Tinker Joe

Tinker Joe is a merchant located near the RobCo Factory in Fallout 3. He sells a robot companion (Sergeant RL-3) for the price of one thousand bottlecaps (five hundred with a passed Speech check) if the player has a neutral karma.



Tinker Joe is armed with a laser pistol and accompanied by RL-3, a Mr. Handy, and a Protectron robot. Despite his sizable entourage, he has a tendency to wander around in the Wasteland area near the RobCo Factory, where he runs the risk of getting attacked and mauled by a randomly spawning Yao Guai. Tinker Joe is, however, known to equip armor and weapons sold to him, which may prove useful to some players in keeping him alive during encounters with hostiles.

However, Tinker Joe has one more point in Melee Weapons than in Energy Weapons, meaning that if he gets his hands on a melee weapon he will prefer it to his laser pistol; i.e. he will be in greater danger when giant radscorpions and yao guai attack. On the PC version this can be remedied by using the console to balance his skills (for example, ).

If he is dead you will not be able to acquire Sergeant RL-3.

He commonly sells energy weapons, sensor modules used in bottlecap mines, and large amounts of scrap metal that can be sold to Walter, Protector Casdin, or Winthrop for a profit. See: Walter's Scrap Metal, The Outcast Collection Agent, and This Old House.

It should also be noted that Allistair Tenpenny likes to play 'wasteland safari' (sniping wastelanders from his balcony) yet Tinker Joe never gets caught in the line of fire. When at the RobCo car park however, does seem to encounter Mad Brahmin.

Appearances

 * Tinker Joe appears only in Fallout 3.

Location

 * Tinker Joe moves between the following locations:
 * Northwest of the RobCo Factory Building.
 * The parking area south of the RobCo Factory Building.
 * The cross road east of Tenpenny Tower, south of the RobCo Factory.