Fallout 2 random encounters

Random encounters in Fallout 2 are extraordinary occurrences the Chosen One may stumble upon during their travels through the wastelands.

Frequency and variety
Encounters are determined by the player character's location on the world map, their level and global variables governing it and finally, the chances of encountering one, stored in WORLDMAP.TXT. They can be everything, from a number of molerats foraging in the area or merchant caravans.

Frequency is determined on a per-tile basis: each tile on the map has an assigned "Frequency" used to determine if the player does stumble upon a random encounter. Then, the game rolls to determine the actual encounter, picking from encounter tables assigned to a particular area.

Simultaneously, the game calculates if the player character can choose to avoid it. The chance is directly based on the Outdoorsman skill and caps at 95%, meaning there is no need to raise it above 95% or 75% if one carries the motion sensor. The experience received for avoiding an encounter is calculated thus: 100 XP + encounter zone difficulty (0-70).

List of generic encounters
The generic (repeatable) encounters are grouped by area and sorted by name. Rows include information on the map used (desert, mountains, city or coast), characters, creatures, and items found and other relevant information. Maps accompanying the sections show tiles where a particular encounter table is used. Colors denote terrain type: red stands for mountains, yellow for deserts, blue for coast/ocean, and green for urban areas. In cases where the game uses different encounter tables for different types of terrain, they are listed separately.

Arroyo
Encounters in the vicinity of Arroyo. The game uses the same encounter tables for both mountain and desert tiles.




 * ¹ Perception check determines player placement

Klamath
Areas around Klamath.



Klamath - Den trade route
Area between Klamath and the Den.

Den
Areas around the Den.



Den - Modoc - Vault City - Redding trade route
Trade route between the Den, Modoc, Vault City, and Redding.

Bandits Pass
An area along the DMRV where bandits prey upon passing people.

Modoc
Areas around Modoc.

Den - Vault City - Modoc
Den - Vault City - Modoc trade route.

Wilderness 1
Wilderness North of Modoc

Wilderness 2
Wilderness North of Vault City

Vault City
Areas around Vault City.

Gecko
Areas around Gecko.

North Coastal regions
Coastal regions of the North near Arroyo.

Primitive Tribe
Regions around where the Primitive Tribe would be were it not cut.

Den - New Reno - Redding - Vault City
Den - New Reno - Redding - Vault City trade route.

Redding
Areas around Redding.

Wilderness 3
Wilderness area between Redding and the Raiders.

Vault City - New Reno - Gecko - Broken Hills
Vault City - New Reno - Gecko - Broken Hills trade route.

Raiders
Area patrolled by Raiders.

Navarro
Areas around Navarro.

EPA
Areas around where the EPA would be were it not cut.

Wilderness 4
Wilderness between the EPA and Coast.

San Francisco - NCR - Redding - Reno trade route
San Francisco - NCR - Redding - Reno trade route.

New Reno
Areas around New Reno.

Broken Hills
Areas around Broken Hills.

San Francisco
Areas around San Francisco.

San Francisco - Redding
San Francisco - Redding trade route.

Wilderness 5
Wilderness between San Francisco and NCR.

NCR - New Reno - Redding
NCR - New Reno - Redding trade route.

Wilderness 6
Wilderness between NCR and New Reno.

Vault 15 - New Reno - NCR - Broken Hills
Vault 15 - New Reno - NCR - Broken Hills trade route.

NCR
Areas around NCR.

Vault 15
Areas around Vault 15.

Special encounters
All of the following are unique, one-time occurrences.