Sergeant RL-3

 is a robotic soldier created before the Great War that can become one of your party members in Fallout 3. The metal patriot can be purchased from Tinker Joe outside the RobCo Factory for 1000 bottlecaps. The player character can only buy Sergeant RL-3 if his karma is neutral. Otherwise Tinker Joe will just say Sergeant RL-3 "...doesn't like the looks of you."

Sergeant RL-3 has an experimental soldier personality making him "unstable," meaning he only likes particular characters (thus the neutral requirement). During combat he will also say things like "Another glorious day in this man's army! Hooah!" making him quite a comical follower.

Sergeant RL-3 won't leave if the player's karma later moves away from neutral, but if separated from the player either through firing or through story events, he cannot be re-hired until karma is again neutral. In these circumstances, Sergeant RL-3 will be waiting in Canterbury Commons where he can be re-hired for free.

Equipment
Sergeant RL-3's default equipment consists of special versions of a Plasma Rifle and a Flamer.

RL-3's "storage compartment" provides the second largest storage capacity out of all available followers. Only Fawkes can hold more equipment. His carrying capacity is 197.5 pounds.

Combat
RL-3 uses a weaker version of the Plasma Rifle at long range, and a very effective Flamer at close range. Like all robots, he is extremely vulnerable to Energy Weapons, Big Guns and strong melee attacks like those from Yao Guais and Deathclaws. He does however appear to be highly resistant to flame attacks, such as those from Fire Ants. Sergeant RL-3 repairs himself automatically after combat. In addition, despite his mechanical nature, if stimpaks are placed in his inventory he will use them to heal himself during a firefight. His best use is in small to moderate party kills, i.e. raiders, slavers and the like.

Much like Fawkes, RL-3 does not sneak, and will rush off to battle with any detected enemy, thus he is not recommended for missions where stealth is a necessity.

Statistics

 * Hit Points 350
 * SPECIAL: 5ST, 6PE, 5EN, 5CH, 5IN, 5AG, 5LK


 * Skills
 * Barter: 0
 * Big Guns: 50
 * Energy Weapons: 50
 * Explosives: 50
 * Lockpick: 0
 * Medicine: 0
 * Melee Weapons: 50
 * Repair: 0
 * Science: 0
 * Small Guns: 50
 * Sneak: 0
 * Speech: 0
 * Unarmed: 50


 * Robot stats1
 * Level: 9 (does not scale to player level)2
 * Combat Skill: 50
 * Attack Damage: 23
 * Attack Reach: 96
 * Turning Speed: 150
 * Foot Weight: 3
 * Speed Mult: 110%

1Robots are considered creatures rather than NPC's and thus has an additional list of stats present for creatures. 2RL-3 does not scale to player level like some companions, so he may become outclassed later in the game.

Trivia

 * Unlike most Mr. Gutsy robots, RL-3 has an alpha-numerical designation. This is most likely a subtle reference to R. Lee Ermey, best known as Drill Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket. Ermey retired from the USMC a staff sergeant, and was later given an honorary promotion to gunnery sergeant. Reading the 3 as an 'e', the robot's name would be 'Sergeant R L-e'. R. Lee Ermey also was the voice of General Simon Barnaky in Fallout: Tactics, which may be a nod to both his past experiences in the Fallout universe and to his career as a whole.


 * Sergeant RL-3 will occasionally say "By your command, sir!" when conversation is initiated after hiring him, a possible reference to the Battlestar Galactica television franchise.