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We're the Regulators. We've dedicated our lives to bringing the evil to justice. And out in the Wasteland, there's only one brand of justice: the gun.— Sonora Cruz about the Regulators

The Regulators are members of the faction of the same name in the Capital Wasteland in 2277. They appear in Fallout 3.

Background[]

As members of the Regulators, these individuals are self-appointed bringers of justice who hunt down and kill the evildoers of the Capital Wasteland, whether for money or for a sense of duty, such as raiders.[1] They wear cowboy-style hats and dusters in the fashion of pre-War gunslingers and Old West marshals.

Characteristics[]

Regulators come in three tiers which will start to appear in addition to the previous tiers as the player's level rises. Each tier of Regulators has a higher level (thus, higher Hit Points and higher weapon skills) and a different weapon pool. The following are each tier's NPC stats:

  • Tier 1 (player level ≥ 1): Level 8, 75 HP, tag skills: Energy Weapons 64, Small Guns 62, Sneak 62
  • Tier 2 (player level ≥ 6): Level 11, 105 HP, tag skills: Energy Weapons 77, Small Guns 75, Sneak 75
  • Tier 3 (player level ≥ 9): Level 14, 135 HP, tag skills: Energy Weapons 90, Small Guns 88, Sneak 88

All Regulators wear the Regulator duster and use ranged weapons, including laser pistols, combat shotguns, and assault rifles; they may also have an additional sidearm. See below for the full list of possible weapons. In terms of damage output, they are equal to gun-wielding Talon Company mercs, although they are easier to kill because their dusters have between 2-5 DR while Talon Company mercs wear 16-26 DR armor. They are overall slightly less deadly and effective than their evil counterparts, the Talon Company mercs.

Interactions with the player character[]

Interactions overview[]

Interactions
Icon severed ear color
This character drops an ear upon death (Contract Killer).
Mesmetron icon
This character can be enslaved with the Mesmetron.

Other interactions[]

Regulator hit squads[]

If the player character has Evil or Very Evil Karma, then they may be attacked by hit squads consisting of two to four Regulators. Each Regulator will be carrying a note regarding the Lone Wanderer's bounty due to their evil deeds. The first hit squad will initially be non-hostile and will run up to talk to the player character, but they will turn hostile as soon as the dialogue ends. All further squads are hostile from the very start.

These hit squads can appear both through recurring type A and type B random encounters throughout the wasteland, as well as one-time scripted events in certain locations. While the random encounter hit squads are only dependent on player Karma, the scripted hit squads have some additional conditions: they only appear if the player character is above Level 6 and they do not have the Lawbringer perk.[2]

There is no distinction between the recurring random encounter hit squads and the fixed one-time hit squads, and it may even be possible to be attacked by both at once. Killed hit squads do not respawn, but new hit squads can appear in the same random encounter zones. The hit squads do not have low-level processing, meaning that they will not follow the player character into different, newly-loaded cells.

See below for the full list of fixed spawn points.

Inventory[]

Apparel Weapon Other items On death
Regulator duster, 20-30% condition Leveled main weapon
Backup weapon, 33% chance:
Main weapon's ammo
Backup weapon's ammo, 33% chance:
1-16 .32 caliber rounds OR
1-10 10mm rounds OR
Nothing

Bounty notice
Pack of cigarettes OR
1-9 bottle caps, 50% chance

Weapon tier table[]

The character's main weapon is randomly selected from a list which is based on the character's tier. The weapon will always come with corresponding ammo, but the amount is randomized and smaller amounts are more likely.

Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

Locations[]

  • Three neutral unnamed Regulators can spawn inside the Regulator HQ if the player character has the Lawbringer perk.
  • As mentioned above, a dead Regulator will spawn at Arlington Cemetery North if the player character has the Lawbringer perk.
  • Regulator hit squads can appear at both type A and type B random encounter zones; see the map of type A and type B encounter points here.

Fixed hit squad spawn points[]

There are 31 fixed hit squad spawn points; as above, each of these squads spawns only once and does not respawn. Unless specified, assume that the spawn location is close enough to be triggered by fast traveling to the nearest map marker. Unmarked locations are listed in italics. These are also the same locations where Talon Company hit squads against Good Karma player characters will spawn. Unless specified, assume that the spawn location is close enough to be triggered by fast traveling to the nearest map marker. Unmarked locations are listed in italics.

Location Description
Anacostia Crossing Station Underneath the building just to the west from the metro exit (to the right when facing Rivet City). The fast travel point for Rivet City is also just inside the spawn radius.[verification needed]
Calverton This area is along the road far southwest from Jury Street Metro station; in one of the ruined houses at a three-way road intersection.
Corvega factory The area is somewhat far southwest of the factory, in a ruined house near a gas station at a traffic circle. There are no fast travel points nearby.
Five Axles Rest Stop Under the collapsed overpass to the north of the location. The rest stop itself is too far away for the hit squad to spawn, but the road just slightly north of the rest stop is close enough.
Flooded metro near Wilhelm's Wharf Right outside the metro exit. Wilhelm's Wharf is not in the spawn radius, but the road south of it is.
Georgetown West Slightly north from the map marker.
Hallowed Moors Cemetery Inside a shack along the road south of the church (southwest of the map marker). Fast traveling to the cemetery will not spawn the squad, but part of the cemetery and the road leading to the church are within the spawn radius.
Hubris Comics Just outside the building; thus, the nearby Falls Church/Mason Dst Metro exit is also in the spawn radius.
Jalbert Brothers waste disposal Alongside the northern pass leading to the waste disposal site. The spawn radius includes the site's northern gate, as well as the southernmost shacks at Shacktown to the north, but not the fast travel point.
Jury Street Metro station Behind the diner due south from the map marker.
L'Enfant Plaza Just east from the map marker, next to the bus stop at the plaza.
L'Enfant South Right outside the map marker, directly at the map marker when fast traveling.
Marigold station Underneath the building to the east from the metro exit. The Grayditch fast travel point is not in the spawn radius.
Mason District South Along the street to the northeast, just behind the ruined building in Mason District occupied by super mutants. The map marker is outside the spawn radius.
MDPL-13 power station Right outside the ruined power plant to the east from the map marker, inbetween its two entrances.
MDPL-21 power station Right on the map marker.
Montgomery County Reservoir Inside the raider-occupied barn to the northwest.
Mount Mabel Campground Inside a collapsed vehicle tunnel a ways to the west, near the river. There are no fast travel points in the spawn radius.
Northwest Seneca Station Right outside the metro exit.
Oasis At the entrance of the canyon that leads to Oasis. The fast travel location is just barely outside of the spawn radius; walking any further away from Oasis will spawn the squad (if not spawned when initially reaching Oasis).
Penn. Ave North On the northern street between the Penn. Ave North and Metro Central metro exit map markers. Both fast travel points are out of the spawn radius, but walking any further east or southeast from Penn. Ave North will spawn the squad.
Penn. Ave East Just outside to the right from the metro exit.
Rockbreaker's Last Gas Right outside the unmarked sniper shack on a cliff to the west. The gas station is too far away for hit squads to spawn, but the squad will spawn if walking further west towards the pond (or towards the shack from any other direction).
Seward Sq. North Metro In the central area of Seward Square, where the roads meet, underneath the northern overpass. Other than the sewer exit, there are no other fast travel points or exits in the spawn radius.
Ranger compound Outside the alleyway that leads from Seward Square to the ranger compound. None of the map markers are inside the spawn radius.
Robot repair center At the foot of the cliff to the west, along the road that leads up to the Canterbury Commons road circle. Neither of the map markers are inside the spawn radius, but moving any further west in the parking lot from the robot repair center marker will spawn the squad.
Riverboat landing Point Lookout (add-on) Inside the overturned trailer truck along the nearby road. This spawn point is also present in the base game.
Sewer waystation Outside the building, facing the road.
Takoma Park Along the rock path from the street to Takoma Industrial. The fast travel points for Takoma Park and Takoma Industrial are both outside of the spawn radius.
Vernon Square East In the center north of the district, just outside of the sewer entrance. Apart from this exit, no other map markers or cells are inside the spawn radius.
Warrington station At a small shopping plaza to the southwest; right outside the entrance to Lucky's. They are too far away to spawn upon fast traveling, but will spawn as soon as the player character crosses the road intersection at the metro exit.

Notes[]

  • All living Regulators share the same inventory, so all of them will carry the bounty notice for the Lone Wanderer (regardless of the player's Karma level as well).
  • The Regulators' main base of operation is Regulator HQ. It is only accessible with the Lawbringer perk.
  • It is possible for a Neutral or Good Karma player character to encounter hostile Regulators if their Karma has previously dipped into Evil, but based on the scripting that controls their spawns, this should only be possible if the squad previously spawned but the player missed them.[2] This can result in squads of Regulators appearing alongside squads of Talon Company mercs; they will fight each other if this happens.
  • The Regulators' hit squad dialogue is almost exactly the same as the Talon Company mercs' hit squad dialogue.

Appearances[]

These Regulators appear only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes[]

  • Internally, the Regulators are templated from the Talon Company mercs, as they use some of the Talon Company weapon and miscellaneous loot lists. In fact, all of the Regulator template NPCs are named "Talon Company Merc" (this does not appear in-game because the template NPCs' names are not copied to the implemented NPCs).
  • Regulator is the actual term for an official who maintains control and supervision of an area of public interest.[3] As a result, many armed groups, both vigilante and official, have been named "Regulators" throughout American history. One of the most notable groups in American history were the Regulators of the Carolinas around the time of the American Revolution.
  • Daniel Littlehorn has two cut but voiced dialogue topics in the G.E.C.K., one of which is a direct duplicate of one of Sonora's recruitment lines, and the other is an explanation of the Regulators' role.[4] This may suggest he was originally intended to be a member of the Regulators acting as its leader before being switched out for Sonora and attached to his own faction in the final game.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 If the PC has access to the Regulator HQ and murders all of its Regulator inhabitants, Sonora Cruz will still remain friendly towards you as if nothing had happened. [verified]
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Sometimes the Regulators will go through their dialogue as if they are hostile, but upon completion, they do not fire and appear friendly. They do not move or in any way pursue the player. If fired upon they do turn hostile and open fire. [verified]
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 The Regulators sent out after the player can have skin problems where the face is of a Caucasian and the arms are of an African American. [verified]

Gallery[]

References[]

Non-game