Holdout weapons are a gameplay mechanic in Fallout: New Vegas.
Overview[]
Weapons classified as holdout weapons are capable of being brought into locations where one's weapons are typically confiscated, though this depends on the player character's Sneak skill level while at the same time, the lists are rather limited regardless. Internally, these lists are referred to as "Holdout Weapons" and "Improved Holdout Weapons," depending on whether the skill level is below 50 or at least 50, respectively.
At certain points in the course of the game, the player character may have their weapons confiscated from them, in which they will then be presented with an option to retain some of their weapons in the form of a dialogue option, which usually ends with the text "<keep holdout weapons>." If one has one or more of the listed weapons and the requisite Sneak skill level, they will be able to keep holdout weapons and use them in the entered location at their leisure.
Weapons-free locations[]
Below are the names of every location where one's weapons are confiscated and which allow the option to keep holdout weapons:
- Camp McCarran interrogation room (only during Silus Treatment)
- Gomorrah
- The Tops
- The Fort
- Ultra-Luxe
Holdout weapons[]
This list consists of those weapons that are always concealable and able to be brought into weapons-free areas, regardless of Sneak skill. Many of these weapons can be purchased from the merchant Mister Holdout, found near the entrance of the Gomorrah casino.
| Legend | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Weapon name | 
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- Action Point cost | |
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- Ammunition used | 
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- Damage per Action Point | |
|
- Weapon damage | 
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- Weight | |
|
- Damage per second | 
|
- Weapon skill | |
|
- Explosion damage | 
|
- Is weapon silent? | |
|
- Effect damage | |||
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brass knuckles | 18 | 36.9 | 18 | 2.0 | 1 | Unarmed | 
| |||
Cosmic knife 
|
12 | 36 | 20 | 1.2 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
| Cosmic knife clean
|
15 | 45 | 20 | 1.5 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
| Cosmic knife super-heated
|
14 | 42 | 20 | 1.4 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
| Figaro | 8 | 33.2 | 17 | 0.9 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
| Knife | 8 | 24 | 20 | 0.8 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
Li'l Devil  [1]
|
12.7mm | 45 | 146.3 | 15 | 3.3 | 3 | Guns | 
| ||
| Love and Hate | 30 | 75.8 | 19 | 3.2 | 1 | Unarmed |
| |||
| MFC grenade [1]
|
1 | 52.5 | 75 | 35 | 2.2 | 0.5 | Explosives |
| ||
| Nuka-grenade [1]
|
1 | 228 | 350 | +2  /5s
|
24 | 15.0 | 0.5 | Explosives |
| |
| Police pistol
|
.357 Mag | 30 | 60 | 19 | 1.6 | 3 | Guns |
| ||
| Silenced .22 pistol | .22LR | 9 | 31.5 | 17 | 0.5 | 3 | Guns |
| ||
| Spiked knuckles | 25 | 59.2 | 19 | 2.6 | 1 | Unarmed |
| |||
| Straight razor | 5 | 18.5 | 18 | 0.6 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
| Switchblade | 7 | 14 | 18 | 0.4 | 1 | Melee |
| |||
| Throwing knife | 15 | 48.2 | 20 | 0.8 | 0.5 | Melee |
| |||
| Tin grenade [1]
|
1 | 65 | 100 | 35 | 2.9 | 0.5 | Explosives |
|
- Note: Unique weapons are highlighted with a darker background.
- Note: Melee Weapons and Unarmed damage is doubled in V.A.T.S.
Improved holdout weapons[]
This list consists of those weapons that can be brought into weapons-free areas only after one has achieved a minimum 50 Sneak skill level. Bonuses from temporary effects, such as ¡La Fantoma! or Stealth Boys, are counted when determining the skill level requirement.
Note that this list does not replace the standard list of holdout weapons; weapons from the standard holdout weapons list can always be brought into weapons-free areas, regardless of skill.
| Legend | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
- Weapon name |
|
- Action Point cost | |
|
|
- Ammunition used |
|
- Damage per Action Point | |
|
|
- Weapon damage |
|
- Weight | |
|
|
- Damage per second |
|
- Weapon skill | |
|
|
- Explosion damage |
|
- Is weapon silent? | |
|
|
- Effect damage | |||
- Note: Unique weapons are highlighted with a darker background.
- Note: Melee Weapons and Unarmed damage is doubled in V.A.T.S.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Gun Runners' Arsenal normal holdout weapons are not included in the improved holdout weapon list, and will be confiscated when using the improved holdout option.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Companion-specific variants of these weapons are not included, and will be confiscated from companion(s) (see Bugs).
- ↑ The unique That Gun is not included
- ↑ The unique weathered 10mm pistol is not included.
- ↑ The unique Big Boomer is not included.
Notes[]
- If choosing the holdout dialogue option, weapons carried by companions will be confiscated based on the player character's Sneak skill, not that of their companion(s).
- There are only two holdout weapons which Lily Bowen is capable of using: frag grenades, and plasma grenades. This is due to a restriction placed on Lily which limits what weapons she can use, primarily limiting her to heavy weapons such as miniguns.
- When disarmed upon entering weapons-free areas, all confiscated weapons are stripped of their associated hotkeys and will have to be reassigned upon leaving the area.
- Entering the Silver Rush before completing Birds of a Feather will always result in Simon confiscating all weapons, with no holdout weapon option available.
- During Ring-a-Ding-Ding!, if one chooses to convince Swank (either through Speech checks or providing pieces of evidence) to help them deal with Benny, from then on entering the Tops will no longer involve giving up one's weapons regardless of Sneak skill level.
- Killing the Legionary main gate guard undetected at the Fort will bypass the weapons check entirely for any later visits. Likewise, silently killing the weather station guard in the weather monitoring station will allow bringing weapons back outside without the guard confiscating them.
- Weapons that double as quest items, such as the missing laser pistol relevant to Pistol Packing, cannot be confiscated regardless of Sneak skill level.
Bugs[]
The companion-specific versions of some improved holdout weapons are not included in these lists, and will be confiscated when these companions enter casinos. This includes melee weapons such as Cass's combat knife and Raul's lead pipe, which differ from the normal versions only in that they cannot be taken by the player character. [verified]- ED-E's integrated weapons can be brought into weapons-free areas as holdout weapons, but only if the Courier's Sneak skill is below 50. This is caused by ED-E's weapons being included on the holdout weapons list but not the improved holdout weapons list.[verified]
- Rex's Bite "weapon" is not classified as a holdout weapon and will be confiscated.[verified]
- Occasionally, weapons carried by companions will not be returned after exiting a casino. Therefore it is advisable to safely store any unique weapons before entering any casino.[verified]
