Vault 81

Vault 81 is one of the vault series of fallout shelters developed by Vault-Tec. This vault is located in The Commonwealth.

Background
Vault 81 is unlike almost any other known vault in the Commonwealth, in that it still contains sane and active dwellers. After a simple quest requiring either three fusion cores or a successful speech check, the Sole Survivor can gain entrance and meet the vault dwellers.

Vault-Tec created Vault 81 with the purpose of developing a single, universal cure for every sickness that humanity could possibly suffer from, using the residents as human test subjects. The vault was divided into two separate areas: the main vault, where up to 96 residents would make their home for the foreseeable future, and the secret vault, where Vault-Tec scientists would conduct their research and observe the residents as they were unknowingly exposed to different diseases and cures.

On the day of the Great War the vault Overseer, Dr. Olivette sabotaged the call list so the science staff wouldn't get the warning. Despite this attempt three of the secret vault's assigned staff arrived at the vault and were admitted into the vault before it was sealed. Most of the residents made it to the main vault. Despite being understaffed, the scientists began the initial phases of their work. Before the human testing could begin, however, the vault's overseer, Dr. Olivette, suffered a crisis of conscience. She deactivated the disease/cure distribution system and sealed the secret vault's exits, ensuring the residents' safety.

Trapped and with nothing else to do, the scientists continued their research, confining their experiments to their only remaining test subjects: mole rats. Dr. Kenneth Collins modified a Mister Nanny lab assistant to take on greater responsibilities due to the staff shortage, creating Curie. When the scientists eventually died of old age, Curie remained and worked on the cure alone, spending decades conducting trial after trial. She achieved the vault's objective in 2204, perfecting the universal cure. Although Curie had reached a level of self-awareness over the years, however, she was unable to overcome her original programming, which required authorization from a Vault-Tec employee before she could leave the vault and begin a new line of research. She patiently idled in the secret vault for decades, awaiting a response from Vault-Tec security.

Meanwhile, the residents in the main vault went on with their lives, completely unaware that anything was amiss or that they had been intended as test subjects. In 2277, Overseer Baht opened the vault for the first time, allowing communication and trade with the outside world. Although this provided a badly needed source of food and other vital supplies, especially parts and tools to repair the vault's deteriorating systems, many residents maintained an isolationist or even xenophobic mindset, distrusting any outsider who was allowed to enter.

By 2287, one of Vault 81's dwellers, Bobby De Luca, had discovered one of the entrances into the secret vault and used it to store his drugs. Austin Engill witnessed Bobby opening the door, and went in to investigate. He was bitten by one of the lab mole rats, which had escaped containment and started a colony in the secret vault decades before, and infected with an unknown lethal disease. When Bobby revealed the existence of the secret vault, the Sole Survivor agreed to search it for a potential cure. Inside, the Sole Survivor discovered Curie, who handed over the last, unexpired dose of her universal cure. The Sole Survivor either used it on themselves, leaving Austin to perish and earning the animosity of the vault dwellers, or turned it over to save Austin and was granted a room in the vault by Overseer McNamara.

Notable loot

 * Syringer rifle - Rewarded from the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Medicine bobblehead - In Curie's laboratory, during the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Mini nuke - In the broodmother room, inside a tipped over locker, during the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Fragmentation mine - In a locker underneath the stairs as one passes the Overseer Observation Terminal during the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Stealth Boy - In same room as Vault 81 tech password, during the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Fusion core - Rewarded from the quest Here Kitty, Kitty.
 * Fusion core - During the quest Hole in the Wall.
 * Overseer's Guardian - For sale at Alexis Combes' shop. She also has Destroyer's leg and Overseers Armguards.
 * Taboo Tattoos issue #16 - In Horatio's barbershop.
 * Grognak the Barbarian issue #5 (+5% unarmed or melee critical damage) - In the classroom, as a reward for the side quest Short Stories.

Related quests

 * Vault 81
 * Hole in the Wall
 * Here Kitty, Kitty
 * Short Stories
 * Dependency

Appearances
Vault 81 only appears in Fallout 4.

Bugs

 * When first entering the Vault, you may be unable to open the door as the "You cannot do this while in combat" message will appear. This is because the two turrets on the ends of the wall are hostile, although they do not attack. The only way to "see" the hostile turrets is using VATS, since they will also not appear marked on your compass. The turrets are also immortal, which makes all efforts of destroying them to continue futile. The only known way to destroy them is trough the "KillAll" console command, but this will also kill most residents and characters inside. The only known way of resolving this is opening the door while sneaking. (completely hidden, a Stealth Boy is recommended) After, the animation will commence and everything will return to normal, but the turrets will remain hostile and immortal forever. Note: On Xbox One, fast traveling from and returning to the vault resolved the issue.
 * After using the speech check, the main door never opens. Reloading to an earlier save (before the speech check) can fix this.
 * On the surface, the button in the main elevator will be on the eastern side. While the elevator is in motion, the button will be on the northern side. When inside the vault, the button will be on the western side. This is most noticeable if the elevator is activated in third person.
 * After the first interaction with him, Calvin (the man who bought tools), will disappear and end up in the hidden "Vault 81 Holding Cell" which is a door hidden behind the residential area upper hallway wall, between the bathroom on the left of Holt and Alexis' room and the wall immediately to the left of the security guard in the corridor at the top of the steps leading to the 2nd floor. This can be temporarily resolved by opening console and typing prid 00153855 then moveto player OR by turning clipping off with tcl and walking through the wall and opening the hidden door. Immediately after opening the door, reopen console and turn clipping back on so you can actually enter as it won't let you change cells with clipping off. Once in the room, open console and select Calvin or any other "stuck" NPC and click on them so their ref. ID is on-screen. Close console and exit via the door. It will exit you directly in front of the bathroom door. Now reopen console and type moveto player. To prevent NPC from returning to the holding cell, go back into the wall, select the door, then type lock 1. Move POV so the the "Unlocked" message disappears, then look at door again, it should now say "Novice Lock". NPC will not be able to unlock this and will stay in the halls if they don't have an assigned room. May need to run to other end of hall and use the moveto player command there, then run back to get the other as they'll make a bee-line right back. Other option is to write all ref. ID down and use the prid command.
 * Holt Combs will disappear after exiting the vault occasionally this can be fixed by using the elevator and searching again.
 * Dr. Penske will give a quest to deliver fertilizer for 25 caps a piece however after agreeing she will give standard dialog when prompted to talk.
 * Quest will randomly complete, without actually starting quest. The quest then disappears from Pip-Boy.
 * After doing the Hole in the Wall quest, Alexis and Holt Combes will be dead in their room.
 * After finishing the quest Hole in the Wall, Vault Security will refer to you as a woman even if you are a male character saying: "You're a brave woman. I wish we could've handled it ourselves, but no doubt, we'd have gotten eaten alive down here." (see gallery)
 * After entering Vault 81, the main elevator you see when you first come in may be non-existent, resulting in an endless fall under the map which can easily be escaped by moving forward back onto the floor (Though any companions that happened to follow you will be endlessly falling). Reloading a save, or exiting and entering the vault again should fix it.
 * When the Overseer takes over Vault Security in asking questions about you, using Charisma to get yourself into the vault will cause a glitch where you cannot enter the door to the elevator, leading to lower levels of Vault 81 (Calvin and the Overseer will also be unable to open the door). The door or the button to the left of it would show "INACCESSIBLE". To access the door, the playes must accept the overseer's exchange by delivering three Fusion cores instead of using Charisma.
 * When in the secret Vault 81 the mole rats that come up from the ground freeze in some areas. It also causes them to sprout from the metal roofing of the facility.
 * Part of the wall at the end of the hallway opposite the classroom doesn't load and is a blank space.
 * You can walk straight through the Overseer's trademark round "window".

Gallery
Vault 81 Refugio 81 Abri 81 볼트 81 Krypta 81 Vault 81 Убежище 81