The Power of the Atom is a quest in Fallout 3. It is also a PS3 trophy, and an Xbox 360 and PC achievement.
In the quest, the Lone Wanderer is given the choice of disarming or detonating an atomic bomb, thus deciding the fate of a town and its inhabitants.
Quick walkthrough
| Side Quest: The Power of the Atom | |||||||||||||
| Speak to Lucas Simms about disarming the bomb in Megaton. | Speak to Mister Burke in Moriarty's Saloon about rigging the atomic bomb to explode. | ||||||||||||
| Disarm the bomb (Explosives 25). | Rig the bomb with a fusion pulse charge. | ||||||||||||
| Report to Simms that the bomb is disarmed. | Report to Burke at tenpenny Tower and activate the detonator. | ||||||||||||
| Reward: 300 XP, 100 or 500 caps, My Megaton house key and Property deed: Megaton house. | Reward: 300 XP, Evil Karma, 500 or 1000 caps, My Tenpenny Tower suite key and Property deed: Tenpenny Tower suite. | ||||||||||||
Detailed walkthrough
This quest is given by:
- Sheriff Lucas Simms: Wants the Lone Wanderer to disarm the nuclear bomb in the middle of Megaton. Lucas will at first offer 100 caps, but Speech can be used to raise it to a total of 500 caps.
- Mister Burke: Wants the bomb detonated, as his employer, Allistair Tenpenny, considers Megaton a blight on the landscape of the Capital Wasteland. Burke can be found in Moriarty's Saloon in Megaton, sitting in the corner. A Speech check can be used for a chance to increase the amount for detonating the bomb by 500 (total of 1,000) or the Black Widow perk (player character must be female) to guarantee a raise of 500 caps.
- The quest can also be started by activating the bomb (25 Explosives Skill) and disarming it.
Rig Megaton's atomic bomb to explode
Goodbye, Megaton!
To rig the bomb, the Lone Wanderer has to place a fusion pulse charge, given to them by Burke, inside the bomb. This requires an Explosives skill of 25 or higher for a successful attempt. Mentats and/or the Raider blastmaster helmet can be used to boost the Explosives skill if the player character is within seven points of the required threshold.
The Lone Wanderer can warn Lucas Simms that they are planning on making the bomb explode. The sheriff takes the threat seriously and he and the whole town will turn hostile towards the player character. Deputy Weld and other NPCs that are outside the city won't attack and the citizens within the town won't follow one outside.
In the Japanese version of Fallout 3, Mister Burke does not appear and the player character cannot get the fusion pulse charge. The only options are to disarm the nuke or ignore it.
Report to Mister Burke in Tenpenny Tower
After rigging the bomb, meet Burke at Tenpenny Tower, which is southwest of Megaton near the RobCo facility. There, the explosion can be observed from a safe distance together with Burke and Tenpenny.
Mister Burke will give the player character the 'privilege' to push the button to detonate the bomb. Doing so instantly lowers the player character's Karma by 1000 points. If Karma before detonation was 0 or negative, a change of -1000 Karma will instantly lead to the lowest possible Karma in the game.
After helping Roy Phillips take over Tenpenny Tower in the Tenpenny Tower quest prior to completing Power of the Atom, the player character may still complete Power of the Atom. When returning to the top floor penthouse, the player character will stumble onto Roy Phillips and Mister Burke having a conversation. Roy is intimidated by Mister Burke and the fact that he made his way to the top floor. Roy agrees with Burke on the matter of blowing up Megaton and also states that he could use a man like Burke, thus Burke begins a new partnership with Roy Phillips.
Disarm Megaton's atomic bomb
Lucas Simms wants the Lone Wanderer to disarm Megaton's bomb. The player character's Explosives skill must be at least 25 to attempt this. Taking some Mentats and/or equipping the Raider blastmaster helmet can temporarily increase it to the necessary level unless it was very low, to begin with. If successful, the player character will get the reward and the keys to a personal Megaton house. The reward is usually 100 caps, but with the successful use of the Speech skill on Lucas (before actually disarming the bomb) the reward can be upped to 500 caps. If the player character declines payment, they will typically gain 200 Karma instead. If the bomb is disarmed before speaking to Simms, he will give the player character 100 caps if it is brought up in further conversation.
Mister Burke will leave Megaton once the bomb is defused, and send Talon Company mercenaries that will randomly appear and attempt to kill the Lone Wanderer.
Optional: Deal with Mister Burke
The player character can kill Burke after speaking to him, without talking to Simms first. Killing him will result in good Karma and avoid risking Simms possibly getting killed. The player character can also accept the quest to blow up Megaton, and then kill Mister Burke, without penalty.
Optional: Leo Stahl's drug stash
If the Explosives skill is insufficient (below 25), the player character will be unable to rig or disarm the Megaton bomb. If Perception is at least 5 and/or the Explosives skill is at least 20, it can be sufficiently raised by consuming Mentats. One nearby source of Mentats is Leo Stahl's drug cache, which is hidden inside a desk within the water processing plant. One can gain access via the Leo's Drug Habit quest, by picking the lock on the desk (Very Hard), or by speaking to Doc Church.
Report Mister Burke to Lucas Simms
Disarm or detonate
After speaking to Burke, a new dialogue option will become available when speaking with Lucas Simms, which can result in him confronting Burke about the plot to destroy Megaton, as long as one's Karma is low enough (if the fusion pulse charge has already been acquired, mention it, and Simms will take it away and proceed). Take care not to "cry wolf," so to speak, because he will not believe the player character if the initial warning is rescinded.
Lucas Simms will tell the Lone Wanderer to follow, after informing them that they're about to see "wasteland justice" first hand. Simms will then attempt to arrest Burke. Burke will deny the allegations, but will eventually agree to be detained and suggest that Lucas "lead the way." As Simms turns to lead Burke to jail, Burke pulls a silenced 10mm pistol on Simms and kills him. If Simms manages to exit the room before Burke takes the shot, Burke will shoot anyway, and Simms will be found dead outside of the door.
Most of the time, saving Simms would involve killing Burke before he draws his weapon, or even before Simms confronts him (which will still yield the same amount of positive Karma). However, if one wishes to listen to the dialogue between Burke and Simms, one can still prevent Simms from dying by killing Burke as soon as he pulls out his gun. Alternatively, it is possible to shoot the gun out of Burke's hand instead of killing him. This will give the sheriff time to respond and give the player character more wiggle room in dealing with Burke since he will now be unarmed.
If Burke is killed before he kills Lucas, the sheriff will thank the player character afterward. The same response is given whether or not Burke is killed before or after he drew his weapon. It is also possible to immediately press the action button to talk to Burke just before he attempts to kill Lucas after Lucas tells Burke to follow him and turns his back. He will be irritated but will pause to speak. During this time the player character can take out their own weapon and kill Burke.
If one doesn't act fast, Simms is killed. Afterward, Mister Burke will threaten the Lone Wanderer and disappear. If Burke is killed before he disappears, he says his friends will avenge him. If Burke kills Lucas Simms and then the player character kills Burke, both bodies can be looted. This will net a silenced 10mm pistol and a Chinese assault rifle, plus some caps and ammunition. If Lucas Simms dies, one can still complete this quest by talking with his son, Harden Simms, after disarming the bomb.
Neither option will result in a negative reaction from the townspeople, though they may comment "better him (or her) than me" if they see it take place. If in any way the player character accidentally hits Simms, the town may become hostile and retaliate.
Seducing Mister Burke
A female character with the Black Widow perk can seduce Burke and persuade him to spare Megaton. He will then leave the city, with the promise of sending for the player character later. He will even send love letters, which can be picked up at Moriarty's Saloon. Another possibility is persuading him to give the Lone Wanderer 1,000 caps upon detonation of the bomb, as opposed to the 500 normally given. Using the Black Widow perk to seduce Burke still results in him putting a hit out on the Lone Wanderer if the bomb is disarmed later.
Destroyed Megaton
Rewards
If the bomb is disarmed
- Bottle caps
- 500 - If Speech was successful at the start of the quest
- 100 - If the offer is accepted, Speech failed, or wasn't employed at the start of the quest
- My Megaton house key
- Deed: My Megaton house
- 300 XP
- Karma [+200]: If the bomb is disarmed for free
- A contract for extermination will be put out by Mister Burke or Allistair Tenpenny and Talon Company will start hunting the player character.
If Megaton is destroyed
- Bottle caps
- 1000 - If Speech was successful at the start of the quest, or if the Black Widow perk was taken and unique dialogue is chosen
- 500 - If the offer is accepted or Speech failed
- My Tenpenny Tower suite key
- Deed: Tenpenny Tower suite
- 300 XP
- Karma [-1,000]: If Megaton is destroyed
- Regulators will start hunting the player character. It is also possible to be ambushed by angry former Megaton citizens.
Quest stages
Side with Simms
Side with Burke
Notes
- Blowing up Megaton causes an extra video to show in the game's ending if the player character has low Karma. The video shows clips of the destruction of Megaton.
- The player character can go to Burke and decline his request (still leaving the option open), turn him into Simms, proceed to accept Burke's request (gaining the fusion pulse charge without giving it to Simms), and arm the bomb. After entering the bar Simms will either confront Burke as usual if Burke had entered by the time the player character arrives, or he will leave immediately to confront Burke outside only to suddenly die, prompting the threat from Burke. After this is done, the player character can still gain access to Tenpenny Tower under the invitation of Burke but will have to steal a nearby key to access Tenpenny's suite and balcony. The detonator will be available for use with no sign of Burke, and Megaton can be destroyed for only the -1000 Karma and no other compensation.
- The Lone Wanderer's father, James, will comment on this quest during The Waters of Life. If one disarms the bomb he will state that he is proud of them. If one detonates it then he will express horror at the murder of the town.
- Mister Burke will kill Simms very quickly once he draws his weapon. However, you are free to kill Mister Burke at any time once Lucas Simms approaches him inside Moriarty's. Lucas Simms will thank you and give the "I must be getting old" dialogue even if he hasn't said a word to Burke.
- It is possible to get both the good Karma and 100 caps reward for disarming Megaton's bomb, however, it must be done the first time you enter Megaton and before Lucas Simms approaches you. Immediately upon entering the town, run to the undetonated atomic bomb and ignore Simms's dialogue, use some Mentats (if necessary) and disarm the bomb. When it is disarmed, let Lucas Simms approach you and talk to you automatically like he normally would. Being that you disarmed the bomb without ever talking to him, the game treats it as if you didn't want a reward (since you did it of your own accord) and you will be rewarded with good Karma. When he finally approaches you, he will not comment regarding your arrival, but of the disarming of the bomb, and will inform you that there was a reward for disarming it. He will then give you the 100 caps and the deed to the Megaton house. In proceeding to solve the quest in this fashion however, the player character misses out on the chance to haggle for 500 caps via a speech check.
- The trade caravans still stop in front of the Megaton ruins, despite it no longer being a logical site of economic importance.
- Deputy Weld's head will be found in front of the Megaton ruins, speaking his lines in a distorted voice. Ironically, his head will occasionally say that "The bomb is perfectly safe."
- As Megaton explodes, objects on Tenpenny's table where the detonator sits will be blown away.
- If you did not kill Moira before blowing up Megaton, she can be found wandering near Deputy Weld, ghoulified.
- If you killed Moira before blowing up Megaton, her body will appear outside the ruins.
- Do not forget to take the Strength bobblehead from Lucas Simms' house before detonating the bomb. It is located upstairs in his room on the desk.
- If you let Lucas Simms get killed by Mister Burke or any other way, and then disarm the bomb afterward, Three Dog will still state that Lucas Simms credited the Lone Wanderer for disarming the bomb, in spite of the fact he was already dead by the time the bomb was disarmed.
- If you stand in front of Burke as he shoots Simms, the shots will go through you. It is a scripted event, similar to Amata shooting Officer Mack, so the only way to save Simms is to kill or disarm Burke before he begins shooting.
- This is the only achievement or trophy in Fallout 3 that does not have Vault Boy featured.
- Despite not wearing protective dark glasses, Tenpenny and the Lone Wanderer aren't blinded by the light of the atomic explosion.
- If you talk to Lucas when he is talking to Burke he will simply say "Not now" like Burke.
- After the nuke has been detonated, NPCs who live close to Megaton such as Silver and the raiders of Springvale Elementary, will not have been harmed by the enormous explosion.
Behind the scenes
- The coordinates displayed on the remote detonator at Tenpenny Tower (-01,-07), are the actual coordinates of the game cell which contains the bomb.
- In the Japanese version of the game, Mister Burke will not be present in the game, not allowing the player character to rig the bomb to explode. This is due to the sentiments regarding the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Gallery
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