Low Intelligence Characters[]
Fallout 1 & 2[]
When the Player Character in Fallout and Fallout 2 has less than 4 Intelligence, the biggest change in gameplay is undoubtedly the dialogue. Upon reaching Shady Sands, the villagers take pity on you, and Aradesh just shrugs you off. The best you can speak is in half-word sentences or gibberish.
The real downside, though, is that you have no chance to do about 90% of the side quests. No one will talk to you or even give you the time of day (Even though you have it on your Pip-Boy).
In Fallout 2, you may meet Torr, the "town simpleton of Klamath", who would normally give you a quest to under go protection of his brahmin against "the evil bugmen". He will appear highly intelligent to you, as if being stupid is a culture and language all its own, and two unintelligent people can have a complete, thought-provoking, and fully articulated conversation between them.
Another person you may have an "intelligent" conversation with in Fallout 2 is AHS-9, who becomes able to understand you after you become aligned and gives you the quest to Kill the Shi Emperor
When talking to Algernon in the basement of New Reno Arms you can start a "childhood cop and robbers" type dialog in which you accidentally shoot and kill him.
Fallout 3[]
In Fallout 3, there are conversation situations where characters with low Intelligence are granted other speech options, often relating to their low intellect. However, these options are few and far between, unlike the other Fallout games where one could play the entire game as a person with low Intelligence. One instance is in Roosevelt Academy, where if you activate Dean Dewey when you have an Intelligence of 3 or lower he will deem you a "special needs" child, and escort you to a 'proper room'.
Fallout: New Vegas[]
In addition to alternative Intelligence checks, low Intelligence changes some dialog options when speaking to vendors and non-player characters. For example, when speaking to Miguel at Miguel's Pawn Shop, the option to start trading is "Me buy things", and when speaking with Dr. Usanagi at the New Vegas Medical Clinic, after she gives you the initial description about implants you have the dialogue option "You sell plants, too?", which will cause her to re-explain the implants and suggest you take the implant to make you smarter. If you take her up on this deal she will state that she thinks "you could really benefit from it", and offer the implant at a discount.
In place of the gibberish of past games, however, the player will simply not completely understand a conversation, confuse what someone is saying with something else entirely, or not understand what situation they are currently in. In the REPCONN Headquarters, for example, a character with an Intelligence of 2 or less can bypass a robot that demands a password by randomly shouting "ICE CREAM!". Normally, the player would need a Luck of at least 7 to guess this.
Low Intelligence characters attempting to do the That Lucky Old Sun quest will be granted several unique and highly entertaining dialog options when conversing with Fantastic and Ignacio Rivas. An example is when informed about the hostilities between the Followers and the NCR, the player can choose to respond, "Do Flowers and NCR bear play together?"
When first speaking to Ranger Milo he will inform the player that some "Legion snakes" are held up in Nelson to which the player can respond 'Snakes are small. Why don't you just use a gun or whatever to shoot them." He will then call you a "special folk" and explain that they are not really snakes but "like snakes."
While helping Argyll in Nellis medical station while doing the quest Volare!, the Courier is given an option in only one of the options to "CHOP CHOP CHOP!" instead of giving him treatment. Ironically, the Courier actually saves the patient and Argyle comments on it, saying it was "dumb luck".
Notable Quotes[]
- I don't care if you were dropped on your head as a kid. No guns in the city limits. - NCR Gate Guard.
- Glug glug glug glug glug glug! - the Vault Dweller
- *Snfff* You big meenie... *snff*... me go sumplace 'n have partee wiff clowns... *snfff*... and ice cream... and kake... and me no invit meen peuple like YOU! - the Chosen One
- Most people have evil spirits. You? You have stupid spirits. Go see shaman, get hole in head... Big hole... Very big... Huge. -Sulik
- Hep Torr hep moo-moo. (Yes, of course I'll help you fend off the predation of your family's brahmin by these nefarious bugmen.) - Chosen One
- Me help shoulders make shinies warm. - the Courier
- I IS SCIENTISTIC! - the Courier
- What are Flowers of Pock-lips? - the Courier
- Ooh Shiney Robot - the Lone Wanderer
- You sell plants, too? - the Courier
- ICE CREAM! - the Courier
- Me pet aminals - the Courier
- I no hurt anyone - the Courier
- Where I send shiny juice? - the Courier
- Me take you job cause me is smarter - the Courier