Nick Valentine

Nick Valentine is a synth character and companion appearing in Fallout 4.

Background
An unusual robotic detective, Nick Valentine operates a small agency inside of Diamond City. Complementing his detective skills, Nick is also experienced at hacking computers, picking locks, along with both ranged and melee combat. Valentine believes himself to be a prototype between first generation synths and the latest generation of synths, explaining why he is not hostile towards people. Despite being a Synth, he is generally well respected throughout Diamond City.

Although Diamond City holds a hatred towards the Institute and their synths, Nick gained their respect by saving the former mayor of Diamond City's daughter, when she ran away with a caravan trader. The caravan trader and his companions were actually kidnappers that took the mayor's daughter hostage. Nick stumbled upon the kidnappers when he was wandering in the Commonwealth wasteland and scared them away by pretending he had a bomb inside of him and started to beep.

When the daughter told Nick what happened he returned her to the mayor who gave him a house in Diamond City as a reward to the locals' dismay and objections. Nick began to gain their respect as Diamond City's handyman. His detective skills were noticed when he helped to find a wife who ran away with her lover. People stopped asking Nick to fix things and he became Diamond City's private investigator.

Upon building a positive relationship with Nick, he reveals that his personality and memories are those of a pre-war detective who volunteered to have his memories encoded into an early synth model by the Institute, at the time still known as the Commonwealth Institute of Technology. Upon his synth body waking after the war years later, Nick, having these memories, describes his experience as confusing and disorienting as he attempted to navigate the Commonwealth.

As synths and their associated technology were unknown at this time, most wastelanders regarded Nick with equal parts fear and awe, however, he was eventually accepted into a small local community in which a mechanic offered to repair the damage he had sustained in his travels for free. During this time, Nick befriended a small child whom he believes was named "Jim" and the pair formed a strong relationship. Nick eventually left this settlement and, upon visiting years later, found that it had been pillaged by raiders, its populace slaughtered.

Other interactions

 * Valentine can be used to hack terminals, of any tier. To do so only guide him to the nearest terminal. This will take some time, depending on the difficulty. Be aware though, that he may fail and be locked out forever. This chance increases with tier.
 * Valentine can not be romanced.
 * Valentine will not hack terminals that strictly belong to someone else.

Effects of player's actions

 * Achieving maximum relationship with Nick Valentine gives the sole survivor the Close to Metal perk which allows one extra attempt when hacking and a 50% reduced lockout time upon failing a terminal. His personal quest Long Time Coming must be completed before the perk can be obtained.

Approval

 * Valentine approves when the player character sympathizes with Phyllis Daily's loss, by talking about Shaun.
 * Valentine approves when the player character tells Phyllis Daily, the best way to heal is to help others.
 * Valentine approves when the player character helps Preston retake Fort Independence.
 * Valentine approves when the player character says that they would risk their life for a man, even if he is a synth, when speaking to Desdemona.
 * Valentine approves if the player character successfully hacks a terminal. No effect on picking locks.
 * Valentine approves of siding against the synth hating scientists in the Covenant quest.
 * Valentine approves when the player character acts selflessly or kindly.
 * Valentine approves when the player character heals Dogmeat.
 * Valentine approves when the player character negotiate to pay less caps for services, for example when recruiting Robert Joseph MacCready.
 * Valentine approves when the player character complements Magnolia, saying her song "was perfect".
 * Valentine approves when the player character selects the dialogue option "humor him" during initial conversation with Captain Ironsides during the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution.
 * Valentine approves when the player character refuses to side with the scavengers during the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution.
 * Valentine approves when the player character gives the Vault-Tec rep a new home.
 * Valentine likes it when refusing AJ's bribes during the Silver Shroud quest.
 * Valentine likes it if telling Tony Savoldi to help the Railroad.
 * Valentine loves it when saying "slavery is wrong" when speaking to Desdemona.
 * Valentine loves it if the player character saves Kent Connolly.
 * Valentine loves it if the player character allow him alone to kill Eddie Winter without interference.
 * Valentine loves it when lying to Bullet about the Peabody family being in their house.
 * Valentine loves it if they player put the Deathclaw egg back in the nest during the quest The Devil's Due

Disapproval

 * Valentine disapproves if the player character says that they happily would have blown Kellogg's head off again if they had the chance.
 * Valentine disapproves if the player character uses threatening dialog with NPCs.
 * Valentine disapproves of the player character joining the Brotherhood of Steel.
 * Valentine disapproves of the player character stealing items that belong to someone else.
 * Valentine disapproves if the player character murders a character.
 * Valentine disapproves if the player character cannibalizes a corpse.
 * Valentine disapproves if the player character acts greedy, as in asking people to pay more caps for a job.
 * Valentine disapproves if the player character picks an owned lock.
 * Valentine disapproves of the player character inciting enemies to fight using the Intimidation perk.
 * Valentine disapproves of the player character doing the SAFE test to enter Covenant.
 * Valentine dislikes it if the player character goes along with deacon's lie to Desdemona.
 * Valentine dislikes it if the player character accepts the Clean out the Goodneighbor Warehouses quest.
 * Valentine dislikes it if the player tells Tony Savoldi to "look after himself" instead of helping the Railroad.
 * Valentine dislikes it if the player character bribes a Diamond City security officer to let Mel out of jail.
 * Valentine dislikes it when the player character betrays Bobbi.
 * Valentine hates it when the player character tells Joe in Bunker Hill that "savings synths is noble".
 * Valentine hates it if the player character chooses to destroy the Railroad.
 * Valentine hates it if the player character kills Trish during "The Diamond Blues".

Notable quotes

 * "You'd be surprised how many people I've managed to convince I'm just a really sick Ghoul."
 * "Who do you think won the war? No-one, I guess."
 * "I'm gonna run some diagnostics while you're tinkering. Take your time."
 * "There's always another case to close."
 * "It’s synth detective, jackass."
 * "I told them I was rigged to explode and started going 'beep, beep, beep.'"
 * In response to the Brotherhood of Steel scribe who comments "No machine should have free will.", Nick replies: "Why? You jealous you had to turn yours in?"
 * When stimpacked: "And that's how they put Nick back together again."

Appearances
Nick Valentine appears only in Fallout 4.

Behind the scenes

 * Nick appears to be influenced by the character Rick Deckard from the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and the movie Blade Runner. Their first names are similar, Nick Valentine used to be a cop while Deckard is one, they share similar clothing, both follow a noir aesthetic, and they both deal with androids impersonating humans.
 * Nick Valentine's name is similar to Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade: Spade is the name of a suit of playing cards while a "Valentine", often given on Valentine's Day, is also associated with a heart-shape (another suit of cards). And, of course, Nick is inspired by the classic noir detective of which Sam Spade is the archetype.
 * His costume and facial appearance are also similar to those of Sir Patrick Stewart as Detective Dixon Hill - an alter ego of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The character appeared in several 1940's noir detective themed episodes.

Bugs

 * Nick may vanish sometimes to an unknown location. Check Piper's office in Diamond City.
 * Nick may become invisible after freeing him from his cell, and choosing to attack instead of stealth. The player character is unable to converse with him while he's invisible, although his quest marker remains above his head, as well as still being able able to attack.
 * There's an interaction at Bunker Hill with Joe Savoldi and his son where the if the player character says "Saving Synths is Noble," Valentine will hate it. If the player says "Synths are the enemy," Valentine will like it.
 * If Nick is given power armor before entering the memory den during Dangerous Minds the armor will count as stolen if the player tries to enter it, Nick can still be told to enter it himself.

Ник Валентайн