Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game: Complete Guide

A player's guide to the original 1997 Fallout: time limits, how to build a character that works, a route through the wasteland, the key quests and missables, and the fixes and mods that make it play well on a modern PC.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the Steam release (Bethesda, 2015 listing; original game 1997, patched to 1.1+). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

1. There's a clock. You have 150 days to find a replacement water chip for Vault 13. You can extend it by 100 days by paying the water merchants in the Hub to send caravans to the vault. Don't dawdle early.
2. The water chip is in Necropolis. You can go straight for it, but a level-1 character will struggle. Grab some gear and levels first (Shady Sands, Junktown, the Hub).
3. Intelligence and Agility matter most. Intelligence gives skill points every level, and Agility gives Action Points (AP) for combat. Don't dump either.
4. Tag Small Guns. It's the most reliable combat skill in the game. Speech and one utility skill (Lockpick, Science or Repair) round out a strong trio.
5. Save often, in multiple slots. Combat is swingy and some quests can break. Rotate saves.
6. Aim for the eyes. Called shots (aimed attacks) at the eyes deal big critical damage at a to-hit penalty. They're devastating with high Luck and the right perks.
7. Companions don't have a party limit. Ian, Dogmeat, Tycho and Katja can all join. Watch out for companions firing bursts through you.
8. Talk to everyone. Many problems have talk, sneak or tech solutions, including the final boss.

Time Limits Explained

Treat the water chip deadline as real, and everything after it as relaxed on the patched game.

Character Creation

S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

Traits (pick up to two)

• Gifted: +1 to all stats, at the cost of fewer skill points per level and a skill penalty. A classic strong pick.
• Small Frame: +1 Agility, less carry weight. Good with high Agility builds.
• Finesse: +10% critical chance, but your attacks do 30% less damage (applied like extra enemy damage resistance). Armor-piercing criticals bypass the penalty, so it pairs well with eye shots, but it's a real trade-off, not a free pick.
• Bloody Mess: Cosmetic gore, and it unlocks the option to kill the Overseer in the ending.
• Skilled: More skill points, but perks come less often.

Skills to tag

• Small Guns: Main combat skill for pistols, rifles, SMGs and shotguns.
• Speech: Solves many quests and is crucial for the talk-down endgame.
• Lockpick / Science / Repair: Unlocks loot, computers and alternate solutions.
• Energy Weapons becomes relevant late in the game (laser and plasma rifles). Many players raise it later instead of tagging it.

Key perks

• Awareness: See enemy HP and weapons. Useful early.
• Bonus Move / Action Boy: More movement or AP in combat.
• More Criticals, Better Criticals, Sniper: The critical-hit build path. Combined with high Luck and eye shots, they're brutal.
• Mysterious Stranger: A random ally sometimes appears in combat.
• Educated / Comprehension / Scout: Utility picks.

The level cap is 21, so plan your perks.

Combat Basics

• Combat is turn-based and costs AP. Attacking, reloading, moving and using items all spend AP.
• Aimed shots at the eyes, head or groin trade to-hit chance for extra criticals and effects (blinding, knockdowns).
• Burst fire hits everything in a cone, including companions in the line of fire. Position before you burst.
• Armor reduces damage by a flat amount and a percentage. Upgrading armor is one of the biggest survival jumps.
• Stimpaks heal. Rad-X and RadAway handle radiation, which you'll need for the Glow.

Gear progression

Suggested Route

1. Vault 13 cave (tutorial): Kill rats, get your first XP, and head out.
2. Vault 15: Needs rope for the ladders. You'll find mostly clues here, and it's dangerous early.
3. Shady Sands: Recruit Ian (a very good early companion). Help with the radscorpions, and rescue Tandi from the Khans (missable if you leave too long or anger the Khans).
4. Junktown: The Killian vs Gizmo conflict. Recruit Dogmeat (he takes to anyone wearing a leather jacket, like his old master). Good early trading.
5. The Hub: The trade center. Pay the water merchants to send caravans and extend the water chip deadline, take caravan jobs, and pick up the deathclaw and Old Town quests.
6. Necropolis: Ghoul city. The water chip is below, in the Vault 12 area. Returning it to the Overseer ends Act 1.
7. Brotherhood of Steel (Lost Hills): Earn entry by retrieving a holodisk from the Glow (bring rope and plenty of Rad-X/RadAway). Their armory and tech are the best in the game.
8. The Boneyard (Los Angeles): Adytum, the Blades, the Regulators, the Gun Runners and the Followers of the Apocalypse. There are many quests and recruits here (Katja). Tycho is found in Junktown.
9. Mariposa Military Base: The FEV vats and the mutant army's source. Destroy the vats (explosives are the usual method) and get out.
10. The Cathedral / the Master's Vault: Confront the Master.

Beating the Master

• Fight him: Heavy weapons, plasma or rockets, and good armor.
• Nuke him: Plant or trigger the nuclear device in the vault and escape.
• Talk him down: With enough Speech and evidence that the super mutants are sterile (from the Military Base), you can convince him his plan is doomed.

The Military Base and the Master are both needed for the good ending.

Missables and Consequences

• Don't tell the water merchants where the vault is unless you want the tighter deadline (original 1.0 timing).
• Tandi: If you delay the rescue too long or let things go wrong, she can die or stay captive.
• Companions can die permanently. Save before big fights, especially with Dogmeat.
• Ending slides reflect what you did in Shady Sands, Junktown, the Hub, Necropolis, the Brotherhood and the Boneyard.
• Bloody Mess plus a specific choice lets you kill the Overseer in the final cinematic.

Running It on Modern PCs (Mods and Fixes)

Pick one approach: a light fix (high-res patch) or a full overhaul (Fixt, Community Edition or a port). Back up your saves before switching.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Dumping Intelligence or Agility. Your skills and AP will suffer all game.
• Wandering too long before the water chip. Keep an eye on the day counter.
• Bursting through companions. Reposition first.
• Ignoring armor upgrades. Moving from leather to metal to combat armor is huge.
• Walking into the Glow without Rad-X/RadAway and rope.
• Not saving before quests with branching outcomes.

Advanced Tips

• Eye-shot build: High Luck, Finesse, More Criticals, Better Criticals and Sniper, plus Small Guns. Aimed eye shots end most fights.
• Stealth routes: High Sneak, Lockpick and Steal let you bypass many fights, including parts of the Cathedral.
• Speech runs: The Master can be talked down, and many towns resolve peacefully.
• Trading: Sell loot in the Hub. Watch for merchants with good stock.
• Companion management: Give Ian a SMG and he may spray you. A pistol or rifle is safer.
• Make Dogmeat survive: Keep him out of burst fire and heavy areas, or leave him in town.

FAQ

Is Fallout 1 still worth playing? Yes. The writing, choices and atmosphere hold up, and mods fix most technical issues.

Is there really a time limit? Yes, 150 days for the water chip (plus 100 from Hub caravans). The later mutant-invasion deadline was relaxed by patch 1.1.

Where is the water chip? In Necropolis, below the ghoul city.

Can I recruit Dogmeat? Yes, in Junktown. Wearing a leather jacket helps him warm to you.

What's the best build for beginners? Intelligence 7+, Agility 8+, Perception 6+, and tag Small Guns, Speech and Lockpick. Gifted and Small Frame (or Finesse) as traits.

Do I need Fallout 1 before Fallout 2? It's not required, but Fallout 2 is set decades later and references your Vault Dweller's legacy.

Sources

• Fallout on Steam
• Fallout — Independent Fallout Wiki
• Finesse (Fallout) — Independent Fallout Wiki