Sergeant RL-3

Sergeant RL-3 is a comical soldier created before the Great War who 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 caps. The player character can only buy 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," and to only like 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 you if you get good or bad Karma, however if fired he can only be re-hired if you have neutral Karma. If you fire Sergeant RL-3 it will wait for you at Canterbury Commons where you can pick him back up for free.

Combine With Prototype Medic Power Armor for hours of commie-killing fun complete with double voiceover.

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

It can hold many items. In fact, its "storage compartment" has one the largest storage capacity out of all available followers. For example, other followers could only hold 2 sets of power armor and a few weapons while Sergeant RL-3 can hold 3 sets of power armor and weapons. Only Fawkes beats the storage capacity of Sergeant RL-3.

RL-3 cannot wear armor and cannot wield human weapons. Total carrying capacity: WG 197.5

Combat
RL-3 uses a weaker Plasma Rifle and when in close range it uses a very effective Flamer. 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 the Fire Ants. Sergeant RL-3 repairs itself 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.

RL-3 CAN die, which is very costly to the character since he costs 1000 caps. It is better to keep him out of dangerous situations, much as you would with Dogmeat. He does have a very high attack with the flamer, however, making him good for small party kills, i.e. Raiders, Slavers, etc.

Another negative feature of having Sergeant RL-3 as a follower is when the player is in Sneak mode RL-3 will still follow as usual but has no special sneaking ability. When detected he may just rush off in to combat. As other humanoid followers (like Charon, Clover, or Jericho) will go into a sneak mode and will only attack when detected or when the player attacks a target.

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

Bugs

 * If you fire RL-3 before you have gone to Canterbury Commons it is possible he may initiate one of the harsh radscorpion/deathclaw attacks that kills all the townspeople except for young Derek Pacion (rendered essential as he is a child).


 * When you buy RL-3 from tinker joe sometimes when you enter a place or leave a place tinker joe will be there with the damaged protectron and the mister handy. He will leave shortly after you see him. You can kill tinker joe and nobody will attack you so if he gets on your nerves just do that.


 * If you tell RL-3 to wait on the bridge to Rivet City before The Waters of Life quest, he will not be there when you return, be sure to either take him with you or take all valuables.

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. Taking the 3 as a leetspeek '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 or for his career on the 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.