trouble, he build back the reputation of being a stand-up guy again and, after about ten years of guarding bodies, managed to save up enough to retire.[9]

As a retiree, his life has gotten a bit dull and wouldn't mind a new job.[10] The Courier can convince him that prostitution is a worthy and rewarding occupation that helps a lot of people and to go work for the Garret twins at the Atomic Wrangler.[11][12]

Interactions with the player character[]

Interactions overview[]

Sexpert transparent
This character is a pimp or prostitute and sells sex.
  • Can be hired for 25 caps + room charge.
Perk empathy synthesizer
This character is involved in quests.

Quests[]

Effects of the player character's actions[]

  • After Wang Dang Atomic Tango has been completed, you can have sex with him for 25 caps.

Other interactions[]

  • He warns the Courier not to go to the gate of the Strip without first talking with the gatekeeper Securitron first, or they'll get vaporized.[13]

Inventory[]

MadeMan
Icon armored vault suit
Apparel
Grimy pre-War businesswear
Assault carbine icon
Weapon
.44 Magnum revolver
Icon briefcase
Carried items
-
Icon male severed head
Drops on death
empty

Notes[]

  • Along with The King, he is the only character in the game with a permanent smile, even in combat.
  • If killed you can gain NCR infamy.

Notable quotes[]

  • "You look new to Freeside, so here's a little advice, friend. Don't go past the south gate greeter without talking to it first."
  • "Yep. I was damn good at my job, too. But after a while I just felt like a piece of meat and had to quit." (Old Ben when asked about being an escort)
  • "I never put much thought into the well-being my clients got out of my services. I suppose they only get as much as I put into it."
  • "What do I look like? Arm candy? I don't think so, friend." (disagreeing to be Garret's smooth talker)

Behind the scenes[]

  • Old Ben may be an homage to Jack Crabb of the film Little Big Man and other western characters who have held numerous jobs and professions, leading to their life's story bordering on a tall tale.verification overdue, remove

Bugs[]

  • For the quest Wang Dang Atomic Tango, if one already recruited a prostitute for the position Old Ben may hold, the speech check (50) for recruiting Old Ben may remain, which can be continuously used to easily gain experience and level up.
  • The same applies if you recruited Old Ben for the job. He sits at the bar in the Atomic Wrangler where you can ask him how he likes working for the Garrets. You get 50xp every time you do but you still have to pass the speech check (50).
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 After being recruited for the Atomic Wrangler, he cannot be hired.
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 He can sometimes, after you talk to him, run to the Strip's gate where he will be obliterated by the Securitrons.

Appearances[]

Old Ben appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.

References[]

  1. The Courier: "Thanks for the free advice. Who are you?"
    Old Ben: "The name's Old Ben. I've been living in Freeside since the day I was born."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  2. The Courier: "What's your story?"
    Old Ben: "I've done a bit of everything around here - courier, butcher, crier, escort, gun for hire... Some of which I'm not proud of, but I do my best to help around town when needed."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  3. The Courier: "Butcher? How did you get into that?"
    Old Ben: "My father ran a butcher shop here in town, but business went downhill when another vendor started selling this strange meat at half of our prices."
    The Courier: "That sounds odd."
    Old Ben: "You're telling me. Not long after my father's shop went under and he passed away from the loss, people around town started experiencing shakes. No one gets shakes like that unless they're eating human flesh, but no one would believe me. The sick bastard gradually went insane and passed away. Wasn't long before someone moved into the guy's place and found half-buried human remains in the crawlspace. I didn't bother saying told ya so."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  4. The Courier: "Courier? I used to be a courier before I got shot in the head."
    Old Ben: "Exactly one of the reasons I got out of that job. Too many shifty characters looking to have someone else move their hot items."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  5. The Courier: "Crier? What was that job?"
    Old Ben: "After a while I made enough money to get a passport into Vegas. Back then you could get approved for entry for a fraction of what it costs now. Well, I got a job working as a crier outside of The Tops advertising for the local talent performing at the casino. That didn't last long."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  6. The Courier: "What happened?"
    Old Ben: "Well, being a suave young guy, I chatted up the ladies from time to time, and one of the managers' girls started to take a liking to me. I never touched the woman, but the jealous prick decided it was my time to go. He framed me by saying I'd stolen from the casino. Sure enough, a few grand was missing from the casino vault. I have to assume the bastard stole the funds and figured I was a convenient fall guy."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  7. The Courier: "That's horrible!"
    Old Ben: "Yeah, but what can you do? I was stripped of my casino apartment and all of my belongings and booted back into Freeside. From there I didn't have a lot of career options, as my rep was destroyed. So, the escort job sort of fell into my lap, no pun intended."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  8. The Courier: "You said escort? Like armed guard?"
    Old Ben: "Well, I supposed you could look at it that way, but I was packing a whole different kind of heat. No, escort just sounds better than man-whore."
    The Courier: "So you got paid for sex?"
    Old Ben: "Yep. I was damn good at my job, too. But after a while I just felt like a piece of meat and had to quit."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  9. The Courier: "Gun for hire?"
    Old Ben: "When I quit the escort job, I had enough money to buy a pistol belt and some other gear. Bodyguards make a good honest living, and I had the wits and physical build to handle most thugs. After saving a few tourists from trouble, I got a reputation for being a stand-up guy again, and after a decade managed to save up enough to retire."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  10. The Courier: "How would you like to work for the Garrets?"
    Old Ben: "I'm retired, but life has been a bit dull without some kind of action. What's the job?"
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  11. 11.0 11.1 The Courier: "James Garret needs a real 'boyfriend experience' for more discerning patrons."
    Old Ben: "Ah, I get you. So you think because of my past escort work, I'd be interested in that kind of thing? I got out of that work because it just made me feel empty inside. What makes you think I would ever go back to that degradation?"
    The Courier: "You're a beacon of light in some people's depressing existence! Your work is art!"
    Old Ben: "[SUCCEEDED] You know what? You're right. I looked at the whole thing from the wrong angle. I suppose I could be a loving muse to some, while simply relieve stress and tension in others. Thanks for that insight. Tell Garret I'd be happy to start at the Wrangler immediately. This should be a nice change of pace from retirement."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  12. 12.0 12.1 The Courier: "Ben, you give your clients a precious respite from the ills of the world."
    Old Ben: "I never put much thought into the well-being my clients got out of my services. I suppose they only get as much as I put into it. Tell Garret I'd be happy to start at the Wrangler immediately. This should be a nice change of pace from retirement."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
  13. Old Ben: "You look new to Freeside, so here's a little advice, friend. Don't go past the south gate greeter without talking to it first."
    The Courier: "Why wouldn't I want to go past the greeter?"
    Old Ben: "Those bots are programmed to vaporize anyone who enters the fenced-in area without authorization from the greeter."
    (Old Ben's dialogue)
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