Human

Humans (sometimes called "smoothskins" or "normals" by ghouls and super mutants) are members of the homo sapiens species that have been more-or-less unaffected by radiation. In post-nuclear America, four major ethnic groups can be distinguished: African, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic. Evolved and mutated humans, while still members of the homo genus, are a different species from regular humans.

Description
Despite the existence of various mutations, humans are still the most common humanoid creatures on Earth. Post-nuclear humans, as a direct result of the radiation and exposition to the F.E.V. of the West Tek Research Facility (that has mutated after the Great War due to radiation), and some other biochemical agents released into the environment during and after the Great War, exhibit more diversity, primarily in genetic structure. The aforementioned factors have resulted in an increased rate of mutations in humans, although very few of these result in phenotypical changes. Most of these changes are non-lethal, non-damaging variations in the human DNA that simply increase the genepool variety. Also, humans with minor mutations are still considered normal human, like additional toes, skin lesions due to TDC infection, permanent red eyes, permanent varicose veins or complete lack of hair.

All of these variations have been uniquely interpreted by the Enclave leadership as basis for claiming that the humans living outside the Enclave and isolated vaults are no longer pure, that they are, in fact, near-humans that pose a threat to the "pure" humanity living in the aforementioned locations. This theory, despite the claims of Dick Richardson and John Henry Eden has no basis in fact, as "pure" and "non-pure" humans are, for all intents and purposes, identical, outside minor genetical differences.

Also, humans are the only race to have been seen to be return to a primitive age, living like tribals, with their own beliefs, own cultures, own customs and sometimes with their own language. They also commonly bare tattoos as one of their traditions, often with a meaning.

Sub-species
Human sub-species are humans who have identical or near-identical phenotype as normal humans but many of their senses have evolved.
 * Beastlords, humans who developed an ability to exert psychic control over animals.
 * Human psyker, humans who posses a certain paranormal power.
 * Slags, humans whose physiology adapted to prolonged seclusion underground, possessing for exemple perfect dark-light vision but their eyes are sensitive to bright light.

Species
Entirely separate humans species would be any group of humans that are mutated into a substantially different phenotype and physiology.
 * Ghost people, humans evolved by the Cloud of the Sierra Madre, filtered through the Big Empty hazmat suits. The resulting species enjoy heightened perception, agility, extreme longevity, fire immunity, virtual immortallity and death with limb amputation caused by an universal mutation from which everything is connected to each other. However, the drastic physiological changes have resulted in a loss of human cognition (although its degree remains unknown).
 * Ghoul, humans with an unique genetic makeup that have evolved by heavy radiation poisoning which erodes their skin and greatly extends their life. They are sterile and immune to the lethal effects of radiation but not to its degenerative effects. Two other variations also exist:
 * Feral ghoul, ghouls without the regenerative ability of the neurological system that affords their longevity into the higher reasoning functions of the brain itself, causing them to lost their ability to reason and become hostile against all non-ghoul. Their body is also more skeletal than normal ghouls and their eyes are completely white.
 * Glowing one, ghouls who have absorbed an unusually high amount of radiation into their bloodstream and muscle tissue without their neurological systems filtering these particles from the blood and tissue, becoming a luminescent yellow-green ghoul living conduits of radiation. Some are lost their ability to reason, having the same skeletal body and eyes of feral ghoul, and can emit radiation, even after their death for a while. Some particular other have keep their mind and are similar physically to normal ghouls.
 * Super mutant, humans subjected to forced evolution via FEV-II or the EEP. They are much taller, bulkier and muscular than humans, have mostly green, gray, or yellowish skin, are immune to disease and radiation, and are gifted with superhuman strength and endurance. Although they are completely sterile, the rapid regeneration of their cells caused by FEV makes them virtually biologically immortal (but not immune to death from injury). Two variations exist:
 * Mariposa super mutant, super mutant that originated from the Mariposa Military Base in California, evoluted via FEV-II. They have generally green skin and blue pale for nightkin caste, due to prolonged use of Stealth Boys. They are more intelligent, civilized and having a superior diction than Vault 87 super mutant. Also, more a human is affected by radiations, more their transformation into mariposa super mutant has a greater chance of fail, therefore making them more likely to be brutal and less intelligent. Only a handful of them are become more intelligent, stronger and overally superior to normal humans.
 * Vault 87 super mutant, super mutant that originated from the Vault 87 in the Capital Wasteland, evoluted via the EEP. They have yellowish skin, are more aggressive, less intelligent and have a worse diction than mariposa super mutant. Also, their facial expression is permanently set in a sneer. Unlike mariposa super mutant, their mutation never stops and they continue to evolve and grow up slowly over time, up to 9 meters. Only two of them are know to have keep their human sanity and intelligence.
 * Swampfolk, humans who have developed extreme deformities as a result of combined New Plague infection and ionizing radiation.

Sub-types
Sub-types would be any group of humans that have a different phenotype, but as a result of either natural (prenatal genetic factors, degenerative illnesses) or artificial causes (pharmacological experiments), but are still genetically humans.
 * Dwarf, humans with dwarfism resulting from a particular medical condition or radiation, that have drastically reduced their stature.
 * Lobotomite, humans who was surgically-altered with the Big Empty medical experiments, turning them into mindless savage. Despite the damage to their brain, they can still fight in hand-to-hand and use firearms.
 * Trog, humans who have entered the terminal stage of the Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion.

Gameplay relevance
In Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas, the player can only play as a human character. Fallout Tactics allowed the player to control other races (see Fallout Tactics races), even though the player could only start as a human and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is the only Fallout game allowing to play a ghoul as a principal player character.

Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout: Tactics
In the SPECIAL character system, humans have 40 Character Points to divide between their Primary Statistics.

Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas
Human NPCs suffer extra damage from headshots both in V.A.T.S., and in free fire mode. They prioritize their targets according to the weapons they carry. Any grenades the NPCs carry can be detonated with a well placed shot.

Shooting the enemy's weapons is a very effective way of disarming humanoids, as the weapons they carry are often of inferior quality requiring only a few shots, and their hand to hand damage is negligible. This does not apply to enemies using Unarmed weapons.