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Sergeant RL-3
Sergeant RL-3
Biography and appearance
RaceMister Gutsy Robot
AffiliationUnited States Armed Forces (formerly)
Tinker Joe
Lone Wanderer
RoleRobot bodyguard
Companion
RankSergeant
LocationJust outside of the RobCo factory
Canterbury Commons when dismissed
Dialogue FileSergeant RL-3's dialogue
Statistics
AlignmentNeutral
SPECIALStrength: 5
Perception: 6
Endurance: 5
Charisma: 5
Intelligence: 5
Agility: 5
Luck: 5
Derived StatsHit Points: 350 (3,150 → 10,500 if Broken Steel is installed)
Tag SkillsEnergy Weapons: 50
Explosives: 50
Melee Weapons: 50
Small Guns: 50
Unarmed: 50
Level9 (does not scale to player level)
Technical
Base ID0009426eRef ID00094285
ActorJeff Baker
 
Gametitle-FO3
Gametitle-FO3

Well, since you don't seem to be willing to do the world a favor and kill yourself, I guess I'm going to have to do it for you!

— Sergeant RL-3

Sergeant RL-3 is a Mister Gutsy that was created before the Great War and a possible companion in Fallout 3.

Background[]

Scavenged from parts by a wandering trader named Tinker Joe, Sergeant RL-3 is a RobCo Industries Mister Gutsy model, created for mobile attacks prior to the Great War. Utilizing both plasma and flame as its main weapons system, “Sarge” is always ready with a ready quip (“Pain is just weakness leaving the body! Hooah!”), but has an experimental “personality,” making it difficult for Tinker Joe to offload him.[1]

Interactions with the player character[]

Interactions overview[]

FriendlyFoe
This character is a permanent party member.

Sergeant RL-3 has an experimental soldier personality making him "unstable," meaning that the Lone Wanderer can only buy Sergeant RL-3 if their karma is neutral. Otherwise Tinker Joe will just say Sergeant RL-3 "...doesn't like the look of you." Sergeant RL-3 won't leave if the Lone Wanderer's karma later moves away from neutral, but if separated from the Lone Wanderer either through firing or through story events, he cannot be re-hired until karma is again neutral. In these circumstances, Sergeant RL-3 will wait in Canterbury Commons after a few days, where he can be re-hired for free.

Recruiting[]

This companion must be purchased from Tinker Joe between the RobCo Facility and Tenpenny Tower for 1000 caps. If the Lone Wanderer's barter skill is high enough, the Lone Wanderer may purchase him for only 500 caps.

Effects of player actions[]

  • If Tinker Joe is dead and you did not get the robot already there is no way of getting this character.
  • RL-3 will return to Canterbury Commons if the Lone Wanderer leaves for The Pitt, Point Lookout, or Mothership Zeta.
  • RL-3 will remain essential before you hire him until you hire him or damage him yourself.

Inventory[]

MadeMan
Icon armored vault suit
Apparel
-
Assault carbine icon
Weapon
Flamer, Urban plasma rifle
Icon briefcase
Carried items
-
Icon male severed head
Drops on death
empty

Stats[]

Combat Skill Attack Damage Attack Reach Turning Speed Foot Weight Speed Mult
50 23 96 150 3 110%

* Robots are considered creatures rather than non-player characters and thus has an additional list of stats present for creatures.

Notes[]

  • RL-3 is unable to sneak.
  • His carrying capacity is 197.5 pounds.
  • He is also capable of hovering over water
  • He always refers to the PC as "Sir" regardless of what gender is selected.
  • Sergeant RL-3 is particularly useful whenever you need to chart the Washington Underground Networks- With his plasma rifle and flamethrower, he is incredibly potent to ghouls and other enemies who lurk in the abandoned tunnels. Also, as you venture near to an enemy's range, but are not aware of it, Sergeant RL-3 will erupt with his usual military rhetoric and alert you to the unseen threat.
  • If Sergeant RL-3 is with you within the Purifier room within the Jefferson Memorial when the Enclave arrive, then he will be trapped with your father and Colonel Autumn. He is usually destroyed however, seemingly resisting the Enclave and succumbing to their firepower. He will return to Canterbury Commons afterwards though.
  • RL-3 can be asked to activate the purifier during the quest Take it Back!, without being harmed.
  • If you board Mothership Zeta, RL-3 might wait next to where you are abducted from.
  • One of the problems with RL-3 being your companion is that he openly attacks anything that could pose a threat- regardless of whether you wish you to sneak or not. Also, when traveling the wasteland, Sergeant RL-3 will sometimes just speed off to intercept an enemy such as a radscorpion or a raider that is too far away to even see, regardless of whether they have noticed you or not. Due to this, you are abandoned sometimes for large periods of time without RL-3; sometimes he returns, sometimes he doesn't.

Notable quotes[]

  • "Salutations, Commander! Sergeant RL-3, gutsy-class robotic soldier, reporting for duty!"
  • "I'm starting to get angry, you would not like me when I'm angry!"
  • "Do that again and I'll put my boot so far up your ass you'll cough up boot polish!"
  • "Old war-bots never die; they just rust away."
  • "There's nothing I love more than making some other poor bastard die for his country."
  • "I cannot wait to find you so I can kill you as a personal favor to Uncle Sam."
  • "Another glorious day in the U.S. army!"
  • "Well, since you don't seem to be willing to do the world a favor and kill yourself, I guess I'm going to have to do it for you!"
  • "Kill them all, God will understand."
  • "Kill them all, let God sort them out!"
  • "Every day is a good day to die."
  • "Are you playing games with me, God dammit?!"
  • "Are you afraid of me? You should be, because I'm going to kick your ass when I find you!"
  • "I will keep this location secure!"
[read more...]

Appearances[]

Sergeant RL-3 appears only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes[]

Fallout 3 cultural references

  • Reading the 3 as an 'E', the robot's name would be 'Sergeant R L-E' - most likely a reference to actor and former Marine R. Lee Ermey, best known as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from the movie Full Metal Jacket. R. Lee Ermey also was the voice of General Simon Barnaky in Fallout: Tactics.
  • The line, "You're making me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry!" is a line from the 1970s TV show The Incredible Hulk.
  • The line, "Old war-bots never die; they just rust away."[2] is a reference to a stanza from the soldiers' folklore song Old soldiers never die. Which was made famous by General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech. The exact quote is "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away...".
  • The line, "There's nothing I love more than making some other poor bastard die for his country," is based on the quote from American General Patton, "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
  • The line "Kill them all, let God sort 'em out!" may be based on what Papal Legate Arnaud Amalric said at the siege of Béziers in 1209 when asked by a Crusader how to distinguish the Cathars from the Catholics, Arnaul Amalric supposedly answered: "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius" ("Kill them all. For the Lord knoweth them that are His".)

Bugs[]

  • With Broken Steel installed, RL-3 possesses a staggering amount of health at higher levels. At level 20 he has fully several thousand HP, more so than even a super mutant behemoth. This is due to a badly adjusted setting concerning RL-3's leveling, which grants him 350 HP per level gained. Dogmeat and Fawkes are similarly affected. This only occurs if Broken Steel is installed prior to meeting RL-3, otherwise RL-3's level does not scale and his health is fixed at 350.
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 If in sneak mode, having the Robotics Expert perk produces the usual dialogue box with RL-3. However, selecting "Talk" does nothing. Verified
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 RL-3's plasma projector uses the laser rifle's firing sound, not the usual Mister Gutsy sound effect. Verified
  • PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 When traversing over mountains, RL-3 may get stuck on, or in, a rock. Verified
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 The triggering of some unknown event (most likely the death of any member of Tinker Joe's party, whether caused by the player or wandering Wasteland fauna) causes RL-3 to become hostile towards the player, causing him to immediately attack the player if he is ever dismissed from the party. If his Combat Inhibitor is crippled it will not restore after combat and is confirmed to be one of the causes of this. Verified
    • PCIcon pc RL-3 may remain frenzied even if his combat inhibitor appears repaired. To check, open the console, click on RL-3 (or enter prid 94285), and issue the getav aggression command. If it returns 3.00, RL-3 is frenzied, which can be repaired with setav aggression 1. Verified
  • PlayStation 3Icon ps3 RL-3 can be waiting in the commons even if you did not purchase him and he can be hired for free. This can be used to the players advantage. Verified
  • Once Sergeant RL-3 has disappeared, he usually returns at Canterbury Commons. However, sometimes he simply floats past you and back into the wasteland for no explained reason. On occasion, once this has happened, Sergeant RL-3 will not return back to Canterbury Commons and will appear in random places throughout the wasteland.

He appears in the second tunnel part from the quest The Waters of Life if he is told to wait somewhere outside the memorial.

  • Xbox 360Icon xbox360 RL-3 will sometimes attack friendly or neutral non-player character's. He has a knack for attacking everyone inside of the Republic of Dave Capital Building, and Scribe Yearling and the Brotherhood of Steel knights inside of the Arlington Library. What is odd is that you must walk to a certain spot in these areas before he will become hostile towards them. To fix this, simply have RL-3 wait in an area away from these spots, but don't dismiss him. Conduct your business, and when it is concluded, reacquire him. (If you want RL-3 in the Arlington Library to help you out with the raiders further in, just go another way that won't trigger this bug). Verified
  • PCIcon pc When traveling with rl-3 and losing internet connection while RL-3 is far away there is a chance that there can be 2 RL-3' the duplicate cannot carry stuff for you but will follow you. Verified

Gallery[]

References

  1. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.96: "Sergeant RL-3
    Scavenged from parts by a wandering trader named Tinker Joe, Sergeant RL-3 is a RobCo Industries Mister Gutsy model, created for mobile attacks prior to the Great War. Utilizing both plasma and flame as its main weapons system, "Sarge" is always ready with a ready quip ("Pain is just weakness leaving the body! Hooah!"), but has an experimental "personality," making it difficult for Tinker Joe to offload him."
    (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
  2. The Lone Wanderer: "I just wanted to make sure you were still here. Goodbye."
    Sergeant RL-3: "Old war-bots never die! We just rust away."
    (Sergeant RL-3's dialogue)
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