ThroughoutFallout 3, the Lone Wanderer will make decisions and be given choices that will change the face of the Capital Wasteland. While many of the quests and options will be more morally gray,some have clear good or evil outcomes; that’s where Karma comes into play. However, as the system has been absent from the franchise sinceFallout 4, newcomersdiving intoFallout 3for the first timemight be left scratching their heads the first time Karma is mentioned on screen.
Karma was first introduced totheFalloutgame seriesinFallout 2and replaced the reputation system present in the firstFalloutgame. After that, the system was expanded on and included inFallout 3andFallout: New Vegas, the latter of which also had a reputation system working alongside Karma. When playing the older entries of the series,understanding how Karma works and what it will affect is essential, especially when planning for certain playthroughs.
What Is Karma In Fallout 3 (& How It Works)
What Exactly Does Karma Mean?
Karma inFallout 3acts as a representation of how good or evil the Lone Wanderer is, with the concept akin to themoral alignments inDungeons & Dragons. However, instead of being split into good/evil and lawful/chaotic axes, the system is simplified into good, neutral, and evil. Throughout the game, certain actions and outcomes will result in the Lone Wanderer either gaining or losing Karma points, which aremeant to show how the locals of the Capital Wasteland view the character.
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At the very beginning, the Lone Wanderer starts with a Karma value of zero, which is neutral, and as they complete quests and tasks, that score will shift.There are five levels of Karma inFallout 3, ranging from Very Good to Very Evil. NPCs also have Karma levels to denote their own morals. For example, Sherrif Simms of Megaton has Good Karma, whereas Allistair Tenpenny and Mister Burke are two of only nine characters in the game to have Very Evil Karma.
+750 to +1000
+250 to +749
-249 to -249
-250 to -749
Very Evil
-750 to -1000
ThroughoutFallout 3, it is possible to check the Lone Wanderer’s Karma rank title through the Pip-Boy. They can be found in the Stats section, under the General tab. Here,the image of the Vault Boy will change depending on Karma level, with the rank and title displayed above and below. There is no way to check the precise numerical Karma value unless playing on PC and using console commands.
Everything Karma Affects (Including Achievements)
Companions, Mercenary Groups, & Titles
There are only a few key areas that are affected by the Lone Wanderer’s Karma, with the main one being which companions can be recruited.Six companions inFallout 3have specific Karma requirements, two for each Karma category.
Star Paladin Cross and the Super Mutant Fawkes will only join a Lone Wanderer who has Good Karma, although they will not leave if it becomes Neutral or Evil. However, once dismissed, they will require Good Karma again to rejoin the team.
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Sergeant RL-3 and former Vault 101 resident Butch both require Neutral Karma. Just as before, they will not leave if the Karma level changes but will require Neutral Karma to rejoin. Finally,Clover and Jericho will only team up with Evil Karma Lone Wanderers, but will not leave if that changes. While Jericho behaves like the other companions, Clover will rejoin regardless of Karma once she has been initially recruited.
The final twocompanions inFallout 3, Dogmeat and Charon, will join the Lone Wanderer regardless of Karma level.
Karma alsoaffects how certain aspects of the world respond to the Lone Wanderer, albeit in a very limited way. Evil Lone Wanderers will receive gifts and ammo from slavers should they visit Paradise Falls. Meanwhile, Good characters will experience the same treatment from the residents of Megaton. The Lone Wanderer will also gain different titles throughoutFallout 3that depend on their Karma status and their level.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Ranger of the Wastes
Vagabond of the Wastes
Pirate of the Wastes
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Hero of the Wastes
Strider of the Wastes
Villain of the Wastes
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Friend of the People
25
26
27
28
29
30
Devil
20/Bronze
Good Karma levels will result in Talon Company mercenaries being sent after the Lone Wanderer, randomly spawning to collect the bounty placed on their head. Evil characters will also need to stay on guard as members of a faction known as the Regulator will hunt them down. Finally, Neutral Lone Wanderers are able to takethe Impartial Mediation perk to gain plus 30 to their Speechso long as they remain neutral.
How To Alter Karma In Fallout 3
Karma is altered inFallout 3by completing questsin a certain fashion or engaging in specific behaviors. Each action will result in the numerical value of the Lone Wanderer’s Karma either going up or down with high values representing Good and low/negative values representing Evil. It is also possible toreset Karma using the Karmic Rebalance perkfound in theFallout 3DLCBroken Steel.
Examples of positive Karma
Examples of negative Karma
Donating caps to a church
Eating a corpse with the Cannibal perk
Giving scrap metal to Walter for free
Stealing from non-evil characters
Giving purified water to beggars
Hacking owned terminals
Saving captives in Super Mutant encampments
Disarming Megaton’s bomb for free
Making a truce between Arefu and the Family
Blowing up the Enclave Mobile Command crawler
Killing non-evil characters
Three Dog will occasionally comment on acts the Lone Wanderer has committed based on their Karma, but it lacks consistency, and it is also possible to change Karma so rapidly that both the Regulators and Talon mercs will attack at the same time. Karma is a good system to keep in mind each playthrough because ofhow much it ties into which companions can be recruited. However, while Karma plays a large role in determining the traveling company, it doesn’t massively impact the overall gameplay inFallout 3.
