“Dad, you can barely tie your shoelaces, much less repair anything with moving parts.”— Valerie to Vic
Vic the Trader is a wasteland trader who works among the tribes in New California and the first person the Chosen One is sent to track down in 2241. He is also a potential companion in Fallout 2.
An older man with a prominent gut, Vic is one of the traders who makes his livelihood trading with tribes on the Oregon/California border. He hails from Klamath,[1] where he has a small home built out of scrap and specializes in pre-War technologies.[2] His reputation among the tribes makes him a popular point of contact for those in need, such as Sulik. However, Vic's information on the whereabouts of Sulik's sister proved to be outdated, making the tribal view the merchant with wariness bordering on hostility.
Vic's rounds took him as far as Vault City,[3] where he had an affair with a Vault City citizen. Valerie was born of it, though the relationship was not built to last. Vic eventually started to refer to Val's mother as the Desert Viper[4] and started traveling outside Vault City, until he eventually disappeared altogether from their life. Yet it seems there was a bit of passion left between them, as should Vic learn of her death, he is still saddened, a bit.[5]
That remnant of a feeling did not stop him from seeking solace in the arms of Jenny, a prostitute from the Dunton-run "Bathhouse" in Klamath.[6] Just before he ran afoul of Metzger in the Den, by selling him a faulty radio,[7] he sold a number of Vault 13water flasks to the tribals of Arroyo. Little did he know that this would kickstart an epic quest that would culminate in the saving of humanity.[1]
Find Vic the Trader: The Chosen One may either buy or bust him out. Once freed, he tells them what he knows and then offers to join. Low-Intelligence characters are given a dialogue choice to recruit Vic but without results from the choice. If Metzger and his slavers are killed without freeing Vic, he will somehow escape the locked room and take refuge at Mom's Diner.
If Vic has a higher Repair skill than the player character, he will run to and repair just about anything that the Repair skill can be used on.
If accompanied by Sulik, Vic will constantly say that Sulik is looking at him funny.[8]
Once Vic is in one's company, he will often refer to the Chosen One as "Boss," much to the disdain of his daughter.[9]
If Vic has called the Chosen One "boss" many times, a new dialogue option appears to ask him to stop it. He jokingly responds by referring to them as "chief" and "sport" instead. Regardless, he will continue to call the Chosen One "boss."[10]
If his daughter is attacked, Vic will disband and turn hostile.[11]
Despite having a great Energy Weapons skill (higher than his Small Guns skill), Vic can't use any energy weapons other than pistols (that is, laser pistols and plasma pistols).
Vic shares his name and title with Trader Vic's, a worldwide chain restaurant.
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↑ 1.01.1The Chosen One: "Can you tell me who brought this item to our village?" Mynoc: "I don't remember his name, just that he was old and loud -- too loud for proper manners -- but he knew many things. He was from Klamath, east like I said." (Mynoc's dialogue)
↑The Chosen One: "I’m looking for a trader. Know any of them that deal in old items, like from the beforetimes?" Jenny: "You’re interested in traders, huh? Well I mostly just worked for one trader. Vic was his name. He always had extra money to blow, at least when he worked he did. See, he specialized in really old stuff. You know, technical thingies." (Jenny's dialogue)
↑The Chosen One: "Tell me where Vault 13 is." Vic: "Vault 13? There’s a Vault City east of here. I trade there, sometimes." (Vic's dialogue)
↑Vic: "I'm still sorry I didn't get a chance to see her again." Valerie: "No, you aren't. You used to call her the 'desert viper,' didn't you?" (Valerie's dialogue)
↑Valerie: "Don't you start. I'm glad Mom isn't here to hear this." Vic: "What? What happened to your mother?" Valerie: "Brain fever. Caught it out on the wastes. Probably looking for YOU." Vic: "Oh. I... uh... I'm sorry, Val." (Valerie's dialogue)
↑The Chosen One: "Tell me more about Vic." Jenny: "Vic was a real sweetheart. He would go off for weeks at a time and then come back with all kinds of beforetime things. But he often had to travel to the Den to sell them. Not much call for that sort of stuff ‘round here." (Jenny's dialogue)
↑The Chosen One: "I'm looking for a merchant." Metzger: "What the fuck are you asking me for? Do I look like some kind of fucking… oh, wait. You're probably looking for Vic?" The Chosen One: "Yeah, that's him." Metzger: "That little fuck - he sold me a radio that he said would be able to pick up some transmissions. It didn't. I caught his ass trying to sneak out of town before I found out. Bad mistake. No one fucks with me. He's lucky to be alive." (Metzger's dialogue)
↑Vic: "Sulik, don't you be looking at me like that." Vic: "Boss, Sulik's glaring at me again." (Vic's dialogue)
↑Valerie: "Cut the crap, Dad. Are you STILL calling everybody you meet "Boss?" I always hated that about you." (Valerie's dialogue)
↑The Chosen One: "Would you stop calling me Boss?" Vic: "Sure thing, Chief!" The Chosen One: "I mean it STOP IT!" Vic: "You got it, Sport!" (Vic's dialogue)
↑Vic: "I'm going to rip your darn head off! No one hurts my family!" (Vic's dialogue)
"I'm getting pretty good at this. See, Boss. All good things get better with time."
