Tribe

Tribals refers to the name given to rural inhabitants by those still living in urban areas. They have shrugged off many modern ways of living, and returned to a simpler hunter-gatherer mentality. Tribals often look upon the traders and occupants of cities with disdain, viewing their way of life as "scavenging the dying corpse of the old world." Despite the fact that tribals are generally healthier and in better physical condition than their urban-dwelling countrymen, they are viewed with disdain and often hostility. It is not unknown for tribals to be captured and put to work as slaves. This unfortunate fact goes some way towards explaining the animosity between urban dwellers and tribals.

West Coast

 * Arroyo
 * Sulik's Tribe
 * Cannibals

Midwest

 * Dirt Haven
 * Brahmin Wood
 * Peoria
 * Beastlords

East Coast

 * Treeminders
 * Point Lookout cult

Southwest

 * Hangdogs
 * Blackfoot
 * Twisted Hair Tribe
 * The Ciphers

Economy
Tribes and their origins are diverse and complex communities. While some tribes are peaceful, isolationist and self-sufficient others are violent and antagonistic. Some farm and herd brahmin occasionally trading with periphery towns for some hard to obtain commodities, while others like the Blackfoot resort to raiding and slaving outright. While most tribes are comparatively primitive and operate with a rudimentary grasp of technology, some tribes are centered upon the technological knowledge they have either found in the wastes or preserved from their ancestors. The tribals at Mesa Verde are one such example.

Fallout
No tribals per se appear in the first Fallout, set in southern California. Although it is possible that the Khans can be considered tribalistic. This is true for two of the other groups of Raiders at the time: notably the Vipers shamanistic nature and the Jackals tribalistic nature. All three raider groups originated from Vault 15 and are culturally based upon early human cultures.

Fallout 2
In Fallout 2, the Chosen One begins his quest in the village of Arroyo as a tribal descendant of the original Vault Dweller from Fallout. The Arroyo area corresponds to the real world area of southern Oregon. The NPC and potential party member Sulik is a tribal seeking his sister, Kurisu, captured by slavers; his people live on the coast, and indeed there are tribal groups can be seen as random encounters while traveling through the coast area. The Arroyo tribe featured in a possible outcome of events, Tribals Arise, in which descendants of the Chosen one became powerful and influential enough to assume control of New Reno, whose gang bosses' power has weakened.

In Fallout 2, it is possible to go on slaver runs and enslave tribals.

Fallout Tactics
There are also many groups of tribals living in Midwest region of former United States. Tribals of Midwest are usually friendly folk. Three missions in Fallout Tactics involve visiting a tribal village: Dirt Haven (only Demo version), Peoria, and Brahmin Wood. Also, one of enemy factions that player has to defeat, called Beastlords, are a tribal people who have a unique mutation, allowing them to take control over animals.

Fallout 3
There are no tribal settlements in the Capital Wasteland. At least one NPC, Crow, is said to be of tribal birth. Treeminders exhibit some tribal characteristics although they are more organized. The Brotherhood Outcasts apparently believe that many of the people of the Wasteland are tribals, but this could be attributed to arrogance towards less advanced, civilized people.

There is a cult of apparently hostile tribals living in the swamplands around Point Lookout.